Various Artists

Found this very old pack of oolong plum tea in the back of a cupboard this week. The label is half worn off so I can’t tell where this tea is from, just the name “oloong yello plum”… and a use-by date of 2014. So I guess random steepings is where I’m supposed to review this tea?

5 years past the use by date… can anyone beat that?

Smells amazing despite being so old (it was sealed up very well, although opened inside) with plum and apricot and warm black tea.

I brewed it. First few sips there’s a light fruity sweetness and earthyness that’s lovely. Then there’s what I can only describe as bin juice. To be precise, it’s the smell of the juice/liquid that’s lingering in the bottom of your bin after being too lazy to take the trash out for a few too many days. Rotting garbage and earthy and sweet, because the trash is full of sugary drink cans.

Once you’ve got that smell in your mind and what you imagine it would taste like, this tea becomes a mind battle. The more you think about the bin juice, the more you can taste it. I battled to the bottom of the cup by focusing on the taste of plums.

I’m now pretty sure the plum flavouring was added, not just a description of the natural oolong leaf flavour. I think that’s what has started to rot. Throwing this tea away now, sadly. I imagine it was delicious fresh.

Just marking October sipdowns:
A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 82) — 2018 Smoove Cocoa Minis by white2tea
A sipdown! (M: 6 Y: 83) — Sweet Himalayan Green by Vahdam Teas
A sipdown! (M: 7 Y: 84) — Royal Grape by Richard
A sipdown! (M: 8 Y: 85) — 2003 Yunnan Nonpareil Lao Cha Tuo Old Tea Nubs Ripe Puer Tea
A sipdown! (M: 9 Y: 86) — Sweet Potato Zheng Shan Xiao Zhong Black Tea by Yunnan Sourcing
A sipdown! (M:10 Y: 87) — Arya SFTGFOP1 SPL Flush 2022 by Lochan Tea

Thank you all that I got teas from; and happy to sipdown all the teas. But in the total number of teas, it doesn’t seem to have expected effect. I need to go through Steepster virtual cupboard and real cupboard / my system; to see if it is even correct here. But checking the system (where I have maybe the half of the tea), it says too much tea for a single drinker.
And for December I have 3 Advents (so far?); so that will be a definitely a hard month to do any sipdowns at all.

A sipdown! (M: 4 Y: 65) Pine Sap Lapsang by white2tea
A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 66) Jungpana Clonal Delight 2nd Flush by Lochan Tea Limited (thanks Leafhopper!)
A sipdown! (M: 6 Y: 67) Prompt: A grassy tea — Makinohara Kukicha by Curious Tea
A give-down! (M: 7 Y: 68) given to my grandma, who was looking for fruit teas — Red Berry & Flower by Birchall
A give-down! (M: 8 Y: 69) same — Borůvkový džbánek (Blueberry Jug) by Gresik Valdemar
A sipdown! (M: 9 Y: 70) Ancient Yunnan by Octavia Tea (thanks Kaylee!)
A sipdown! (M: 10 Y: 71) 2009 Liming Jing Pin Gong Cha Ripe by Chawangshop (thanks Michelle and Rich!)
A sipdown! (M: 11 Y: 72) Prompt: March 8 – International Women’s Day – drink a tea from a woman-owned company or named for a woman — Pistachio by Your Daily Tea Cup

Logging a few sipdowns:
A sipdown! (M: 3 Y: 51) : Richard — Royal Peach & Mint
A sipdown! (M: 4 Y: 52) : Ronnefeldt — Morgentau (there were two pouches in the box, so a sipdown for me!)
A sipdown! (M: 5 Y: 53) : Basilur — Pomegranate & Raspberry
A sipdown! (M: 6 Y: 54) : Dunkin Dontus — Chamomile Fields

Logging a few swap&toss downs:

A swapdown! (M: 6 Y: 38): Georgian Tea 1847 — Wild Green tea. Actually I have an extra pouch, so not really a sipdown!
A swapdown! (M: 7 Y: 39): Pod Lampionami — Kaoribi Oolong. Sadly the rest I saved for myself was mostly tea dust; so I tossed the rest.
A swapdown! (M: 8 Y: 40): Nous Tea — Hanoi Spring
A tossdown! (M:9 Y: 41): What-cha — Taiwan Sencha Green Tea. Sadly too old and I never reached this tea too often in the office. I assume it is mostly because it needs indeed colder water and I have don’t have there a temperature setting kettle.

Two sipdowns today:
A sipdown! (M: 8, Y: 28) Margaret’s Hope FTGFOP 1 1 HS FF 2022 by Lochan tea; from Leafhopper Thank you for this lovely tea with typical FF Darjeeling notes!

A sipdown! (M: 9 Y: 29) Gui Fei Oolong by Curious Tea — lovely bugbitten oolong with quite long mouthfeel. Also it was worth many steeps and especially those with refreshing aftertaste were great and interesting.

