Daylon R Thomas Send Message

Nichole, thank you for giving me another glimpse of Butiki!

So, I’m not rating this one because it’s a really old sample, and I don’t think it tastes the same as it used to. I totally understand why it’s called what it is. I taste all three flavors, but the cheesecake gives it a waxiness that turns the entire tea into a Yankee Candle. The Pumpkin Irish Cream also had a Yankee Candle taste…..I really don’t like Yankee candles.

I’m going to have to try this again with sugar to deload the cheesecake aspect. This wasn’t bad, but it’s not NEARLY as good as one of the oolongs I had from them, passed on from LP.

Thank you Nichole so much for this tea! This was one I really wanted to try from Whispering Pines for obvious Tolkien reasons. The description is very accurate for this one; it is like picking berries in the Shire. Very light and short, like a halfling of a black, but fully packed and prepared to take you on an unexpected journey.

……..sorry….I had to. I’m such a geek! XD

The first infusion at 20, it reminded me of blackberries and a little bit of malt thrown in, and wildflowers. Second at 15 one was more like black currant in throughout with a chocolaty surprise in the middle of the sip. Third at 30 was more floral, less chocolate, and more currant. Fourth at a minute and 15 seconds was mostly malt with a caramel like texture and honey sweetness. Fifth at two minutes was too faint, so I upped it another 30 seconds. It reminds me of a later steeping of a Dian Hong because it has lingering sweetness that’s kinda like a very watered down sweet potato. The final sixth is light and very similar to the first brew. I’m there and back again, looking for the last few berries in the Shire, but it’s different. It’s a faint memory now, a memory that drifts nothing…then towards grey shores….

Okey, bit of an exaggeration. I’m not apologizing at all for that. Now, for what I think of this tea.

I’m surprised that this one doesn’t have a higher rating. Maybe people expect something stronger and maltier like North Winds or an Irish Breakfast, but this is a lighter black tea that is packed with flavor. I tasted no astringency or bitterness, it was just sweet and smooth. I actually preferred this much more to the Golden Orchid sample I have, though I’m going back to that one to figure out my preferred brewing parameters. This one might the same age though, and it’s brewing fine as an older tea. Also, preference: I had this one at night, so I want something lighter.

Another GIANT reason why I’m rating this one so higher and why I think that the rating should be higher is the cost. Yes, I got this one in a trade, but it’s priced at $7.75 on Whispering Pines. This is so much more affordable than a lot of the other teas that Whispering Pines offers, and it’s honestly just as good as some of the more expensive selections I’ve had from the company. It’s a pity this one isn’t in stock.

The only other two that I might prefer over this one so far are the Ailaoshan Black and Imperial Bud, though again, I think it depends on my mood. They are altogether very different teas. Ailaoshan is like having fine currant wine with buttered bread and a side of chocolate. The Imperial Bud is like cooked, almost caramelized sweet potatoes lightly sprinkled with butter and brown sugar with coconut water to wet your mouth. In a Tolkien narrative, the Ailaoshan is like Aragorn, the Strider, and the Imperial Bud is the one ring, the one tea to rule them all. After I had Imperial, my taste preferences for blacks completely changed. I can imagine it turning some people into Gollum like creatures because it’s so…precious. I’m so tempted to get some more, but I need to budget better. There’s a lot I want to trade or sell, though I’m not sure how much of them I am able to.

I got this as a 5 for 5 sample, and it was definitely what I wanted. I actually had this one before the Roasted Laoshan Oolong. They are approximately the same tea in terms of taste, especially to someone who is a little bit new to tea, but to me, this tea is considerably rosier while the oolong is like a sweeter chocolate version.

Another thing about this sample, really the verdant teas I’ve had in general is that the tea tastes slightly different from when I first opened the bag to when I’ve had it for a few days. I brewed the near 3-4 grams of this tea both times within the same gongfu parameters. This going to be full of compare and contrast, as you may or may not notice in the beginning.

Test steep-15 seconds with water just under boiling. First time with the newly opened bag reminded me distinctly of rose water which I deeply enjoyed, but for whatever reason, reminded my mother of soap. The other time I drank this, the rose was still there but had more of the cocoa notes that typically describe it.

Steep two at 45 seconds in the original sampling, it was a very light fusion between rose and cocoa. I could see why it tasted like soap-it reminded me of a feminine luxury bath salt with chocolates on the side. The other time the cocoa was more prominent and the rose not as present, a little bit more malty, but with a weird wine, grape, or currant quality. I couldn’t quite place it, but there was a berry note hidden in there.

