QueenOfTarts select Send Message

I was very excited to try this matcha after all of the great reviews! Even though this is my third matcha from Red Leaf Tea, this is actually my first matcha with the standard matcha base. No red matcha this time! The first thing I noticed was that the scent of the matcha was much more smooth than the others I’ve had. This could be due to the difference in bases, but this one just seemed so much more… nice. I’m not sure how to explain it.

Sipping, I taste a little bit of a grassy flavor, but mostly a nice caramel sweetness. It’s smooth, a tiny bit astringent and very, very comforting. I don’t think that I can compare this with the red matcha because they seem so different to me. I would like to have both in my cupboard so that I could have one to drink at night!

I only wish that I could create a creamy and thick texture. The flavor has me looking for a richer mouthfeel.. not something so watery. I know that it’s tea, a liquid, but the flavor leaves me wanting something more. I’m going to try this as a latte next.. I think it would bump this matcha up to the next level.

This tea smells amazing! Incredibly sweet & floral. Mmm.. first sips are wonderfully tasty. I am really loving the strong & sweet floral flavor. This is funny because I tried another floral oolong from Verdant Tea before and really hated it. This one seems completely different and completely delicious! Even though it’s very yummy, I find that I can’t have too many cups of this because it’s so floral and intense. I think this would be a nice tea to have for those times when nothing but a rich & sweet treat will do!

I know that my first review of this matcha wasn’t the best, but that somehow hasn’t stopped me from nearly finishing the small pouch I ordered. Tonight was the best cup I’ve had so far. It was sweet, creamy.. nice and frothy. I actually really enjoyed this.
This makes me think that maybe I didn’t give the matcha a fair shot. Still, I’m increasing the rating!

This has been on my shopping list for a long time. Rooibos + vanilla is always a reliable combination for me. I also saw that it has french vanilla flavoring in it.. Mmmm, a cup for me please! I haven’t tried this tea for so long because I never found it at any grocery store near my house. The other day, I finally saw this tea and grabbed a box. I find that tea from Celestial Seasonings gives up the flavor quickly… I let this rooibos steep for a while to see what kind of cup it would make.
It reminds me a bit of the Good Hope Vanilla Red tea from Republic of Tea. The rooibos is the most prominent flavor. It’s not the smoothest rooibos in the world. It’s woody, but also has me expecting splinters in the sip. Sorry, that’s not the best image. I don’t taste a whole lot of vanilla.. it’s still sweet, though. Given the choice between this tea and Good Hope Vanilla Red, I think I would pick Good Hope Vanilla. That tea seems to be more smooth, sweet and creamy. I still have quite a few bags left in the box. They’ll be useful for when I’m looking for a relatively simple tea at night.

This is my second matcha from Red Leaf Tea. I ordered the red matcha base again because I didn’t love the first French Vanilla red matcha I tried. I wanted to see if maybe I picked the wrong flavor, strength or tea base. Rooibos is a good choice for me because I have a lot of caffeinated teas in my collection. I like drinking tea in the night and rooibos is a lovely choice. I’m also really enjoying this new form of rooibos. I’ve tried bagged and loose rooibos teas and the idea of drinking it in powder form is still an exciting thought. For some reason, it seems like it’s more of a treat.

Upon opening the bag, I smell that familiar red matcha base and something that reminds me of cheesecake. It is tangy, sweet and like something I have smelled before. What on earth does it remind me of? I know! It’s astronaut ice cream that I tried as a child. That packet had vanilla, strawberry and chocolate all in one flaky, dry bar. The texture and taste made me sick, but made for a memorable experience.

I am really glad that the astronaut ice cream scent isn’t that present once hot water is added. Compared to the previous red matcha I’ve had, this one smells much smoother. The red matcha doesn’t seem as sharp. Perhaps it’s because I ordered the strongest flavor profile or maybe it’s the cheesecake flavor itself. The flavoring and the rooibos blend together in a beautiful way – Yum. I can’t wait to taste this!