A sipdown! (M: 19, Y: 19)
Nepal Shangrila Gold by Klasek Tea — last two and something grams drank grandpa, 90°C water. Equally good as my gongfu session.

A sipdown! (M: 20, Y: 20)
Irish Cream by Curtis — again really strong in boozy scent, flavoured just right… just the mouthfeel could be a bit longer.

A sipdown! (M: 8, Y: 8)
Unknown black — received from derk a few years back. Smooth, malty, chocolately, black tea, with small, glossy leaves, about 1/4 inch long… I really wonder what this tea is.

A sipdown! (M: 3, Y: 79) Alnatura — Green tea Sencha (from the office; pretty nice sencha from China, received as a gift.
A sipdown! (M: 4, Y: 80) Basilur — Raspberry & Rosehip — recently reviewed, nice fruity flavoured black tea; enjoyed as a family pot tea.

Doke Green Diamond 2022 by Lochan Tea; received from Leafhopper — thanks!

I generally dislike Indian green teas. They tend to be quite astringent, rough and generally just not so enjoyable as their Chinese or Japanese counterparts.

Sadly, this seems to be no exception; though steeped short (2 minutes) and not so hot (77°C). I know, using all 5 grams was a bit excessive, but I didn’t wanted to split that amount up.

It was… pretty much as expected — rough and astringent, hay and drying flavour, only positive thing is that mouthfeel is quite long.
It is actually pretty much similar to my experience from Doke black tea, which was also quite flat tasting and bitter, but imagine similar notes, but because of green. Nothing great.

Two sipdowns today (subject to change):
A sipdown! (M: 12, Y: 74) Sencha Green tea by Alnatura (an office tea)
A sipdown! (M: 13, Y: 75) Orange Cocktail by Curtis (tea at home)

Both were fine, but nothing to write home about.

Label: China Velour ‘leaf’ Puer by Happy Lucky’s tea

Absolutely no idea where I got it, but it’s A sipdown! (M: 6, Y: 68)! I found it forgotten in my real cupboard which had to be removed as we had to change our tankless gas water heater. New one is bigger and my tea shelf won’t fit there anymore.

Anyway, it is quite straightforward shu puerh, luckily without any funky, fishy taste, rather sweet, chocolate flavours were noticeable. Quite smooth and great breakfast pairing.

Steeping parameters: 5g / 300 ml / 3-4 minutes

Logging swap-downs (put to TTB):
(M: 7, Y: 57): No. 325 Tiger Rock Wu Lu by Paper & Tea
(M: 8, Y: 58): No. 313 Kumano by Paper & Tea
(M: 9, Y: 59): No. 328 Yuzu Midori by Paper & Tea
(M: 10, Y: 60): Irish Cream (formerly Fairytale of NY) by Bird & Blend Tea Co.

Log of regular sipdown:
(M: 11, Y: 61): Kaneroku Matsumoto Tea Garden: Yuzu Wood Smoked Black Tea 燻製紅茶 ゆず

TTB packed!

Accidentaly removed yesterday evening:

Mixed up 4 grams of weird fluffy white stuff (aka Wild Quince flowers tea) and 3 grams of black tea (because two seemed to me too little, aka Rolled Black tea). Both ingredients by Georgian Tea 1847. Steeped it together in fillable bag for 3 minutes.

Whoa, this is a good stuff. I get distinctly walnuts here, followed with herbaceous profile — maybe the chamomile as I noticed and warm hay; and all together wrapped in brisk, but not astringent, malty, black tea. That base has got also a little spicy element, which adds a depth and complexity to all of it.

The ratios can be updated to perfection, but I am not a blender here…

Another tea from Leafhopper is Lishan Hongcha by BOK and I couldn’t find it anywhere so putting it under this listing.

I used two teaspoons for my 300 ml cup and steeped it western for 5 minutes or so. Prepared as a black tea (after all, it’s hong cha). I got a very mild, smooth and mouthcoating liquid flavoured mostly after honey and it was quite sweet (but again, not a sugar-like sweetness); hints of caramel were here too. But there were also flavours and mostly floral aromas; stewed and ripe fruits here too.

Long and lovely aftertaste; mostly the honey-like to me. I should give it a try gongfu too!

And last tea for today, prepared in family pot, was Shanlinxi by Bok by Leafhopper again. Thank you! My mother have asked if I can prepare some tea, of course I could; but when I have asked what kind of tea is she craving, I get a reply:“Some good one.” Well, I have mostly good ones!

Anyway, it is a little experiment on them, as I am not sure if I ever prepared pure oolong for them; preparing is a little tricky as well, as my basket strainer doesn’t fit well the pot and floats around; oolong leaves expand rapidly (which was watched with amazed faces by them)…

So, I naturally took a glass of this tea as well to try this out. It is very floral tea, with great mouthfeel, almost honey like with some herbal nuances.

