New Tasting Notes
I had a sampler of this tucked away from a Mei Leaf order back in November. I haven’t been ordering much from them lately, owing largely to the better value I’ve been getting out of the W2T orders. Nevertheless, I have so much tea that I’ll probably be putting non-club orders on hold for a while. It gives me the opportunity to clear out my drawers and try some teas that I had forgotten about.
Bliss Beholder is one of Mei Leaf’s most expensive sheng puerhs that is available right now, retailing at about 180 USD. I purchased this sampler right when it came out, and now it only seems like the tea is available in whole cakes. It is a sheng from Man Zhuan, advertised as one of the six ancient Puerh mountains dating back to the Qing dynasty.
Initial impressions off the bat were strong, steamed rocks and the fruitiness characteristic of much of the Mei Leaf sheng catalogue. However, the rest of the session was largely lacking especially at the price point. It’s a fruity sheng with an exotic nature to it; I can detect the hints of sandalwood to complement the apricot, and it is buoyed by a strong minerality, but I have had much better.
I still have two more sessions of this tea so this review may be subject to change, but as of right now it’s ‘ok’.
Flavors: Apricot, Mineral, Sandalwood
Stash Advent Calendar 2025 – Day 6
Tropical Snowflake
I guess this is only called “snowflake” because it’s in an advent, because it’s a passion fruit flavored green tea. It’s pleasant enough, the flavoring is a bit generically tropical, not specifically passion fruit to me. I think I would guess mango if anything, but maybe only because it’s more common. I only steeped it for one minute, so the green tea is mellow and subtly earthy. A nice enough cuppa, though not something I would feel the need to purchase (if it were available).
Rating: 68
Flavors: Dry Grass, Dry Leaves, Earthy, Fruity, Mango, Smooth, Tangy, Tropical
Preparation
knittingopera Swap Advent Calendar 2025 – Day 6 (my pick)
Theme: Deck the Halls
Song: Deck the Halls by The Five Fifths
The song made me think of holly and holly berries, so of course I had to pick a tea with red berries in it! So I chose this cranberry and cream black tea from Simpson & Vail. Love it, the cream is very much in the forefront, and it’s buttery and rich, almost like a buttercream frosting. Then there’s a tangy red berry note swirled in, and a subtle, deep cocoa note. Delightful!
https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=3gry2zD57no&si=boyKPwsJgRn9VE8W
https://www.instagram.com/p/DR7y2G9D7v2
Flavors: Berry, Bitter, Buttery, Cacao, Cocoa, Cranberry, Creamy, Frosting, Red Fruit, Rich, Sweet, Tangy
Preparation
2025 Steepster Advent Swap: Day 6
Today’s advent pull from Michelle definitely makes up for the lackluster B&B oolong from this morning!
I accidentally oversteeped the first cup, but got it right on the second. This is so good, and I can see how it could become a daily drinker! It’s just a little bit malty and bready, with hints of molasses and brown sugar. Almost no astringency here.
Smooth, tasty, and eminently drinkable… what a winner!
Flavors: Bread, Brown Sugar, Malt, Molasses, Smooth, Sugarcane
Advent Calendar 2025 – Day 6
This is similar to that Stash caramel tea from earlier in the advent, in that it doesn’t taste like actual caramel, but like deeply caramelized sugar. It’s not my personal favorite, though caramel teas in general don’t tend to be either. The base is also a bit acidic and harsh for my tastes.
From Bonne Maman, today it’s Apricot Lavender Spread. This has been in the advent for a few years now, and it’s lovely. I don’t really notice the lavender, to be honest. But I love apricot preserves, so you’ll get no complaints from me! It has a nice tanginess to it.
Flavors: Acidic, Brisk, Brown Sugar, Burnt Sugar, Caramelized Sugar, Sharp, Tannic, Woody
Preparation
I have to say that the previous reviews of this tea don’t fill me with enthusiasm. I’ve had Vietnamese oolongs long ago, including What-Cha’s famously good Red Buffalo, but don’t remember having any green teas from this region and hearing that they could get bitter. I steeped 5 g of leaf in 250 ml of 160F water for 2, 1.5, 2.5, 4, 5, and 7 minutes.
The dry aroma is quite floral, with hints of spinach and grass. The vendor describes this floral aroma as tea flowers, though my closest guess was orange blossom. The first steep has ethereal notes of orange, pomegranate, kiwi, magnolia, and orange blossom, with background notes of spinach and grass. The next steep continues to carry top notes of pomegranate, orange, honeydew, and florals, with the more vegetal green tea lurking beneath the surface. I get a nice kiwi and honeydew aftertaste from this steep. Steep three is still ethereally fruity and floral, but the green tea is beginning to show its teeth, with spinach, saline, beany, and astringent notes coming forward. Steeped for four minutes, the tea retains some of the magnolia, orange blossom, citrus, kiwi, and melon notes, though they’re becoming a bit soapy and the grass, spinach, and astringency are becoming distracting. The next steep is greener, with notes of spinach, grass, saline, and other veggies and hints of florals and tropical fruit. The final steep is predictably grassy, saline, mineral, and vegetal with slight fruity hints.
This is one of the most fruity green teas I’ve had in a while. I like the tropical and floral flavours, but the astringent, vegetal base gets in the way. I imagine the base would be even more assertive if I’d steeped it using hotter water. This was an interesting tea to try, but it’s not a daily drinker for me.
