The Tea Grotto

It tasted a bit like Honey but was bitter afterwards, it reminded of fall!

Backlog:

I don’t see this tea on the Tea Grotto website so I don’t know if that’s because it’s been discontinued.

It has a really nice strawberry flavor. I don’t taste as much “cream” notes as I would expect from a tea called Strawberry Cream but the strawberry is definitely there and it’s a really good strawberry flavor. It tastes like real strawberries, not chemical-ish or fake.

The cream notes I’m picking up on are more of like the natural creamy taste I’d get from a green tea. It’s still quite a nice tea though.

Since this doesn’t appear to be a tea that is available any longer, I’m not going to rate it.

Sipping on this one right now, I think that Tea Grotto may have discontinued it. It’s another sampling that I uncovered in my stash.

OK … this is pretty good. The black tea is full-bodied. There’s some astringency to it, but not overly so.

This is a moderately flavored tea. I don’t find the pomegranate to be overly strong, but it’s strong enough to be tasted. My only complaint is that the pomegranate tastes a little bit artificial. It’s not a bad flavor or anything, it just doesn’t taste bright or juicy or like the true fruit, it tastes like pomegranate flavoring.

Again, since this is a discontinued tea and I don’t know how old my sampling is, I am not going to bother rating it.

Backlog:

This tea smells amazing. I love lavender, and while lavender and fig are two flavor profiles I would have never thought to blend together, this works. This just may be the best fig tea I’ve tasted yet. I like the way the lavender and fig taste together.

This one made my repurchase list, and it’s not often that I come across a tea that belongs on that list.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/01/10/fig-lavender-black-tea-blend-from-tea-grotto/

Divine Fruit – The Tea Grotto – 2/6/14
4 minutes, 185 degrees

I forgot I was steeping this and it steeped for 4 minutes instead of the 2 I wanted but it seems to have come out okay. Without sugar, it tastes fruity already, a bit tropical, I think I see bits of pineapple and papaya in the blend. Sweetened, it is much more fruity but the base is still there in the background but faintly since white tea tends to be delicate and this one is a bit more robust than some but not like a green or black would be. I went looking for the strawberry and it’s right there at the front of the sip and getting stronger as the tea cools off. This is an enjoyable drink.

Coordination Sheet Critical when through the first round of review, I finished corrections and now it’s back again. I hope that this is the final round with the lead engineer because it’s due pretty soon, the end of next week and it still needs to get through the manager signature process. I’m about to start putting together the c/s for the slightly less critical job, since it’s due out in about 3 weeks so there’s more wiggle room. Except for the stupid enormous table I had to build by hand, it went quickly. So I should be looking for more tasks tomorrow and that’s always a nice feeling, to be done with everything due. I should line up some work for after that though, companies don’t like idle employees. Is that vague enough? I’m just happy for an end to the frustration and that things are starting out well in my transition back to work from a medical leave of absence.

Anyway this is TTBB #10

Walnut Green – The Tea Grotto – 2/5/14
2.5 minutes, 175 degrees

Nutty and buttery are the first few sips without the sugar stirred up. It’s actually quite pleasant and drinkable this way. The base tea must be very nice. Sugar brings out both of the flavours a whole lot more and subdues the base a little except at the end of the sip and the aftertaste (which is in my cheeks again, keychange). There was one enormous half of a walnut in my leaf as well as some sort of fruit that I think was candied pineapple from the look of it. I can taste that faintly to the sides of the flavour of the nut. If I drink more quickly as it cools, the taste of the base green tea comes to the fore and is quite bright and buttery all on it’s own. Nut and fruit are fading with the temperature.

Verdict? I’d drink this again. Not sure I’d buy it because walnut isn’t my fave and I have way too much tea already but if it were served to me I would drink it with a smile.

TTBB #7 (almost time to go home from work)

I was a little wary of this one given that i’m not a fan of lavender. There was just something about the smell that i wasn’t a fan of. Thanks go to KallieBoo! for sharing this one with me, though after tasting it, was not something that i can drink :) On the upside, it has peaked my interest in this tea company since the tea base and the fig taste hiding behind the lavender was quite nice. So still a win in my books! :)

sipdown! another lovely sample from kallieboo! While greens aren’t my favourite, this is pretty nice. There is a feeling of a buttery walnutty taste here. Given my preferences for non greens, i wouldn’t keep this as a staple, but i’d be open to having the occasional cup here and there :) thanks for Sharing Kallie!

I made this one then threw a couple ice cubes into it. AHH so good. All of the fruit flavors shine a little brighter and it was very refreshing :)

This is a nice white tea. The aroma is soft and fruity. All sorts of berry flavor in here. Strawberry and currant… There is a nice mango\pineapple going on too. Even a little jasmine :] This is such a lovely blend! Mmm :]

Welp.. I finally have enough time to get back into my favorite hobby. Life has been so busy the past few years but now that I have my own tea/reading room I can make more time :D

Anyways.. I’ve been craving an oolong lately and decided to jump back into it with this one. This is an excellent oolong. It’s buttery, smooth, has a slight buttered vegetable taste to it. It almost reminds me of a stronger green tea.

