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189 Tasting Notes

64
drank U•Matcha Ginger by The Republic of Tea
189 tasting notes

Powdered
Appearance: bright silky green powder
Aroma when Dry: buttery ginger notes
After water is first poured: warming ginger notes
At end of first steep: warming buttery ginger
Tea liquor: bright deep green
Staple? Yes, if I remain interested in flavored matcha
Preferred time of day: evening
At first ?: warm grassy, buttery ginger
As it cools?: notes get sweeter, smoother, buttery
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No, but want to try it mixed with chai masala
Lingers? yes, ginger, grass and butter
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 0 min, 15 sec
2 comments
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Alphakitty
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Ooh, mixing ginger matcha in chai, sounds delicious!

Crowkettle
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Good idea! That does sound delicious.

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64
drank U•Matcha Roasted Rice by The Republic of Tea
189 tasting notes

Powdered
Appearance: bright green silky matcha powder
Aroma when Dry: nutty, sweet rice notes
After water is first poured: sweet rice, light grass, lima bean notes
Tea liquor: deep bright green, light green froth
Staple? Possibly, if I remain interested in flavored matcha
Preferred time of day: evening
Taste:
At first ?: nutty, roasty, smooth, buttery
As it cools?: notes mellow slightly, tea gets grassier, slightly sharp close
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, nutty creamy thick notes
Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 0 min, 30 sec
0 comments
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63
drank Coconut Bao Zhong (Pouchong) by Mad Hat Tea Company
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: olive brown green grey large curled leaf
Aroma when Dry: coconut pound cake
After water is first poured: desserty, sweet (western) powdery coconut
At end of first steep: nutty, buttery slight chestnut notes
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: clear
Staple? Possible
Preferred time of day: afternoon, evening
Taste:
At first ?: buttered popcorn and chestnuts, creamy finish
As it cools?: notes open, coconut notes surface, fragrant close on palate
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, nutty coconut notes

Second Steep (4min):
At first: light coconut nutty notes
As it cools?: buttery, nutty, odd metallic note close

Third Steep (5min):
At first: sweet coconut
As it cools: coconut and mineral, metallic notes
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec
8 comments
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tattooed_tea
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Sounds yummy

Kasumi no Chajin
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It is. I’ll be glad to send on the rest of my sample to you, if you like.

T.C.
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Glad you enjoyed it. That’s my little local tea room I hang out at occasionally :)

Kasumi no Chajin
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cool! I already bookmarked the site for samples. My local equivalent company is primarily about coffee (they have some great blends) but offers some basic teas too.

T.C.
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They are really cool…it’s a literal tea bar (you pull up a stool to the bar) that only serves tea. They have a million kinds (some not even listed on menu) and they will happily mix you anything you want if you got a specialty you like.

tattooed_tea
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That would be fantastic!

Kasumi no Chajin
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If I get up that way, would love to drop in!
@tattoed…np, done!

T.C.
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LoL at your ratings. 92, then a few minutes later 90, then 15 minutes later 63 :D

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73
drank Grapefruit Dragon by Butiki Teas
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: large longjing leaf., bits of bright safflower
Aroma when Dry: yellow grapefruit
After water is first poured: light yellow grapefruit
At end of first steep: tart, juicy white grapefruit
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: clear
Staple? possible summer staple
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: grapefruit zest, cream textured close
As it cools?:tea lightens, bean notes surface, veggie textures linger
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, fuzzy, velvety citrus notes

Second Steep (4min):
At first: grapefruit sour tang
As it cools?: gets very heavy bean, cloying vegital notes
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 30 sec
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88
drank White Peony (Bai Mu Dan) by The Persimmon Tree Tea Company
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: soft, delicate white grey green leaf
Aroma when Dry: soft, floral minty melon,
After water is first poured: floral, sticky chewy sweet
At end of first steep: fruit, melon
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: hints of grassy green
Staple? Type yes, would gladly restock with brand
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: light, airy, floral, velvety close
As it cools?: gets a bit thicker, juicy, melon notes
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Faintly, melon, almost cantaloupe notes

