New Tasting Notes

Nice Yi Wu tea, but, like many similar fresh pu-erh teas, not worth the price for me.

It has a creamy mouthfeel and a very sweet floral and pungent profile with notes of citrus fruits, fish, argan oil and apples. The aroma reminds me of forest, cake and manure. This is surely something only for those who like their pu-erh sweet.

I had a cup of this earlier today finishing off the last of my personal stash of it. (Sipdown!) I love this blend – I might have to reblend it at some point.

Earlier this week when I did inventory, I did manage to find one single taster pouch of this blend – so I do have it available on the website for those of you who love this one! Hurry – because my s/o might just talk me into putting it in my stash. He loves it too!

Pretty good ripe. The cake is on the loose side and it brews up fast and dark. Yup, that tangerine flavor sings right through it. Not sure how I ended up with three cakes of this, but it makes a good gift. Just a tad bit “humid” on the nose in the first brew (after a quick wash) but it doesn’t linger or return. Got 8+ steepings out of it before moving on, but I could have pushed another 4 brews from it. The leaves are a pretty big chop, too. Worth giving a try!

I’m not usually a fan of oolong. It takes a really special one to not taste like steeped cardboard to me. This one is okay, which is good praise in the oolong department. The leaves expanded a lot in the bag and looked like they needed more room to stretch. There is a touch of licorice root in here to add some sweetness that linger in the finish, but not enough to identify it without reading the ingredients or taste like licorice in the cup. The amaretto is there and distinct, but that’s about all that is happening. Nothing that says cupcake, like what is pictured on the package and it leaves me wishing they developed and built on it more.

This was too full-bodied for my liking if I’m being honest.

Thyme forward. Savory and at times I did think to myself, could I baste a chicken in this? Weird combination to get used to. I brought it with me to work after my initial cup so I’d be forced to drink it. Once I got to the bottom of the canister I came to miss it as my daily tea.

This tea tastes like someone tried to make a chai out of a cinnamon black tea. It never quite strikes the right note with me.

This tea smells like sticking your head into a kid’s plastic pumpkin halloween candy bucket. With notes of fruit pebbles and tootsie rolls. I will have to try it iced next time.

Bold cup of black tea with an orange finish and an earthy cinnamon kick

A sad-face sipdown in a day full of great blacks! This takes a full pot of leaves, but gives and gives in return. I think this one goes back on the wishlist.

Delicious brewed as an unsweetened cup or the traditional way.

Sipdown. This is delicious. I don’t know that I have much to add beyond what derk and leafhopper have noted. I’m not super-drawn to red oolongs, but woo… this is lush with plenty of mystery.

A little too peach ring candy for me. I wish it held some of the richer peach flavors.

Delicious as a hot tea, I imagine it would be even better iced.

Great spice level from the cinnamon. It can veer a little too sweet at times for my liking.

I wish this tea was still readily available. Just used the last of my stock a few months back. Now I’m on the hunt for a toasted oaty black tea that compares.

I am getting the buttery gourmand notes, especially in the smell. The first few infusions are light and a touch sweet. Not floral, but smooth and consistent body. The liquor is a bright orange.

This is a pretty good tea so far. I left one of the steeps too long and it did not come out bitter or astringent, just smooth and strong. The flavor profile is not as pleasurable to me as something like a TGY but I still really appreciate what this one brings to the table, it’s not too expensive either! Well balanced.

Going to withhold a rating on this session.

The flavor is very light, I tried a few different water temps up to 205DEGF and up to 3 minutes per infusion but only got light wood notes, a bit of floral background, and clear body. On higher steep times there is astringency so I can’t push the temp or time any more than I have already. I don’t have the best sense of smell though so that might be part of the sensation loss.

It’s subtle, or maybe I was just expecting more. The Shou Mei white tea cake I have offers much more complexity and nuttiness for a lesser price.

The one thing that stands out is a nice Hui Gan when steeped on the longer side. There’s one more session at which point I can issue a rating.

Drank through a whole bag at work save for this last 3.5g had at home

Sharp, strong and sunny like the fiery yet discerning marigold-faced goddess of the golden mountains. Big pickled ginger heat-cool in chest.

Ugh oolongs are just so good when the leaves are high quality. Sweet, roasty, light on the tongue but heavy on the flavors present in the body and finish.

Honey, floral, light roast, long finish. I love it.

Very, very good, though a touch too perfumey and ‘bitter greens’ for my taste. As with most green oolong, I’ve taken a liking to bowl brewing and prefer so over preparing in a little pot. Will come back with more later.

Honestly, I had a great experience with this one today and bumped my previous rating up a few points. Really tasty!

Argh, I didn’t take notes. Prepared the same and in same pot as Floating Leaves’ Ruby 18 Black. I recall this being more muddled in taste and a little more astringent and tannic especially later; darker forest floor vibe but not nearly as strong as in The Tea’s Yuchi Competition Grade Ruby 18 Black Tea. Plenty of tomato-malt and wintergreen for me though :)

Thanks again, Leafhopper!