788 Tasting Notes
Steep Information:
Amount: entire sample
Water: 1200ml filtered water 180°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: slightly floral, vegetal
Flavor: silky, floral, vegetal
Body: light
Aftertaste: bitter, sour
Liquor: translucent yellow green
It was great, until the after taste, but I used up my entire sample so can’t play with this to adjust the parameters to decrease the bitterness.
images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/thepuritea-loose-leaf-white-tea-white.html
Preparation
(Note seems to no longer be available online)
Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tsp, 12.2g
Water: 750ml filtered 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: potpourri, floral, citrus, spicy
Steeped Tea Smell: cardamom, pepper
Flavor: black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: spice
Liquor: translucent dark brown
This tea smells spicy, and when you start to sip you only taste the black tea, but as you swallow you are hit with a melody of spices.
I don’t not like the tea, but I really don’t like the tea either. It’s almost a chai flavor but lacking some of the homey spices that would make it my kind of chai.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/kusmi-loose-leaf-black-tea-sweet-love.html
Preparation
Steep Information:
Amount: ~2 heaping teaspoons
Water: 16 oz filtered, boiling
Tool: Adagio IngenuiTEA 16 oz
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: sweet, almond, coconut
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, nutty
Flavor: sweet black tea, almond, coconut, almond joy!
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: almond, bitter, astringent
Liquor: opaque dark cloudy brown
I won these teas in a contest that was run by Dan on Steepster that was great fun, and got me tea prizes!
I find the labels on the tea samples to be perfect, they include the company name, tea name, tea type, and steeping directions. I have been informed that the samples that you buy on the web site, or any teas purchased on the site, will come in food safe, plastic lined, kraft bags which keep light out and keep the tea fresh for about 4-5 months. Tea is best stored in tins which are not clear and air tight, since light activates the steeping process and moisture as well. The sample bags I received were about 2-3 cups each, where purchased samples are larger.
Delicious candy like tea, but not so perfect as to get 4 leaves, but if you are an almond joy fan I recommend this strongly.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/georgia-tea-company-loose-leaf-black.html
Preparation
Steep Information:
Amount: 6.1g
Water: 500ml filtered water 185°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: fresh greens, a little floral
Steeped Tea Smell: musky, sweet, a little vegetal
Flavor: vegetal, sweet
Body: Light
Aftertaste: vegetal
Liquor: translucent orange-yellow
This was a gift from Melody over at StarbucksMelody.com. She runs an informative, friendly fan site about Starbucks, if you enjoy Starbucks or coffee it is very much worth checking out!
I did a second, new, steep:
Steep Information:
Amount: ~3tsp
Water: 750ml filtered water 185°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2:30 minutes
Served: Hot
It turned out more of a medium bodied tea, it really is amazing how time and temperature affect leaves!
It’s no a clean enough finish to earn 4 leaves, but is a very enjoyable and not grassy vegetal tea.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/tazo-loose-leaf-oolong-tea-bai-hao.html
Preparation
drinking the last of it, thanks again Doulton, i am glad i got to order this :)
de-cupboarded sniff
Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tablespoons
Water: 16 ounces boiling filtered water
Tool: Adagio IngenuiTEA 16 oz
Steep Time: a little over 3 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal, grassy
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal, earthy
Flavor: grassy, bitter, MilitiaJim got motor oil
Body: Full
Aftertaste: bitter, grassy
Liquor: opaque with particulate, murky brown-green
We both managed two sips, and then tossed it down the drain.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/samovar-loose-leaf-mate-tea-kuki-yerba.html
Preparation
Steep Information:
Amount: 2 heaping tsp
Water: 500ml at 175°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, vegetal
Flavor: vegetal, a little bitter
Body: Light
Aftertaste: grassy, bitter
Liquor: pale translucent yellow-green
I added 1 minute, the same result really.
MilitiaJim insisted it reminded him of genmaichai (toasty, rice)
I don’t have a strong love of green tea, and this one is not amazing enough, at least the way I prepared it, to warrant me getting it again.
I am greatful to LENA for sharing this tea with me, and her amazingly detailed notes and adorable little tupperware packaging.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/zhenas-gypsy-tea-loose-leaf-green-tea.html
Preparation
So, I’ve been playing with this tea
190°F
1:30 minute
that is the way to make this tea, smooth, floral, delicious!
it’s pants are only kicked by coconut pouchong in this category
Preparation
Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml 175°F filtered water
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: very strong jasmine floral
Steeped Tea Smell: jasmine flowers
Flavor: floral
Body: Light
Aftertaste: vegetal, a little bitter
Liquor: translucent yellow-green
The tea arrived in an adorable tin with see through top, since I keep my teas away from the light I like preview windows. The packaging had the tea hand written on the side, but the handwriting was neat and easy to read so I did not mind at all. Overall adorable packaging.
I think i needed to increase the pearls and cut back on the time? The tea was airy and light, like smelling jasmine with your tongue, but with a bitter after taste I did not appreciate. I failed to follow directions and do 2 minutes for the steep as it seemed too light at two minutes, but I now know this is meant to be a light tea since it was not bitter then.
Resteep: 6 minutes, stronger floral taste, but also a stronger bitter after taste, perhaps next time a pinch of sugar?
Disclaimer: I received this tea for free from The Tea Valley Company in exchange for reviewing their website.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/tea-valley-company-loose-leaf-green-tea.html
Preparation
Hey AmazonV,
Thanks for reviewing our jasmine pearls. You are absolutely right when you said this is meant to be a light tea.
Brewing jasmine is quite tricky for me. From experience, the bitterness comes from too many pearls and too little water. One source I checked actually suggest a jasmine tea to water ratio of 1:20. I’m not sure how accurate that is but here are the two ways I brew this tea personally:
1) Brewing it Gongfu style. Using a gaiwan, I put just enough pearls in it so that the bottom is covered. Fill the gaiwan with hot water that is just below boiling and let it steep for about a minute. Anything too long and you will end up with a bitter tea.
2) This may not be a popular way to brew the tea but it is something my family has suggested and the method has worked for me so far. Simple place about 8-10 pearls in a cup/mug of hot water and leave the tea leaves in there. Since the leaves are continually steeped in the cup, it create more flavors but at the same time none of the bitterness. I enjoy this quite a bit.
Nevertheless, no matter which menthod you choose, the end result should be a light and delicate tea. I hope this helps!
thank you, i will try the mug preparation time next time (i do not have a gaiwan)
Steep Information:
Amount: 1/2 tsp
Water: 12 ounces boiling
Tool: aerolatte
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: wild strawberry (not sweet store kind), vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: vegetal with a hint of berry
Flavor: thin, stirred more, chalky, hints of berry
Body: Light, stirred then Full
Aftertaste: vegetal
Liquor: opaque murky olive green
I keep trying and wanting to like matcha, sometimes it’s good – usually when someone else (a tea shop) makes it for me, but even then not always.
This was OK, I don’t think it’s the matcha’s fault I think it’s mine.
Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/08/52teas-loose-leaf-matcha-green-tea.html
