986 Tasting Notes
Samurai TTB #27
Japanese green tea tends to be too aggressive for me, but I’ve been on a roll with the green teas in this TTB, so I decided to give this one a shot. The flavor is very fresh and grassy without the bitterness or seaweed quality I try to avoid. However, there was an astringency at the end of the sip that marred the experience somewhat for me.
Flavors: Astringent, Drying, Grass
Preparation
Samurai TTB #26
This is quite possibly my favorite straight green tea I’ve ever tried! Smooth and sweet and mellow with a delightfully fresh, fruity flavor. I re-steeped it twice following Brendan’s parameters and found all three infusions to be almost equally delicious. So glad I got the chance to try this in the teabox and will definitely consider purchasing some if it’s available!
Flavors: Fruity, Honey, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Samurai TTB #25
I tried this one just because it was AQTT and there was just one cup’s worth left in the box. However, with both rose and hibiscus in the ingredients list, I should have known better. This basically felt like chewing flower petals. Not a fan!
Flavors: Floral, Hibiscus, Rose
Preparation
Samurai TTB #24
I continue to be impressed by August Uncommon and it’s been a treat to sample more of their blends this month! This one appealed to me because of the ginger and mandarin orange, but I was worried the sage might dominate as it has in other sage herbals I’ve tried. However, this one is perfectly balanced! You get the juicy citrus, warming ginger, and herbaceous sage all in just the right amount. So yummy!
Flavors: Citrus, Ginger, Herbaceous, Orange, Sage, Spicy
Preparation
Samurai TTB #23
There was only about a tsp of this tea left in the bag, so I think my cup was under-leafed. I mainly tasted the white tea base with hints of vanilla and coconut. No lemon that I could discern.
Flavors: Coconut, Hay, Lemon
Preparation
Samurai TTB #22
For me, the flavor of this tea came across as straight-up chocolate. A really GOOD chocolate…dark and rich and smooth and well-paired with the oolong base…but not at all what was promised by the name! Maybe this is an older sample and the other flavors have faded over time? Anyway, it wasn’t what I was expecting, but still an enjoyable experience. And always special to get to taste one of the AQTT blends I missed back when Lauren was still in business!
Flavors: Dark Chocolate, Smooth
Preparation
Samurai TTB #21
The green of this is lovely (I really enjoy Mao Feng tea!) but the orchid flavor was too overpowering for me, making me feel like I was drinking some kind of expensive perfume. A great quality blend, but not for me!
Flavors: Floral, Flowers, Orchids, Perfume
Preparation
Samurai TTB #20
This is exactly the kind of green tea I love! Smooth and sweet with a mildly vegetal flavor and delightfully buttery mouthfeel. I’ve never even heard of this company, but I’d definitely consider placing an order to get my hands on more of this!
Flavors: Butter, Smooth, Sweet, Vegetal
Preparation
Advent Calendar Day 24
Haven’t had time to post amid all the festivities, but I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas! I missed family I wasn’t able to see because of COVID this year, but still enjoyed our smaller celebrations over the past two days. And having new tea to try just added to the fun! One more massive THANK YOU to Shae for organizing and Amanda for being an amazing swap partner. This was so much fun and I’m already looking forward to next year!
Now on to the actual tea…It’s been a couple of days since I drank this, so I don’t remember a lot of the details at this point. I do remember it being quite smooth and sweet but not very nutty…kinda like pecan pie filling without the pecans. Not a standout, but still enjoyable.
Preparation
Samurai TTB #19
Not going to rate this, as I got distracted and MASSIVELY over-brewed it this morning. A splash of milk saved it from being undrinkable, but I definitely didn’t get to try it at its best. Totally my own fault!
