Element Tea

I bought this with a bunch of other teas from the Element sale thinking it would be the ONE tea I didn’t like of the bunch. But it turns out, it’s my favorite from the bunch and I’ve tried most of them! (The other stand out was ‘Mojito’.) I’ve had bad experiences with yuck Earl Greys in the past, but that may be they were not very good teas to start with (I don’t remember what they were but they were tea bags in a popular find-them-at-the-grocery-store brand.) But I think the creme makes all the difference! I love the cremey smooth flavor and I probably wouldn’t like it as much without it — the bergamot/citrusy flavor just doesn’t appeal to me but the creme makes it so so good. I think the citrusy aspect isn’t that strong anyway. I received some of Teavana’s Earl Grey Creme in a package that iheartteas sent me, so it will be nice to have a Battle of the Creme Earl Greys! Up until now, I just assumed that Earl Grey was one of the rare teas I didn’t like, but Earl Grey Creme suddenly became a favorite! Yikes.

I can’t be the first reviewing this… hmm. Anyway, this doesn’t have much of an oolong flavor. And the peach flavor seems very artifical to me, actually reminds me of a slight bit of kerosene. Obviously not very good. At least it wasn’t the more expensive oolong I bought from Element’s sale. (The other oolong was $5 and this was $1.) Maybe I steeped it too long, I don’t know. I won’t give up on it yet!

It’s weird drinking a tea for the first and last time. I got this in my Element Tea order, just a cup’s worth in a little paper sachet. So I am trying to enjoy this but not love it: I mean I don’t want to make myself hate it, but I don’t want to love it so much I’m sad it is gone.

Well… sadly, I really like it! It’s a strong chai, my sample was a bit small so I brewed it two extra minutes and damn is it spicy! Lots of ginger and cardamom. In fact, there are more spices than actual tea (at least in the spoonful I have) which is a good sign… for me. It seems like a lot of people enjoy milder chais, but I like mine to be a kick in the face of spiced goodness which this definitely is. Alas, I shall never have it again! There are a LOT of chais out there though, so it’s not like this is some ridiculously unique blend, just a particularly tasty version of a classic.

I am so behind on my tasting notes! This was a cold brew from 2 days ago that I totally forgot to log, I’m working my way through my Element teas and I think this is the last of them (though I didn’t log one!). I love blackberry but was worried since this smells SO artificial in the bag, like someone crunched up blackberry hard candies and threw them in. Pink Sonoma smelled a bit artificial too and I ended up loving it, so I wasn’t too worried, just a bit nervous. And hot this is, ah… shall we say “not good.” I was determined to make it better and less candy-like, and since I’m kind of addicted to cold brewing stuff I thought I’d try it out with this blend.

Now warm, this tea is a hot mess. The black base is totally lost, and it’s very artificial tasting. Iced, it’s the exact opposite—the tea itself pops, and that overly-sweet blackberry taste vanishes. In fact, this doesn’t really taste like a berry tea. There’s a tiny hint of it, but the blackberry leaves are far more prominent, adding just a touch of berry goodness and a lovely herbaceous quality. It reminds me of berry picking in high summer, when the air smells sweet and fresh and grassy and your fingers get stained purple. It’s not the best tea out there, but it brings back a lot of memories and I don’t think I’ll have any trouble finishing it off.

This tea invokes memories of Constant Comment by Bigelow.
Its good, nothing complex.
Added a touch of German Rock Sugar to help flavors come out.
Element Tea is no longer in existence but if it were I may or may not order this again.
Nothing bad about it and it is nice to have a tea that reminds me of falling in love with tea – the early days lol.
But I would have to do a side by side comparison to see if I would order this or just pick up some Constant Comment instead.
Then again if I had the time to fall in love with more of the Element teas maybe I would pick this up along with other favorites from them.
No way for me to determine this now however.
A nice tea.

This is a simple and straight-forward ceylon. Nothing special, nothing bad.

A just-grab-a-nice-black cup of tea.

I love the flavor of wine, but generally not the alcohol part. Not that I have anything against alcohol, from my tasting notes it’s clear that I am not above throwing a few splashes in my tea if the flavors match. XD But for me it just makes wine a… less pleasant experience. So I like cooking with it, I like making desserts with it, but I don’t generally drink a whole lot of it. Thus, I was pretty excited to see a wine-flavored tea, since I’d never heard of such a wondrous thing. I snatched this up in Element Tea’s closing sale (possibly the last one, as it vanished a few minutes after I ordered it).

