136 Tasting Notes

90

Thank you so much for the sample, ashmanra! This tea was sweet and light, with absolutely no smokiness whatsoever. Very good choice for the afternoon, just as ashmanra recommended! This is only my third Keemun, but I’m amazed by how different they were from each other. It seems like there’s a Keemun for every occasion!

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85

I always seem to overdo it on the leaves with Ceylon teas…time to get a scale, haha. Anyway, this tea was stronger than I expected; malty, with a good bite. It was not as smooth as most Ceylons that I have had, but I’ll back off on the leaves next time to see how it turns out. I completely enjoyed it, and it gave me a nice jolt this evening.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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90
drank Japanese Sencha by Harney & Sons
136 tasting notes

This is another satisfying Harney & Sons tea. It’s a little light for my liking…probably the lightest and sweetest sencha I have ever had, and slightly grassy. It’s definitely the best bagged sencha I have ever had, and I will enjoy drinking it when I’m looking for the convenience of a bagged tea.

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95
drank English Breakfast by Harney & Sons
136 tasting notes

This is the second Keemun I have tried. I was going to buy the loose leaf version, but I noticed the bagged version at Wegmans yesterday and thought I’d give it a try. It’s very good, as expected. It seems milder, sweeter and smoother than the other Keemun I tried, and less smoky as well. It’s marketed as an English Breakfast, but I think I would go with it for my third or fourth cup of the day…I’d like something stronger to start out the morning. I’ll get some of this tea in the loose leaf version after I finish the bags and my other Keemun. :)

Harney & Sons The Store

Glad you enjoyed it! If you’re feeling adventurous next time you go for a loose tea, give our “Keemun Mao Feng” or one of the “Hao Ya” Keemun options a try. Thanks for reviewing.

Mike

Thank you so much! I’ve heard good things about the Hao Ya Keemun! I’ll definitely give both a try. I love your teas, thanks for the recommendations!

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90
drank Genmaimatcha by Wegmans
136 tasting notes

I have added several new teas to my list of favorites recently, but Japanese green teas were my first love and will always be on top of my list. I have not had genmaicha in a while, and I was excited to see a genmaicha/matcha mix in the loose leaf tea section at the Wegmans near my sister’s house. The roasted brown rice/popcorn flavor is dominant, as with all other genmaichas I have had, but the matcha adds to the smoothness and creaminess of the tea, and it makes it a nice dark green. I think the matcha also helps to round out the tea as well, as that roasted flavor is not overwhelming, like it can be with straight genmaichas. I purchased 4 oz, but I may have to go get more before I head back home! Wegmans always impresses me, quite a high quality neighborhood grocery store chain!

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 1 min, 30 sec

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95

This is my first Keemun, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It tastes similar to Golden Monkey tea to me, but not as smoky or malty, and a bit sweeter. I’m not sure where this company gets their teas, but the quality of the teas always seems very good to me. I’ll have to get the Harney & Sons English Breakfast to compare.

TeaTiff

Aw Keemun. One of my favorites. I really enjoy TeaVivre’s Hao Ya

Mike

Nice! I’ll add it to my wanted list, thanks for the recommendation! :)

Mike

I just read the description…I can see why you like it, seems amazing!

ashmanra

Mike – Keemuns can be so very different from each other! Have you ever signed up for the Teavivre free tasting activity? You could get a variety of theirs and see the differences. The Harney English Breakfast is not one of the highest quality but is a daily drinker great with milk and sugar, and okay without additions. But some Keemuns are smokey, some are sweet, some are “winey”. The Winey Keemun from Grace Rare Tea is good! Keemun Hao Ya or Hao Ya A from many companies is good, and Superfine Fragrant is especially smooth and sweet. Sometimes I like that little bite of smoke. And I find that Teavana’s Golden Monkey tastes more like a lower grade Keemun, while Harney or Teavivre’s GM tastes much more refined. Meanwhile, enjoy tasting them ALL and forming your own opinions, finding your faves! :)

ashmanra

Send me a message with your address and I will try to get some Keemun samples to you!

Mike

Awesome, thank you so much! I definitely will have to sign up, and I’ll send you a DM. I stuck to the Indian black teas at first, but I’m loving the Chinese black teas so far…very complex! :)

tigress_al

Teavivre’s Keemuns are so good!!

Mike

Awesome, I’ll definitely have to try them. Thanks!

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50
drank Honey Ginseng by The Republic of Tea
136 tasting notes

I’m visiting family, and saw this in the cupboard. I was happy to get a cup of green tea, but I won’t be drinking this one again. It tastes like a mixture of honey and ginseng, as the name implies, but they do not mix well together, in my opinion. I am not able to taste the green tea at all.

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90

I love Ceylon black teas. Yes, I’m easily impressed, but it’s hard to understand how such a bold tea can also be so smooth. This was given to me today as a gift from a coworker, and I wasted no time trying it out. I had never heard of this London company before, but this tea is almost as good as the Ceylon black tea from their neighbor, my beloved Ahmad.

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90

I have made matcha part of my regular weekend routine, and I find myself looking forward to it during the week. I think I’ll have to either make matcha first thing in the morning or transport the matcha kit to work, because 2 days a week may not be enough. :P Anyway, this is a nice, slightly grassy, creamy tea. I go with one-half teaspoon for 16 oz, which seems to be more than enough, as it is dark green and packs a nice punch.

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90

I have purchased so much tea and had no restraint whatsoever in the past few weeks. However, I have absolutely no regrets. When I go to sleep I think about which tea I’m going to have the next day, and wake up excited to start steeping. I’m glad that golden monkey tea is in my current rotation…very rich, slightly sweet and smoky, peppery, and very smooth. I think Keemun is next for me, but I’ll have to work through my current inventory a little bit first…not too long though, the sale for Harney and Sons English Breakfast at Fresh Market ends in 2 weeks. :P

Mookit

Haha that’s exactly how I feel about having lots of teas! Isn’t it nice :)

Mike

It’s so nice, hahaha! I’m glad there’s a group here that feels the same way! :)

Tabby

“…When I go to sleep I think about which tea I’m going to have the next day…” Yep, me too!! :D Sometimes it’s a tough decision!

Mike

It’s definitely getting tough as I build up my inventory! :P I figured it out for today right after I woke up! :)

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Profile

Bio

I’m a tea novice, and I’m loving my introduction to the World of Tea. I started getting into tea about 4 years ago when I lived in Brooklyn, NY. At first, I stayed with green teas, and took black teas completely for granted. However, in the last couple years I have enthusiastically added them to my daily routine. I love strong Assam black teas in the morning, and Japanese green teas in the afternoon, especially matcha and gyokuro. I have recently become a big fan of Keemuns. I’m looking forward to learning about new teas on this site and talking to other tea lovers!

As far as ratings go, don’t trust me. I’m a high rater, and I’m easily impressed. If I rate a tea lower than 70 (which is going to happen rarely, it seems), I probably will not drink that tea again. I will splurge for some teas at times, but I love a bargain, so you will often see me celebrating under-appreciated everyday teas.

Location

Manchester, CT

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