Also, in case anyone wants even more tea, this is the last weekend of my Black Friday sale. You can get 20% off if you buy three or more items, and a free pouch of Fushoushan Green for orders over US$150. My list of teas is here: https://www.teaforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=2847
Flavors: Astringent, Citrus, Floral, Grass, Green Bean, Honeydew, Kiwi, Magnolia, Mineral, Orange, Orange Blossom, Perfume, Pomegranate, Saline, Spinach, Tropical, Vegetal
Preparation
For first time it seems I got a fruit tea blend! Translation of name should mean “Dream about the Love” or “Love Dream” or such. That still little hurts me, as my first nad last love… well we broke up earlier this year.
But as of tea… yep, it is a fruit tea, definitely, and that to hibiscus a deep red coloured tea. It is quite hard to me to point out the flavours as there are lots of fruits in and make some kind of fruit mish-mash; however two notes that stand out in my mouth are: caramel covered grapes.
That’s something I never had or tried. And I am not even sure it is a thing. But It is indeed quite sweet tea, with hints of grapes. Interesting, considering that by the ingredients there are no grapes or raisins, while the second is mentioned in the description by the vendor. And there is no caramel either.
Preparation
It seems that this tea puzzles me.
Once it was fine; once it was bad. And today, in advent calendar it tastes like something different and fine.
I have steeped all 5 grams western today morning and steeped those in 80°C water (a little colder, actually) for 2 minutes.
I have received a tasty cup with lots of fruity, tropical notes, which were pleasing to drink. As of now, writing this note much later, I can’t recall exact fruits. The base was a little rough though. While not exactly bad, it was a bit astringent and maybe a little bitter for me. But it was strongly prepared, that could be the cause.
Anyway, it was fine… though agian not a tea to keep in the cupboard.
Preparation
Adagio Advent Calendar Day 4
This was nice, with an earthy spicy flavor. I think my problem with these cinnamon rooibos teas is that I compare them to Good Earth’s Sweet and Spicy, and so far, nothing beats that one. So this is a perfectly good tea but I will not be ordering this one.
Adagio Advent Calendar Day 5
This was quite tart due to the hibiscus. I am NOT a fan of hibiscus because to me it is simply sour. Others may find the zing of hibiscus to be pleasantly tart.
I was able to finish most of the cup, but this will certainly not be a re-order for me.
Preparation
December Sipdown Challenge Prompt – a flavored green
I ordered some tea as Christmas gifts and threw in some small amounts of various teas that are new to me to add to our homemade advent to make it more exciting.
Ashman didn’t what we were drinking and after breakfast I asked if he liked it. He said that he did, and found it an unusual flavor profile for a green tea and felt it tasted like oatmeal cookies. I can see that!
I get mostly creamy vanilla and a boozy flavor. The color is sunshine yellow, which was welcome on this second heavily overcast day in a row.
While I liked it and don’t mind drinking the rest, I don’t think I would repurchase just because it is an unusual profile and not one I prefer on a green base. Glad to have tried and had something a little different for sure!
Day 6 of the Mariage Freres Advent 2025.
Polo Club Blue Sublime is an oolong tea, not usually my favourite but this one is so juicy and fruity it’s impossible not to like. The delicate strawberry-rhubarb flavours intertwine beautifully with the lightly vegetal, floral, and mineral notes of the oolong, and the whole thing is deliciously smooth and silky. Definitely one I’d have overlooked had it not been in the calendar.
This one does actually taste of gingerbread biscuits, which is a pleasant surprise. I just wish the black tea base was a bit maltier and more robust, because as it stands it’s quite thin-tasting and that’s the only thing that lets this one down. The flavouring is on point.
Trying a couple of the Twinings Christmas blends today. This one smells so delicious even through the wrapper, minty and creamy as the description promises. Once brewed, however, I find this to be mostly peppermint with just a hint of vanilla. Barely there, really. I was hoping this one would be at least similar to, if not better than, Buttermint but unfortunately it’s not. Nice enough, but not quite what I was hoping.
2025 Bird & Blend Advent: Day 6
This would be a lackluster but inoffensive generic, semi-artificial “berries and cream” blend if not for the hibiscus, which takes it from lackluster to unpleasant. :( I feel like a Grinch griping about the B&B teas two days in a row, but come on… the hibiscus here feels so unnecessary! It just makes the whole thing way more tart than it needs to be.
Not a fan!
Flavors: Artificial, Berries, Cream, Hibiscus, Tart, Watery
Herbal and Decaf TTB, Summer 2025
Since my husband was feeding the baby this morning, I had a chance to sit in my rocking chair looking out the front window at yesterday’s snowfall. When I sat down and looked out, I was surprised to see a deer looking back at me! We looked at each other for a bit before she apparently decided I wasn’t a that and went back to nosing around the yard and nibbling at some of the greenery that hadn’t been covered by snow while I sipped my tea. Eventually, she ambled off into the trees.
Looking hereon Steepster, I see that this is a decidedly unpopular tea. I was a little surprised as I really enjoyed it! Hibiscus and orange dominate, which are both flavors I love. There are also notes of lemon and mango. There’s definitely a bit of citrus zest in the flavor as well, but not to much for my tastes. It makes a very pleasant and flavorful cold brew.
Flavors: Citrus Zest, Hibiscus, Lemon, Mango, Orange
Sipdown
Another tea that went into the homemade advent for a sipdown! This is a lovely Earl Grey and it is on my Christmas wishlist, so it might be back on shelf soon. The bergamot is steong but natural, not a face punch. This is one you can get hooked on for breakfast and find yourself drinking it day after day.