Second steep (5min)
Aroma: light melon floral
Taste:
At first: velvety floral, melon, apple, rose notes
As it cools: mineral notes surface, tea gets thick, brothy, slightly salty
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 30 sec
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33
drank Ceylon Black by The Persimmon Tree Tea Company
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: greyish olive black, slightly curled leaf
Aroma when Dry: fruity, sweet
After water is first poured: bright, fruity
At end of first steep: raisin
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: pale grass green
Staple? Type no
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: fruity, crisp, raisin, grape notes
As it cools?: gets juicy, thick, creamy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Slightly, raisin and fruit notes
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec
0 comments
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54
drank Gunpowder by The Persimmon Tree Tea Company
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: grey green gunpowder curls
Aroma when Dry: dusty, sour grassy
After water is first poured: sweet, grassy
At end of first steep: juicy, grassy
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: hints of green
Staple? Type no, brand acceptable
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: heavy vegital, creamy close
As it cools?: notes deepen, tea gets bodied
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Buttery notes
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec
0 comments
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72
drank Magnolia Oolong by Tea District
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: bi color light, medium brown bicolor oolong kernel
Aroma when Dry: floral, sour fruity
After water is first poured: honeysuckle, fruity notes
At end of first steep: honeysuckle, fruity notes, peach, apricot
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: clear
Staple? likely
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: sharp, floral, sour, mineral notes
As it cools?: tea gets bodied, brothy, notes open up and mellow slightly
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? barely, hints of salty broth

Second Steep (3 min):
At first: Brothy, floral, salty
As it cools: notes mellow, tea gets deeply bodied
Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 2 min, 0 sec
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96
drank Fukamushi-Sencha Yame by Den's Tea
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: fine leaf, deep green sencha
Aroma when Dry: soft, sweet, nutty, chestnut notes
After water is first poured: buttered nuts
At end of first steep: light chestnut
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: hints of green
Staple? Yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: buttery, slightly grassy, nutty rice notes
As it cools?: gets a bit grassier, vegital, still buttery rice notes, gets slighty brothy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? faint creamy grass notes

Second Steep (4min):
sour, brothy
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec
1 comments
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Claire
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I love Den’s fukamushi sencha! So good.

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88
drank Sencha Fuka-midori by Den's Tea
189 tasting notes

Loose
Appearance: fine leaf, deep green sencha
Aroma when Dry: soft, sweet vegital
After water is first poured: sweet, (eastern) fragrant, lightly buttery
At end of first steep: sweet, buttery
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: light green
Staple? Yes
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: even, creamy, sweet
As it cools?: starts getting bodied and brothy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, with a powdery bodied sweetness

Second Steep( 4min):
gets very sour and soapy with a lingering quality
Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec
0 comments
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Profile

Bio

“Drink your tea slowly and reverently,
As if it is the axis on which the whole earth revolves
Slowly, evenly without rushing toward the future.
Live the actual moment.
Only this moment is life.”
-Thich Nhat Hanh

“If man has no tea in him, he is incapable of understanding truth and beauty.” ~Japanese Proverb

“Tea is a cup of life.” ~Author Unknown

“Tea is liquid wisdom.” ~Anonymous

“tea leaves
tea loves
loves tea
lives tea
leaves tea?
never.”
~Uniek Swain

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~C.S. Lewis

Divinity is a smile or a tear drop; or yes, even a cup of fresh green tea.
-Chinese Author unknown

“Tea…is a religion of the art of life.” ~Okakura

I am Chajin. A 98% Loose leaf gentleman.

When in practice, and with access to loose leaf tea, I drink tea daily. With Loose leaf, often I will stay with the same tea for 2-3 days. With Teabags I flit around between kinds a bit more, though if I am restricted to only teabags due to any kind of lack of access, I often reduce my tea to a few a week, get bored easily, and as a supertaster I am very sensitive to quality.

Being of Japanese, English, French, Welsh heritage(Southern, Texas),I have had a lifetime’s experience in true teas, in one way or another. Growing up, my mother’s cupboard was rarely without a daily go-to quality genmaicha, and a matcha for cooking. My father loves blacks, and his mother was never without a box of Red Rose Tea. My Aunt and Uncle usually had Greens,Pouchongs and Oolongs around the house. Due to location and accessibility issues, I have gravitated towards bagged tea recently, but grateful to find more options opening up for me, and it is a relief to restructure my loose leaf stash!

I think of Teas as friends…exploring new relationships, deepening established ones…having a strong circle of solid support to stand alongside you through life…I have found some of these kinds of relationships with individual teas, I am hoping to find/build more along my journey courting my current circle of acquaintances, and not get sidetracked by frivolous dalliances flirting too long with a newcomer along the way.
(Due to this point of view, I will often taste a tea at least twice before fully evaluating enough even for a first rating.)

