New Tasting Notes

I forgot that I drank this yesterday morning after waking up with a horrible sore throat. I am not fond of this tea but my throat felt better afterward.

The last bit of chamomile in this Adagio Teas sampler. I just needed something to ease me into sleep, and this did the trick.

I have so much love for this tea. Even the smell of the dry leaves in the can is enough to send me halfway to a state of evening before-bed bliss, as this has rapidly become one of my favorite teas for winding down at night. It has a fresh, clean, dewdropped taste that I find soothing in the same way I find cucumber soothing, plus a gentle nuttiness and very slight honeysuckle sweetness that keeps it on the cozy, warm, snuggly side of things. Two steeps of this are always a good way to end my night.

So how was the 2nd steep of Jackee?

Well, I steeped it for the same amount of time as the 1st (3 min 45 sec). Let it cool slightly to be able to drink it. Realized it was weak. Steeped 30 sec more. Still weak. Steeped 30 sec more. Better but weak. Steep 1 min more. I taste tea mostly now, not watery. Steep 1 min more. Now somewhere over 6 min steep time on a black. I stop. I drink the mug. Sweet and smokey.

I think I need to do something different next time. Perhaps hotter water on the 2nd steep and a longer initial steep time. I might also turn my 1st steep at 3 min 30 sec. The 1st steep was quite strong. I believe A&D said on their website that Jackee could take 2 steeps. They said that about the Yunnan and it could. I think I just need to fiddle with it.

So, Steepsterians who’ve had Jackee and done a 2nd steep with him, what parameters did you use? How did he come out?

I’m quite surprised at how much I like this tea. Full leaf loose green teas still scare me a bit (the hay aroma), but this one brewed up quite nice. I brewed 1.5 tsp @ 170F for 2.5 minutes and got a beautiful pale greenish yellow liquor. This tea smells like champagne with a hint of spearmint. I was surprised at how well the tea matches the taste of a light bubbly champagne, the mojito minty ness is there, and I love it. I like this much better than a fresh mojito, something about mojitos just weren’t my thing, but this sure is my thing. Will brew more when I have more time to enjoy it and more time to do something other than ramble!

The lemongrass flavor came out stronger than I originally expected, but overall, not a bad combination with the chamomile.

I’ve been experimenting with different mints and I really like this one. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do, but right now it’s leading the pack on the mint front.

The mix of peppermint and spearmint, unexpectedly (to me anyway), seems to have a synergy that makes this tisane more enjoyable than a straight peppermint or spearmint, without tasting like Wrigley’s Doublemint. The spearmint smooths out and mellows the peppermint, and the peppermint gives a jolt to the spearmint that keeps it from being too passive and dull. The tarragon is just a touch, fortunately, as while tarragon has a place in my spice pantheon I don’t love it if it is too overbearing. But it is present and may be what prevents the Doublemint effect — if so, I’m grateful to it.

I’m drinking the “full leaf” Starbucks tin version of this, using two bags in 16 oz of water.

Still yummy

Silver Needles: Read a message on board. new steeping setting. Great results 1.1.5m 2. 2.5m 3. 170F 3.5m

A second cup using a different formula. The directions recommend 2-3 teaspoons and 8 minutes. The first time I went with 3 tsp for 8 minutes. This time, 2 tsp for 5.

Interesting contrast. I prefer the 2 tsp at 5 minutes. It seems to lessen the earthy smell I mentioned before without weakening the flavor. Or perhaps I’m just getting used to that smell…

This is a great way to start your day. When I first saw this I was not sure how it would taste but once I tried it i was hooked.

I had this friday night in a latte and it was delicious. Definately gonna have to add this to my collection if it doesn’t sell out first.

I love the gingerbread flavor in this tea. My favorite for a late evening cup or two.

YUMMMMM tastes exactly like a coconut cream pie. I want to try this one chilled too.

Great Tea.

Finished the can. :( Fair thee well my fond friend… until we meet again in a tea garden far from city smog.

So… probably the best (IMO) of the chai substitutes that are readily available that I’ve tried on this trip. It’s WAY WAY spicy (I like spicy chai, but this was a bit too spicy for me). It has a strong tea and spice flavor, unlike Oregon and Pacific, which I’ve also tried.

I suppose the next thing to do is to start mixing.

Also, I have tried the apple cider chai from SBS, and I prefer that to the whole mess of things I’ve tried here… but that can’t be found in a store and I didn’t order it before leaving. sigh

Straight up peppermint. There’s not much not to like about this if you like peppermint and I do. It’s nicely minty without any fake candy cane taste to it, but not so strong that you have the feeling it’s been doused with additional peppermint oil or flavorings to artifically enhance the taste. The only thing I found surprising is the aroma, which is a lot more earthy than I’d expected. But this is my first loose peppermint, so as far as I know it’s entirely possible they all smell like this but the bags screen out some of the loamy, planty smell.

For some reason, I’m feeling kind of anxious tonight. I needed something calming and light. So I chose this and brewed it stronger than normal (2 heaping tsps. in 12oz with boiling water). As expected, it’s much more milky and sweet with a pronounced toastiness. This time, I detect no fruitiness (like my previous tasting note). There’s a lot of brown rice in my mug. It tastes very “home-y” and relaxing.

Love it! Just what I wanted.

In it’s defense this tea has probably been in the pass for some time and by the time I got it, it probably lost a lot of flavor and maybe took on the flavors of the other teas in the box. As a result, it was not good. Basically flavored water with all ingredients unidentifiable when tasting. I am sorry, but I probably need to taste a fresh batch.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 teabag
Additives: none
Water: 6 ounces filtered boiling
Steep Time: a little over 7 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: red tea (woody)
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet red tea, woody
Flavor: smooth red tea, floral
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: floral
Liquor: deep reddish-brown

This is one of the flavors in my Mighty Leaf Variety 15 pack

It’s a solid rooibos that isn’t very strongly woody (how i usually describe rooibos as tasting). I wouldn’t mind in another variety pack but I personally would rather a fruity flavor than floral as flavor in my tea.

Also, I could not taste the hibiscus at all, and I love hibiscus.

Post-Steep Additives: none

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/03/mighty-leaf-tea-teabag-rooibos-tea.html

This tea helps make typing up reports for school not so bad.