Aftelier Perfumed Teas

See my full review on Sororitea Sisters:
http://sororiteasisters.com/2017/04/22/orange-cardamom-black-tea-from-aftelier-perfumes-2/

This was wild. Frankincense for scenting tea was an idea I speculated about, but wow, I did not expect it to happen with a GABA. The results were interesting. Frankincense was the flavor throughout with a touch of char, smoke and citrus. This tea really reminds me that frankincense is from a tree like a dragonsblood tree, so it’s very resinous overall. Gong fu of course-15-10-25 sec so far.

After one sip I knew that she took a good amount of time to get the orange and cardamom ratios ‘just so’ and for that I am truly grateful. I will never question her brilliance of evening out flavor levels

Ahhhhh yeah!
Full Scoop:
http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/02/22/orange-cardamom-black-tea-from-aftelier-perfumes/

Backlogging!

This was the more approachable of the two oolongs I received, so I saved it for last. This is very interesting. I decided to ice it after I steeped it so it was a tad watered down, but still good.

When I think of ginger I think of the ginger salads you get as starters at sushi restaurants. I love those house ginger dressings, always so much better than anything I’ve tried in store.

So naturally that’s what this tea reminded me of. I can totally see this being served along side the starter at sushi restaurants. The rose and the ginger meld so perfectly together, a combination I would have never thought of. Light and florally with a little spice of ginger to add a depth that you weren’t expect. Now I really want ginger house salad.

Of the 3 samples I received, this one the only thing that intimidated me. I don’t think I’ve ever even smelled frankincense before, and I cant find word to describe it even now that I have. But you can definitely tell this was scented by a perfumer. The smells are quite intense! Even after brewed it smelled pretty intense to me. Thankfully the taste was milder.
This is not as scary as I was expecting. I didn’t add any sweetener, because this is almost more on the savory side of the tea spectrum. I sort of want to add a little salt and see what thats like.
This really is sort of balsamic tasting. I caved and added a touch of salt to the last half of my mug, and I like the result. Sort of brothy, and a very light sort of sense. The website says it can be resteeped 4 times so I’ll try that in a bit and see how it goes.

I love chai, and I love matcha, so this is sort of a no brainer! Plus, the idea of tea scented by someone who creates perfumes for a living sounded totally awesome.
This matcha did not disappoint! Bright beautifully green, this made a stunning latte with a nice thick foam head. And the spices in this are just how I like them, cinnamon but not in a spicy sort of way, unique and standout without being overwhelming. And I love the addition of vanilla to help support and smooth out the other spices. My latte was gone before I knew it! Mandy sure is doing something right here with this matcha!

Backlog:

I absolutely LOVED this chai Matcha. The spices chosen are a little different from the “usual” chai blends – it’s got cinnamon and cardamom (usual) but it also has vanilla (sometimes in chai) and allspice (one that I very seldom see in chai.) And no ginger or clove.

That makes for a deliciously different chai.

The matcha is sweet and buttery – a very high quality matcha as evidenced by its bright green color. The spices are a bit on the mild side, making for a smooth, sweet, warm chai but not a spicy hot one. I usually tend to prefer the spicy hot chai blends, but I like the way this is more like a warm, cozy blanket that keeps you warm without getting too hot.

Here’s my full-length review: http://sororiteasisters.com/2013/10/11/organic-matcha-chai-green-tea-from-aftelier-perfumed-teas/

I’m so excited to try the newest offering of perfumed teas from Afterlier as I have enjoyed their previous offerings!

DRY – this smelled like: Mandarin Oranges, Balsam, Grapes, and Charcoal.
While Infusing – smelled like Balsam and charcoal

It infuses to a light brown/orange.

Post infusion it mostly smells like Balsam – roasty and masculine!

The taste is very different from the aroma! It tastes like mandarin then Balsam but you can still taste the proof that it’s an oolong! Fits the description to a TEA. The end sip has a hint of charcoal.

This is really great!

My favorite part is the mandarin notes! Not enough companies do mandarin pairings or flavorings in their teas and the ones you do (for the most part) should take notes from this company!

A delight!

This is Aftelier’s newest addition to their perfumed teas … and it is a delightful tea. The vanilla notes are incredible – so creamy and rich when combined with the deep roasted flavor of the Wuyi Oolong. The mandarin accents the tea and brightens the overall cup.

A work of art, this tea!

