Daylon R Thomas Send Message

Foods for Living had a sampler of this, and it actually was pretty smooth and well balanced. Not something I’d surely buy, but at the same time, it is not a bad chai. Ginger is a little bit stronger, but the black tea really evens it out. I’m pretty impressed. I’ve been craving chai’s and Earl Grey’s in this cold to think of it.

Same type of notes, but with a vanilla note added to the mix. And it is so, so good.
Steeping: 190 F.
5
15
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15
30
45-a bit too weak, then upped another 30-45 seconds.
I could brew this even more, so I’ll though they are probably going to be the same type of sweet potato light taste that you normally get with these teas. Either way, I’ll increase the temperature to 200 and maybe boiling which usually gets stronger flavors quickly.

I really should have enjoyed this one on it’s own the first time I drank it. The other gallons of black teas that I drank that day made me a little bit sick of black tea, but since I have this one on its own, I really, really like it. In fact, I craved it. This has the same qualities that makes me enjoy any Dian Hong with a sweet potato starchiness and a strong powdery cocoa texture. But the smokiness and cherry tobacco like qualities give it a personality. The leather quality is still as strong as ever being on the border of brown sugared maple wood bacon. It actually reminds me of an book’s leather binding, making this the kind of tea I’d read with at an old library. I’d be careful not spill this tea, of course. Black teas stain easily, and books get stained easily.

I wish I had more of this tea to enjoy again and again. I also wish that I could try Leatherbound by August Uncommon Tea, but you know, budgeting. This one is probably a way better bang for your buck anyway.

My morning tea for travel, and a tea that I needed for the moment. I used a small teaspoon in my 12 ounce cup again and it actually is way better western. So based on the economy of the leaf and how complex and sweet it is light, I’m rating it higher. Most of the same notes with Molasses leading, but then there’s a little bit of a cocoa thing going on with the sweet potato. And it is so, so balanced and sweet. So, I recommend this one brewed lighter, western or grandpa.

Holy crap this cup was good. I’m so tempted to give this a ninety now. Have a small tea ball full and in a 12 ounce cup, I got really strong cocoa and chocolate notes from an Earl Grey. FROM AN EARL GREY! Maybe the ball had leftover flavors from other black teas I drink, but I could still taste the bergamot WITH chocolate notes. And the notes began after 30 seconds and continued as it steeped each time as I grandpa styled it. WTF?!

I’m still trying to figure out a better way to brew this, but I at least know that it’s good grandpa style and that I can give it a decent rating.

The dry leaf scent is creamy, and of course grassy with a little bit of a coconut scent. The taste is dominated by the thick, creamy mouth feel at all times and at all times. I get the same essential tasting notes as I did in the first review: Green, grassy, cream, with hints of tropical fruits like mango, pineapple, and maybe lemon. The nai xiang or milk fragrance is the most distinguishable and likable aspect of this tea because it indeed does taste like milk, but grassier.

Since I left the tea ball with the slightly heaping teaspoon to soak, I got a spectrum of the tastes I just described, being consistently green and creamy, but changing in the flavors and the hints. At about 2-3 minutes, the fruity aspect was strongest. Five, was the creamiest. I finished that cup and proceeded to the second going five again, more creamy less grassy, and to 8 which was about the same but smoother and thicker. Currently on the third brew, and at about a minute to two, I sipped it and got more of the tropical fruit flavors with that lemon note that I was talking about. Continuing to soak, the more milky it gets with a more noticeable fruitiness which kinda surprises me.

For a tea from Amazon, I’m actually pretty impressed because I was expecting a flatter tea. Though this is from last years spring, there still some surprises to be had every now and then. I would recommend this to a newer drinker who wants to try the softer side of Milk Oolongs because this is one of the best representatives of it that you can get, being between the higher quality ones like from Whispering Pines and lower quality ones. Experienced drinkers would definitely appreciate how nuanced this tea is in terms of mouthfeel, but they might wish there was more flavor.

Immortalitea’s description of this oolong is pretty accurate, but give you a 3-8 minute recommendation for steeping and that’s it. No specifications on how to adjust the brewing for specific tastes. I personally found that this tea is very difficult to oversteep especially at the eight minute mark, but I also had a hard time finding the more subtle flavors and deciding the right leaf amount. Based on experience so far, I can only guess that incredibly small to medium sized servings with less water give you the fruitier angle, whereas more leaves made the tea thicker, creamier, and grassier.

