1040 Tasting Notes

I didn’t really like this when I first got it so it was shoved way back into the cupboard. I’ve recently dug it out in my quest to drink down the old stuff in my cupboard.
This is much better with some age on it. LOL or it much better now that it’s lost some flavor.
It’s not as in your face spice and the spice seem better balance to me. This is good – I now have chai that I can drink….. :)

Indigobloom

I love it when that happens! or sometimes my tastes change and all of a sudden I’m all about the flavour I once didn’t care for

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I started my – can I drink pu’erh at work – experiment today…….

It was recently pointed out to me that if I drank two pu’erh sessions a week, I have enough pu’erh to last 7 years. I need to be drinking more pu’erh – so, I took some of this to work today. I know, I know – I am incredibly fortunate in my tea making supplies/ability at work, but pu’erh is a finicky animal that needs to be taken care of. Dealing with chunks of cakes didn’t seem like a good idea, so I just took some tou.

I don’t think I would take anything “special” to work – and I certainly don’t have space to set up a gong fu situation but using my steeping basket in a mug was ok. Rinse, rinse, quick steep – go back to desk. Can’t take the cup to the desk with it still steeping – I forget about it and then it’s way icky. The other interesting thing is you a different tea every steep – some strong, some mild, some water not hot enough. It all adds up to different flavors coming out. I’m not sure this is the answer to my problem, but if I can drink some of the “just ok stuff” at work then that SHOULD help reduce my stash. Need to keep working on it…..

OMGsrsly

Good idea. I like the thought of steeping and then bringing it back to my desk. But there’s no where to put my basket etc, other than the staff fridge…

Lindsay

Have you tried combining a whole series of gong fu type steeps in a travel mug and taking that to work?

Dexter

Bringing the basket back to my desk is fine as long as it’s not still in the cup steeping. Our new coffee station at the back of the room is really good, but the water isn’t hot enough – I know poor me, I need to walk all the way to the kitchen to get 200F water.

Lindsay – I’m spoiled – I drink and make pretty good black tea at work all the time – black works, it’s nice to have good tea all day. LOL tea in travel mug wouldn’t make it TO work. I know first world problems and I should not be complaining..

OMGsrsly

My work desk is less than idea. It’s a fairly small stone table – not enough room, and SUPER cold.

Dexter

LOL This is why I can’t quit my job – cheap hotel discounts and great tea making options at work. :)
Stone table as a desk – I would not like that….

OMGsrsly

It’s terrible. I’ve started wearing wrist warmers. BRR. The space was “designed” and is not actually a useful space…

yyz

I drink cheap Sheng grandpa style sometimes at work. You have to make sure you’ve eaten something or it can make you feel nauseous and I use less leaf than I do for gongfucha sessions but it can be pleasant when I’m in the mood. I haven’t attempted shou yet though.

Christina / BooksandTea

I’ve been using up random Teavivre and YS samples at work, and *yyz*’s method is similar to mine – I use a little less, steep it for a little longer, and I can usually get a good 2-3 steeps. The hot water dispenser is far enough away that I think it offers a good steep time.

kristinalee

So is this a pretty good company, do you think?

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Someone please remind me to do this more often. I know, I know it’s not how is should be done. There are times though that I really like ripe pu’erh western steeped – or at least not true gong fu.
I did this one about 5g 12oz 95C 1 minute – I did do a couple of quick rinses.
This is just nice – it’s mellow and soft, just a hint earthy, just a hint chocolate, some depth, some malt and all just yummy goodness….

Sil

hey uh dex…. you should do this more often

Dexter

LOL Thanks Sil….

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drank Special Dark by Mandala Tea
1040 tasting notes

Went to work for five hours. Picked up the last of the groceries and stuff I needed on the way home. Tidied the house. Made beef vegetable soup for lunch tomorrow. Prepped all I could for dinner tomorrow. Did the dishes, cleaned the kitchen. And even though I have a couple of little things left to do – I think it’s tea time.
Settling in tonight with some Special Dark. It’s fantastic as always. Liquid chocolate with just a hint of earth and mineral. Awesome.
Wishing all my amazing Steepster friends a safe and happy Holiday Season.

https://www.instagram.com/p/_sfZG1uE4D/?taken-by=dex3657

Nicole

Love the tea set up. Looks rich and relaxing. :) Happy Holidays!

Dexter

Thanks – that’s my HUGE yixing pot that I only use to “western” steep Special Dark – love the hints of mineral the clay adds.

tigress_al

Nice teaware!

Fjellrev

Happy holidays, Dex!

