88

Back to project taste-and-write-notes-about-all-teas-in-the-cupboard.

As I mentioned, I had been feeling pressured by my own tea-related goals in a way that didn’t feel very good. So I gave myself permission to slow down this part of the project (the other being project sipdown). The good news is that the current count after this one is:

14 oolongs to go
8 pu erhs to go
A few random tea bag samples
A number of pu erh samples

Of course, I just got my Lupicia order and I haven’t added those teas to my cupboard. That’s going to skew the above numbers but only in the sense that it will add a few untasted greens and blacks. I don’t think I ordered any oolong or pu erh in that order.

But anyway. Gaiwan. 195F. Rinse. 15 seconds first steep, +5, cumulatively for each subsequent steep.

The dry leaves are very green, very balled, very typical looking and have a savory smell on the surface that gives way to a floral/green smell with a touch of butter.

On the first steep, the tea is pale yellow with a green tinge, clear, and has a mild, floral-lilac fragrance with a hint of butter/milk. Its flavor is also mild; delicate, very slightly milky, and green-floral.

All of these qualities are more intense in the second steep. It’s interesting to me that the company describes this as less buttery than another tea, because in the second steep I get a pronounced note of butter. It’s true, though, that the floral predominates.

Maybe I’m just in the mood for a green oolong today, but this is really making me happy. I could easily sip on this for the rest of the day. I think on other days, the savory aspect might make me rate this a bit lower, but today it is, strangely, a plus.

So many teas, so little time.

Flavors: Butter, Floral, Green, Milk

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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