74 Tasting Notes
Lovely experience having this on my fire escape during a breezy afternoon. This one’s relaxing in that numbing, slow-down-time sort of way. Savored every cup. Aroma of the wet leaf was irresistible too. Sharp notes like roasted fruit, cherries, peaches, guava, cloves, maybe even bread yeast? Great things going on here.
Preparation
First tea in the new place. I thought since I’d settled in, something “cozy” might make me feel completely at home. And it did, though that may be more the result of not having any tea for more than a week! It was smooth and made me think of a campfire. Notes of chocolate and stone fruit.
Flavors: Campfire, Chocolate, Decayed Wood, Stonefruit
Preparation
Getting closer to my ideal chamomile bedtime blend. But not quite. Think it needs more lemon balm. Or maybe just some fresh lemon to brighten it up.
Flavors: Chamomile, Fennel Seed, Lavender, Lemon, Rooibos
Preparation
Sipdown #7
I’m alive! Been busy packing for my move, and just not ordering any new tea until the move is completed.
I like this one. Not artificially sweet, but sugary sweet. The clove, orange, and cinnamon just mesh together really well for me and I’d like to try similar blends in the future.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Clove, Orange
Preparation
Yummy. Brothy and earthy. Cocoa and bitterness as well but it’s quite mellow. Aroma reminds me of… dank castle armories. Strange association but not an unwelcome one.
Flavors: Bitter, Broth, Cocoa, Dark Bittersweet, Earth, Mushrooms, Savory, Wet Rocks, Wood
Preparation
I actually often get an aroma reminiscent of dungeons or other underground castle spaces in tea, especially with humidly stored ripes! I agree that usually it gives the tea a nice character and is associated with a lot of memories in my mind.
I liked this particular tea, before it was overtaken by mold two years ago, during a time when I was away from home for extended period and foolishly left my tea enclosed without ventilation. Thankfully, this was the only one I had to throw out.
It’s definitely common in my experiences so far. This one just instantly threw me back to the Polish castles I visited in my childhood.
Lucky that you only had to throw one tea out, one that’s relatively inexpensive!
Sipdown #5.
I’m motivated to get through a lot of old teas since I’m moving apartments next month. I know tea doesn’t take up much space but it just feels good to get rid of things for a move. Especially since I’ve held onto this for a whopping 7 years.
I don’t like this. I think the worst part is that it smells like vomit more than it does chocolate and that’s all that I’m thinking about as I sip it. Not nearly chocolatey or nutty enough. But not so bad that I won’t finish a cup. It’s just blergh. And it’s been blergh since I first tried it in 2014.
Edit: Reading other reviews, I realized I must have gotten a bad batch. Only one other person seems to have an experience similar to mine.
Preparation
When I moved in 2019, my tea collection took up two HUGE boxes… and that didn’t include the teaware! (Or the shelving unit that housed all said tea…)
Also, I see there is coconut in this tea. When coconut goes rancid (which it does rather quickly… for me, usually within a year unless I’m very fortunate) it definitely tastes either like vomit, or suntan lotion.
Good to know! Guess it was rancid to begin with. :(
Sipdown #4
One of my favorite ultra-sweet teas. I thought it was discontinued but it must be seasonal, should order more sometime.
I have a low bar for these ultra-sweet teas. Basically if it’s not too tart and not too artificial tasting, I’ll probably like it.
Its 2017 version was introduction to world of puerh to me. Ah, memories (two, maybe already three years back)