Taylors of Harrogate

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Recent Tasting Notes

I got a card and tea surprise in the mail today from gmathis! I have read so much about this one that I had to try it first, and immediately.

I only steeped for three and a half minutes since I was planning to drink it plain. I split it with Ashman. Aroma is sooo jammy but first taste was so dark toast to me that I would have sworn it had roasted chicory or barley or something in it. Looked it up and it doesn’t. The jam seemed lighter than the toast aspect to me. It was good, and I can see craving this with breakfast! Ashman liked it and drank the whole cup, even though there are few black teas he likes plain.

We made a second steep so Ashman could try it with milk and sugar because that is how he prefers most of his black teas. Now he really, really liked it! I tried it that way, too, and man oh man the strawberry jam has popped. Even though I usually avoid add ins, I would do it for this tea because it is just so good that way.

Thank you, gmathis! (And I am pretty sure you’re right. That’s a duck!)

gmathis

(Now you’ve got me craving it…and it’s too late in the day!)

gmathis

(I’m sure that’s a tea leaf on the duck’s head!)

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74

ashmanra’s monthly sipdown challenge
February 2023 → a tea for self-care

My tea for the self-care sipdown prompt. I was hoping for a relaxing night tonight but I’m feeling irritated. Not for any specific reason. I’m just feeling uneasy and I guess that’s making me irritable. Nevertheless, I’m still going to sit in my warm and cozy bed with my cup of tea and a new book to see if I can will the relaxation to come. I recently finished Katherine May’s book, The Electricity of Every Living Thing and connected so much with her writing that I immediately bought Wintering and pre-ordered her upcoming book Enchantment (releasing tomorrow!). Wintering has been on my list for a while, so I’m excited to finally start reading. Based on what little I’ve read or heard through podcasts, I suspect I may be going through a wintering period myself right now. Hopefully I’ll have more insight into that once I get into the book.

I’m very excited about the nutmeg part of this blend. It does smell quite strongly of nutmeg before steeping. The flavor though is mostly lemongrass I think. Or possibly lemon balm? It does feel comforting for nighttime. I do wish there was more nutmeg flavor though. Maybe next time I’ll add a bit of my own.

Flavors: Lemongrass, Nutmeg

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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73

Afternoon Darjeeling… in the afternoon. Because, when else?

Not bad, for a bagged tea. :)

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73

I missed a lot of logs for sessions, but that’s A OK. Lots of good or interesting teas. :)

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73

Adding time to make this one stronger, it’s still a mild woody black tea. Very approachable and straightforward.

Preparation
4 min, 15 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML
Michelle

I’m always looking for easy drinking bagged tea, and this one is in the ok category for me. I’ll drink or buy it, but won’t seek it out.

Barsomn

Same! Good if I don’t want to get into a gongfu session with new leaf but need one more cup of tea to get through the day.

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73

I’m actually bumping my rating up on this one, very satisfying this afternoon after my earlier Oolong experience.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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73

It’s afternoon, I’m drinking Darjeeling. So I guess to Taylor’s: I’m doing this right??
Bagged tea.

First nose is a nice builder’s tea, bold and syrupy/malty, which I like!

Appearance is a deep golden amber, it looks just like the image on this Steepster entry.
The body is nice and velvety, with a little astringency and a medium length finish. I’m certain it would take well to honey/suguar/milk/sweetener.
It’s a good solid black tea, I wouldn’t write home on it, but it is a great addition to the workday to make it seem brighter!

I’m happy a few of these bags are in my desk at work.

Flavors: Astringent, Malt

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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82

After reading a note from gmathis a month or so ago about the “trifecta” of Yorkshire Teas, I was feeling very motivated to try them too and so bought myself a box of each. I’m starting with this one but also trying to think of a way to justify opening all three boxes at once. How does everyone else store their teabags when they aren’t individually wrapped?

This blend is dark and fruity and does somehow capture the taste and aroma of breakfast toast. With the warm spring-like weather today, these fruity teas are really hitting the spot.

