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Happy Firework Day everyone, I am currently fidgeting with my rather finicky tripod in hopes that it will be in prime working order for the fireworks I will be watching tonight. I hope all my fellow celebrators of the Fourth of July (or Firework Day as I have called it since I was a wee thing) have excellent firework displays (I am so sorry people on the East Coast getting swamped by Hurricane Arthur, bad timing that one) and I hope everyone else is having a lovely summer evening (or winter if you are from the most southern of hemispheres.)

Today is the last of Shan Valley’s 2014 Collection, Shan Black Tea-CTC, a first flush black tea whose processing is a local tradition in Shan Valley, Myanmar. Similar to yesterday’s Kyaukme Black Tea, this one is also a CTC (or Crush Tear Curl) but is more uneven, reputedly giving it more of a balanced flavor. The aroma of the little leaves is a blend of sweetness and richness. There are notes of roasted peanuts, molasses, malt, and a touch of fruity at the end. It was a faint fruitiness, but it smelled like a blend of plums and cherries.

The aroma of the now much soggier tea is much fruitier, the plum and cherry notes are at the forefront with a finish of rich molasses and roasted peanuts. The liquid is a nice strong blend of molasses and malt with a finish of roasted peanuts. It seems the aroma of the fruit stayed with the wet leaves.

Tasting time! The taste of this black tea is initially brisk, with notes of malt and oak wood. This fades to mildly sweet with notes of honey and roasted peanuts. The finish is a touch of molasses with a honey aftertaste. It is not a particularly complex tea, but it is a solid black tea.

For photos (fireworks) and blog: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/07/shan-valley-shan-black-tea-ctc-tea.html

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I am a nerdy, obsessive, crafty, tea blogging, gaming nut. Yeah, that about sums me up! Ok, you want something more informative….

I am a Geek, hardcore fan-girl Geek. It shapes my life. I spend a large chunk of my life painting miniatures and contemplating my various army layouts. I hoard dice, get obsessed with games, and will talk about whatever fandom, game, etc that I am obsessed over until I am blue in the face. I am not just a gamer girl type Geek, I also fit in the collecting knowledge and spending way too much time reading and researching category of Geek.

But there is more to me than just being a giant nerd. I love tea, always have and have just gotten more and more obsessed as I get older. I love trying new teas and then writing lengthy descriptions about them on my blog, I love reading and researching the history and culture of tea, I love collecting tea pots and fancy tea tools.

When the weather allows it, I love to go mushroom hunting. I don’t eat them, instead I use them for photography and spore prints. I love nature and worked as a Naturalist in the Northwoods one summer, it might have been the best job ever.

I have Fibromyalgia, it sucks, but I feel people who are going to interact with me should know since I tend to vanish because of it so fair warning! I do tend to not vanish very long though. Also I have some ‘social disorders’ which basically translates to I am really awkward and bad at socializing, so forgive any lack of social graces.

I also have cats, love the ocean and all aquatic life, have teal hair, love cheese, and collect hats.

My favorite tea is definitely Oolong, but I also love Japanese greens and…ok I just love tea actually :P I am not a huge fan of lemony black teas or tart fruit teas. I also loathe hibiscus (usually)

This is my actual tea wishlist, you know that I actually update and keep track of…I tend to forget Steepster’s https://www.facebook.com/notes/amanda-wilson/tea-wishlishtshopping-list-perpetually-in-progress/10152336515414411 I use my steepster WL to keep track of teas I have had and really want more of :P

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