This is the last of the four teas that I’ve tried from this company, and I think it is by far the most subtle as far as perfumed taste and aroma. I really enjoyed all four teas and liked how each were distinct in their own way.

This is really a wonderful tea. It has such an extraordinary taste. The perfume does not exceed the delicate complexity of the Oolong. A perfect union of flavors.

I like this a lot. With my first couple of sips, I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but as I continue to sip on this, I am liking it more and more.

The frankincense has hints of spice and flower, and the Oolong gives this a pleasant sweetness. Quite lovely, actually. I like it a lot!

Backlog:

I updated this tea a little because it’s now organic. So with the new ‘change’ to the tea, I reviewed the organic version here: http://sororiteasisters.com/2014/09/11/organic-rose-ginger-oolong-tea-from-aftelier-perfumed-teas/

Because it’s been a while since I had the previous non-organic version of this tea, it would be difficult to sit back and compare the two based only on memory and previous reviews. But, I am of the belief that organic is better. It’s better for the earth, it’s better for our bodies.

The rose and the ginger play very well together. It’s not really a flavor combination I would have thought of putting together, but I’m glad that Aftelier did because I really enjoyed it. The TieQuanYin has a light earthy quality to it with wisps of smoke in the background. Lightly creamy, a buttery note that is more like browned butter than fresh, creamy butter. The roasted notes of the TieQuanYin add a nutty dimension to the cup that is quite pleasant.

I was surprised at how the “baked in” flavors of this tea remain after many infusions. A really lovely tea – I highly recommend the tea collection from Aftelier.

Ahhhh-MaZZZZZ-ZING!

the rose introduces itself first while in the background, I can taste the smoky note of the Ti Quan Yin. The ginger comes through right about mid-sip. Not a peppery ginger, but more of a subtle hint of spice. This is absolutely delightful!

2nd infusion is sweeter, less perfume/spice-esque…very tasty!

Somewhat floral-spicy but also some surprising citrus notes in there as the description mentions! This is one of the more gently perfumed Oolongs from this company but very good indeed! I really like this one! It has a sweet end sip on to the aftertaste! YUM!

2nd infusion – less creamy, still very floral/perfumy, next to no mint, a slight florally-bitterness to it but nothing I can’t handle. Still quite flavorful!

This smells like old lady perfume.

BUT…don’t let that stop ya!!!!

The taste is quite good! A nice flavored Oolong – somewhat creamy. The perfume aroma does go into the taste – at least for me it did. It was a very floral tasting jasmine – not funky or fake or bitter, thankfully! The mint is more on the end of the sip on to the aftertaste. The mint is more subtle than I thought it would be but then again I couldn’t really smell the mint because of the perfume aroma…

This is VERY special…very unique…E for EFFORT that is for sure! The taste is very different from the aroma and pretty good, indeed!

2nd infusion was more aromatic and more flavorful. Tastes more sweet-floral with a sweet and nutty aftertaste! Nice!

This isn’t as heavily scented as the other one I tried from them but the taste of the oolong is wonderful! It taste like honeysuckle and is a tad nutty but this may be my favorite floral taste – honeysuckle-esque – it’s really very nice! What a beautiful Oolong!

1st Infusion, 1-1.5 minutes:
Before Infusion Aroma – A Rose is a Rose is a Rose!
Post Infusion Aroma – Rose and Ginger Combo
Taste – a nice flavored oolong the rose and ginger flavors seemed to have met in the middle.
Aftertaste – Floral

This is so PRETTY. You’ll have to see it or SMELL it for yourself to believe it! I’m going to try a 2nd infusion.

Infusion #2: The flavors have mellowed a little bit, but, not too much. It is a very unified kind of taste. I am really liking this!

This is interesting.

First of all, it smells absolutely wonderful. One of the most incredible jasmine scents ever. The mint rests in the background, but with each sniff comes a stronger mint essence, but the jasmine remains just as strong – creating an olfactory delight.

As this is a perfumed tea I expected it to taste perfume-y. But the flavor is unlike what I expected. The jasmine is strong and fresh, but it doesn’t taste perfume-y in an artificial way. It tastes very natural, and the Oolong melds with the jasmine note to become part of that. The mint comes through very lightly.

This is truly a delight for the nose as well as the palate.

This is really quite lovely. Not overly perfumed, particularly if prepared in short steeps, and the frankincense meshes really well with the GABA oolong. Relaxing, sweet, and decadent.