There is some quality, which I can’t find out what is it, but it is telling me: “Well, this is a very good stuff.”

Here I am! I was for a week on the trip with my best friend in Poland. We were in Torun, Gdansk (Danzig for German speakers) and in the end Poznan.

I will be honest… hotel teas are bad. Worse than I have been expecting.
Here is the list I had this week(tea bags mostly). I won’t make a separate post for each tea tried.

I have started wih Dilmah Earl Grey — I have been expecting better. Quite bitter base tea, bergamot is rather lemon, or I have thought.
Very same day I tried Ceylon Gold by Basilur (I had two cups of tea for breakfast each day in Torun). Even worse flavour. Even more bitter. No other flavours.

Next day… another Dilmah tea; this time flavoured with lemon; and the second wih passion fruit, pomergranate and honeysuckle. First one was probably the worst from my Dilmah experience? The aroma was foul. Very dish soap like, very artificial and it went to flavour very much as well. Ugh, I am trying to recall worse lemon tea! Second one was fruity. Yes, it was black tea with fruity flavours. But can’t find out any of the flavours that should be in. Aroma was so strong, that it made me cough.

I thought it can be better. My expectation in the hotel in Gdansk weren’t met. Actually, it was rapid downhill. Due to Covid-19 we had to order breakfast beforehand, and there was “Tee” in English translation. Breakfast was fine, but “Tee” we got was round tea bag, without any information on it or on the label, because it has got no label! I was trying to find out and they (the staff) only told me it’s black tea. Thank you, I have recognized, based on the brew. It was very earthy, dusty, bitter… probably Tetley or some Polish, worse, tea.

Luckily, during our stay in Gdansk, we have visited local restaurant and there I have ordered a tea. Green tea. Of course, they brought boiling water. The tea was Classic Green from Ronnefeldt company. I know that they are pretty much okay. It’s not top-notch. Probably best bagged tea I had this vacation. It was mild and a bit grassy.
We actually went to the restaurants twice this day. Or it was day before? I don’t know. But once, we have received even a loose-leaf tea. It was some easydrinking Ceylon black tea, but it was so big change of pace. I loved it (in terms of “teas” I have got earlier)

After arriving in Poznan, we needed to eat something. So I have ordered again a tea… but this time it was with ginger, raisins orange, dried morello cherries and honey. I thought it will be some loose tea steeped in and then whole finished drink will be delivered to me.
I was wrong. I have received hot water with all the ingredients and on the top, there was floating a tea bag. An unknown brand (teArtis). It was very fine for me that day.

And at last, Poznan. We were about to get some breakfast at hotel, but because it was New Year, they did not serve any. But we had tea bags in our room so I have tried one. It was Green Tea Peach from Teekanne. Well known company for me, and I was so disappointed. I know I have oversteeped it, but it must be wrong even before. Turned out bitter and hay-like. Maybe it was there for long? Who knows.

So I have decided that we will go to the tea room. I really wanted a good tea. Really good tea. And why not the very last day of the vacation?

I have ordered probably the most expensive tea there? It was Oolong Kaoribi Shibamoto. Yes it is Japanese oolong… I never had any before. It was so good that I have bought 100 grams of it to take home. With it I have took some blend they had there. It is called “Z Perskiego targu” which means “From Persian market”. I haven’t opened it yet, so I have no idea what it is.
The oolong? I just have to say it was awesome. I will write more about it later. If you have any information of this tea, let me know. I have only Polish text that was written there.

And one more pouch I took home. Torun is famous for Gingerbread. And I have seen one little pouch of it in gift shop, so I have decided to take it home. And it is very potent, but it seems to be nice.

Note: I was able to read and like your tasting notes. I was happy that you have been enjoying this week as I was. Sometimes I was even able to write a little comment (during the train ride), but I was never able to write a proper tasting note for each tea. It is so hard to write on my mobile. Sorry if I have missed some.

Oh well. Those rapid temperature changes doesn’t make me feel well. I have in my office around 24 °C, outside is around 5°C, warehouse is heated somewhere between 20°C and 30°C. I was packing up the material with strech foil on Thursday, which is pretty much exhausting and I sweated a lot back then. So I was only in my T-shirt. But again, I was returning to the office going outside for a few minutes. So, temperature changes! My inner thermometer is broken. I feel hot sometimes, then I feel cold in a few minutes. Weird…

I feel having caving a common cold. So, home-made herbal tea comes into my mug.

It’s a blend of mint, salvia, lemon balm, mallow flowers, and noone knows in which ratio, nor how long it should be steeped. But it is helping all the time with this situation. Or, it won’t hurt. This year blend doesn’t have lavander flowers as the vintage I sent to derk a few years back. But I added a flower of mallow, fresh one and and fresh leaf of Coleus amboinicus which is called “cold-fighter plant” here. I must say it is actually helping.

