46 Tasting Notes

70
drank Jasmine Tea by Yamamotoyama
46 tasting notes

I really do enjoy a good Jasmine and this one is pretty good for a bagged tea. The jasmine scent is light and its a lovely, refreshing green tea besides. I would love a bit more dense tea flavor, but for what it is, its not too bad.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 30 sec

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4

This tea is the devil. Literally it is the most awful tea I’ve ever had in my whole life. I am willing to try any tea once. From herbal, white and green to oolong and black . . . I’ve found tea in each category I like. I took one sip and almost spit it out. The peach and mango flavor is awful and artificial and what small amount of tea flavor shines through is bitter and mineral and terrible. I was intrigued with the smell, though strong and the pyramid bags, but lets be honest, it was on sale at the grocery store. Made that one cup and then had to give it away.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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80

This is a very complex, interesting tea. The leaves are wiry little tendrils that are almost blue-green grey in color. The mouth feel is different than any other Chinese Black or Fujian tea I’ve had before. Its lightly astringent on the edges of the tongue and similar in body to an oolong, but lighter than most Fujian blacks I’ve tried. Its very complex in smell as well and has almost a campfire element with a sweet smokiness on first taste. As the flavor develops in your mouth, you get hints of dried fruit and more deep spices like cardamon, bay and coriander with highlights of bright citrus like lime. I can’t tell if the lingering hint on my tongue is peppery or minty, but definitely an interesting tiny bit of menthol. A very surprising steep and definitely interesting in that you can discern all sort of layers of different flavors hitting different parts of your tongue.

The second time I drank it, I noticed that the scent of the cup and leaves are very much like yeasty, earthy buttered toast. Every time I drink this one, I like it more. It really grows on you. The first time I almost thought it had too many flavors/sensations going on, but I’m really appreciating it now.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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60

Got this tea for my tea cabinet at work and while I don’t dislike it, I don’t love it either. To me it translates a bit weak and citrusy. I would like a bit more punchy bergamot and while I expected it to be weaker than an Earl Grey, I guess I expected it to have a bit more nuance. Its tasty for an afternoon cup or when you’re feeling under the weather, just nothing special.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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65

This is a bagged tea from a grocery store superchain. If you expect perfection or fine estate assam, you’re probably not going to get it here. However, for a strong, tasty punchy breakfast blend that is easy and fast. This is it. I bought it for my tea cupboard at work and it comes in extremely useful every day at 3:00 pm when I’m lagging. I like it with cream and sugar. Its a bit bitter and punchy and while not my favorite tea, it definitely does the job.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
Tabby

It’s also good for southern-style iced tea.

June's Flame

Oooh good to know! I’ll try that!

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84

This is the first non-flavored white that I have ever had. I expected it to be bland, but it is surprisingly complex despite being smooth and mild. I over-steeped it a bit which gave it a wisp of acidity, but still quite pleasant. It is a bit green and vegetal on smelling which gives way to a toasty caramelness and finishes bright with a bit of citrus and graperfruit. A truly lovely tea with a nice element of umami.

The look of the leaves is interesting and more herbal looking. Bright green leaves interspersed with darker bits and smaller pieces. Pale liquor with a nice punch though.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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80
drank Tuscan Garden by White Lion
46 tasting notes

This is one of my favorite herbal teas. I especially love it if I’m feeling under the weather because it is so soothing. It has lovely citrus notes and the smell of wildflowers. I have occasionally even blended it with a black tea for a different flavor. I don’t usually drink herbal teas, but this one definitely appeals to all tea drinkers.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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9

I tend toward black tea, but have been known to try any tea once and I love coconut, so I thought this was a match made in heaven. I absolutely disliked this tea so much. It tastes like malibu rum tea. I tried putting less or more tea in, higher and lower temperatures and longer and shorter steeping times and nothing seemed to work. The closest I got to drinkable was by doubling amount of tea and adding some assam for more tea flavor. It just tastes like an herbal chai and the coconut overwhelms. I wanted it to have more cinnamon and star anise and have more tea flavor.

I think I finally have a handle on why I don’t like this one. It doesn’t have enough tea flavor and what tea flavor there is tastes bitter. The three spices that predominate, I don’t like in my teas (ginger, black pepper and licorice). The coconut tastes very fake and artificial. Even cream and sugar doesn’t seem to help this one. I vow to never make it again . . . yuck! It embodies the unholy trinity of all that I hate in a bad tea: bitter low quality tea, fake fruit/spice flavor added, unbalanced sip where the flavors instead of slowly blooming on your palate are like a heat seeking missile of awful taste.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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76
drank Green Tea by Joy Luck
46 tasting notes

I picked this up at a local Asian market. The green leaves are rolled more gunpowder style and brewed look like lovely full green leaves. The most prevalent flavor is smokiness with a touch of vegetal green. This is an easy, smooth reasonably priced tea that is good hot or cold. I enjoy it with a touch of honey and lime juice.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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73

I wanted to like this tea, but in the end I found it somewhat boring. It is a smooth black tea with definite honey notes, but very little depth besides that. The tea I drank before this was Golden Monkey and compared to that, it does seem somewhat bland. The price (especially on sale) was very reasonable though and perhaps that is some of the appeal. If you like the sweetness a bit of honey does accentuate the flavor and turn it into a lovely post-dinner dessert tea. If you want more complexity and to get more of the natural flavor, leave the sweetener out though.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
June's Flame

Had my best brew of this one yet. Was militant about brewing for 4 minutes with boiling water and didn’t add sweetner. I think with the natural sweetness of the tea, extra sweetner really puts it over the top unless you like a sweet tea.

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Bio

I started drinking coffee at the age of 12, but I have recently found that the coffee I always enjoyed gives me headaches. Luckily I have no such issues with tea. I have just begun to discover the joys of a good cup of tea and figuring out what I like and don’t. So far I prefer black tea either Fujian, Keemun, Assam or Darjeeling that are fruit forward with a wisp of acidity or smokiness. I occasionally will drink green, jasmine or a bold white, but typically just to change things up. I hate fake fruit flavors, bitter tea or blah tea with no punch.

I live in the desert southwest, so in the hot summer afternoons you’ll likely find me iced tea in hand with a slice of lemon and sprig of mint. I also am a semi-foodie who enjoys a sharp sauvignon blanc, a jammy zinfandel or a dirty martini with the stinkiest cheese possible.

I am science nerd librarian with a love of fantasy books and astronomy. I am slowly writing a novel and dream of becoming a real writer and escaping the stacks.

Location

Arizona

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