I drink true teas, and tisanes. Among Tea,
I love my Japanese Greens, and more recently love exploring whites and oolongs, and want to rediscover Pouchongs. Mixed results so far with pu-erh and also blacks, but use blacks for chai, as well as medicinally. Limited exposure to (Chinese)red teas, but interested. No experience with yellow or purple teas.

Among herbal and floral notes, my favorites are (Seaweed) Kombucha, Mints, Ginger, Honeysuckle,Yuzu, Jasmine, Lavender, and Rose.
After all this time, I still understand unflavored Matcha, jasmine or rose fragrance in tea to be a sweet tea.

The flavors I Treasure in my Tea are the Classics/Orthodox blends, I gravitate most towards the layered and nuanced teas.
Of those I always return to Scented and “Plain”…while I do enjoy some classic flavored tea also. I feel strongly that life is to short to drink bad tea.

Ingredients you will not find in my tea stash: 1. Stevia, 2. rooibos (red or green), 3. Fermented kombucha, or more accurately, kōcha kinoko.
I am attempting to avoid any artificial flavors as well.

My permanent stash consists of mostly varieties, teas I know I enjoy at any temperature( at least 1-2 each of Houjicha, Genmaicha, Sencha, Moroccan or other Green tea/Mint Blend, Thai blend, Silk Oolong, Jasmine, Chai, and White, Matcha, Darjeeling Black..

Ginger, Lychee, Lavender, Mint, Rose, Rosehips, Hibiscus, Mugicha, and Japanese Konbu-cha (both plain, and Ume flavors) and Yuzu are among the tisanes/blends ideally in residence) I chose based on overall quality as well as how a tea’s flavor and texture holds up over various temperatures(as in can it cool and keep my interest?).
I try not to be too brand loyal, in case of discontinuance, or lack of common availability.(Of course I do have my further favorites, but I try to find a few qualifying faves to rotate through.)
I have a small collection of tea ware, collect some lines of Wade Rose Tea figurines.

Rating Legend:

100 = What I will restock first and most likely always have on hand

90-99 = Where is the Tea IV again? Soul Nourishing Teas I never want to be without.

79-90 = Daily Drinker Teas, comfort teas must haves.

66-78 = Specialty stash. Seasonal must haves, Medicinals, Teas that I love that are too expensive/rare to qualify for unrestrained consumption, or that I have to “be in the mood for”

65-50 = Acceptable, 2nd choice brands or types of of my staple kinds of tea, teas that may need reconsideration.

30-49 = Will drink if only tea around. Won’t buy personally.

48-20 = Might finish a tasting cup…For Research only.

20-1 = Why am I drinking this?….Just…NO.

1= also often a tea where the smell of it, dry, or brewed makes my physically react badly, before tasting

Rated, but No tasting note?
I have tried it prior to joining, and rated from memory. If it is in my stash, or something that got a high enough rating to revisit, I will get to an update with a formal tasting note as well. OR: The first smell or sip made me ill enough, I did not proceed with the tasting.

Favorite Companies So far:
Numi
MAJANI
Shang
Tealet
Butiki Teas
Nature’s Tea Leaf
The Persimmon Tree
Steven Smith Teamaker
Japanese Green Tea Shops
Mellow Monk
Blue Lotus Chai
Red Leaf Tea
Hibiki-an
Yuuki-Cha
O-Cha.com
Maiko
Den’s
Hojo
Aiya
-
the minimalism of tea

“Tea is a an act complete in its simplicity.

When I drink tea, there is only me, and the tea.

The rest of the world dissolves.

There are no worries about the future.

No dwelling on past mistakes.

Tea is simple: loose-leaf tea, hot pure water, a cup.

I inhale the scent, tiny delicate pieces of the tea floating above the cup.

I drink the tea, the essence of the leaves becoming a part of me.

I am informed by the tea, changed.

This is the act of life, in one pure moment, and in this act the truth of the world suddenly becomes revealed: all the complexity, pain, drama of life is a pretense, invented in our minds for no good purpose.

There is only the tea, and me, converging."

—
Thich Nhat Hanh: Tea Ceremony

Location

Oregon, USA

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