Sipping… this tea is rather interesting. The wood flavor of the rooibos is more present now. It mixes with this rather tart, cheesy note. The finish is nicely creamy. I think the frothy texture helps to bring out the creamy notes. The tea is tangy and reminds me of yogurt. It leaves my tongue tingling a little. I’d like to see how this tea is sweetened or with other additions. For now, it’s a good cup to drink before bed.

Overall, yes, this is an improvement from the French Vanilla matcha I first tried. I like the stronger flavor and would recommend this strength for the red matcha if you like more flavor in your tea.

I’m excited to try other matcha teas from Red Leaf Tea. I know there is quite a lot of talk from other people about the standard matcha base. Yes, that’s next on the list! I’m going to continue to experiment with matcha for a little while.. add some sweetener or maybe some milk? I usually don’t add things to my tea (sometime a splash of milk to the deserving black tea), but I think that this matcha would be good with an addition or two.

If you’re interested in purchasing this tea, here is a quick link to the matcha!
http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cheesecake-matcha.html

I’m excited to be trying this tea for the first time. I don’t have to get up early tomorrow morning so I can treat myself with some caffeine tonight! The dry leaf smells a bit like those fish food flakes. I actually don’t mind it, but it was a bit of a surprise!

First infusion: It has a nice and mellow scent with no fishy notes at all. I mostly taste a kind of sweet wood. It is almost a little like a mild black tea. I detect a little bit of honey sweetness at the end of the sip. I like the earthy flavors of this first cup. Wood and flowers.

Second infusion: This tea is still rather mellow. Nothing really sticks out at me until the end of the sip when I taste some peachy flavors. I love peach notes in oolong teas! Yes, the flowers are still here as well as a very, very faint presence of bread.

I will update with more information if I continue with more infusions. I’m pretty exhausted from today so I’m not sure if I will continue sipping tonight. I think this tea is fine and reasonably tasty, but it leaves me wanting more flavor.

I really, really love this tea. I don’t know how I could have nearly missed all of these wonderful flavors before. The dry leaf smells of deep, dark chocolate. I also detect bits of warm bread. YUM.

This tea is an absolute necessity in my cupboard. I ordered some of this tea perhaps no longer than a week ago.. and I am already running low! I could drink this tea all day long and very few teas have the ability to inspire such a craving. Laoshan black is rich and deeply satisfying. Delightful!

The first few sips remind me of broccoli and grass. A bit bold for an introduction! It’s much greener tasting than other milk oolongs I have had in the past. The sip fades into a smooth floral note — quite tasty! This finish reminds me a little bit of Life in Teacup’s Bai Ya Qi Lan oolong tea.. but not as light and fluffy.

Second infusion offers many more floral flavors. As I’ve mentioned before, I am terrible at identifying specific flowers.. but these are sweet and yummy!

I’m surprised to see this tea is a milk oolong because it really isn’t that creamy or milky to me. It’s unique and tasty, but wasn’t exactly the milky cup I wanted this evening.

This is such a pretty tea! I haven’t seen a tea with leaves like this.. it’s fluffy, curly, thin.. so nice. I’m tasting snow peas paired with a bit of butter and floral notes in the background. I have to admit that white tea isn’t exactly my favorite thing to drink. It’s a little astringent and flat unless it’s very flavored. I’m sure that others who enjoy white tea more would appreciate this one. I will still finish drinking this cup, but won’t purchase more.

I think it’s interesting that my tea cravings change as the weather gets cooler. Well, the summer isn’t over just yet and I think we still have some hot days on the way.. but I like to think that things are changing. These days I am craving darker, richer teas – Yes, at all times of the day and night!

The tea itself is pretty thick in the mouth. It’s not creamy, but just heavy. I like this quality.. it’s almost like a comforting, chunky sweater! I am enjoying a lot of the sweetness that lingers on my tongue. The taste is leathery and a bit like wet hay. I taste a tinge of pepper as well. There is also an interesting salty note that certainly doesn’t overwhelm the cup, but makes it more interesting instead. I wish I could detect something that resembled caramel.. but it’s not to be found.

This isn’t my favorite black tea, but it definitely satisfies my craving for the moment. I see this as something that would be perfect to drink this winter when the thick snow is falling from the sky. It’s bold, dark and rich!