371 Tasting Notes

drank Cocomint Cream by DAVIDsTEA
371 tasting notes

I had a very bad experience with this. The aroma was nauseating – should have tipped me off – and the tea itself made me feel nauseated. Dumped it after a few sips.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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86
drank Spicier Chai by 52teas
371 tasting notes

Brewed on the stove-top. Brought to a boil, simmered for five minutes, added milk and sugar, brought to a boil again.

This blend stands out to me because of the pepper flakes, which I’ve never seen in masala chai recipes before. By golly, is this blend spicy. The flakes don’t hit right away, allowing me to taste the cozy briskness of the base tea and the other spices. Then BAM – on the back of your tongue. Stays there for minutes. It was surprising. Couldn’t stop saying wow.

I appreciate that this is incredibly spicy and that the ingredients are quite fresh, but it is too much for me. Next time I’ll have to double the amount of milk and sugar to make it just right for me personally. My dad, with whom I shared this, agrees, commenting on how he’d think this would be better with 1/3 as many flakes. Besides that, he does like this blend and the idea of having pepper flakes in masala chai.

Additionally, the dry leaf has a great aroma – powerful, full of clove and pepper. Made me sneeze! The ingredients are quite fresh, particularly the cloves.

Recommended for those who prefer super spicy tea or want to try a different masala chai recipe.

Preparation
3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
adagio breeze

I’m a little worried about the spicy chai I bought recently… hopefully the chocolate and marshmallow flavors will tame it a bit!

KiwiDelight

That sounds delish!

adagio breeze

It did to me too, but now I’m worried about all the chili flakes!

KiwiDelight

I think if you just keep adding more milk it’ll be less intense.

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73
drank Black Supreme by Tealated
371 tasting notes

Thank you for the sample, Roseanne!

Smells boldly of malt and molasses – a very nice aroma. I drank this straight. The burnt orange liquor is clear, full-bodied and flavorful. I taste mostly malt, and then fruity (grapes, plums) notes after the tea cools down a bit.

The packaging and website don’t say where this black tea comes from, but it seems like it’s African. It’s not bad. Not complex or out of the ordinary, but still enjoyable as an everyday morning cup if you want to take a black tea without milk and/sugar. It gives your taste buds a good jolt!

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Tealated

Thanks for trying our tea!

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81

Thank you for the generous sample, Roseanne!

I like the aroma a lot. The dry leaf smells very creamy and vanilla-like, with just a little bergamot. Spent a good couple minutes with my nose in the pouch as the water boiled. So vanilla.

The base tea came out bitter and too strong for my liking, so I added a couple pinches of sugar and a splash of milk. This way, the vanilla is able to stand out more, though I’m still not getting as much bergamot, which does, however, appear more in the aftertaste. The flavors may not be balanced but I don’t mind. It’s very creamy and resembles hot milk with vanilla.

I recommend this for those who prefer more creme in their Cream of Earl Grey than bergamot. This also makes for a good late-afternoon tea, particularly during autumn and winter.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Tealated

Thanks for trying our tea!

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74
drank Rock Oolong by Mandala Tea
371 tasting notes

Received a sample in my last order. I think this is the appropriate one to file on Steepster? The label says Da Hong Pao in parentheses.

Brewed gongfu-style with a ceramic gaiwan. 10 second rinse. Steeping times: 5, 10, 20, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120.

Wet leaf has a roasty, fruity (blueberries, starfruit), and somewhat smoky aroma. The liquor has a beautifully rich golden color, and is clear, smooth, and thick in texture. The high point was infusions one and two – roast and quite juicy. Thereafter, the flavors weakened slightly. They were simply present, nothing more. They did leave a nicely sweet and fruit aftertaste once I finished each cup though.

Overall, this dark oolong lacked pizzaz and complexity, but it was alright.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 7 g 3 OZ / 88 ML

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86
drank Marron Chocolat by Lupicia
371 tasting notes

This is from the Christmas Card NayLynn sent me. Thank you!

This is a great chocolate tea. The aroma smells so very much like fudge brownies, fresh out of the oven. Taste-wise, it’s not so accurate, and it’s as if something burned…like the very bottom of the brownies having baked too much…but it’s still closer to actual chocolate than other chocolate-flavored teas. If you let the tea sit in your mouth, it begins to resemble dark hot cocoa. Yurmmmm.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Stephanie

Try it at 200 next time!

ThainofBuckland

Yeah, burnt brownies. I hadn’t thought of it before, but that fits. I like that, though. Not in actual brownies, but in this tea it’s nice.

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93
drank Jin Pin Black Tea by Yezi Tea
371 tasting notes

Ost included a sample of this in her Christmas Card. Thank you, Ost!!