Flavors: Strawberry, Toast

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
AJRimmer

I put all my teas in tins once I open them, including bagged ones – it works well!

Shae

Just general tea tins? Maybe I need to buy a few to keep on hand! I threw these in a mason jar for now, but I know that isn’t ideal.

gmathis

I need to get mine in tins soon—right now, I’ve just got the foil inner lining closed and clamped tightly. Isn’t this one absolutely delicious?

Cameron B.

For these teas (since they have SO MANY BAGS lol) I put them in large resealable mylar pouches that I use for group orders and TTBs.

AJRimmer

Whenever I buy a tea that comes in a tin, I keep it and put future teas in it! Well actually I have enough now, so I just give them away, but all my tins were free that way, which was nice!

Shae

gmathis It really is! It’s much more complex than I expected it would be.

Cameron B. I don’t know why I didn’t think of this. I have a ton of those zipper pouches for swaps and TTBs. That would be the obvious solution!

AJRimmer I’ve thought about doing this, but I always worry about the old teas tainting the new. How do you get the smells out of your tins? I feel like I’ve only tried this once and the old tea lingered. But it could have been that certain type of tin, I don’t remember who it was from.

gmathis

Up to this point, the cup is empty before I have a chance for Toast & Jam to cool, but I actually let a sip stand for a bit…it is going to make a stellar strawberry iced tea this summer.

AJRimmer

We just wash them really thoroughly and let them air out for a long time between teas. If there’s any lingering scent, I just put in a tea with a similar flavor profile next, but there’s usually no smell. Most of my tins are from DavidsTea or Teavana, but I have a few random ones and have refilled them all dozens of times without problems!

ashmanra

I also wash and air tins and re-use them. The only one that absolutely could not be re-used was Hot Cinnamon Spice from Harney and Sons. I could only refill that one with more Hot Cinnamon Spice, which I don’t really drink but guests do.

Shae

I will have to give the tins another try since it seems to be successful for most. But not with my Hot Cinnamon Spice! XD

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This lousy winter weather makes me snarf carbs down so quickly, I don’t realize what I’m doing until the cookie is nothing but crumbs. Biscuit Brew isn’t quite an even-steven substitute for what I’m craving, but it definitely has the cookie vibe down. This afternoon’s cup was pleasant accompanied by a sweet tea hard candy. Have you tried these? https://www.auntiekcandy.com/collections/green-tea-candy/products/balis-best-classic-iced-tea-hard-candy I’ve been gifted three varieties: the sweet tea, green tea latte, and green tea citrus, all of which are not 100% flavor accurate, but all pleasantly tea-ish.

ashmanra

I have had the sweet tea version!

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Don’t you hate it when you ruin a perfectly good cuppa? Yorkshire has formulated this to be so stout, it needs milk for the tea-and-biscuits vibe to balance out properly. Otherwise, it’s TEA IN ALL CAPS with a little biscuit on the bottom shelf. Unfortunately, the only dairy to be had at work was a sad little creamer packet of unknown provenance. Didn’t check the contents carefully, and ended up with a cup of floating white sediment flakes. Tossed it and braved a second cup ON ITS OWN AND LIVED TO TELL THE TALE.

Michelle

Hahaha, how long did you steep it for 30 seconds?

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One of you friends recommended this as a cold latte with vanilla syrup. My initial experiment left room for improvement, as the only dairy product under our roof was skim milk; however, it made me want to haul out the blender and try it as a milkshake: I think it would replicate malted milk very nicely. Unfortunately, the only ice cream under our roof is cherry lemonade. I don’t think that’ll fly! Plenty of summer left to try it.

thereadersteacup

I used whole milk but based on some friend’s recs, oat may be good. I haven’t tried it because I almost always drink raw lol

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Third entry in the Yorkshire lineup that recently hit my cabinets. I think, generally speaking, Americans are just so over-sugared, we have trouble wrapping our minds and taste buds around cookies that aren’t sweet. So if you’re expecting sugar cookies here, you’re not going to get them. Instead, the scent and flavoring reminded me a little of those baby arrowroot cookies or a less sweet version of Biscoff “airplane” cookies.

