I took a trip to India, Sri Lanka, Morocco, and Spain, all in one afternoon…went to the spice boutique and smelled some of the most tantalizing and unusual blends. I’m almost as addicted to spices as I am to tea!
Among a bunch of stuff I just couldn’t say no to, I bought my favourite cinnamon sticks, highest grade available from Sri Lanka.
The first time I tried it, I felt like I’d never really tasted cinnamon before. It has nothing to do with the stuff you find in grocery stores. It’s sweeter, more refined and sophisticated.
Every now and then, I like to add a stick in shou pu’erh.
This is how I’ve been drinking Noble Mark this afternoon. I stir the stick in my cup and leave it in as I drink. The flavours are just phenomenal.
Cinnamon is like a pu’erh enhancer. It pairs so nicely with its earthiness and its natural cocoa feel.
Having said that, Noble Mark is absolutely fabulous on its own, and doesn’t need anything added to it. It is smooth, with brothy and savoury mushroom notes, chocolaty and silky. It has non of those leathery or marine notes sometimes found in shou.
I just love it, another big Mandala winner!
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Noble Mark is superb
I too love cinnamon with shu pu’erh – I haven’t tried it with Noble Mark – I normally reserve this treatment for my “just ok” pu’erh – will have to try it with some of my favorite ones…
Glad you had a good time at the spice market.
Loooove Noble Mark
Stephanie, it totally is!!!
Thanks dexter, it was fun :-)
Cinnamon and pu’erh are fabulous together. But I normally don’t do that, I was just too excited about my new spices!! Lol, Maybe some curry oolong on the menu tonight?
MzPriss, i think I equally loved Temple Stairs last night, as a matter of fact, I’m craving again tonight!
This sounds wonderful :)
I love the idea of the cinnamon stick. I have to try that. I think the Temple Stairs is a sample I got from Garret that didn’t have a name for yet when he sent it. But yeah, Mandala makes my life a wee bit better every day because I always have a big fat long steeped cup of Special Dark in my baby-sloth-doing-yoga mug to start off my day – it’s yin-yoga in a cup. I have all the love for Mandala.
OK, so after going back and forth trying to decide what to have for my middle of the night tea between this and Golden Orchid – I chose this. I did the cinnamon stick thing. TeaFairy – you’re a freaking genius! Cinnamon Noble Mark is full of win. This is just so perfect. And you’re right – it doesn’t need anything else – it’s so so good on its own, but dang it’s good this way. Thanks for this idea.
Lol, MzPriss, you are so funny :-)
Our “middle of the night” tea choices are crucial, they MUST be worthy, I’m really glad this works for you!!
Yes ma’am – they are crucial and this was just so good. After this cup, I saved my cinnamon stick for later and put a big ole heaper of Mandala’s Back Beauty in with the Noble Mark leaves and steeped for 5 minutes and it was equally worthy. I <3 Mandala so much.
I’m so glad you are liking this. Now you know I will try the Black Beauty thing right? Creativity of the night ;-)
I need more black beauty!
Heads-up! Saw this thread and wanted to let you know that I am going to announce the loose-leaf ripe pu’er sale Jamie just made. All our loose-leaf ripe pu’ers are going to be 50% off through 7/2. Thought you all should know first. Jamie is crazy to do this, but he’s the online guy!
Oh yeah… sale link: http://shopmandalatea.com/sale-items.html
Huh, what??? Hmmm, me think it’s a good time to stuck up…but, but, I JUST ordered!! Oh well, i’ll be ordering again, lol, that’s the story of my life!
And Thanks for the heads up Garret :-)
I’m hoping the sale goes well. It gives people a chance to get some great ripe pu’er at a steal and we can gather some cash to keep more teas coming out of China. It’s one big wheel, isnt’ it? :)
Garret, I’ve sent you an email with my order. Woot, woot!!! What a great deal!!!!
Good luck, Hope your sale sky rocks, you guys are the best :-)
TF! I just checked my email and no message from you, my dear! Did you send it to [email protected]? Will you resend it and I can get your order ready to rock for your sweet self!
Yes, that’s the email I’ve used, it’s in my sent box. I just sent it again using my gmail account instead, maybe they go to your junk mail?
@TeaFairy – YES try it with the Black Beauty, it is well, a thing of Beauty
And Garret – a lot of people have sampled some of your loose pu-ers recently in the unflavored TTB I started – so I bet your sale will do great.
Noble Mark is superb
I too love cinnamon with shu pu’erh – I haven’t tried it with Noble Mark – I normally reserve this treatment for my “just ok” pu’erh – will have to try it with some of my favorite ones…
Glad you had a good time at the spice market.
Loooove Noble Mark
Stephanie, it totally is!!!
Thanks dexter, it was fun :-)
Cinnamon and pu’erh are fabulous together. But I normally don’t do that, I was just too excited about my new spices!! Lol, Maybe some curry oolong on the menu tonight?
MzPriss, i think I equally loved Temple Stairs last night, as a matter of fact, I’m craving again tonight!
This sounds wonderful :)
I love the idea of the cinnamon stick. I have to try that. I think the Temple Stairs is a sample I got from Garret that didn’t have a name for yet when he sent it. But yeah, Mandala makes my life a wee bit better every day because I always have a big fat long steeped cup of Special Dark in my baby-sloth-doing-yoga mug to start off my day – it’s yin-yoga in a cup. I have all the love for Mandala.
OK, so after going back and forth trying to decide what to have for my middle of the night tea between this and Golden Orchid – I chose this. I did the cinnamon stick thing. TeaFairy – you’re a freaking genius! Cinnamon Noble Mark is full of win. This is just so perfect. And you’re right – it doesn’t need anything else – it’s so so good on its own, but dang it’s good this way. Thanks for this idea.
Lol, MzPriss, you are so funny :-)
Our “middle of the night” tea choices are crucial, they MUST be worthy, I’m really glad this works for you!!
Yes ma’am – they are crucial and this was just so good. After this cup, I saved my cinnamon stick for later and put a big ole heaper of Mandala’s Back Beauty in with the Noble Mark leaves and steeped for 5 minutes and it was equally worthy. I <3 Mandala so much.
I’m so glad you are liking this. Now you know I will try the Black Beauty thing right? Creativity of the night ;-)
I need more black beauty!
Heads-up! Saw this thread and wanted to let you know that I am going to announce the loose-leaf ripe pu’er sale Jamie just made. All our loose-leaf ripe pu’ers are going to be 50% off through 7/2. Thought you all should know first. Jamie is crazy to do this, but he’s the online guy!
Oh yeah… sale link: http://shopmandalatea.com/sale-items.html
Huh, what??? Hmmm, me think it’s a good time to stuck up…but, but, I JUST ordered!! Oh well, i’ll be ordering again, lol, that’s the story of my life!
And Thanks for the heads up Garret :-)
I’m hoping the sale goes well. It gives people a chance to get some great ripe pu’er at a steal and we can gather some cash to keep more teas coming out of China. It’s one big wheel, isnt’ it? :)
Garret, I’ve sent you an email with my order. Woot, woot!!! What a great deal!!!!
Good luck, Hope your sale sky rocks, you guys are the best :-)
TF! I just checked my email and no message from you, my dear! Did you send it to [email protected]? Will you resend it and I can get your order ready to rock for your sweet self!
Yes, that’s the email I’ve used, it’s in my sent box. I just sent it again using my gmail account instead, maybe they go to your junk mail?
@TeaFairy – YES try it with the Black Beauty, it is well, a thing of Beauty
And Garret – a lot of people have sampled some of your loose pu-ers recently in the unflavored TTB I started – so I bet your sale will do great.