The dry leaves are beautiful downy white peony, and all of them in my bag are intact. A good sign, since they’re quite easy to crush in transit (and tea comes a pretty long way!). There are whole jasmine flowers and rose petals too, but the smell was… weird. Very fake grape-y. It was a little beast to brew too: first I had way too much water, then I dumped some and ended up brewing it for twice the recommended time. I felt bad possibly screwing up a tea that might be the last of its kind, but oh well.

It still smells kind of artificial in the cup, and the taste hot was… not exactly my stripe. So I let it sit for a few hours, tossed some ice in, and magic happened. Lightly floral, sweet and almost fruity from the white peony, and BAM wine! It’s pretty assertive (possibly because I brewed it for so long?) but it really works iced. And I know it’s very wine-y tastes, because the bf tried it and made a “blech” face—he hates wine XD. And now I’m depressed that I can never buy this again.

I’m not supposed to be buying any more tea, but I can never pass up a sale, and it was all of $2 for 2 ounces of this. I mean, that’s just impossible to resist! Plus with summer at full blast, I need some nice tropical teas and take my mind of the suffocating heat for a while. It’s so hot that our local squirrel is laying spread-eagle on the fire escape and is too lazy to even move if I open the window.

Anyway, I made this last night for the bf and he loved it, but I only had a little sip so I decided to re-steep it this afternoon. The flavors are just as strong on the second steep, which is always a goof sign with a flavored blend. There are big chunks of pineapple and coconut in there, and they are sweetened according to the packaging but thankfully this is definitely not overly sweet. This has such a nice tropical flavor, though the coconut is more dominant than than the pineapple. It’s surprisingly good hot—usually blends this fruity I only drink iced, but this is good both ways. Mostly because they used a pretty tasty black base that comes in at the end of the sip. Though with it being 100 degrees outside and all this will definitely make it into the iced tea rotation (probably with a splash of rum!).

Element Tea included this is a sample in my recent (first, last, and never again) order from them. Sad they are going out of business, but yay for cheap tea. I ordered three real teas, and you would think I’d try them first, but nope. When I saw this was an included sample, I got really excited, because I almost bought this, but didn’t.

I’ve been searching for a tolerable Earl Grey…. and this is not it, unfortunately. I steeped this for 3 minutes with boiling water, and at first I thought it was too bitter… until I realized it was just very citrus-y. Almost like a grapefruit peel. Ick. I think that’s the Oil of Bergamot coming in that I’m not a big fan of. I was hoping to taste some creaminess, but all I get is that citrus taste. Not good :( .. It does have an interesting smell to it.

I decided to cut this with some skim milk, and in doing so, it’s a lot better. BUT, I still want a tea that I can drink straight, so having to put milk in it to make it tolerable shouldn’t really be necessary. I don’t mind a tea where the milk enhances the flavor, but no point in buying a tea that I can only drink under certain conditions if there are others I can drink straight- right?

Second infusion at 3 minutes: Brewed this again at 3 minutes, and the second infusion is not nearly as strong – which is good. It tastes less citrus-y and more like black tea. I just think I’m not a big Earl Grey fan, and may never be. How sad :(

Unhappy to say that on further drinking I’m not enjoying this much at all. The tastes that first grabbed me are cloying after having more. I really loved it until the last half of the second cup… then today made a third and couldn’t finish it.

I’m not big on flavored teas, but some chais do grab me.

I ordered this one mainly because it was decaf and I’m limited on my caffeine intake by doc’s orders.

I’m so glad I bought 4oz of it before they ran out of stock. It is delicious.

It smells strongly of the cinnamon in it when brewed.

The taste is such a mix of its ingredients I’m not sure how to describe it… if you like sweet and cinnamony blacks with that mouth-tingle that cloves can give, you’ll like this.

It was tasty on its own, then to try it milked up I added just the slightest touch of Pacific Select Low Fat Vanilla soymilk. Heavenly. This will be a regular cup for me.

Very flavorful on it’s own or milked. Gulpgulpgulp.

