1408 Tasting Notes
Day 18 of the 2024 Inoki advent calendar. This hojicha is on the green side – a little more vegetal and less roasty than the ones I usually go for. It kind of fits the transitional vibe of early fall, plus I got three very solid steeps out of it, so I’m pleased.
Day 2 of the Tea Thoughts fall countdown box. This feels light and airy without feeling thin, which may or may not make sense to anyone else. Some sweetness, a gentle savory/hay note, very smooth. I made this Western-style because it’s a workday, but it might be fun to gong fu my remaining leaf!
Day 1 of the Tea Thoughts fall countdown box. Probably a bad idea to have gong fu’d this on a work day. I get some honey sweetness, but mostly I’m getting tobacco and that’s not a flavor I enjoy. A shorter steep time might have helped. I just didn’t have the ability to focus on getting it right today.
Day 17 of the (2024) Inoki advent calendar. I’m trying to finish off any lingering countdown boxes before December! Aiming to get fewer this year, so they hopefully don’t end up languishing in the proverbial cupboard.
Brewed this up Western-style. I wasn’t really sure what tea I was in the mood for, but as soon as I took my first sip, I knew that this hit the spot. It’s the kind of tea that commands your attention. Not in a bad way! It’s very tasty. More in an “I am here and I will not be ignored” way. Brisk without being particularly tannic, strong notes of cocoa and smoke. This feels like hot chocolate’s big sister – all grown up and has seen some s***.
Day 16 of the (2024) Inoki advent. Day 15 was the silver moonlight wild white, but I seem to have drunk it all and not made a tasting note, and I don’t remember anything about it because it was a while ago.
I couldn’t get the steeping parameters of this right. 1 tsp wasn’t enough leaf. So I added the rest of the packet to the resteep. But I probably brewed too long on the resteep, because it came out a bit too tannic and drying. I still got some malty and dark stone fruit notes, but ultimately I don’t think I got the brewing right and don’t know whether it would be more complex and/or enjoyable with a better brew.
Thought I posted this ages ago, but just found it in my tasting notes drafts file! So this is months old, but written at the time I drank this tea:
Day 6 of the Tea Thoughts spring countdown box. I want this flower, but on a sweet oolong. The floral note is light and cheerful, which almost feels like it’s clashing with the earthier hay notes of the white tea. Also, I’m realizing that I think white tea tastes like hay a lot, which is maybe just my palate not being great at white tea? Don’t ever listen to me about white teas, is the takeaway here!
So old it’s practically vintage – this bag must be from at least ten years ago. I think I never finished it because the black tea in this tends to hurt my stomach. I wanted something very fall-themed today; I am not ready for summer to be over so I’m trying to make easing into fall pleasant. This has held its flavor pretty well! Made as an oat milk latte with honey. I’m getting clove, cinnamon, a malty base, and sweet pumpkin. Leaving my rating the same, as it seems unfair to change it when the blend is so old.
Picked this up in Taiwan a few years ago. Just realized that the sachet is plant-based, not plastic, so that’s cool. I love that I’ve never had a truly bad Taiwanese tea. This is basically a supermarket tea and it’s still so tasty! I was craving a fun flavored oolong today and this fit the bill perfectly. It’s surprisingly creamy for a four seasons base – I would have guessed milk oolong. The peach flavor is straddling “fresh, juicy peach” and “peach gummy candy.” Similar to DavidsTea’s Peaches & Cream Oolong, in a comparison that’s favorable to both blends. Made two steeps already and about to try for a third.
