Coconut Chocolate

This is quite delicious. I wasn’t expecting it to be but the rave reviews on the company website persuaded me to give it a try. This is smooth. The coconut gives this tea a real creamy taste and feel. The chocolate is less prevalent but still there in the background. I don’t normally like chocolate in tea – in fact, I have never liked it before. So this is a first.

I’ve sipping the second steeping of this now. The flavor was much stronger in the first steeping but the second steeping is still enjoyable to drink. This will also be the last steep because I need to go to bed soon. But I imagine, like any good pu’erh, I could get a few more cups out of the tea.

I received this sample in a trade I think, or a traveling teabox because I certainly don’t remember ever buying anything from this company before. I may have to change that though if all their teas are as tasty as this one. The pu-erh base is fantastic giving the tea rich, earthy notes that also manage to be slightly sweet. It goes well with the nutty coconut flavours and though I’m not getting hazelnut exactly there’s a distinct flavour of tree nuts somewhere in there. 10/10 would recommend.

Teeny Tiny TTB

I have 3 remaining teas to try from this tea box and they are on the docket for today. This was one of them. I was a little worried about the pu-erh and I am getting some kind of weird taste from it that I can’t quite place. It’s not horrible, but it’s not something I would want to drink again. It is surprisingly smooth and creamy, but not quite delicious though not bad enough to dump.

A package from Permission Tree magically appears on my doorstep today.

“Huh?”I think to myself. “I didn’t order any tea from them. Or, did I?”

I walk upstairs, boil some water in anticipation, and open the small box. Oooh. I see! It seems the Tea Fairy (not TheTeaFairy on here, ha!) sent me some tea as a thank you, and in this case, it’s Suziqzer. So unexpected, unnecessary, and yet absolutely wonderful at the same time. I’m so excited!

Some really lovely options in the box, all of which I’m excited to try. This one however, this sample, it called to me to drink it.

The smell was a bit earthy and surprising, considering the ingredients. After steeping however and drinking it, I’m hooked. There’s a dryness to it (likely from the cacao), akin to eating a large amount of hazelnuts with the skin still on. I get the faint hazelnut flavor too, although it tricks me somewhat — there’s chocolate, coconut (only to add smoothness, as I detect little in the flavor itself) and creamy nut-likeness. I’d say this is the closest things to a Nutella tea that I’ve had.

Thanks again Suziqzer, for my first taste of Permission Tree!

First Sip Thought: “Rich & Creamy!”

Smell: When first opening the tin, I wasn’t crazy about the scent. After I steeped it though, it was a delicious scent. The initial one definitely did not do it justice! A great way to realize to “never judge a tea by its initial smell.”

Taste: Don’t let the verdict steer you away, because I definitely enjoyed this pu-erh tea. It’s not like others because it’s not an intense earthy flavour. If I were to change one thing it would probably be to have more pu-erh taste than the coconut/chocolate, but that’s me being picky. However, the chocolate and coconut are the perfect match for the pu-erh base. It’s a lovely taste and if you do enjoy coconut and chocolate then you’ll love the combination in this tea. I think of this tea as an excellent cozy drink. When I took a few sips I noticed a toasty coconut, and rich and creamy chocolate coating. It is definitely not a cheap, artificial chocolate or coconut flavouring as well.
Bonus: several re-steeps of this tea will get you the same flavour each time!

www.theteacupoflife.blogspot.com

I just received a 2oz tin of this tea – my initial cellpohane wrapped sample came in the same box as a lychee flavored sample (delicious and described elsewhere) which shared its heady scent “promiscuously” with the box, the tape, the packing material, and every sample that wasn’t packed in a tin. Since few benefited from the addition of lychee flavoring – I had to reorder all of my samples.

I had had high hopes for the Coconut Chocolate Puehr – and on the whole, when I finally got to try it, I was not disappointed. I prepared my tea in a mug using my usual bottled water. I briefly rinsed the tea to its benefit as it was very dusty. The first steep and second steeps were for 4 and 5 minutes (recommended 3-5min.) respectively using water just off the boiling point(recommended). Both steeps gave similar results (providing the dust was decanted) so a third steep may have been possible but I had no more time.

Neither cup gave even a hint of bitterness and the cocunut was “gently” evident throughout and seemed to lend a smooth, well “lubricated” mouthfeel to the liquid. The chocolate, while detectable, could have expressed more presence. Overall, I think those who like coconut with a bit of chocolate in a firm but smooth pu ehr might enjoy investigating this tea.

ADDED NOTE: i’ve now had this tea several more times over the last few days and I’ve become more sensitive to the chocolate flavor. I predict it will become a constant feature in my tea collection!

Another Note: The above prediction was correct – I have already reordered – 4oz this time! Definitely hooked on this puerh. For me the sweet coconut and mellow chocolate play perfect counterpoint to the puehr’s quiet strength.