Thank you Mercuryhime for this sample!
This is an unusual coconut tea. A floral coconut – its like Hawaii in a cup! Sort of. I mean usually we think tropical fruits I suppose but this has the coconut and the Lei in it! :)
Now like a lot of David’s teas there is this oily scum on the top and in a way it tastes like I could have been fooled that it came from David’s – something in it a sweetener maybe has the same flavor profile in a way.
I do not recall ever having a tea from Element before so this is a new vendor for me.
I do not think I like it as much as most here do but it sure was nice for a change of pace and I am so happy I got to try not only a new style of tea for me but a new vendor as well!
I would have this again and I may even add it to an order if I ever order from element. I really need to check them out – I just have not got around to them yet believe it or not lol.
Thank you again Mercuryhime!!

Thanks to Mercuryhime for making this tea experience possible! This is the last tea of the many generous samples she’s shared with me. You’re the bomb, lady! :)

Wow! This has a lot of cinnamon in it! The dry leaf aroma was equally both orange and cinnamon. But the brewed tea aroma is pure cinnamon.

First sip, and my instincts are confirmed. This is hot cinnamon water with a weak black tea background. Perhaps it would have been improved with a longer steep time? The orange citrus notes I crave are sadly nowhere to be found. The base is slightly bitter and…waxy? It was crying out for milk and sugar, so I kindly obliged.

It’s more drinkable now, but pretty much still strong cinnamon in weak tea. It also doesn’t remind me of Christmas much at all. Then again, I don’t necessarily link cinnamon and Christmas. Cinnamon is great in Chai tea or hot apple cider. But this is missing all the other lovable spices that go in Chai. So, I’m left with a tea that’s just okay.

But, of course, you never know what a new tea will bring until you try it. If you like cinnamon, then this would probably be right up your alley! But I think there’s a green tea in my cupboard that’s calling my name, so I’ll finish this cup and move on to greener pastures. ;)

Another tea of the afternoon….. (SRP #4)

This is a sample from a swap with Mercuryhime. I know you suggested cold brewing this, but I have need of warm tea…..

The tea base looks very much like a normal Bai Mu Dan. The strawberry flavoring is light. I am not sure I read much more than strawberry flavored white tea. The overall taste is refreshing. And with a little sweetener, the strawberry really shines. Definitely a good, light tasting cuppa. Perfect for late afternoon.

Sipdown! I decided to brew this per the instructions of the dancong I was drinking yesterday. This 1st brew is very light. mmm this is very sweet! I’m liking this type of short brewing. This is a pretty good oolong to have around! :)

This is the very first phoenix oolong for me! I got this from Mercuryhime I believe. The leaves are lovely Looking at leaf size/color/differences is one of the things I love about tea. These are long, wiry, and deep brown.
The tea smells very, hm, clean! It is very sweet and deep tasting. There is a distinct floral note that I keep coming back to. It is very pleasant and a bit roasted tasting on the end of the sip. ahhhh this is a good oolong!

Yet another tea provided by Mercuryhime. Thanks for sharing some awesome teas!

This tea is no exception. It has a well-executed bergamot flavor with a wonderful creamy component added to it. I’m not 100% sure how long I steeped it for because I set my timer for 4 minutes but then didn’t hear it go off. It doesn’t taste oversteeped though, and there’s only a slight bitterness. Nothing unmanageable.

I added milk and sugar and wow! Now it’s ultra creamy and delicious! I can’t believe I’m the first one to rate this tea. If you’re a lover of Earl Grey, you need to check this out immediately! The only reason I’m rating this in the 70s is because Earl Grey has never been one of my favorites. But I do still enjoy it, and this is one of the better EGs I’ve tried.

Very yummy and calming as I try to play Skyrim, which is continuing to freeze repeatedly even after patch 1.5 that was supposed to fix this problem for good. Screw Bethesda. They really suck. How could they release a broken game? It’s so frustrating! The latest patch has only made the freezing worse. It’s literally unplayable now.

My first cold brew experience brought to us by Mercuryhime. :D

I was patient and waited exactly 24 hours, as suggested. ;) First taste…whoa! Unexpected! It tastes completely different than when hot brewed. It’s hard to describe the difference. I actually get an almost dark chocolate flavor now.

I know there’s no chocolate in this, but that’s what it tastes like. Dark chocolate covered strawberries. I think it’s because of how the cold brewing affects the bai mu dan. The beginning of the sip is earthy and bitter. The end of the sip is where the strawberry comes out. And the aftertaste is where the chocolate flavor morphs into white tea flavor.

