150 Tasting Notes

72
drank Mom's Apple Pie by DAVIDsTEA
150 tasting notes

What?! I haven’t logged this one yet? Well, I best get to it then.. Mom’s Apple Pie is pretty good. Sometimes I really like it, and other times it’s just okay enough to drink the rest of.

I have developed yet another chest cold, I have a deadline that I fear I’m not going to meet in two days, and I’m feeling generally miserable. I made an executive decision that a hot toddy was in order to turn my night around. So, I added a shot (or two) of Hot Damn! 100 proof cinnamon schnapps to Mom’s Apple Pie. Yes, it had a lighter fluid-y flavor to it at first. Then buzz took over and it still tasted like apple cinnamon lighter fluid but I just didn’t care as much. sigh

Footnote We don’t normally have Hot Damn! 100 proof schnapps in the bar. My hubby informed me that he bought the 100 proof instead of the regular one because they were the same price, and we’ll use less of the 100 proof. Yep, my sweetie is being economical and stuff :)

Daisy Chubb

That sounds amazing. And EFFECTIVE!
Sometimes you gotta sneak Hot 100 in to a November football game in Saskatchewan. trust me, it’s the only thing that can keep you warm when it’s blizzarding, you’re in a parka, and you’re watching your favorite team!

Plunkybug

Ha ha ha! This post made my day!

“So, I added a shot (or two) of Hot Damn! 100 proof cinnamon schnapps to Mom’s Apple Pie. Yes, it had a lighter fluid-y flavor to it at first. Then buzz took over and it still tasted like apple cinnamon lighter fluid but I just didn’t care as much. sigh”

I <3 you Jenn!

Jenn

DaisyChubb I’m going to have to come up for a visit to appreciate the true beauty of Hot 100 :) I just hope it doesn’t grow hair on my chest, you know?

Heather Martin Only a true friend would love me for my half drunken apple cinnamon lighter fluid ramblings :)

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89
drank Earl Grey Supreme by Big Tea House
150 tasting notes

I haven’t always been a big fan of Earl Grey blends. It’s the pesky bergamot shaking its tiny fist at me demanding to be recognized above all the other flavors. I like the flavor of bergamot in general, but I don’t care for it when it’s being a tea-bully.

Earl Grey Supreme is a really well balanced blend. The bergamot is there but it’s not all up in my grill, and I can actually taste the organic black tea too. This one is a keeper for sure!

TeaBrat

I agree about the Earl Grey – too MUCH bergamot is totally overwhelming!

Jenn

I’m not the only one? Stupid bergamot…

TeaBrat

I’m really not a fan of E.G. but my boyfriend loves it and says the Harney blend is good.

ashmanra

A lot of Earl Greys are too strong for me and taste like cleaning fluid. I do like Earl Grey Supreme by Harney and Sons a lot, though.

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86

Margaret’s Hope 2nd Flush is one fantastic Darjeeling! I would describe it as a thin-ish to medium body tea. The liquor is bright but not overly astringent which is just delightful. I defiantly taste berry/ currant notes as promised, and in many ways this tea is rich and wine-like. However, I don’t taste the much-desired muscatel essence at all. Oh well, that’s all right by me because this tea is a joy to drink.

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93
drank Wen Shan Bao Zhong by Naivetea
150 tasting notes

I’m a sucker for a good oolong and Wen Shan Bao Zhong is a GOOD oolong. I never cease to be impressed with how delectable a pure, simple, high quality tea can be.

This Bao Zhong has an intoxicating floral aroma dry, but this oolong has a lightly vegetal and almost savory flavor at first sip. A distinctive osmanthus essence with delicate orchid notes quickly takes over, and the finish is slightly creamy. Very, very, very good!

I was able to get seven flavorful steeps out of the leaves just as Naivetea promised.

AND I used this adorable little dude to brew my lovely Wen Shan Bao Zhong:
http://www.teavana.com/tea-products/teapots-teapot-sets/artisan-teapots/yixing-teapots/p/tiny-mouse-yixing-teapot

TeaBrat

I got some samples from Naivetea and I’ve been really happy with them all so far.

