2891 Tasting Notes

23

I didn’t like this when I sampled it a dozen years ago, and today I’m feeling even less complimentary, though I appreciated the “share” from a coworker. It should be entitled “Anise Mint Where’s the Orange and Ginger?” Good only as a hand warmer.
(For the record, the current bag is not a dozen years old.)

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The building has been so cold this week, I’ve been bundling up in jeans, stocking caps, gloves, and a huge fringe Pendleton wool cape, formerly my mom’s, that covers a short girl from head to toe and has been nicknamed The Rabbi Cape. I’ve been making tea simply for the purpose of defrosting my hands and nose on my favorite office mug (heavy stoneware with debossed/stamped cat faces). It feels good to rub your thumbs over the texture. So if I’m going to drink three sips, then adulterate it with more boiling water, what better opportunity to drink up the second string stash that’s been in my office for ages?

Enter Pomegranate Lemongrass. Supposedly it’s a white chai, and perhaps you can pick up a little spice when you sniff and sip. Mostly, it’s a pleasant but largely unrecognizable fruit flavor. Virtually no caffeine effect at all, which is also a plus, considering how many gallons I’ve been guzzling to stay warm. Not one I’ll hunt out again, nor one you can likely find again—it was part of a Christmas novelty assortment some time ago, but one that performs as needed when you just need to get warm.

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Although the package says this will take a second or third steep, the angle of decline is kind of sharp. However, I like this coconut-cookie blend so much, to prolong the love, I tossed in a decaf Ty-Phoo tea bag. Result: Vanilla Comoro’s hippie stepsister. Not bad!

derk

Ha! You, too, with this tea tonight. Good stuff.

ashmanra

Oooo, good call for the resteep!

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In the past, I’ve been underwhelmed with dragon pearl teas, largely because I’m chintzy and don’t use enough to make an impact. Today, I went whole hog (whole dragon?) and invested half a dozen pearls from Michelle in a 12-ish ounce Winnie the Pooh mug. Winnie would’ve approved. It’s dark, a little cocoa-ey, and definitely has a lip-smacking honey finish. Perhaps it’ll give me a little smackerel of energy to finish what needs to be done on this cold day.

Michelle

Hmmm, this makes me want to break out my Old Barrel Tea bourbon brew for a nice warming cup.or maybe I should look at how many dragon balls are still rolling around the bottom of the tin. Sometimes it’s hard to drink that last cup. Glad you squeezed the honey out of the dragon!

gmathis

Next time I allow myself a little indulgence, I think an Old Barrel order may be in order. I haven’t hit a klunker with them yet.

Michelle

Yes, even my least favorite from them was still a pretty good tea!

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drank Papa Don't Peach by Savoy Tea Co
2891 tasting notes

Sometimes you just need a little morning serendipity, especially after two glum winter weeks of lousy weather and more on the way. So I broke into this yet-unopened gift from a coworker in hopes of serendipping. The peaches-and-cream scent actually got a smile out of me before 7:00 a.m. and continues to lighten my mood. Light Ceylon base with strong, but not obnoxious peach flavor. This will make good iced tea come spring, (or if I set the tumbler outside for five minutes today).

ashmanra

I hope you have some sunshine soon! Last Tuesday was torrential rain, two tornado watches, one tornado warning, one “go to your hallway or an inner room immediately” (I took soup to a neighbor instead) and today as I finished raking the mess from earlier this week I realized that we have a high wind advisory and severe storm watch for this afternoon and evening. Sigh. Spring is coming, though!

gmathis

You win as far as variety goes. We did have overnight thunder followed by immediate temperature drop and wind chill advisories/warnings expected through next week. (And next time, you get in that hallway!)

ashmanra

I was diligent to listen for train sounds! And I was fast!

Michelle

I agree with gmathis – get your butt in a safe place!

ashmanra

Yes, ma’ams!

Cameron B.

