630 Tasting Notes
This is interesting – I thought it would be spicier than it is, but it was just warming. Low heat, but with a bit of kick. The citrus blends in with it well, and I find that it tastes a bit sweet too. There are so many flavors, I honestly couldn’t pick them out upon tasting it without referring to the official ingredients list. But I am glad that the amalgamation was an overall good one, and not a yuck one.
Preparation
This wasn’t my favorite. It was basically like licking a tree branch, but not really in a good way. The scent is beautiful though. After sipping it plain, I used it to make some decaf chai on the stove. Still not my favorite, I prefer black tea, but it is still pretty good that way.
Is there a really good way to lick a tree branch? I guess it might be good if one were to coat the tree branch with say … candy first. But other than that, I’m not thinking that licking a tree branch would be the best way to derive culinary satisfaction.
I actually love the scent of wood so much it wouldn’t feel like too big a reach to enjoy the taste. But sadly, not so. But licking a tree branch is very much something I might have done to find out, if not for this tea. :)
haha! I do enjoy the scent of wood too. And I really don’t mind so much the woodsy flavors of teas and even of honeybush. I’m not as big a fan of honeybush (or rooibos) plain though, I like them much better as a base of a flavored/blended tea.
I am a puerh noob, particularly raw. I think I like it, but it is an interesting flavor. It is a bit sweet but also a bit bitter. There is a quality I was having trouble describing, but seeing the other flavors listed here as including menthol, and it makes perfect sense now. I steeped this four times, then got tired of it and wanted to move on to new things. I think that is my biggest challenge with puerh. I love that it can give and give…but I like too much variety to stick with one thing all day. Perhaps I just need more steepers. Hmm…
I have the same issue with puer – I want to experience the evolution of all the different steeps, but I probably don’t actually want to drink more than 300ml of any one tea at a time.
Maybe I just need a really tiny gaiwan…
That’s what I did/do. Sometimes I just brew it Western or Western/gongfu hybrid and sometimes (not as often) I sit down with smaller gaiwan and have 5 or 6 steeps. Then I put it aside and come back later. Or not. :)
I need a gaiwan in general. I am just really strapped for cash lately haha.
If you’re adventurous you can macgyver something with materials at home – even a coaster and a cup could work. It’s not so fun though. I bought myself a gaiwan without knowing what it was years ago, and received my second from Teavivre as a surprise in a gift. If/when you order online next you can toss one in the cart if you’ve got the funds. Oh, money! :)
@Leah – if you happen to live anywhere near an Asian grocery (or even better, an Asian mall!) try looking in the tea section (the local Asian mall has a little tea shop in it here) and you may be able to find a gaiwan there that’s reasonably priced. I have found gaiwans for $3 and $4 at the little tea shop in the mall.
Thanks for the lead – I am in a pretty whitewashed area, but next time I come across an Asian grocery I will make a point to stop in and check it out :)
I was shocked at how low the prices were! Especially when I bought my gaiwan for $20 bucks. Then again, my gaiwan is one of those easy gaiwans with the little fingertip handles and easy pour spout (which, if you’re going to use a gaiwan frequently, is the best way to go because the eggshell porcelain that is used to make a gaiwan is so thin and I always end up burning my fingers when I use other gaiwans.) But for a first gaiwan, you can’t really go too wrong with a $4 gaiwan, you know?
This is interesting – I am a huge chai fan, and not disappointed. I appreciate variations on traditional chai. With the tulsi, this is a bit greener. I find tulsi to be a bit spicy in its own right sometimes, so the blend works well here. I added honey like usual, sipped it, and decided to go ahead and still add a tiny splash of milk. Chai to me just isn’t chai without it I guess. I definitely like this and will drink the rest happily.
Preparation
I enjoy this – it is very sweet from the honey notes, and I can definitely taste a competing mix of warmth and fresh fruitiness. It isn’t the end all be all of oolong for me, but I will very much enjoy every last cup.
Preparation
This was tasty and a bit spicy. I enjoyed it, and would have finished it, but one of my best college friends was in town and in need of tea restocking. It is my job to make sure she never goes without, so home with her this went.
Preparation
This is tasty, and it doesn’t quite taste the way it smells. Dry it smells super sweet. The first steep is borderline savory. Like, there is a real hint of salinity. The second steep is sweeter. I didn’t try any more steeps yet, as I have a friend coming to visit and I pulled out some of my new Butiki flavored teas to share with her. She doesn’t get fancy tea all that often. This is good, but to me it wasn’t super special. That said, I don’t have many greens so this definitely has a place in my cupboard.
