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Huh, looks like I never wrote a note for this and it’s almost gone. Probably because this is somehow very roasted, and that is all I have to say about this. Roasted. Roasted. Roasted. meh. I mean, it’s not BAD for a roasted tea, but it is not the tea for me.

Another sample from S&V — thank you! HAD to try this golden monkey. The leaves look like your classic, traditional golden monkey variety. Long, thin, about 1/3 gold in color. I might have steeped the first cup a little light. The flavor is light. But what is there is tasty. Hints of tomato soup. The second steep is a little deeper but sadly, I’m finding this tasting note lacking, as I’m sure all of you are, as there just isn’t the depth to this tea that I would wish. Not my preferred Golden Monkey, I guess.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 24 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 6+ minute steep

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2025 Tea #4 – March 20 – International Day of Happiness/Spring Equinox – drink a tea that makes you especially happy or speaks to you of spring

I choose this tea!  This fits both halves of the prompt today.  It is floral, so incredibly reminds me of Spring.  And because it is my most favorite floral tea, it also makes me happy.  :)  Happy spring to all.

additional notes: I thought I had failed Pi Day today by not drinking a pie tea, but I must have subconsciously prepared myself. I had David’s Sweet Potato Pie tea earlier. Now it’s this one. Next time will be a sad sad sipdown but a long time coming.

additional notes: Sad to say that this is just another tea from a recent S&V order that is
Just.
Not.
The.
Same.
as a previous batch that I have tried. I have steeped the new harvest a few times and it just seems muted compared to the older batch. Lighter black tea. Lighter/ less special in flavoring. I would not give this tea a rating of 95 now. What is happening to my favorite teas???

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2025 Tea #3 – an herbal tisane

Finishing this one.  It was just okay.  The hibiscus made it more of a mulled cider sort of tea, which I guess if I think of it like that, it’s acceptable.  It should have been named that, I guess.  Fusion still has this for sale, for any of you curious about it!
2025 sipdowns: 14
2025 unique sipdowns:13

A sample from S&V — thanks very much!   I know I have tried a Nahorhabi tea in the past.  Looking at the leaves, I remembered it a bit.  So much gold in them there leaves!   But not fully gold.  This is the look of leaf I find so promising and appealing before I steep them up!  The leaf also has a look that I would describe as “choppy”… whatever that means.  The flavor is just what I wanted today.  It’s assam, but not a super strong type — it’s sweet, fruity, layered, actually a hint of gardenia.  Maybe just a hint of tomato soup.  It’s bright, refreshing, maybe a hint of citrus like a marmalade or maybe just the barest hint of some other flavored jam  (strawberry or guava?)  So maybe a mix of marmalade/strawberry/guava jam?  Why isn’t that a thing? Then at times it most reminds me of Yunnan.  Delicious.   The second steep seemed much more like a traditional assam flavor, losing its uniqueness of the first steep for a bit of harshness.  Either a 3 1/2 minute steep was too long, or this one is just fine with one teaspoon instead of 1 1/2 teaspoons. The high rating I’m giving it is much more for the first steep than the second.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 //  just boiled // 3 1/2 min steep

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2025 Tea #2 – a good resteeper

Any good puerh could and should be resteeped.   One steep would be a waste.  This is the last of my samples on this one, so a proper sipdown.   It was an okay puerh.  A VERY slow unraveler. So I’m not even sure by steep #3 if the leaves have given their all. So yes, definitely a re-re-re-resteeper.   Fun to try but nothing I need a cake of.
2025 sipdowns: 13
2025 unique sipdowns:12

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2025 Tea #1 – March 8 – International Women’s Day – drink tea from a woman owned company

A quick search for ‘women owned tea company’ had many more results than I thought, even for some tea shops that I currently have with me.  So I had plenty of options for this prompt!   This tea is from CameronB - thanks again.   This blend was just calling to me with its awesome ingredients- it has so many ingredients I love.  Really, the majority of it looks like roasted yerba mate.  A little bit of puerh, a chocolate chip here and there.  The flavor is like a mocha yerba mate. Tasty, if mild.  The flavor is sweet, creamy, a bit roasty and a bit like coffee.  I think I might try adding this blend to another ripe puerh and see how that does.  I bet more puerh would dial it up a bit and add richness, as I would really love for this blend to have more puerh.  Or I could just actually use two teaspoons as the tin suggests… (it says 1-2 teaspoons.)  Today I’m also drinking Dessert By Deb’s Houjicha Caramelized Butterscotch Blondies — another women owned company.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 //  just boiled // 6+ minute steep

From CameronB!  Thanks again!  Such a tiny fruit, it’s about enough for three Western steeps of tea.  Of course, I throw some peel in the infuser, along with the actual tea.  Sadly, the black tea is so incredibly light flavored to me, it’s just not something I want to steep up.  The orange really takes over, even though that is quite light too.  The orange that does appear in the flavor is very much like a rind flavor.  It’s just a bit sad that a tea that isn’t really that great would be put through the trouble of being stuffed inside a tiny orange.   Luckily, this isn’t a big orange, and was just enough for me to sample to know that this isn’t the tea for me. :)
Steep #1 // 15 minutes after boiling // 2-3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep