Basilur

Edit Company

Recent Tasting Notes

56
drank Earl Grey by Basilur
6444 tasting notes

White Chocolate London Fog Sipdown (327)

I’m still on my white chocolate kick, inspired by the white chocolate matcha latte I had at the coffee shop in London before corona-crazy hit. So far I’ve made a white chocolate chai latte, a white chocolate latte with strawberry matcha and now this. I debated about using my Pumpkin Chai tea but this has been sitting in the swap box from Evol Ving Ness (though I’m not sure if it’s from her or Sil – thank you to both of you for getting it to me!) for over two years now and just seemed like a better choice. Since I don’t love earl greys, I always am happy to find ways to dilute them down a bit and a white chocolate london fog seemed like a good way to do that.

The bergamot smelled soooo strongly when I was making this which made me nervous and led to me adding a bit more white chocolate than I originally intended to add. Thankfully this time it wasn’t too much white chocolate but instead ended up being quite smooth. The vanilla and white chocolate are coming through most strongly as a top note, with the underlying bergamot leaving a crisp finish at the end of the sip.

It’s nice prepared this way but I just know this would have been too strong of a bergamot flavour for me without all the additions. Even as a plain London Fog it might have been too overwhelming. Still fun to try though so thank you Sil and Evol!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

90
drank Uva by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

A sipdown! (M: 12, Y: 62)

I am just logging a sipdown (an office tea), I haven’t added it to Steepster cupboard. But all things I wrote about this tea are still valid (tea bag without outer wrapping).

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

90
drank Uva by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

I have tried a side-by-side comparison to other Uva region tea I have. See other review here: http://steepster.com/Martin-CZE/posts/439062

I have received both tea bags from Izzy I believe, however 2 years ago I think, but both were foilwrapped.

Also, it seems I had this time several times before. And it is much better than MlesnA one, mostly because it is much less bitter and I am able to recognize some other, mellow flavours as for example malt notes. Woody notes were there too and somehow it complements the very robust, but not awfully strong and bitter tea. It has been steeped as well for 3 minutes (the minimum set by manufactuer).

90 seems very high, but I will keep that one, as my previous experience seems to be with not so old tea, so maybe was delicious back then (for a tea bag).

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 7 OZ / 200 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

90
drank Uva by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

Year ago I wrote a tasting note about this tea and now I was drinking it again and it is same deliciousness.

For a bagged tea (thanks to Izzy) it is one of the most perfect black teas I ever had. It’s not boring anyhow. A full-bodied, brisk tea I needed today with some a bit of other flavours that complement the malts. It is mostly cherry wood and tobacco somehow, but not in smoky way today.

I would give a try a loose leaf version, I never had it before yet.

Flavors: Cherry Wood, Malt, Tobacco

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

90
drank Uva by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

Got a tea bag in my huge bags section and… as many of you know, I kind of adore Basilur brand for price-quality ratio.

This tea is exactly what I expected from it. Full bodied taste, very malty but it have got character – it is not one-dimmensional as some are. I notice notes of tobacco, cherry wood, bit of smoky as well. Steeping for three minutes was enough to have all of this!

I am not sure if I should look for loose-leaf version. It’s worth to have even teabags!
As for tea bag – I have to rate it that high. I feel I am lover of Ceylon teas – they “speak” the most for me.

Flavors: Cherry Wood, Malt, Smoke, Tobacco

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML
gmathis

I will have to go back to our Tuesday Morning store to see if any new Basilur varities have landed there!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Green Freshness by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

Green tea with mint sounded great for this afternoon, although, it seems it is another very old tea.

And just aroma of the tea bag it confirms. It smells after hay, bit musty as well.

When brewed, it turned out it is – what I said; old tea with notes of hay. And musty peppermint flavour. It’s not actually so bad, but nothing much to enjoy as well not.

Flavors: Hay, Mint, Musty

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

80
drank Orange Peach by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

Yesteraday was another day tea-free. I was leaving quite early to logistics (and mechanical engineering) fair and returned so late I just showered and went to bed.

And today, is not much better at all. In the morning I had some unnamed pu-erh in small ball prepared grandpa. It was okay I think. And now this tea.