Jenn

I was super happy with this sample! I have a few more that I’m excited to try :)

E Alexander Gerster

Mmmm. Osmanthus and orchid tones get me drooling… I think I will have to give this one a try! I love the little mouse Yixing teapot and nod hello to the one in the window of my local Teavana. ;-)

Jenn

My husband brought the little mouse home to me one day unsolicited. He said that he saw the little guy in Teavana’s window and knew I’d love it. Of course, Teavana is near the Apple store so there may have been some guilt involved. I want the pervy monkey pot next. The one that looks like the tea is poring out of… you know. I want to shock my MIL with that one :)

TeaBrat

I wonder if I need a Yixing teapot? Do you notice a difference?

Jenn

I like that the mouse is the perfect size to brew oolongs gongfu for one person. Over time, the clay is supposed to cure and improve the flavor of subsequent infusions. We shall see.

ashmanra

Jenn, I love your mouse!

Jenn

Thank you! I love that little dude :)

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92
drank Fairydust by Rooibos Suite
150 tasting notes

I’m over committed and a little overwhelmed. Life has officially driven me to THE DUST! Not that dust… Fairydust. Maté is my drug of choice when my energy dips and there’s still much to get done. If I close my eyes, take a sip of Fairydust, and think happy thoughts all of my troubles will still be there when I open my eyes. However, the maté in Fairydust might just give me the boost I need to start kicking some serious arse!

Fairydust is a gorgeous herbal mélange with large slices of ginger, dried lemon pieces, peppermint, green mate, lemon grass, and premium gynostemma. This winning combination makes for the perfect flavor balance of fresh lemon and cool mint. It’s as soothing as it is uplifting. Yum!

IllBeMother221B

Wow that is one heck of a combination there! Sounds interesting to say the least.

Jenn

No coconut ;)

gmathis

Never heard of gyno-whatchamacallit before, premium or otherwise :) Can you tell what it tastes like?

Jenn

gmathis Ha! I had never heard of it either so I had to do some research. There’s nothing so appetizing as a word that starts with gyno… Okay, so it’s an Asian herb that is well regarded for it’s antioxidant properties. It came into western focus when scientists were looking for artificial sweetener alternatives in the 1970’s. I really couldn’t detect it’s flavor in this tea because the mint and lemon are so dominant.

gmathis

Am I lazy or what … making my tea acquaintances do my Googling for me? :)

Jenn

I had already looked it up because I needed the info. for something I was writing, so no trouble at all. I’d google anything for you… except how to build a bomb, ways to murder people and not get caught, etc. I have my limits.

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96
drank Rainbow Sherbet by The NecessiTeas
150 tasting notes

Backlogging… I can’t believe that I’m the first to log this beauty. I’m siting in my veterinarian’s office at the moment, but I’ll add the photo and description when I get home.

This flavored green tea is pretty darn great! I was able to taste the raspberry, orange, lime, and vanilla flavors individually and that’s pretty amazing to me. This tea tastes like rainbow sherbet through and through and it’ll knock your socks off.

EDIT So, I entered the description for Rainbow Sherbet off of The NecessiTeas website but there’s no photo available yet. I’m too lazy/ busy to go shoot one of my own, so I’m going to need you to imagine lush, dark green tea leaves with enormous pieces of dehydrated raspberries and orange slices. Yeeeesss, just like that!

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87
drank Orange Flower by The NecessiTeas
150 tasting notes

How much do I love oolongs? T H I S much!
How much do I love orange flower? T H I S much!
So, it’s a no brainer that I’d like this lovely orange flower oolong. I’m not usually a big floral tea fan but this one was really good. This oolong has a well balanced flavor that allows the orange oil, orange blossoms, lemon myrtle, and jasmine to blend perfectly. It’s sweet and uplifting.

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90
drank Black Currant by Harney & Sons
150 tasting notes

The smell of Black Currant reminds me of my childhood. My mother never allowed Kool-Aid in the house and soda pop was a rarity. However, she would allow me to drink black currant squash and this made no sense because squash syrup is super sugary. I was always very happy to take advantage of my mother’s clear lapse in sugar policing, and I’d greedily gulp down black currant squash whenever I could get my hands on it.

Black Currant from Harney & Sons is the perfect combination of the black currant I loved as a child and smooth, rich black tea. I adore this tea! I’m enjoying it with almond milk and stevia and it’s improving my afternoon tenfold. A big thank you (((hug))) to SimplyJenW for sharing this fab tea with me.

