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Here I am! I was for a week on the trip with my best friend in Poland. We were in Torun, Gdansk (Danzig for German speakers) and in the end Poznan.

I will be honest… hotel teas are bad. Worse than I have been expecting.
Here is the list I had this week(tea bags mostly). I won’t make a separate post for each tea tried.

I have started wih Dilmah Earl Grey — I have been expecting better. Quite bitter base tea, bergamot is rather lemon, or I have thought.
Very same day I tried Ceylon Gold by Basilur (I had two cups of tea for breakfast each day in Torun). Even worse flavour. Even more bitter. No other flavours.

Next day… another Dilmah tea; this time flavoured with lemon; and the second wih passion fruit, pomergranate and honeysuckle. First one was probably the worst from my Dilmah experience? The aroma was foul. Very dish soap like, very artificial and it went to flavour very much as well. Ugh, I am trying to recall worse lemon tea! Second one was fruity. Yes, it was black tea with fruity flavours. But can’t find out any of the flavours that should be in. Aroma was so strong, that it made me cough.

I thought it can be better. My expectation in the hotel in Gdansk weren’t met. Actually, it was rapid downhill. Due to Covid-19 we had to order breakfast beforehand, and there was “Tee” in English translation. Breakfast was fine, but “Tee” we got was round tea bag, without any information on it or on the label, because it has got no label! I was trying to find out and they (the staff) only told me it’s black tea. Thank you, I have recognized, based on the brew. It was very earthy, dusty, bitter… probably Tetley or some Polish, worse, tea.

Luckily, during our stay in Gdansk, we have visited local restaurant and there I have ordered a tea. Green tea. Of course, they brought boiling water. The tea was Classic Green from Ronnefeldt company. I know that they are pretty much okay. It’s not top-notch. Probably best bagged tea I had this vacation. It was mild and a bit grassy.
We actually went to the restaurants twice this day. Or it was day before? I don’t know. But once, we have received even a loose-leaf tea. It was some easydrinking Ceylon black tea, but it was so big change of pace. I loved it (in terms of “teas” I have got earlier)

After arriving in Poznan, we needed to eat something. So I have ordered again a tea… but this time it was with ginger, raisins orange, dried morello cherries and honey. I thought it will be some loose tea steeped in and then whole finished drink will be delivered to me.
I was wrong. I have received hot water with all the ingredients and on the top, there was floating a tea bag. An unknown brand (teArtis). It was very fine for me that day.

And at last, Poznan. We were about to get some breakfast at hotel, but because it was New Year, they did not serve any. But we had tea bags in our room so I have tried one. It was Green Tea Peach from Teekanne. Well known company for me, and I was so disappointed. I know I have oversteeped it, but it must be wrong even before. Turned out bitter and hay-like. Maybe it was there for long? Who knows.

So I have decided that we will go to the tea room. I really wanted a good tea. Really good tea. And why not the very last day of the vacation?

I have ordered probably the most expensive tea there? It was Oolong Kaoribi Shibamoto. Yes it is Japanese oolong… I never had any before. It was so good that I have bought 100 grams of it to take home. With it I have took some blend they had there. It is called “Z Perskiego targu” which means “From Persian market”. I haven’t opened it yet, so I have no idea what it is.
The oolong? I just have to say it was awesome. I will write more about it later. If you have any information of this tea, let me know. I have only Polish text that was written there.

And one more pouch I took home. Torun is famous for Gingerbread. And I have seen one little pouch of it in gift shop, so I have decided to take it home. And it is very potent, but it seems to be nice.

Note: I was able to read and like your tasting notes. I was happy that you have been enjoying this week as I was. Sometimes I was even able to write a little comment (during the train ride), but I was never able to write a proper tasting note for each tea. It is so hard to write on my mobile. Sorry if I have missed some.