Yep, it is quite late (7.20 pm when writing this line). So caffeine-free. It smells quite strongly after blood oranges and bit of peach. But in taste is peach much more dominant. Really ripe peach flavours, with tartness of orange. The taste is full and in no way watery or something. Good!

Flavors: Fruity, Orange, Peach

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML
gmathis

I will have to watch for this one!

ashmanra

I didn’t know Basilur did any tisanes! Sounds lovely.

Martin Bednář

I hope you will be lucky and awaiting the reviews after :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

70

Good rainy morning from Czech Republic. Today I have prepared a green tea with cranberry flavour.

It is from only tea bag though.
Brews cloudy yellow-green colour, not very visually appealing. But aroma is indeed quite hay like and as well after cranberries. Taste? Well, the base tea is boring. Actually, I feel only hot hay from it – well, Ceylon is not famous for greens anyway. But cranberries are present too. There is as well some sweet notes reminidng me chewing gum a bit. But it is not annoying.

So. That’s it.

Flavors: Cranberry, Hot Hay

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 45 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

20
drank Melon & Banana by Basilur
1839 tasting notes

Okay, maybe it is really old tea bag.

Maybe it is just bad.

i still feel it in my throat. Which can be okay, unless it makes my stomach acid go up there.

The taste is just weird.I mean I expected lots of weird notes, but still somehow , this was worse. Overripe banana, yellow melon which is overriped too. No green tea notes as grassy notes, or freshly cut grass. Nothing of those.
As a smoothie it would be good. But as hot drink it just do not work. I can imagine people who do not like banana flavours in tea. I just hope it was one bad tea. But who knows?

Avoid and nah!

Flavors: Melon

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 4 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML
ashmanra

That sounds dreadful!

Martin Bednář

as I said, I am not really sure if it was just bad tea bag(I have it for long) or, and as well poossible, it was just awful

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

78
drank Masala Chai by Basilur
87 tasting notes

This was a good masala chai with the right balance of spice (for my palate, anyway). I had a bad experience with Whittard Spice Imperial a few years back that really put me off any tea with cloves in it. This one has made me rethink that.

The Ceylon black tea base works with and without milk. It’s bitter-free, smooth and strong enough to stand up to the spices, without milk. With milk, the creaminess makes the black tea notes richer and softer, yet the spices still don’t overpower it. There’s a natural sweetness to it that lets me forgo sugar happily.

Notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and black peppercorns peak through, with a dried orange zest edge to the aroma. The overall feel is soothing. A relaxing sensation for the mind and body just from breathing in the fragrance.

It’s forgiving with longer steep times. One cup I brewed last week sat on the counter for about 7 or 8 minutes and was still smooth (although strong) when I finally drank it.

I’d describe it as between good and great. It’s not excellent or winning any awards, but it’s definitely more than just a “nice cup of tea”.

https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/basilur-masala-chai-tea-review/

Flavors: Black Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Orange Zest, Smooth, Spices

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 45 sec 2 g 8 OZ / 250 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

82

Woo!
This tea is much better than previous one I had. It is actually quite tart, bit sour. Both fruits are well present in taste. And even more in aroma.

It was certainly good one. But still bit far from better fruit teas. Maybe I am to used to loose leaf?

Flavors: Black Currant, Blackberry

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 7 min, 0 sec 300 OZ / 8872 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

66

This tea tastes as you actually expect. Tropical fruit mix. Nothing much to write about. Some notes of oranges, pineapple and papaya. Certainly some coconut hit my nose too.

Clear red colour caused by hibiscus.

It was not bad, but nothing extra.

Flavors: Coconut, Orange, Pineapple

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 300 ML
gmathis

What a nice summer blend! I will have to keep an eye out at our Tuesday Morning store … they don’t stock Basilur teas consistently, but when they do, I grab them!

Martin Bednář

I bet that loose leaf is better opinion for this one. As well, this tea bag was rather old, that maybe caused a lot too.

gmathis

I wasn’t aware that Basilur had loose leaf choices … but I’d love to hunt some down!

ashmanra

I didn’t know Basilur had bags! All of mine has been loose.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

84
drank Love Story Volume III by Basilur
87 tasting notes

I was surprised at how romantic this blend was – it doesn’t sound it from the description. Ceylon green tea + amaranth + coconut + pineapple + rum. But it has a very heady, floral aroma that fogs up your brain, which to me is a romantic feeling. True love making you do silly things, not think clearly, and all that Disney stuff. Hopefully you know what I mean.

