1319 Tasting Notes
TJMaxx. I feel like I need to go back there now. It’s been a few years. Granted I don’t expect to find any teas to the quality I have in my cupboard. I don’t mean for that to sound snobby but when you have tea that you literally watched being made in front of you in your cupboard…. I think it’s fine for me to say what is better. Right? That being said… this was average at best. I don’t know that I want to explore it again…
Another TJMaxx tea. This is another backlog. “Light but still has great flavor.” I guess I’ll have to explore this one as that is kind of vague. It gives, perhaps, a sense of an airy tea that is not dense like a dark tea but I could use with a better sense of what light means.
If you want to develop a palate for certain teas or terroirs you really have to stick more so to that grouping. When you wander too much your palate really can’t pull the distinctive notes that it needs to. Or at least that is what I’ve found. In order to determine the subtle differences you really have to batten down the hatches. But it’s difficult…. because I want to try all the things! This has been sitting for a while. I keep meaning to try it but I’ve been on a Japanese tea binge. I am glad though that I seem to be tasting some subtleties that I thought I would miss. This is a nice one.
Dry aroma: Strong ‘typical’ pu er aroma. Dried, aged wood. Slight cherry wood.
Dry Appearance: Tightly twisted but more of a smushed and pellet appearance. Some stems. Dusty. Dark brown.
Quick rinse.
Wet Leaf aroma: 1800s house. I love that scent. Slight smoke. Sweet and leather.
Flavor: Cream. Dark wood, smoke. Old wood in an old house. Makes me want to hope on Ancestry! Its my other passion.
Mouth feel: Smooth with a slight astringency
After tasteCharcoal wood.
Dry aroma: Very similar to jasmine. Soft and fragrant
Dry appearance: Mix of dark and olive greens. Tightly ball rolled.
Inital steeping aroma: When you walk off the plane in Hawaii (in the smaller airports like LIH) you are greeted with a sweet scent. This scent. Paradise…
Flavor: Different from jasmine but some of the similar qualities of tropical fruit and plant notes. The pomelo holds earthier notes with a slight bitterness.
I’ve come to realize that I have holiday anxiety. It also doesn’t help that the last two years have been filled with drama between my sister and I but that is a whole other mess. Hope you all made it through and are able to calm with a bit of tea.
Note: Currently as of 2024 they have two different matchas. This one and the premium version.
Dry Aroma: Chocolatey.
Appearance: Unripe Bartlett Pear. A nice green. An average color for a ceremonial grade.
Liquor Aroma: This is going to sound really stupid but it smells like matcha. To me, this is very nice and relaxing. Earthy, slightly leafy.
Mouth Feel: Very smooth. Slight silt.
Flavor: Nothing needed. Creamy and vegetal. A bit earthy. Very nice.
I could really go for a side of wagashi… maybe a nice warabi mochi