Also, I feel like I owe my generous Steepster friends an explanation/ apology. Many of you have done tea swaps with me, and I can’t begin to tell you how grateful I am for all of the glorious tea I’ve received. I carefully store every tea I get from my tea-pals so that I know who gave me which sample, but I haven’t logged every sample I’ve tried. I always intend to do so, but sometimes I become overwhelmed with “stuff” and I forget to backlog my tea tasting. Please don’t take this as my not being appreciative of the incredible tea-kindness I’ve enjoyed. I just suck sometimes :/

gmathis

To quote Calvin and Hobbes, “There’s never enough time to do all the nothing you want to do.” I think most of your donors, swappers, and tea friends would say, “Amen.”

IllBeMother221B

Exactly, I have lots of swaps from folks and I have enjoyed quite a few and sometimes haven’t rated them on steepster for whatever reason. Mostly because there is so much going on in a day there just ins’t time.

Jenn

gmathis I love that you quoted Calvin and Hobbes! You’re a kind soul and you’d best PM me if you ever want to try any of the teas I have in my cupboard. Sharing is caring :)

Jenn

The Purrfect Cup (Little Mew Brew) That makes me feel so much better! You’re my tea-soulsista.

Daisy Chubb

Oh yeah , it never once even crossed my mind for you to log every sample, or for me to log every one of mine! For me anyways, I send samples for your enjoyment. So enjoy! Whatever life brings <3

IllBeMother221B

DaisyChubb that’s why I send samples too.

Jenn

DaisyChubb I have enjoyed all of the samples you sent :) xoxo

gmathis

What a gracious kind bunch you all are! These comments just made my evening after a screamer day.

ashmanra

I am glad you said all this. I have been feeling terrible for not having tried some of my swaps yet. Some of them I am saving for when Sandy gets back ( next week, YAY!) and some I have held onto and forgotten who sent them, so I may not be able to give proper credit! Eep! So thanks for the “forgiven” card! LOL!

Angrboda

I’ve got a number of samples that people have given me lying around still untried. Some of them are before I worked out a proper system to help me remember where they came from, so I have no clue as to who to credit when I get to actually trying them. I just can’t make myself drink them without also posting about them, and I don’t always feel in the mood to write a post, so…

Secondarily, could it be that perhaps your mum was more concerned about all the unnatural colouring agents in the beverages she didn’t like you drinking too much of than she was concerned about sugar contents? Squash sounds to me like something that would contain less of that sort of thing. Just a guess. (My parents were like yours, though. Soda and similar, that was for christmas and birthdays. The end. Any other day it was milk or water or nothing. Take your pick. :) But then again, soda and the like was probably also more expensive back then than it is these days…)

SimplyJenW

I am so glad you liked this one! It is one of my favorites.

And I will add an ‘Amen’. I am definitely in the category of being overwhelmed with the generous samples sent by other Steepsters. I will get to logging a good portion of them, but sometimes you have to wait for the right moment. (Like…since I am not as well versed with oolongs or greens, I need to have some time where I can concentrate on the tea as well as enjoy it.) When I share samples, it is partly that I am curious what you will think, but mostly that I know little bits of tea will make you as happy as I am with little bits of tea. It would be so nice if all of the problems in life could be solved so simply.

Plunkybug

I’m still so new to Steepster that I haven’t even explored the samples/swaps aspect of the site yet, though never quite sure how to go about it anywho. But it looks like there are some pretty awesome things swapped.

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89
drank Strawberry Matcha by Matcha Outlet
150 tasting notes

I’m addicted to matcha lattes, and Strawberry Matcha from Red Leaf is one tasty matcha with which to make a latte! It’s amazing how good a quality matcha frothed with a little warm almond milk and a bit of agave can taste.

Initially I couldn’t really taste much of a strawberry-y flavor, but as my latte cooled the strawberry flavor began to develop. This matcha has a really delicate, fresh, natural, strawberry essence that makes for such a treat. The only downside to Red Leaf Strawberry Matcha is the crazy high price. Matchas are known to be pricey but this one is $19.00 for a 30-gram bag. I suspect drugs may be cheaper. I don’t know what kind of drugs, just drugs man.

Plunkybug

So do you need the special bowl and brush to prepare this tea?