Whole mug of a tea helped me for sure. I drank something hot, so I started sweating a bit and my throat was feeling better too. I will make another mug now.

PS: I am working for a month and a week now and it’s getting good. I have even official English name for my position and it’s Warehouse office technician which isn’t probably the best translation, but well… I can’t bring up better name.

I started to understand how things work there, we had a few tricky situations, now November will be very hard as we will have to ship lots of containers (four or five) all around the world. Those containers, are naturally going to be filled with hazmats.

I have even helped my boss with doing a presentation because of customer audit, translated his layout plan because he had a typo there and abbreviation that English-speaking people won’t understand. I feel like a member of a team already!

Finally I broke into:

From Liquid Proust group buy

Stems

unknown to me, smells like shou, 15 g.

From derk from our very first swap maybe? I had it in that small pouch for very, very long time and somehow I needed a very bold tea today. Thank you!

I had no idea how stems could be bold, but if it is like shou it should be bold. At least those thoughts were going through my mind today afternoon. And I have prepared one third. 5 grams. Steeped for long. 10 minutes? “Those are stems, it needs long steep.”

Still, I was quite impressed. It was truly strong and bold. But smooth and indeed like shou. It was quite complex. More than I have been expecting? Yes. The woodyness was great today. It was perfect weather and perfect tea. Tea? That’s the question.

Another CV and cover letter sent today. For a company in my region (45 minutes by public transport)! Company whose products I have worked with in my past warehousing experience. Well known in my family. And international one and big one… fingers crossed for this one. It looks great.

Last exam coming next week. Terribly nervous even now. I guess it’s time to disappear here again.

Today on your screens another weird tea I received from postcrossing directly from China. Its outerwrapping is saying only Euho as producer (brand) and Wax Gourd Lotus Leaf Tea both in Chinese and English. No idea what to expect.

Today, as well, was stressful day of three exams total, while two were ABC tests and one was an oral one. From two subjects — Intermodal transport and Marketing in Transport. The latter I haven’t passed, but I passed ABC test and oral one from Intermodal transport. At least something, but it naturally grinds my gears. Next time it’s on Friday, while I have on Thursday one another exam, again I guess it is going to be oral.

Anyway, back to the tea. It smells quite fruity, with some medicinal undertone, somehow resembles me a cucumber as well. The taste is unexpected somehow, like rather Aloe Vera or something. Then there is again that fruity note (it is that lotus?) and it’s mouthcoating quite a lot. There weren’t any steeping parameters listed, Google haven’t found exactly that I am drinking, so… I have steeped it for around 8 minutes. As it cools down it gets some sour-apple note. I guess it is time to finish it as soon as possible.

This tea is in quite a big pouch I have from derk — thank you!
And it is labeled quite simply: Unknown Black

Those are shiny, black, inch-long twig-like leaves. I never saw so shiny loose leaf before I guess? Certainly not the highest grade, but they look so pretty.

Anyway, I went for two teaspoons per my 300 ml mug, as usual. It was steeping rather quickly, so I have decided to take it out after only two minutes of steeping, and I got a wonderful baked bread aroma and taste. It was as well malty, but somewhere in the middle. Same with red grapes flavour a bit. Some faint astringency as an aftertaste.

Honestly, I am very impressed of this tea both visual and taste alike. I wonder what it is, but I am afraid I will never find out. But even that is a trip of tea-lover.

I have small “mushrooms” of shu. I got them as sample of “not great shus” from Donatzsky from r/tea year and something ago.

I decided to brew one of them today, grandpa; boiling water. Quite a boring preparation method, but I was craving for some dark, bold tea.

Honestly… It wasn’t that bad at all. I have expected something completely foul and undrinkable.

It was earthy, wet woody, but drinkable. Somehow…

Sencha, origin unknown, from derk, but rather White Antlers
It is sencha with pine needles she got few weeks back, see here: https://steepster.com/derk/posts/406644

Happy to try it out! I took two teaspoons in 75-80°C water and it was quite good decision. Steep was quite short, about 2 minutes.

It was mellow, grassy, forest floor a bit. Quite jasmine like, which I wonder where it come from. It was altogether bit on weak side and I have drank about one half of my 300 ml mug, as my mother spilled the rest when she wanted find out what I am drinking. “It’s good” she said but she had just last sip left in the vessel. I have two other tea spoons luckily; but it IS past its prime.

Yesterday morning tea — I have combined two teaspoons of Bird & Blend’s Carrot Cake with one teaspoon of SebaSTea Ceylon High Grown.
Worked well together, actually it was like that Carrot Cake tea, with different base — black tea. It woke me up quite well, while it still had it’s cinnamon, carrot cake flavour with hints of caramelised hazelnuts.

Pretty nice!