Not quite my favorite, but definitely something that will keep me occupied and fairly satisfied for the next few days. If I got this closer to the harvest, I think I would have liked it more. Immortalitea also offers a fairly balanced selection of Chinese teas which is interesting. Their breakfast tea is a Yunnan Dian Hong, for example, and they offer Dragonballs and Lapsang Souchong as their other black tea options. As for Oolong, it includes an Anxi High Mountain Greener Oolong, a Jasmine Oolong with this as the base I think, and a Mi Lan Dan Cong as their only Yan Cha. Of course they have silver needle and white peony for their white teas, and their green tea selection is actually fairly specific. They have a Jasmine Pearl, a Jiangxi Mountain Wild Harvest, and a Ming Mei Imperial. This one and the images of their other teas have sold me enough to at least try them again, but I probably would only occasion. If you have an Amazon card for this, great, you can use it to get this tea. Even better, this might be a good recommendation if you have a relative trying to get you a tea present and they know nothing about the specifics of your obsession.

Yeah, still really yummy. Especially good Grandpa Style with two pearls. And lord the mouth feel.

This is actually my second note on this tea since I was silly and put it under random steepings. Last time I under leafed it. This time, it is pretty good. I still prefer the Russian Host Estate because of its more chocolaty profile, but this one is yummy. This one also has a cocoa-malt quality, but more cocoa malty than straight chocolaty. Overall, it’s super sweet for a black tea, thick, smooth, and juicy. Not sure what fruit to pin point it as. A little bit more on the berry side but also close to something like an apple or maybe a plum. First steep at 30-45 seconds. Second around two minutes. The rest: don’t ask. I just winged the rest of it. As it cooled, it got really, really sweet. Like sugary iced tea sweet.

Bottom line: a great black tea worth a try, or those of you looking for a fruitier black tea without artificial flavoring. ..or, if you want iced sweet tea without adding sugar, or a great base for a Long Island Iced Tea.

Had this today and yesterday and it is still great. I can enjoy the energy jolt I need for a workout and the taste of coffee without the jitters thanks to my friend, L-Theanine. I’m also really glad that this has been getting decent reviews.

Dang I over leafed last time. Nutty, smooth, and almost herbal. Dill is what I’m picking up. It actually made me crave my cheesy focaccia bread. I also ate a grapefruit and orange oddly enhancing the tea’s flavor. First 30 seconds, I sipped it and got more of the mango described. In the same cup at a minute, hazelnut piles in strong. Cup two at maybe two minutes, very nutty like almond and hazelnut with the herby dill.

I could do more, but I’m good for now. I definitely have a greater appreciation of it and Dr. Jim is right: the tastes DO vary. I’m rethinking Yellow Tea a little bit, but I would still be careful of my selection of it. At the same token, I’m discovering that I am craving white tea often and may be white tea drinker. There are moments I like it more than green tea. Curse my expensive tastes…

Since I have 100 freakin’ grams of this, I better start liking it soon…or at least develop some severe Stockholm Syndrome with it. I’m going to write A LOT of notes on this one. Luckily, this time was significantly better than the last liquid hot cracka (INSERT: right pinky creeping up to the edge of my lip). I actually tasted the vanilla…and it was pretty pleasant. Saffron going strong and still practically a white tea, but a tea inching closer to what this is supposed to be. A part of me suspected that it didn’t blend well when I tried it before, and that suspicion may eventually be vindicated.

Indian Marigold, I might grow to like you. I have to remind myself to drink you when I want a white tea and a deceptive kick of caffeine and falsely advertised flavor. In our intercourse, you should then enlighten me that you, in fact, did not lie to me. You might make me consider how brazenly I wanted to try you, and you may have shuttered at my boldness. So you hid your flavors, your prized inner white girl, your vanilla. You are a delicate lady after all, and I should treat you as such. I do want to truly taste you; that just means I must provide better care and courtship. And we will have plenty for that in these next few months at Michigan State University. You’ll have to company me on the ocean blue in 1492, witness the grievances of Rome against Carthage, listen to the voices of America’s most stereotyped minority, and become more secular as we learn how to compare politics around the globe.

Some days will be jubilant. Others may be dull. And too many may be draining. I need to be in high spirits. Can you keep those spirits high?