1040 Tasting Notes
Reserving judgment on this one. The first infusion (which I may have over steeped) was CRAZY smoky, almost offensive in how smoky it was. The second infusion is MUCH better. Dark rich, nutty, woody oolong. I really like this second steep. Next time will start with a shorter first infusion and work up more slowly. All in all I think I will be friends with this tea once I work out my preferred steep parameters.
I’ve drank this before and didn’t really like it. Tried again this morning being more careful with steeping parameters. I used cooler water – closer to 90C for 3.5 minutes.MUCH better this time around. It’s still not all that I had hoped it would be, but a decent chocolate tea. I’m getting the black tea base and the chocolate, still not much almonds though. I’m not sure if it’s me, but I keep trying nutty teas, and keep not tasting much nuts. I would love to find a tea that I think actually tastes like almonds. All in all, this is just ok.
I don’t always do well with fruit flavored black teas. I quite often find they are too much tea not enough fruit. I hot steeped this one, tried a couple of sips hot, and knew I had found a winner. I quit drinking it, made a second steep, combined it all together and put it in the fridge to cool. I’m drinking it now cold. AWESOME. Great peach flavor, nice black tea in the background (right where I think it belongs). I’m not getting any bitter or astringency. This is really really nice.
Thanks Hallieod for this sample. You hit another winner for me.
Wow – this rates as the “most surprising” tea I’ve run into yet. I’ll be honest, I almost didn’t try this one. It was headed for the “not for me” box without ever being given a chance. This was in a random sample package that I bought from Momo and I had sorted a few out that I assumed I wouldn’t like. Have to rethink that strategy. Green tea and walnut? Not for me!!
What I didn’t consider was the brittle part of the name. Glad I also didn’t read the ingredients or I would NEVER had tried this. It’s walnut brittle. It’s sweet and candy, and little creamy. This is a really good dessert tea. The green confuses me (not the taste but the concept), it’s there but just in the background, yet somehow, all I’m getting is candy. I don’t specifically taste pineapple or coconut, but the whole thing just works together without any one flavor dominating. This is really really good.
Lesson learned, don’t judge a tea by it’s name. Don’t rule anything out until you actually try it!!!
i’ve had a few of those, lol. the ‘nope… wait, uh, yum?!!’ i’ve had to ignore my nose on occasion as well. i try very hard to wait until i have water over the leaf. ‘try’ being the operative word, LOL.
I know, it just scares me. There are SO MANY that I want to try. I don’t want to think about how many I don’t want to try!!!
Cold steeped this overnight. It was just ok. I think cranberry should be tart. This isn’t tart enough, and I think the citrus distracts from it. Tea is trying to be too many things and it’s just a muddled mess. Will drink it, it’s fine, won’t be looking for more.
This is another huge hit with me. I seem to love all Mandala Pu’erhs. I still don’t know how to describe them, all I know is that they make me happy. There is nothing “icky, scary, fishy, barnyardy, dirty socky” about this tea.
I’m not sure I did the best job of breaking a piece off the cake, and I’m not sure how much that might effect it. I really need to learn more about the teas. I feel like I’m mistreating them. That I’m not worthy of them.
Even with my mishandling of it this is fantastic. I’ve drank about 6 cups of it so far, and it just seems to get better and better.
Thank you Mandala for another awesome tea.
I cold steeped this for more hours than I really want to admit. Probably about 30. I’m not going to rate it until I’ve tried it under different steeping parameters.
All in all I like it though. It’s very raspberry – maybe a hint candy raspberry rather than fresh raspberry. There is some of the rooibos there, maybe a bit too much for my taste, but that could be the long steep time.
I will be trying this hot steeped and then cooled next time. See how that changes things.
All in all, really pretty good.
I cold steeped this overnight. It had really nice blueberry flavor, but I think it’s too sweet (or not tart enough) for my tastes. I still have some left, I’m going to try and hot steep then cool the next batch and see how that differs.
For now I like it, it’s a nice blueberry tea, but I like the other blueberry one the scribbles sent me better. Thank you so much for sending me both of these so that I can compare them. :))
i ave never cold steeped before… cold water from the start? or hot and then left to chill?
• Clean a jar or pitcher.
• Put some tea in it (about 1.5 times the amount you’d normally use).
• Add cold water and a lid.
• Let it sit in the fridge for four to ten hours, depending on the type (less time for white teas, green teas and wiry/flat oolongs, more for rolled oolongs and the most for pu-erhs, herbal infusions and black teas).
• Strain. Sip. Simple.
4 to 10 hrs is a guideline. Most people, myself included, go for overnight. I’ve even gone as far as 24 hrs by accident. There’s only so much flavour that can come out. Only one or two went bitter on me but for the most part you can just stick it in there and forget it
I do both. When I say cold steep, I mean add leaves to pitcher, add cold water, put in the fridge overnight or several hours. I also will hot steep as normal, pour the tea off the leaves then allow to cool, then put in the fridge. When I do the hot steep thing, I usually do two or three steeps put it all together and then will have several cups worth in the fridge.
Some tea cold steeps really well, some I find I like better if you hot steep then cool. Depends on the tea and depends on your tastes.
I agree with Nxtdoor, most I can leave up to 24 hours with no problem. I have a cheap China Town Market green tea (don’t even know what it is) that I like to cold steep with fruit tisane. That is ok for about 18 hours any longer than that the green gets bitter. I’ve had “good green tea” get bitter after 12 hours. I don’t usually over leaf – I use however much I would use for hot steeping, and therefore I think it needs more time. I’ve never done it for as short as 4 hours, but have had good results from some in about 8 hours. Depends on your tastes, play with see what you like.
excellent! thank you, both of you!
I’ve never tried this before, so won’t rate it tonight. All I have to say is that it’s AMAZING with hazelnut Kahlua.
Will write proper tasting note someday when I drink it straight.
I almost had this tonight too. It is the bomb. I don’t know if I want to make an order just for this one tea but yeah, my favourite Rooibos so far.
I think I need to toss some of this in the fridge for tomorrow. I wouldn’t order this, if you ever want some just let me know. It’s a local shop I can get it anytime.