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Hmmmm – not sure how I feel about this one….
Others are saying cinnamon – I’m not getting that – pumpkin spices for sure and there is too much of one of them – clove maybe….. What’s confusing me is that the ingredient list doesn’t include spices other than cinnamon. Sooooo this leads me to believe that there is something funky happening with the cinnamon and rooibos.
I’m getting the pumpkin and the spices (?), nothing that I would call cheesecake, and no chocolate at all.
I don’t hate this, but it’s not living up to expectations. What I do like is the mouth feel – this is really creamy and thick feeling and just gets more so as it cools.

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This one is more subtle than the other teas I’ve tried. I didn’t get much chocolate, just a hint of caramel with a little nutty in the back. The caramel came though stronger as it cooled.
Nothing wrong or offensive, just not quite as bold as I normally prefer flavored teas.

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This is interesting – not quite what I was expecting. (ummm Dex you should read the description so that you KNOW what it’s suppose to be not what you ASSUME it should be)
This is really good but my absolute first thought was – where’s the chocolate? – but if you read the description it says caramel not chocolate. :(( Oh well that’s a personal taste thing not a reflection on this tea.
There is quite a bit of banana here and some strawberry and it’s creamy (I added milk to accentuate that) – the caramel comes through more as it cools (I’m going to mention again I wish it were chocolate….). I’m not sure I’m getting the vanilla.
There is nothing wrong with this – it’s advertised as a “creamy, fruity dessert tea.” and that’s exactly what it is. I’m perfectly happy drinking this – it’s fun. :))

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Whimper – sniff – I’m drinking the last of my first order tonight. My second order shipped today and I’m already regretting only ordering 2 oz – what was I thinking? Why didn’t I order like 6 or 8 oz? I guess I really should wait a bit to order more….
This is just soooooo good…….

Sil

I need to order this one eventually Just really need to get through some of my large quantities of teas first. ugh.

tea-sipper

whoa, you really REALLY like this stuff. :D

Plunkybug

Oooh, how can this really be bad? I’ve heard a lot about this company…seems like a lot of people like it.

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drank Random Steepings by Various Artists
1040 tasting notes

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Promotions-New-tea-Honey-black-tea-premium-small-yellow-tips-top-spring-bulk-100g-High-quality/32446075594.html

Honey Black Tea Premium Small Yellow Tips – shrug, dunno but sounds good – so I ordered some. It was REALLY cheap.

OMG!!!! and it’s REALLY GOOD!!! Yep honey, sweet, black tea. Not your typical cocoa – malty Chinese black. This is a little lighter, but it’s a fantastic black tea with a hint of honey. Western Steeped – just off boil for about 2.5 minutes. Soooooo yummy. Can’t wait to try this one gong fu….

ETA: Ok there is some chocolate/cocoa notes here as it cools. It deepens – get bolder as it cools. This is a great tea!!!

Nicole

Mmm. Sounds nice!

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Profile

Bio

C.S. Lewis – “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”

I needed to update my profile. I joined Steepster 03Mar13. I am just amazed at how much my tastes have changed since then.
When I discovered loose leaf tea about a year and half ago, I didn’t know anything other than my local Davids and Teavana/Teaopia. Stumbling onto Steepster CHANGED EVERYTHING.
Hello, my name is Dex I’m a tea addict.
I’ve been through the “I need to try every single tea out there” phase. I really hope the worst of that has passed. I’ve learned enough to know that I only need to try HALF of all the teas out there. LOL
When I started this journey, I was all about the flavored rooibos and fruity tisanes. Don’t get me wrong there is still room for dessert (chocolate/caramel/nutty) Rooibos teas in my cupboard and I still do enjoy them, BUT I am quickly learning to appreciate the some of the straight teas of the world.
Big bold (but not icky)pu’erh is suddenly my favorite, followed by woody/roasted oolongs. I’m just starting to explore straight black teas, and have found some that I really like.
Generally speaking I’m not into greens at all, only like the occasional green oolong, and white teas are just too mild for my tastes (unless they are fruit flavored). I still enjoy really good fruit tisanes, but am now cold steeping them.
I don’t like floral/herbal blends, and mint anything is not on my preferred list.
I am still exploring new teas, adapting to my changing tastes, understanding more every day how little I really know about tea. Ultimately I would love to find approximately 50 teas that I just “can’t live without” and always have them in my cupboard. That might not be practical, but that what I’m searching for. It’s going to be a fun journey.

All in all, I love this site. I’ve met some wonderful people, and have gotten to try some amazing teas because of them. It really restores your faith in humanity when you get a note saying “oh by the way I sent you some tea”. Wonderful, generous, people here.

Location

Manitoba Canada

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