Wow, so different! I just can’t get over it. I like the aftertaste the most. It lingers pleasantly on my tongue for minutes at a time. Thanks for the cold brewing suggestion, Mercuryhime! I never would have come up with this on my own! :) I am all smiles tonight! :) :) :)

EDIT: I gave the cup to my fiance to try. “Tell me what you think it tastes like,” I said. He replied, “Snow.” “Snow?!” “Yeah, it’s cold.”

sigh The boy just doesn’t understand tea.

I can’t comment on what the dry leaves smell like because this tea was influenced by the ones it was stored with. But the leaves themselves look great! Classic, green Bai Mu Dan leaves. I’ve had a couple strawberry-flavored green teas recently, so I’m looking forward to a white tea version.

The brewed aroma is light strawberry syrup. The taste is mostly lovely Bai Mu Dan with a light, sweet, strawberry flavor at the end of the sip. I don’t usually like flavored whites, but this is pretty darn good!

I have to say that I think I understand the oddity Mercuryhime describes when this tea is hot. The strawberry flavor is different and not what I expected. I don’t want to say artificial because that has a negative connotation. But it definitely doesn’t taste like biting into a ripe strawberry. The only way I can think to describe it is “syrup.” It tastes syrup-y.

Syrup or not, this tea is yum! What a nice surprise from a box full of goodies! I just might have to add this to my next tea order. Thanks to Mercuryhime for sending me this sample! You’ve introduced me to a great new tea vendor!

SIPDOWN!

This is one of my oldest swap samples. I received this tea from Mercuryhime in December 2011 and first tried it in March 2012.

I did a concentrated steep of the remaining leaves and it’s surprisingly fragrant! The aroma is floral and coconut-y. The taste is slightly quieter than the aroma, but not by much. This is still yummy! I’m quite enjoying this. :) Thanks again to Mercuryhime!!

So, I just realized I’m kind of a schmuck. I swapped some teas with a few generous Steepsterites about 3.5 months ago, and I never wrote tasting notes!!! Blasphemy! I apologize for being unappreciative, ladies. I got engaged shortly after receiving your packages, and although that’s no excuse for my ungrateful behavior, I haven’t forgotten you! I’m going to make it a priority to try all these wonderful samples that y’all were so kind to share with me. Please bear with me as there are quite a few, and it may take a couple weeks to make it through all these. But I’m sorry for my shameful behavior, and I vow not to let it happen again.

Now, on to these teas!!! First up, this White Coconut Crème tea, complements of Mercuryhime!

The dry leaves smell like candy! Very sugary sweet! The leaves are a faded green, almost brown color with lots of coconut bits and tiny flower pieces. It was hard for me to brew this tea for 3 minutes, but I quelled the impulse to pull the strainer out of my cup at 1.5 minutes and again at 2 minutes. The brewing instructions say 3 minutes for a reason! Be patient!

Finally the 3 minutes were up, and I handed the cup to my fiancé to smell first. His response? He said it smelled like “a milky tree. You know, like a tree made of milk.” Hmmm, while I’m not sure I share that opinion, it definitely doesn’t smell like any other white tea I’ve tried. I get coconut and cream in the aroma, which is just as good since this tea is called White Coconut Crème!

The taste is a floral, smooth, coconut-y dream! It’s really too bad I let this sit in my cupboard so long. I bet it’s sensational when it’s fresh! As is, it’s still very delicious. Thanks again, Mercuryhime and I’m sorry this tasting note is so belated.

Tea of the afternoon……

I am loving the Springlike weather we are having. I thought it called for a more springy type tea. This one does have floral notes along with a creamy coconutty flavor. The white tea does not really come into play much as it is light. Very good and refreshing. It was good hot, and still good once my tea cooled.

Thank you to Mercuryhime for the sample. This is a good one!

Turned some of this into a glass of iced tea. I had just enough for it, and it’s really good! This is sweet and minty and tastes perfect iced.

I went to Element Tea’s site and see you can get 4 oz of it for $3.50…wow. I don’t know why I haven’t had much Moroccan Mint before but it works so well iced, so I may have to jump on that.

Thanks for some of this, silvermage2000!

Thank you to Mercuryhime for a sample of this tea. This is a nice white tea with a heavy coconut flavor. I wish more of the “creme” element came out in this first cup. This is a good tea to have when nothing but coconut will do!