Specifically Tea

I’m resteeping the leaves from earlier and the taste is less nutty and more tannin-like, the muscatel wine flavour still about as strong as before.

The boyfriend-creature just came in from work and when I told him what kind of tea I was drinking he laughed and said “Sounds like some sort of alien species- ‘Help the Darjeelians are attacking!’” Jerk.
~_^

Definitely a nutty sort of taste, especially when it’s hotter. In addition, the tea actually seems to gain a bit of sweetness to it as it cools – nothing like an oolong might, but there is a distinct lessening of the bitterness.

The main thing I’m noticing about the tea is muscatel-tanin taste but underneath there’s something…I’m not sure what to describe it as, nut-like maybe? or possibly a baked sort of taste. Hmm. Intrigued Jillian is Intrigued

I tried this tea in less than boiling water based on suggestions I’ve seen in a couple different places. Steeping time was 3 minutes.

There’s a lot of bits that escaped the strainer this time which is a tad annoying (it wasn’t like this the first time so it might be that the bag got accidently crushed in my tea cabinet). I know some people like to eat the steeped tea leaves, but I find it a bit annoying to have to spit out little pieces of leaves after every sip.

The smell is fruity, almost what I’d call berry-like (muscatel???). I’m not sure that 3 minutes is enough time, at least at this water temperature as the tea is tasting a little bit weak. I think I’m getting a bit of what the description referes to as ‘nuttiness’ although for some reason it reminds me more of bread. I’m also getting a hint of the sharpness (brightness?) I noticed before, though it’s a lot more palatable in this instance.

This ‘whole leaf’ tea isn’t very whole – the leaves look pretty torn up. The flavour is…interesting. Light for a black tea but the muscatel flavour may be a bit too much to take without milk and it makes the tea quite….sharp (for lack of a better word).

All in all I’m pretty ambivalent towards this tea, I’ll have to try it with milk and see if that improves things.

Truly gorgeous. Fine enough to distinguish itself from a garden-variety bagged or basic loose Assam, yet not so expensive that I can’t keep it on hand for making chai and such.

Steeps 2 and 3. It says on the package that the third infusion is supposed to be the best, and I think I agree with them. Number two (3 min) was a touch on the astringent side and left a bit of coated feeling on my tongue. But number three (4 min 20 seconds) was exactly what I hoped this tea would be – delicately flavoured with a light, vegetal quality to it and a hint of sweet nuttiness on the tail end.

This is obviously a different batch than the little sample I had before. There’s a smokey sort of scent to the leaves and the tea – almost like a very light lapsang scent. I get some of the smokey/roasted/whatever flavour at the start of each sip – it’s not so much a taste as a combination of taste and smell working togther, if that makes any sense to you guys. I’m relieved that I can still taste the delicate, nutty flavour in the rest of the sip. :)

Third steep of the leaves from last night and probably the last one. It’s lost a lot of the nutty flavour that I enjoyed and in its place is something that tastes vaguely vegetal and very distinctly metallic; it’s kind of strange actually. 0_o

This was the last of this tea (it was only a small sample) and I’m sorry to see it go. I really enjoyed its light, roasted-nut flavour and the leaves themselves are a decent quality too; long and bright green and mostly unbroken.

I got two steeps out of this bit and I might try for a third one later just to stretch out the experience for as long as I can. ;)

I’m getting a distinctly nutty flavour this time around but it isn’t a ‘heavy’ taste and the tea still tastes quite smooth and light in the mouth. This was just a small sample and I’ve maybe got enough leaves left for one more small cup. is a sad panda

It re-steeps nicely too.

This tea has a sweet, sort of light flavour with a hint of toastiness.

My last cup of tea of the night/veeery early morning. I love how yummy and dessert-like it tastes.

This is a good substitute for dessert, being quite sweet-flavoured with no extra sugar added to it. I’ve loved marzipan ever since I was a little girl when my mother would take me to the local pastry shop. I’m so glad to have found a tea that satisfies my craving for that wonderful delight. :D

There need to be more marzipan-flavoured things in this world, I’ve decided. This tea is wonderfully dessert-like without giving me a caffeine jolt – which would be pretty dire this late/early (it’s 2:30 am). :D

Mmm I really need to try this tea iced, I bet it would be amazing.

So I decided to follow suit with everyone else and drink an almond tea (marzipan is close as I have). The nutty-sweet, uncomplicated flavour is great after a big supper (the boyfriend made a wonderful steak) and the hint of rooibos tartness is nice without being too harsh or unpleasent.

This one is definite on my (short) list of rooibos teas that I actually enjoy drinking.

I steeped this for a bit too long and the almond taste is a bit too strong. It’s not undrinkable but I’ll have to remember to keep a better eye on the steeping time.

The flavoured rooibos wasn’t too tart like I find certain blends are, and there was the distinct but not over-powering sweet-almond taste of marzipan present. It makes a great evening cuppa.

Another tea finished off. I liked this one; it’s a good, solid breakfast tea. I’d buy it again, although I think I want to try out other Assam teas first to see how they compare.

I added a bit more milk than I meant to to this cup so that all the milk could get used up. In another could of hours the boyfriend and I will be leaving for Vancouver to see the Games. My access from now until Sunday will be pretty limited so don’t break the place while I’m gone guys! ;)