The black tea base is definitely Yorkshire strong. I let it go 4:30, and it was a teeny bit bitter on its own. Even so, I had downed the entire cup before I had the chance to add milk. Maybe tomorrow.

AJRimmer

Gah yes. I’m finding that in my tea and in recipes, I now need to add more sugar than I once did in order for it to taste sweet/good to me. This is definitely something I should work on because I imagine it will only keep getting worse :P

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It happens about every year at my house: a shift from tear-your-hair-out-frantic work pace (school is underway and things normalize a bit) to oh-my-how-will-it-all-get-done personal schedule pace. Thus, as soon as I sign off here, I am going to sip this homey little decaf and calm myself with the repetitive motion of a crochet hook.

I’ve been through about half the box—had to take a long hot-weather furlough; it’s been ages since sipping something hot felt good—and it’s grown on me. Certainly a nice change from chamomile and mint tisanes. The lemon and nutmeg outweigh any vanilla flavor, but I could tip the balance with a little vanilla syrup. I’ll try that some night. But not now. I’m beat. Rest well.

ashmanra

Take a nice deep breath and relax that jaw and drop those shoulders! Now take another good belly breath! Praying for a peaceful rest-of-the-week for you!

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It may be a sad commentary on our inability (or refusal) to eat at home often, but we have an embarrassingly large fast food condiment basket in the kitchen, and in that basket I found a nonperishable French vanilla creamer tub. I’m glad I did, because when you throw that in with a fresh cup of lemony Bedtime Brew, you get a really pleasant, cookie-like version of a London Fog.

ashmanra

Stop tempting me to buy these!!!! (Ugh, I know, that’s what I am here for!)

gmathis

I can’t decide whether to retort with maniacal laughter or nanny, nanny, boo, boo!

ashmanra

The laughter seems most appropriate! Ha ha!

gmathis

Perhaps these are not the teas you want in my best Jedi voice.

ashmanra

It won’t work! I am immune!

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Of Yorkshire’s three newer releases (Toast and Jam, Biscuit Brew, Bedtime Brew), I’ve decided this is the least best of the bunch (they’re all good). But even with that said, bags have been disappearing from my tin at a pretty speedy rate.

The lemony elements aren’t much different from other evening tisanes with similar ingredients—but the decaf tea base with nutmeg makes you feel like you’re drinking something with substance. It also makes you wish some graham crackers or vanilla wafers would just drop into your hand.

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It groppled today. The weather guy said so. Little miniature snowy-ice-balls about the size of a baby ladybug. We also had sleet, freezing fog, freezing rain, and snow within a 12-hour period. I expect either oobleck or meatballs by midnight.

Couple the frozen weather extravaganza with being out in it for a while and I’ve got tense muscles in places I forgot I had. So a comforting rocking chair brew is the RX for the evening.

…and this one was a surprise. The front of the box touts vanilla and nutmeg as the headliners, so I was expecting something like eggnog. Then I noticed the fine print…lemon balm and lemongrass are in the mix as well. Together, the additions to a reasonably deeply flavored decaf base make an unusual but tasty nightcap. (But you need to be a nutmeg fan. I am.)

ashmanra

This and the jam and toast one might end up in cart as soon as I make a couple more sipdowns.

gmathis

The jam and toast is heavenly with milk.

Michelle

Graupel – Heavily rimed snow particles, often called snow pellets; often indistinguishable from very small soft hail except for the size convention that hail must have a diameter greater than 5 mm
Just in case you were wondering how much of weather geek I am.

gmathis

I knew you’d know!

Maddy Barone

Yikes! That weather sounds downright scary. Good tea drinking weather and that’s the best that can be said for it.

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