What is this new Savoy packaging?! Their tins were so cute! :O

gmathis

Oh…I just looked! Those aren’t tins at all, are they? Pooh!

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drank Papa Don't Peach by Savoy Tea Co
2891 tasting notes

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drank Irish Breakfast by Murphy's
2891 tasting notes

Snow. Weird steroid-shot-injected night’s non-sleep-sleep. Nothing but the strong stuff will suffice. This is one of those bagged builders teas, Assam heavy, with a longer half-life than Twinkies, so I was hoarding my last few packets since the company has disappeared. However, this morning is one of the reasons I have been parsimonious with what’s left. Eyes are (half) open.

Michelle

I hope you are starting to feel better! Taylors Assam usually perks me up. No shame in adding an extra bag to a cuppa.

gmathis

Improving, thanks! Throat feels much less sandpapery after my first dose of antibiotics yesterday.

ashmanra

Oh dear! I haven’t had a steroid shot in ever but I was a crazed snacking machine that did not sleep when I did have one. Hope you zonk out real good tonight and feel tons better in the morning!

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drank Throat Therapy by Adagio Teas
2891 tasting notes

By the time I actually make it to the doc tomorrow, I’m sure I’ll be told, “it’s just a virus and you’re almost over it,” but after six days of irritated throat, I actually voluntarily tried a sample cup of something that actually lists licorice as the primary ingredient in the hopes that it performs as expected.

Because of the medicinal ingredient lineup, it’s sweet and slimy (thank you, slippery elm), but the orange and cinnamon in the inactive ingredient lineup cut the sweetness enough to make it drinkable. Therapeutic value? Plausible, although any tea with a spicy profile is probably just as comforting.

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drank Strawberry White by Savoy Tea Co
2891 tasting notes

Have been guzzling so much tea to melt the rubber cement in my throat, I lightened up a little in hopes of getting some sleep tonight. I used way too hot water so it’s a little on the scorchy side, but a sliced strawberry cut the bitterness a little and looks oh, so fancy in a clear mug.

ashmanra

Noooooo! I hoped you were lots better already. Rest, rest, rest!

Martin Bednář

I am afraid that if I sent you a bag of linden, you will be well again!

gmathis

I’m either a little better or a little less worse…Still taking it easy and keeping the lights off in the house so I can’t see how dirty it is :)

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drank Sniffle Slayer by Simpson & Vail
2891 tasting notes

Wouldn’t you know it…I can count on less than one hand the places other than home I visited during Christmas break…and on the first day back to work, germs from one of those errands caught up with me, causing minor aches, a sore throat, and a whiny disposition. Michelle, I’m glad I saved your Sniffle Slayer sample till it was truly needed!

I’ve been dosing myself with a constant barrage of elderberry tea, zinc lozenges, and ibuprofen for 24 hours, so it will be hard to scientifically isolate the medicinal effects of Sniffle Slayer, but I can affirm that it is tasty. The green rooibos gives a little heft to what would otherwise taste like one of those lemon-mint “spa” blends we discussed recently. Makes it taste like there’s some tea underneath it, even as clugged-up (that’s one notch more than clogged) as I am.

Shae

Oh goodness, hope you feel better so soon!

Michelle

Hmmm, I’m not feeling so hot either (even a cup of caramel buttercup has not improved my mood) so I’ll go dig this one out and have a cuppa.

gmathis

Take care!

Michelle

Feel Better soon!

ashmanra

Hope you are feeling better soon! My daughter is a bit down with a cold right now, too.

gmathis

Maybe a smidge better. I needed to schedule a “get seen for an RX” appointment anyway, so I just booked one for Monday. Covered either way!

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Bio

Steepster “geezer;” tea barbarian who has no systematic method for storage, preparation, classification, or rating; lover of strong unleaded builders’ tea. Never quite grew up—I cut and glue, play with Legos, design kids’ curriculum, and play with fifth graders every Sunday.

Location

Southwest Missouri

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