Lovely aroma and flavour. Tropical fruity punch notes of pineapple and mango with an alcoholic and floral air to it. It’s light and sweet and fruity. The liquor is slightly thick – juicy and syrupy at first but then drying in the sweet aftertaste. It has you reaching for another cup.

My only real issue is that the green tea flavour is undetectable, drowned under an ocean of pretty pink petals and lush fruits.

Still, I highly recommend it. The mini tea book case it came in is beautiful too. https://www.immortalwordsmith.co.uk/basilur-love-story-volume-iii-tea-review/

Flavors: Coconut, Drying, Floral, Fruit Punch, Sweet, Thick, Tropical

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 8 OZ / 250 ML

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Summer Tea [duplicate] by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

I have re-entered this as a new tea; the current entry wouldn’t allow me to post to it. This falls in my non-scientific, loosey-goosey array of tea classifications as “tea party tea.” Good for recreational drinkers and non-teaists. Quite tasty; the strawberry is more “strawberry sundae” than actual berries themselves, but handled delicately (I need to back off the water temp next cup), something you could serve to your princess-in-training.

In other news, we are OK. Did you see the big red target in the center of the U.S. last night? Our area was the bulls-eye. No tornado damage in our little burg, but scary and significant about five miles up the road. We spent most of the evening pacing in front of our garage safe room, ready to duck and dash.

Once we did crash, we woke up to our little branch of Turkey Creek behaving more like Turkey Rapids. Our back yard is a mudslide, but on the bright side, no mowing this weekend!

Our community started taking action immediately: Hardware stores reopening late last night so folks could grab emergency supplies. Local independent roofer offering to tarp damaged homes for free today. Volunteer chainsaw crews ready to go at daybreak. I don’t like it that we are good at this, but it’s what our people do, and I am blessed to be among such kind and generous hearts here in flyover territory.

tea-sipper

Glad you’re okay!

derk

Good to hear you and yours are safe! It disheartens me when people refer to the middle of the United States as flyover country. There are some incredibly kind people nestled between our coasts. Glad to hear your community helps one another in times like this.

ashmanra

“Look for the helpers.” It always makes me cry. Glad you are safe. Been keeping you in my prayers through this rough stormy patch!

mrmopar

Glad you made it through it. And prayers for your area and the good people there.

Martin Bednář

You are safe! Thank you for this message. And I wish you that everything will be alright in whole your community.

gmathis

Re-reading the original post, it does kinds of sound like a shameless ploy for sympathy, but you are kind (thank you, derk)! Blame it on sleep deprivation. Official NOAA ruling for the “hit” in our area was an EF-3, 140 mile winds. Jefferson City MO had it hard, also.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank English Breakfast by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

As much as I like Basilur’s flavored teas, I originally had high hopes for their English Breakfast as well. Eh, not so much. It’s a fair “just tea” without the dryness or astringency I dislike, but no standout characteristics, either. It would do well as the background for something else, but solo, it’s not stellar.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank English Breakfast by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

I like my morning tea with work boots on; this is more like a pair of walking shoes—-another review mentioned that it leans toward Ceylon and not Assam; I agree. Tolerates a long and sloppy steep, however; that’s always a plus.

Actually, forget the work boots. So much rain in Missouri, we need hip waders.

Fjellrev

Aww, I wouldn’t mind a bit of rain, so please send some over haha.

gmathis

There were DUCKS in the neighbor’s front yard this morning, which was filling up with the contents of Turkey Creek. Plenty of moisture to share!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank English Breakfast by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Autumn Tea by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

When we went to bed, it was still pushing 80 and unpleasantly dry; woke up to a delicious gentle rain, low-hanging clouds, low 60’s. Ahhhhhhh….ctober. Office windows are wide open and I would swear that the tree tips across the street started to turn bittersweet red overnight.