Brewed in a test tube steeper. Steeping times: 20, 40, 60, 120.

The dry leaf smells uncannily like caramel-filled chocolate candies, while a rich smoky and somewhat chocolately aroma arises from the wet leaf. The liquor is a beautiful golden orange color, and has silky smooth texture. Very clear, except for the fuzzies from the leaves – makes for a nice sight when you hold the steeper in the light. Flavorful and full-bodied. Offers fudge and caramel with a bold smokey note.

I’ve come to learn that smoke in teas doesn’t appeal to me unless it’s lapsang souchong, but this is a delightful and well-made black tea nonetheless.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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76

Thank you, Veronica, for including a sample of this in the Christmas card! I did not follow the directions and only dumped half into the teapot (directions call for 1 tbs – yipes).

I never would have thought to try this on my own. Not much of a ginger fan unless it’s in tea with plenty of other ingredients, and I’m hesitant about shou in blends.

Here, the shou is earthy and smooth – not much else going on. The ginger adds a good kick. It’s an odd combo but works. A very nice winter tea! Especially when it’s overcast booooooooooo.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Veronica

I’ll use a full tablespoon when I have a cold. The combination of the shou and ginger is comforting and seems to help get rid of the yuck. Otherwise I use less leaf, too. :)

KiwiDelight

I used the last half today. I think it’s growing on me…

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85

This is from The Cookie Lady’s Christmas card. Thank you!!

I wish the website would specify where the leaves came from, but this tastes very Kenyan/Tanzanian. Of course, I drank this plain. The liquor has a lovely burnt orange color – sunrise! Full-bodied, smooth, bold, malty, a hint of honey. It was also somewhat bitter for my taste, but that’s most likely from steeping a bit too long (3 minutes would have sufficed). Absolutely perfect for the morning, as your first cuppa of the day.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML
Cameron B.

Yeah, I really hate it that most websites don’t tell you what kind of tea it is… :(

KiwiDelight

Maybe a lot of people aren’t quite at the level as we are as tea enthusiasts.

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78
drank Bombay Chai by Steepster
371 tasting notes

This one is from Thain of Buckland’s Christmas card. Thank you for thinking of sending me chai! Brewed both servings (two tsp in two filter bags) on the stove-top. Brought to a boil, simmered for five minutes, added 2% milk and white sugar, brought to a boil again.

The dry leaf smells delicious – I’m able to discern cinnamon, ginger, and orange rind. Reminds me Constant Comment. The aroma is a pleasure to savor as the leaf is simmering.

This is an alright recipe. Good spices, good ratio. It’s definitely spicy, though not biting, more on the tamer side. On the down side, I wasn’t able to find notes from the Assam, and I didn’t particularly find the citrus/orange zests appealing.

However, my dad, lover of masala chai, approves. Check plus for him! (The rating is mine.)

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Profile

Bio

I began drinking tea because its complexity fascinated me. I love learning about its history, its manufacturing processes, and its place in various cultures.

Japanese greens were my first love and gateway into the world.

My favorite teas are leafhopper oolongs, pu’erh (shou and sheng), and masala chai. My favorite herbal tisanes are spear/peppermint, lavender and chrysanthemum.

I’m currently exploring pu’erh, and any Chinese and Taiwanese teas in general. I’m not much into flavored teas, unlike when I first started. The only teas I truly dislike are fruity tisanes and the ones that have too much fruit. I do like hisbiscus, especially iced.

I like to write nature essays. I’m a birdwatcher as well as a tea enthusiast. The kiwi is one of my favorite birds. I also like Tolkien, Ancient Egypt, and exercising.

IMPORTANT NOTE, PLEASE READ: After two and a half years of having an account here, I will no longer will provide numerical ratings as an addition to the review because the American school system has skewed my thoughts on numbers out of a hundred and the colors throw me off. Curses! My words are more than sufficient. If I really like what I have, I will “recommend”, and if I don’t, “not recommended”.

Key for past ratings:

96-100 I adore absolutely everything about it. A permanent addition to my stash.

90-95 Superb quality and extremely enjoyable, but not something I’d necessarily like to have in my stash (might have to do with personal tastes, depending on what I say in the tasting note).

80-89 Delicious! Pleased with the overall quality.

70-79 Simply, I like it. There are qualities that I find good, but there also are things that aren’t, hence a lower rating that I would have otherwise like to put.

60-69 Overall “meh”. Not necessarily bad, but not necessarily good.

0-59 No.

If there is no rating: I don’t feel experienced enough to rate the tea, or said tea just goes beyond rating (in a positive way).

Location

Westchester, NY

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