Anyways.. I’ve been craving an oolong lately and decided to jump back into it with this one. This is an excellent oolong. It’s buttery, smooth, has a slight buttered vegetable taste to it. It almost reminds me of a stronger green tea.I think I might go up on the temperature the next time I have a cup. Otherwise it satisfied my craving for a good oolong :]

I could have sworn I did at least one note for this… Oops. Well it’s gone now and I’m sad. This is the most buttery oolong I have ever had. Mmm… I think one of my favorite smells is the aroma of a buttery oolong. Mmm this is very buttery with a thick mouth feel. It has a sweet buttered vegetable thing going on but the dominate taste is butter. Almost like really buttery peas. I love this oolong.

KallieBoo! Thank you for this one too!

There’s definitely a nice earthy puerh base here, with an indescribable sweetness. If I didn’t know it was supposed to be ‘fruity’ I’m not sure I would have necessarily picked up on it. There’s a subtle blossom flavor, and definitely a sweet flavor. I couldn’t tell you what fruits are here, but they do compliment the base instead of overpowering or dectracting from it.

I enjoyed this cup as well!

yesterday i had a puerh-splosion in my house and tasted 6 different puerhs. all multiple steeps. and got mega tea drunk. and i feel like i learned a lot about tasting puerhs! not in a solid way but i definitely gathered info in my little monkey brain.
i have a couple puerh stuffed mandarin tea bombs in my collection, but KallieBoo! crushed her’s up and sent the sample to me that way. and i must say i like it better like this. cuz i’ve just been steeping the whole thing at once in a large pot. which is kinda too bitter. and mine is a white puerh anyways which i think is too mellow for that much rind.
okay okay okay, what i’m saying is, i like this one way better :)
it has a slightly more fishy puerh smell than all of the teas i had yesterday, but it’s still not strong. it’s also somewhat less earthy and slightly more on the leafy tasting side than some other puerhs i’ve had of late.
great as a pre-gym sipper!

Holy yumminess! This has been sitting in my swap drawer for ages and I didn’t know it was there. Luckily Since I’ve been going through all my swaps I found it hidden under some other teas. I brewed it with a few extra pearls in it and my first sip was surprisingly weak. I put the leaves back in for another minute and the result was crazy. So dark chocolaty, seriously, I don’t know how this is an unflavored tea. Then there is also a hint of sweetness like raisins, but not syrupy. Just good. I’m really enjoying this and I’m on steep 3! Thanks KallieBoo!!

Thank you TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this tea.

It’s not bad at all. I just visited the Tea Grotto website and didn’t see this one on there … sold out? Discontinued? I don’t know.

This has a very bold, aggressive flavor – nice hazelnut notes with a strong black tea base. And … I’m hoping this one won’t be keeping me up because it IS a little late to be drinking a black tea. But, I’m feeling a little bit of caffeine withdrawal this evening (I don’t know why because I’ve been drinking tea all day … but, still, there is that withdrawal headache coming on)

Anyway … this is a good tea. Enjoying it … thanks to my SororiTea Sis!

gadaamn KallieBoo! your high opinion of this tea is well deserved. it’s not flashy or bombastic, but it’s certainly a beauty. malty and warm and hits you right where it counts. sweet and dry all at once. very nice! thank you so much for the generous sample! and it’s so VERY gosh darn pretty too!

the strawberry is light and mellow. and playful and perfect for the summer season.
after i take a sip and the tea is gone, a strawberry taste keeps lingering in my mouth.

thanks for this wonderful smelling tea KallieBoo!

thank you for this sample KallieBoo!
i am a dried fruit fanatic i will admit. like prunes and mangoes and currants and dates. all of it.
not so much a fan of lavender to be honest, but it works nicely in this blend. much better than it smells dry to my nose. once brewed it adds a whimsical or slight poetic quality to the scent but it isn’t a big deal in the flavor itself. it makes it breezy!
very fun and interesting cup. i drank my first brewed 12oz very fast. i even surprised myself!

09/23/2013
i just felt like saying good bye to this cute tea. it has a bold yet feminine way about it that i really like. smooches little tea!

I felt sad when I crushed my dried orange with this inside. But I reeaalllllyyyyy wanted a cup. It’s earthy and sweet with mellow orange and citrus notes. There is a very, very slight bitter note from the orange peel but it fits. For some reason it tastes like someone dipped their orange creamsicle in my pot. I enjoy this one quite a bit.

Sipdown! 810. Yum! This is better than the first time I had it – I’m tasting the toastiness of the rice in with the delicious candy strawberry, and it’s a real treat. Very enjoyable!

Thanks to KallieBoo! and Sil for this one.

While I am enjoying this, and it certainly tastes like creamy strawberry Campino candies, it’s not quiiiiiiiite what I was hoping for. I’m not sure why… maybe I’m just not in the mood for it. However, there’s plenty of flavour, and no astringency, so it’s definitely worth trying for those who like strawberry cream teas!