Nothing else would do for a mid-morning treat. Black tea with maple. Have to be careful with the steep time—three minutes is plenty; four is close to the edge—but today it tastes real maple syrup maple-y; not Mrs. Butterworth’s.

derk

I’ve been to our local Tuesday Morning a few times. No sign of Basilur, nor at Home Goods.

ashmanra

Oh, I am jelly! It was literally 100F here today. Supposed to get cooler Saturday with lows in the 60’s Saturday night. I can’t wait!

gmathis

Last time I was in Tuesday Morning, didn’t see any, either; but they hadn’t started stocking for autumn and Christmas. Lots of Loyd varieties—there are a couple of those that I’m fond of, too.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Autumn Tea by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Most Basilur black teas I’ve tried need a longer steep, but this one is just a trifle touchy. The base went a little bitter when I let it go five minutes. Even so, it smells like buckwheat pancakes with syrup and the maple scent-sation stays in your mouth after you swallow.

Can’t wait to find the sweet timing spot. When I do, this will be excellent.

quietcreation

My wife got me a tin of a variety last Christmas. I don’t do a lot of flavored teas, but enjoyed it. This one sounds good too.

gmathis

I think my favorite Basilur to date is a tangerine black tea with a little vanilla in it. They do fruity stuff very well.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Autumn Tea by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Isn’t it funny that maple is generally considered to be a fall flavor, but the sap actually starts running in the early spring? Thus, I was actually a little seasonally late trying this one.

Even with sloppy steeping and work water, this was very good. I oversteeped, so the black base was a little stiffer than I intended, but the maple is maple-y without being cloyingly sweet. Looking forward to a better-supervised rerun!

Mastress Alita

As far as I’m concerned, maple and pumpkin are “anytime” flavors, and society will not convince me otherwise.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Autumn Tea by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Sweet Cherry by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

The only variety in the weather forecast for several days has been the adverb: treacherously hot, dangerously hot, miserably hot, torturously hot, painfully hot….which means I start with an iced version of whatever I yank out of the “old bags” basket and continue to add scraps of whatever else is on hand, watering it down during the day until there’s nothing left.

However, this little specialty tea from Basilur held up pretty nicely under abuse today—started with a quart that had been fridge-steeped overnight; sweet, but not in that curl-your-tongue stevia way. Once it was half gone, I threw in a bag of Murphy’s Irish Breakfast, and ended up with a very pleasant iced blend with just a teeny bit of cherry finish.

Y’all enjoy a hot cuppa for me. I’ll catch up with you in a few days. September’s coming.

Maddy Barone

Even in North Dakota it has been miserable. Only 81 today, but 88% humidity. I can only imagine what it is like for you folks further south.

gmathis

We have been right under the big “H” on the weather map since Sunday, but we’ve been promised that the pressure bubble will break up this weekend.

ashmanra

The big H is headed our way! We had two days of lower humidity and slightly lower temps but this weekend we will be back over 100F and humid with thunderstorms again. I am ready for next spring. Fall turns into winter with short, dark days. Sniffle.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Sweet Cherry by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

Nothing new to say about this, other than you can tell it’s spring because my tastebuds are craving fruit teas. A decent blend, gently sweet rather than syrupy. Not sure what base was used, but it complements the flavoring well. Light enough in strength you can drink in the evening and still make it to sleep reasonably on time.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

drank Sweet Cherry by Basilur
2891 tasting notes

I think if you were to fish for Steepster reviews of flavored cherry teas of any kind, the most common denominator would be that you just can’t replicate cherries straight off the tree. I concur. I spent most of third and fourth grade sitting in our cherry tree with a book and my transistor radio. Some things only God can do, and cherries appears to be one of them :)

This is, however, a pleasant second-best. Not cherry cough syrup…think Cherry Life Savers, or maybe maraschinos. The scent is as good as the flavor as you sip. This is one my fifth and sixth graders would love.

ashmanra

I have had a few Basilur teas. I wish this had been one of them!

derk

Where do you all personally buy this brand of bagged tea? I might have seen it at TJ Maxx/Home Goods but can’t recall.

gmathis

Have found all our Basilur bags at a Tuesday Morning store (we’re in SW Missouri).

derk

Ah, I see there are a few near me. I’ll have to check it for this brand of tea. Thanks!

gmathis

Beware…Tuesday Morning stores are lethal on the recreational income :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.