1433 Tasting Notes
I requested another sample of this because last time I tried it I oversteeped it, then tried to drink it before heading to the airport at 5am, THEN attempted to make a note 6 hours later after not making our connection flight. Needless to say, I didn’t enjoy the tea at the time, or the two awesome books I finished at the airport (not even Jon Snow or allomancy can make waiting at an airport for two days fun).
The looseleaf smells and tastes like a pineapple with cream and florals. This fills the massive citrus fruit cravings I’ve been having recently. Seems like a perfect multisteeper for the increasingly warmer weather here. Thank you for the sample, Stacy!
Flavors: Flowers
Preparation
I guess I sent more of this to Heather than I thought, because I only had enough for one cold steep investment last night (10hrs).
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it’s refreshingly fruity and definitely on par with the fruity black blends here at Silk Road. I’ve never had passion fruit but this is almost a peachy grape (although not really) and quite floral. There’s also a bitter saltiness that hits the back of my tongue (calendula?). Overall, not bad at all!
I’m starting to get a hunch that the quality of the water comes through a lot more in cold steeps.
Flavors: Flowers
Preparation
Today this has the usual taste of fresh hay, but with the added bonus of sugar crystals. I’m not sure if that’s something that just comes out as it cools, if it is Greek yogurt cross contamination, etc., but you won’t see me complaining.
This is a very nice white tea but our relationship is still on the shallow, acquaintance side of things. I have high hopes of getting past that soon! I need to send these Wanja teas out to a few people who are long overdue for receiving packages.
Tea notes always become so much more appealing when I have deadlines and appointments to keep.
Preparation
That recommendation is for Earl Grey lovers. Individuals who have long since established a general horror for The Earl know what’s best for themselves in this situation.
Crazy backlog sipdown combo from four days ago. Why I’m posting it now when I’m sleep deprived, I don’t know. I hypothesize it has a lot to do with procrastination and little to do with logic and self-preservation.
When I smelled this one for the first time I was a bit worried; the bergamot is like a slapstick puck up the nose (except my nose and skull remain gratefully intact, could you imagine the actual damage that would do?). Err.. however, I found as long as I didn’t add milk, this would usually turn out to be a pleasantly fresh and fruity evening pick me up. I guess I don’t mind bergamot and Earl Grey teas after all (as long as milk is absent). Possibly a repurchase for the summer season.
Flavors: Berries
Preparation
So sorry about your sleep deprivation :-(
This is most definitely one of my favourite Earl. Don’t know if I’m crazy, but I get hints of blueberries when I drink it, it’s very on the fruity side.
I was delightfully surprised by the amount of fruitiness in this one; it reminded me of berries too but not a specific kind. I never would’ve guessed there was cocoa in this either.
Have you ever iced some?
Funny you should ask, Teajo teas are amazing iced! This one is delicious and surprisingly, the bergamot is even more subdued when chilled. You should also try Raspberry Chocolate Bark and Juicy Peach. (If you like peach, that one is simply FANTASTIC iced!)
Sil matcha: one serving in a big glass of cold almond milk. It’s a bit like an orange creamsicle with a bit of matcha, which is unfortunately the same flavour as my childhood fluoride treatment (minus the matcha). I’d love to know how people who don’t associate this with an artificial chemical cleaner feel about it because I’m 100% biased.
This might be something that mandarin and orange creamsicle lovers want to check out.. It might be good with some ice cream too.
I haven’t tried this yet but the specific orange scent here reminds me of this gritty orange industrial-strength handsoap my dad used to have for work.
it’s mandarin to me..not orange…but then i haven’t tried orange from red leaf… if it’s similar in flavour profile i might consider it for the orange creamiscle factor..
This sounds like it will get some seriously mixed reviews. Here’s hoping it’s more like orange julius to me!
It’s on the icing side of vanilla, for me, with a distinctive handful of rooibos. It isn’t quite what I was looking for but I did get a handful of simple evenings out of it. Goodbye, rooibos!
Flavors: Berries, Cream, Vanilla
Preparation
1 1/2 scoops of this distinctive flavoured matcha, almond milk, half a banana, and chia seeds. I know there’s some maple syrup just below the surface of perception. Sometimes it even emerges from those murky depths, but like an iceberg I know I’m not experiencing the majestic fullness of maple syrup.
I think this is one of the very few matcha flavourings I’d contemplate going with Robust. I’m not keen when Maple dominates thin wispy things like rooibos blends but this is a smoothie! All the other flavours are confident enough in themselves to handle maple. It should let itself go more instead of settling for the vague aftertaste I’m getting. Be bold maple, or hand me the cookies.
In contrast, I actually taste green matcha in my flavoured smoothie, which is an amazingly rare occurrence.
Thanks, Sil! I enjoyed this one.
The notes on this one really have me on the fence about it. I’ve been tempted because I love maple, but I want true maple flavour, that is actually there haha.
it doesn’t taste like maple to me courtney… but if you DO get it…go for robust. even distrinctive wasn’t enough flavouring for me
I made the best mistake with this tea the other when I forgot about it for 15 minutes. Instead of turning into a nasty vegetable mouth wash it decided to become awesome instead- finally capitalizing on the full powers of dark leafy mint.
Now I always steep it longer than I’d dare with any other green.. I’ve been reading too much of a certain series lately, and every time I write “green” I simultaneously think “lots of warders”. Not impressed with myself and life decisions right now.
This isn’t fancy, and has the cocoa pieces I’m so skeptical of, but it’s usually comfy and sometimes that’s all I really want anyways.
EDIT: I think my roommate really liked this one too, despite the long steep. She’s a huge After Eight fan.
Flavors: Cocoa, Mint
Preparation
Take some plain almond milk, half a banana, half a spoonful of Nutella, and a 1.5 servings of this matcha, and you have one nutty beverage. Indulgent but not as sweet as I thought, which is nice.
Thanks, Sil, for making my day a little richer!
Chocolate almond milk, a bit of mocha greek yogurt, and a generous scoop of this equals a delicious Starbucks drink. Add some softened chia seeds and you have chocolate sprinkles. So good.
I thought Sil was crazy for having three coffee based matcha flavours (Mocha, Coffee, Tiramisu) but they are turning out to be good things. :)
Flavors: Chocolate