Thank you ifjuly for sending me such a generous sample of this.
Anyone who follows me knows that I am a HUGE Mandala fan, they also know that I “call them as I see them” when it comes to logging teas.
I’m having problems with this one. It confuses me. I’m having problems calling it, because I don’t know how I feel about it.
I’m having a love/hate relationship. When it’s HOT, it has as odd fruity, white wine, astringent smell to it. Can’t even begin to describe how it tastes – some might say light and bright – I’m calling it a high note/tone. As it cools, it deepens and the cocoa notes, and the starchy feel that I like so well starts to come through. Once this is lukewarm, it’s a really nice black tea, with all the notes that I love about good Chinese blacks….
I hate this when it’s hot, I love it when it’s cooler. I’ve drank it a couple days at work now. Today I tried it with more leaf, cooler water, less steep time. I didn’t think the “wine” taste was as prominent today, but still there…
This just really confuses me. I don’t know how to rate it – how I feel about it depends on what temperature it is.
This is You :-D
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C.S. Lewis – “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.”
I needed to update my profile. I joined Steepster 03Mar13. I am just amazed at how much my tastes have changed since then.
When I discovered loose leaf tea about a year and half ago, I didn’t know anything other than my local Davids and Teavana/Teaopia. Stumbling onto Steepster CHANGED EVERYTHING.
Hello, my name is Dex I’m a tea addict.
I’ve been through the “I need to try every single tea out there” phase. I really hope the worst of that has passed. I’ve learned enough to know that I only need to try HALF of all the teas out there. LOL
When I started this journey, I was all about the flavored rooibos and fruity tisanes. Don’t get me wrong there is still room for dessert (chocolate/caramel/nutty) Rooibos teas in my cupboard and I still do enjoy them, BUT I am quickly learning to appreciate the some of the straight teas of the world.
Big bold (but not icky)pu’erh is suddenly my favorite, followed by woody/roasted oolongs. I’m just starting to explore straight black teas, and have found some that I really like.
Generally speaking I’m not into greens at all, only like the occasional green oolong, and white teas are just too mild for my tastes (unless they are fruit flavored). I still enjoy really good fruit tisanes, but am now cold steeping them.
I don’t like floral/herbal blends, and mint anything is not on my preferred list.
I am still exploring new teas, adapting to my changing tastes, understanding more every day how little I really know about tea. Ultimately I would love to find approximately 50 teas that I just “can’t live without” and always have them in my cupboard. That might not be practical, but that what I’m searching for. It’s going to be a fun journey.
All in all, I love this site. I’ve met some wonderful people, and have gotten to try some amazing teas because of them. It really restores your faith in humanity when you get a note saying “oh by the way I sent you some tea”. Wonderful, generous, people here.
Location
Manitoba Canada
There you go! Just another reason I quit rating teas! :)