379 Tasting Notes
Got a sample of this awhile ago, finished it right away. Thought since I’m waiting for new samples, this would be a good time to try to fill in some tea/tisane that I enjoyed in the past.^^
First off, if you like watermelon, I highly recommend this herbal tea. I enjoyed it so much. It was perfect for my late, late, laaaaate evenings since it’s caffeine free. The liquor is a light pink, and it has chunks of apple, a bit of Cranberry, Hibiscus Flowers and few more healthy ingredients. It was so refreshing, and tastes like the juice of a watermelon. I had it hot and also iced. Both ways it was thoroughly enjoyable. Probably my favorite herbal tea/tisane up to date but to be honest, I haven’t drank that many :P. I do remember that I had to steep it longer because the taste is pretty faint, and I loved the taste so much that I steeped twice as long.
Preparation
Last sample and I thought I’d write another review because well… I enjoyed it much more this time.
Like before, I got 15 steeps and flavorful to the end. Orchid, floral aroma, fruity taste all there. Slightly mineral, slightly astringent. Definitely complex with a sweet honey aftertaste. This time, when I got to the 6th or 7th infusion, it didn’t become bitter as I remember… No bitterness detected. The deeper I got into the infusions, the more and more mellow and creamy it became, without losing the flavor. It stayed full, rich, with a pleasant smooth mouthfeel.
I had said that because of the price, I’m going to pass on this but I think in the future I will try another sample to see if I experience what I did today.
Yixing pot Zi ni, 8g, 110ml, 15 steeps: rinse, 5s, 8s, 8s, 10s, 10s, 15s, 15s, 20s,
25s, 35s, 45s,60s, 80s, 100s, 150s
Preparation
The sample came vacuumed sealed, and it was very fresh. Highly aromatic with an orchid aroma. My newbie taste buds can tell it is complex with notes I’m sure I obviously missed but it’s pleasantly sweet, heavy flavor and unlike other Tie Guan Yin I’ve tried, it does not have as much of the tart, sour finish that tugs at your cheeks but more a peaceful, light sweetness that lingers a long time. It’s floral, but not too vegetal, lots of melon notes and changed quite often and had depth and flavor throughout all 7 steeps.
The price is $15.90/1.75 oz. I have one more sample that I look forward to and if I enjoyed it like I did this time, I’ll probably keep it in my cupboard.
Gaiwan: 7g, 212℉, 100ml,7 steeps: rinse, 30s,40s, 50s, 60s, 80s, 100s,140s.
(A repeat review: TeaVivre already put it in the database. I input Nonpareil “Handmade” Anxi Qiang Xiang TieGuanYin Oolong Tea but probably the same tea.)
Flavors: Butter, Floral, Melon, Orchid, Tart, Vegetal
Preparation
Gaiwan 7.5g, 7 steeps: rinse, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s, 90s, 140s
Updated: Liquor is bright orange. It has a wonderful strong roasted aroma. Has a slightly drying feeling on tip of the tongue. It is full-bodied & has rich roasted, woodsy flavor yet mellow and smooth, no bitterness, slightly astringent, brisk. Has a very slight buttery feel and light floral taste. The heavy roasted flavor is the predominant flavor throughout all 7 infusions as in, there are no surprises, just a good cup of tea.
Flavors: Astringent, Bark, Butter, Floral, Roasted
Preparation
Last few days been drinking tea I already reviewed. Tonight I felt like trying one of my new samples. It was a taxing day so what better way than to sit down and chill with some tea, right?
This Ya Shi, duck shit aroma, is very aromatic, savory. Strong floral with a roasted aroma along with fruitiness. Despite the strong fragrance, the taste was surprisingly mellow. I don’t have much experience with duck shit aroma so maybe that’s typical. I was just expecting a super strong taste. It had sweet, honey notes, lots of floral notes and unlike other reviews who said there was zero bitterness, I did get a few bitter notes but it’s balanced so it worked out well. Creamy mouthfeel without the milky taste. Grassy or green notes popped up. It definitely has character, changing slightly from steep to steep. Full-bodied. The aftertaste is pleasant, slight drying of the tip of the tongue feeling.
8g, 212℉, 110ml, 9 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 50s, 70s, 100s, 130s
Preparation
Last sample of this. Now I’m kicking myself not adding an order of this to my most recent order. I bought TeaVivre Milk oolong with another tea table last night.
It’s such a pleasant tea. Slightly milky and buttery, mellow and floral, I love the mouthfeel and the light milk aroma. Reminds me of my childhood. (I was naughty but I had great memories, maybe my parents don’t agree haha). It’s so mild, smooth, nurturing. Easy on my borderline temperamental stomach and soothing on my throat.
Yixing teapot, 7g, 110ml, 212℉, 8 steeps: rinse, 25s,25s,30s,40s,60s,90s,120s,180s
Preparation
Kind of my go-to milk oolong due to the price and taste, and decided after tasting lots of samples yesterday, I felt like it was time to enjoy a tea that I don’t think I can ever get tired of. In the mornings. I prefer a non-bitter, not-sharp, stomach-soothing warm cup of tea which this is. Whenever I buy things from Teavivre, I always add samples of this one because it’s my fallback tea. It’s vegetal, milky, slightly buttery, without an artificial taste, light but not too light, and after several infusions, it never gets bitter. Good price, good taste if you like Jin Xuan. ^^
Preparation
Liked this one a lot better than the Nonpareil Wudong Ya Shi. Roasted aroma, quite perfumey. Mellow & smooth, fruity, honey-like. Complex, changing with infusions. Full-bodied, thick, slightly tart, sharp at times. Woodsy. On 9th infusion right now. Long finish, the taste stays in my mouth for a long time. Sweet aftertaste. Like the Ya Shi, it’s expensive $27.90/50g but plenty of infusions. Lots of taste on this 9th infusion. I’ll update if anything significant comes up or I figure something else I taste lol.
Preparation
Aromatic, flowery, fruity perhaps nectar flavor, sweetness, a nice smell of the milk fragrance, pleasant mouthfeel, slightly sharp in the earlier infusions although not overbearing, has a slight mineral taste. It’s complex & probably far more complex than my ability to decipher it lol. Earlier infusions gave a sweet aftertaste. About the 6th or 7th infusion, it became a little bitter. It has a long finish . I got a sample and it’s expensive $27.90/50g so, after my sample, I probably won’t buy it again. Having said that, it’s an all-day tea in that it’s good for many infusions. I’m on the 11th infusion and it’s still going strong.
Preparation
Last sample of this. Today it seems a little perfumy for me, flowery, also a little sharper. Perhaps because I’m using boiling water unlike before where I used 200F. There is still the great balance of sweet and bitter though.
Flavors: Floral, Fruity, Honey, Mineral, Sweet