Gingerbread

Just finished my sample. I have to say, milk really improved it. I wish I had been doing that the whole time. I’m kind of on the fence about trying this again when winter rolls around again, though. I’m sure there are better things I could be drinking…

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 tsp
Additives: none
Water: 1 zarafina cup, filtered water
Tool: Zarafina Black-loose-medium
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: Sweet fruit
Steeped Tea Smell: Sweet black tea, nutty
Flavor: astringent, bitter black tea, a little cake-y
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: bitter
Liquor: Translucent orange brown

Steepster Traveling Teabox Tea

Made this while rushing around in the morning getting ready to go to work.

I didn’t smell spice or ginger, more fruity.

I started the second steep before tasting the first.

I ended up chugging it as it was so bitter and astringent.

It could have used less time (mild) and perhaps cream and sugar to be palatable.

Post-Steep Additives: none

Resteep: Zarafina Black-loose-strong

images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/04/adagio-loose-leaf-black-tea-gingerbread.html

Another Christmas tea that I forgot to drink (until now that is). Another bagged tea from Adagio’s Christmas tea collection.

It smells like cinnamon rather than ginger but it does have a biscuit style scent to it.

As cinnamon and biscuit like as it smells it tastes more like a strong black tea with a slight cinnamon after taste. I wouldn’t say I could taste ginger at all let alone gingerbread and the black tea is far too strong in comparison to what I should be able to taste. Glad I didn’t drink this one over the Christmas holidays.

I don’t understand this tea at all. It is actually pretty interesting because I can’t really nail down just what it tastes like. It is not really gingerbread to me. The dry, crunchiness is somehow there though. This one is always a toss up. Some days I like it, others it is just weird. I think one of Steepster’s resident awesome tasters should get this and inform me to whatever it is I’m really tasting.

I got this tea from Doulton a while back (I think…correct me if I’m wrong). The tea smells quite chai-ish, slightly sweet and gingery, and slightly spicy. The taste was a bit disappointing though, being rather harsh and not terribly flavourful. The ginger’s really only a hint, I’d have like to be able to taste it a bit more readily.

Sorry Doulton, but this tea isn’t getting much love from me. :(

I thought I would give this one another try. I’m still not very fond of it BUT I understeeped to see the difference and I think I like it understeeped for a change usually I like the more bold and dark and powerful types of tastes but this one I enjoy on the lighter side…the ole’ less is more theory.

December 1 advent calendar tea: straight up, not much to get excited about…just kind of an unsweet chai. Much gingerbreadier with milk and sweetener. (And though I won’t go hunt any down…marshmallows couldn’t hurt :) Chai people would like this.

Wow… I followed the steeping instructions (1tsp/8oz, boiling, with a 3min steep), but this is just bad.

Each sip is leaving me wincing, and the astringency is off-the-charts. I’m not getting gingerbread here… I’m getting a bitter cup that needs to be dumped. My poor tongue feels numb with a slightly cinnamon aftertaste.

There is absolutely no joy in this cup, and it’s going down the drain.

I’m not even sure if this tea is worth posting to the Take It Away thread. I picked up a couple other Adagio samples to put in a gift basket for a co-worker, and I’m starting to think that would be the absolute worst way to get someone interested in loose leaf.

Enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Not too spicy — kept the steep time shorter than I normally would per everyone else’s experience (thanks, everyone!). The result was rather smooth with a smell and taste that lives up to the name.

Based on reviews, I was expecting awful. So it was a pleasant surprise when I could easily drink the entire cup!