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Oh I like this, I am really surprised, but there is no denying I really like it. I like how smokey it is, almost burnt tasting. It’s like maple bacon that’s been overcooked on the campfire. To my taste it’s mostly smokey bacon with just a hint of maple. I know call me strange, but that works for me.
Thanks JackieT for sending me this weird yet wonderful sample.

Black tea caramel corn, that’s what this is suppose to be. OK, black tea – check, caramel – check, corn – not so much. It’s sweet, mellow, nice, black tea. I’m not sure it lives up to all that’s promised, but it’s good. I enjoyed this sample that JackieT sent me. Thank you.

Edit: It was bothering me that I’m not getting the corn part of this. What I thought it was missing was the salty. Caramel corn is sweet and salty, so I added some salt. Not a lot just a couple of grinds of the salt mill. Yeah, no. Now it’s just salty caramel. Still don’t get the corn. Oh well worth a try.

OMG!!!! I get it!!! For the first time EVER, I taste the “bakery/pastery” or in this case pancake in a tea. I feel like I just had an major tea tasting breakthrough. This tastes like pancakes and maple syrup. (Maybe this is a good time to mention that I don’t really like pancakes).
Anyway, the maple part of this is really good, subtle not in your face. Nice. Pancakes aside, I still like this. It’s one of the better maple teas I’ve had.

Thank you JackieT for sending me this sample.

I received a sample of this from Hallieod. Thank you so much!!! I’ve LOVED everything Hallieod sent me, she did an amazing job sending me teas that totally suited my tastes. I’ve been avoiding this one. Didn’t want to break that streak. I was afraid of the lavender. Black tea with strawberry and rhubarb should be right up my alley. I don’t do so well with the florals.
She’s been right with everything else, so I hot brewed some of this last night. I’ll admit it – I took one sip and my initial reaction was, nope I don’t like this one. I left it on the counter to cool, and then popped it into the fridge. Shrug, sometimes they are better as iced tea.
So, now I’m home from work – opened the fridge, and tried the tea. It is MUCH better cold.
I’m not getting a lot of fruit – just a hint way in the back. I’m getting the black tea and I’m getting some floral notes (not sure it’s lavender, but it’s floral). What I am also getting is some….tart, bitter, astringent…something unpleasant. That might be my steeping error. I did steep below boiling as indicated for about 4 min (instructions said 4-5). Not sure. This isn’t incredibly horrible, but it’s not for me. Sorry Halliod, you’ve still done an amazing job with your choices 6/7 with two I haven’t tried yet.

I’m being indecisive tonight. I can’t decide if I like this. It’s strange, bizarre/weird to me. Must be the cumin, or the thought of the cumin.
I’m also getting that acidic burn sensation on the tongue (like when you drink too much orange juice?). Yet there is something interesting here. Might be too far outside my comfort zone, and it’s just too strange – or so different from what I was expecting that I can’t wrap my head around it.
I’m getting way more spice than I am “bakery”, not getting much nuts at all.
Will have to ponder this one for awhile.

Thanks scribbles really appreciate the sample, you found an interesting one for sure!!!!

Thank you scribbles for sending me this sample. I hot brewed the whole sample – in a few different batches, and put it in the fridge to cool. I have pitcher of iced tea from your sample!!!

It’s blueberry, no doubt about that. It’s a little tart, not too bad though. I find that odd because there is no hibiscus listed on the ingredients. I like it, it’s a fun iced tea. Something I would drink again. Not sure it will make my all time favorite list, but there’s not much wrong with this.
Thanks for letting me try this, really appreciate it.

Just to be clear my package reads: Big Red Robe Supreme Grade Light Roast Oolong Tea, the title for this tea on here says Premium grade. I apologize if I am posting this in the wrong place, but seemed close enough to me.

I am often in awe when I read other steepster reviews that include detailed tasting notes of each steep, and the subtle changes in flavor that occur between the different steeps of a tea. I am no where near educated enough, have a refined palate enough, nor have the vocabulary to be able to provide one of those reviews. I have come to the realization that I am as much about “how a tea makes me feel” as I am about “how it tastes”.

I’ve been exploring the world of oolongs lately and have tried a few of them. Some of them are “green” – I think grassy (some say floral – I don’t get that) and maybe a bit veggie ish. Others are “dark” and are more toasty, nutty, with some being almost metalic (?). I’ve decided that I like the “dark” ones better.

I’m currently drinking my third steep of this tea and the leaves are not completely unfurled yet. I don’t think I have time to give this tea the number of steeps that it deserves. :(( This is the best example of a “dark” oolong that I’ve tried. There is no doubt in my mind that this is a quality tea. I just don’t think it’s dark enough. This almost seems like it’a halfway between a green and a dark. Maybe that’s the “light roast” part of it? Like I said I’m not experienced enough to know if that’s a fair assessment, but that’s how I feel. It’s not “grassy or veggy ish” it’s more roasty and nutty, but light and delicate. It’s smooth and soothing, gentle and pleasing. This is for sure one of the best oolongs that I’ve drank, I just wish it were a bit more…. Bit more what? Woody? Not sure… I really like this, I just think maybe I didn’t choose wisely for my tastes (yeah like I know what my tastes are), I’ve ordered the fancy grade dark roast version of this. :)) Maybe that will be my PERFECT oolong, but until then, I am quite happy with this, and will certainly enjoy the package that I have.

As always, thank you Mandala for providing me with an excellent tea to spend my evening with.

I had a bit of a crappy day at work today. Felt like I spent the whole day fixing other people’s mistakes, cleaning up their mess. Was in a bit of a cranky, foul mood when I got home. Went digging in my sample box, and pulled this out. Mandala did really well choosing the other sample I got from them, and I was hoping this one would suit me just as well.
There is something about pu’erh that just makes me happy. For me it’s comforting, soothing, it feels like home, it’s like your favorite comfy slippers.
This is AMAZING. I still haven’t drank a lot of different ones to really know good from great, but if there are better ones out there, I need to find a new rating system. This is big and bold, all the flavors I expect in shu, but as stated in their description, “without overbearing earthiness”. It’s not dirty socks earthy, it’s crisp and clean, smooth, mellow, but full of flavor. I can’t even express how good this is.
Thanks Mandala for including another fantastic sample in the order.

Edit: six 8oz cups later and this tea and I are still very much friends. It’s ok that I’m having tea for dinner right?

I’m going to choose to reserve judgement on this one. I like how it tastes, I think the blend of spices is good. There is enough flavor, it’s not weak or watery. It has that “suck all the moisture out of your mouth” sensation going on. I don’t like that.
I may have over leafed a bit. The steeping instructions were 3-5 min in boiling water, that’s pretty vague. I thought you can’t really mess that up. Not sure what happened, but I have hopes for this one yet.

Thanks scribbles for sending me this sample.

Edit: I had the rest of this tonight. MUCH better. I think I abused it the first time around. I really like the flavors in this, and like it even more now that I’ve lost that “suck your mouth dry feeling”.

I’m a HUGE roasted yerba mate lover, I adore flavored rooibos, so what’s not to love in this one. Not much, is chocolaty mate. I don’t think it’s REALLY special, but it comes through just as I think it should. I like it.

Thanks JackieT for the sample.