Jenn

No, silly! Well, for aesthetic purposes maybe… but I mixed my matcha in a small soup bowl with a bamboo baby fork for ages and it was just as yummy. I have since invested in the proper tools and they were relatively inexpensive. The tool I find most useful is the cheap-o battery operated milk frother that I use to make almond milk matcha lattes. Yum!

Plunkybug

Oooh, almond milk matcha lattes! Ok, so I don’t have any of that other than a soup bowl, though I do want to try this. But I know I can get the stuff from many a tea shop here. Oh! I have this (http://www.pamperedchef.com/our_products/catalog/product.jsp?productId=244&categoryCode=KW) on hand…might this work? Does it have to be bamboo? Thanks!

Jenn

I don’t think that the tools have to be bamboo at all. I just used the little bamboo fork to make my matcha paste, but my milk frother is metal just like yours. So, I’d say you’re all set :)

Plunkybug

Woo hoo!

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drank Honey Bee by DAVIDsTEA
150 tasting notes

First, back off vegan police! There’s is no honey in Honeybee, so you can put your judgement down and back away. Bunch of judgy McJudgersons…

Second, I don’t know if I dig this tea. I have an entire tin of it because the 50g bag wasn’t available when I placed my uber DAVIDs order. Maybe I’ll give it a go iced and see if I like the flavor more that way. I’ll reserve my numerical rating until I give it one more chance. Also, Honeybee didn’t give me the jolt of energy I’ve come to expect from DAVID’s matés. Tea problems, man!

Uniquity

This one took a couple attempts for me, but I came to really like it. Hopefully it’ll grow on you!

Cattibrie

I tired it about 4 times and I really don’t like it. So much that I left my bag at my aunts house. She offered it to me when I was there today and I drank tea out of her Keurig instead that’s how much I didn’t like it. LOL.

Daisy Chubb

Have you tried it iced? Maybe it’s no longer iced tea season, but I looooved it iced. Maybe, just maybe?

Daisy Chubb

Oh I just read the part in your comment about trying it iced >_> anyways yeah… try that. haha!

Daddyselephant

I adore this tea! It is my go to tea when I need some energy for work. A lot of people warn about letting it steep too long, could that be part of the problem?

Daddyselephant

Also, if that vegan police comment is a reference to Scott Pilgrim, you’re my new BFFE.

Michelle Butler Hallett

It’s not just mate in the blend; there’s a lot of honeybush, too. It hasn’t ot the same punch as Jumpy Monkey.

Michelle Butler Hallett

Sorry … got the same punch …

Michelle Butler Hallett

Sorry … got the same punch …

Jenn

Cattibrie Ha! I drank Keurig tea the other night and it was terrible. I think that my host may have neglected to rise the machine before she brewed my tea :/

DaisyCubb I miss you! Yes, I will try it iced because it was 100 degrees in LA just the other day. It’s almost always iced tea weather up in here :)

ailing of tea I have a new BFFE!!!! My vegan police reference is indeed a Scott Pligrim reference, but they exists in a less hilarious real life form too. They’re watching us right now…

Michelle Butler Hallet I can’t drink the Jumpy Monkey, but I am a shameless Jungle Ju Ju and CHOCOLATE ROCKET fan. Do I need to stop comparing my maté kidlets and start loving them individually? I’ll do my best :)

Daisy Chubb

I miss you too!
haha I am craving iced tea weather even though I had a few months of it. I’m such a cold wimp, why do I live in Saskatchewan? D:

ashmanra

Come here for a visit! We are whining because our toes were cold in the morning, then it hit 85 degrees F.

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Profile

Bio

I’m an animal loving vegan foodie, and a card carrying tea fanatic! Didn’t you get your card?

I typically drink my black tea with a splash of almond or coconut cream and a dash of turbinado sugar or stevia. My green teas I typically drink straight, and the same goes for most of my other teas with an occasional exception. I live on the edge!

Please check out my website Cookin’ Vegan at www.cookinvegan.com if you’re hungry.

I’m also a bit of a knitwit. I have an Etsy shop where I sell pretty little knitted and knitting accessories called Baubles 4 Knitwits at www.Baubles4Knitwits.etsy.com.

Find me on the Twitter @cookinvegan http://twitter.com/#!/cookinvegan

But enough about me…

Location

Los Angeles Area

Website

http://www.cookinvegan.com

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