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Absurdity Day tea #2. I wasn’t aware that Death Eaters were minty, I’d probably put chicory, clove or shu puerh in such a named blend.
I only have a sample of this minty tea, so it’s a first cup and a sipdown. Thanks Shae for sending it my way.
The peppermint and the spearmint blend well together, but I can’t really taste the underlying black tea base. The second steep is smoother and muted, but still tasty. A yummy cup, and I’ll need to experiment with my own blend of black and mint teas.

Got this a as a sample, wish I had more. A very nice dark chocolate Keemun that didn’t get astringent or bitter even though it was brewed up nice and strong. Not very complex, but it is a very pleasant cup and I’ll see of the second brew is any good.

Absurdity day Sipdown. It’s an oolong with a strange name.
This was in a tea mail from Shae, thanks! Brewed this western style, the whole sample in half a pot. The first steep is roasty hay up front with a lingering fruity melon sweetness underneath. Its quite nice, and I had forgotten how lovely a Dan Cong can be. Second steep is a bit weaker, but becomes more floral as it sits and cools. I’m not sure I need this in my cupboard, but I’d be tempted to add it to an order.

I’ve tried this several times and it never compares well to Mandala’s big red robe, or Lapsang Souchon. This tea is just mildly woody and smoky and I’m left wanting more. I’ll finish the smallish bag I have and then go hunting in my cupboard for the better version. It’s in the ‘save for later’ or ‘break in case of emergency’ section of the cupboard.

Sad Sipdown.
I finished off this small bag and stared into it wishing I had more. It’s a subtle orange aftertaste over a robust chocolate base. It’s nice and soothing in a Lemon Loaf way, don’t expect too much and steep with lots of leaf to water ratio.

Not a sip down, but a tea for mulligan day.
I found a few flavors of teeccino carob chicory teas on sale, and picked up three different boxes as I’m looking to drink more chicory to help my digestion. This one has added chaga mushrooms, which I have tried before in a DT blend, and ashwagandha, which I’ve never known to have a calming effect. I did enjoy the other two flavors I picked up, but this one, hmmm, not so much. It does have a nice chocolatey flavor, brews up thick when only 6 oz of water is used, but does have a chalky aftertaste. Not one I’d buy again, even for chicory in a nice travel friendly packet.

This sample came from Shae, it’s about time I tried it.
The first steep is nutty and salty and smoky. Reminds me a bit of barbecue, or maybe that’s what I had for lunch. It’s quite smooth and the aftertaste a bit malty.
Second steep is roasty, nutty, malty and astringent.
Third steep is smooth, weak and still roasty.
Certainly a candidate for grandpa style brewing, and I might be tempted to add to an order, bu not to seek it out. Thanks for the sample, Shae, glad I got to try it.

Not a sipdown since this was a sample, but definitely a black tea for chess day.

Wow I think I’ve met my CTC match for a strong morning brew. This makes an intense cuppa, and I am usually all for that in the morning, but this is just too much. I’m not sure how a brew this strong manages to be not bitter or astringent, in fact its quite nice tasting with malty, peppery, and metallic notes. I suppose I could add a bit of Yunnan or lemongrass to sip this blend, but this is just a sample and I’m not inclined to purchase a whole bag. There are much better ways to make a strong tasty morning brew (the ctc assam from S&V comes to mind).

This is a Nahorhabi Estate 2020 FBOP sample I got in an order, but this seemed the closest tea for a tasting note. The first steep was malty and coppery and astringent with caramel notes in the finish. The second steep was disappointingly weak. A nice, one steep version of an Assam, but I don’t think I’d be tempted to add it to an order.

I got this tea because I liked the Colombian breakfast by Upton, and this seemed interesting. I tried to like this tea but it’s just meh. I’ve tried more leaf, longer steeping times to coax some flavor out of the steeps but its just a nondescript tea flavor that’s not bitter. Wish it was better, not purchasing again.