Steep 3 I tried at 35, but too light, upped to a minute and half. Rose and cocoa there yet lighter both times that I had it, though the later sampling had more of the weird grape or berry-ness. Steep 4 at 3 minutes, it tasted like rose water both times.

I liked this one, but I’m preferential with it. I personally preferred the oolong because it was sweeter. I should note that my expectations were pretty high with this one with the reviews on steepster, and my experience with the Ailaoshan Black from Whispering Pines. I might have to try this one again. Still something that I would recommend to almost anyone. This appeals more to black tea drinkers for sure, or ones who like sweeter and more robust flavor without astringency. A newer drinker might be opened up to a new world or underwhelmed.

I typically don’t like hibiscus, but this blend really works for me. It definitely tastes like plum and smells strongly like a plum or grape flavored tobacco. It’s naturally sweet and naturally fruity-it’s practically a juice. I was slightly surprised with the lower reviews on here, but I was in the mood for something sweet and I love eating plums, so it totally appeals to me. I can see why some people might not enjoy it as much because the oolong taste is more for the background, while the plum and hibiscus are more prominent. Not something for a tea purist, but definitely for those who like purple fruits.

I wondered if this one is what an Oriental Beauty tastes like. It was interesting, but pretty close to a Darjeeling. It tasted like super dry raisins and apricots to me. It’s a good tea, but not my preference.

Au jasmin. Sweet, creamy, and pure jasmine. There is a banana sweetness, and a hidden white peppercorn spiciness. Even dry leaf, it has a lovely perfume that is so natural.

I used the full seven gram sample in eight ounces. First was purely jasmine perfume, again, au jasmin. Second thirty seconds was sweeter, more of the banana. Third, simple jasmine again.

I love this one. It was a nice reminder of simplicity after all the oolongs that I’ve been trying. Heartwarming, and grounding. My mom would have loved it. Wish I kept some for her. Lovely. Just lovely.

I think that I might like medium roast oolongs. This one reminded me a lot of the Rou Gui Oolong-the smell had the roasted nuts character with a weird floral, vegetal background. The same is said after my first 15 second rinse, or brew, about six ounces of water at 190. It was vegetal to me, but very nutty and has a buttery yet dry sweetness like toffee. Light but so flavorful and lingering.

Steep two after about 30, then upped 45 seconds wasn’t as sweet as the first one, but had the same vegetal nut type character to me. It was a little bit saltier, but still buttery.

Number three, after a minute and seven seconds, it’s primarily floral. Still has the roasted nut character, but fainter. Much fainter yet very pleasant.

Number four..trying to gage how long I should steep it. Maybe two minutes. Quick sip after a minute and a half, and a light floral sweetness. Another sip after two minutes, and it taste like a roasted Tie Guan Yin. At two minutes and a whopping thirty seconds, it taste like water that was soaked with coconut skin without the meat-the the hairy shavings of the shell itself.

So, it’s official. I like medium roasted oolongs. I still love green oolongs, it’s just that in terms of flavor, it’s a random gamble as to whether they will have the full profile or just taste like flower water. When they do have the full profile, they are my utmost favorite. But as for the medium roasts, the ones that I had, they always have something to offer in terms of taste.They are my preference now, equal to a good green Tie Guan Yin, my #1. Thank you Liquid Proust for aiding me on my journey. Oolongs are now the type that I drink the most and would drink the most. There are still a few greens and blacks that will never get old on me, but oolongs are now teas that I can drink almost anytime.

Back to the tea itself, this one is really what I needed this morning. Very warm, comforting, and smoothly energizing. I wonder what a Shui Xian taste like now…

Another one I got out of curiosity and the description online. Caramel, coffee, and cocoa were the notes that sold me.

Something told me that this was a tea specifically designed for Gongfu. I’ve had it western for comparison later on, but the roasted nutty vegetal character this has hides the natural sweeter notes like honey, caramel, coffee, and cocoa. This is one that you honestly have to master steeping in order to fully enjoy. Gongfu means “skilled art” after all. Also, the water should be between 190-to just under boiling to enjoy.

#1. Rinse that is really a 15 second steep. Creamy, nutty….caramel?

#2. 45 seconds. Nutty, caramel, smooth, light…and even a little bit like coffee. Dig it!

#3. 60 seconds. Not nearly as strong as the first or second steep, but still complex. Maybe toffee, but not quite. Somehow, it reminds me of a Dian Hong.

#4. 80 seconds….over steep at around 2 1/2 minutes. Very forgiving. More floral, but still reminiscent of coffee. Awesome while listening to Linkin Park under thunder.

#5. 6 minutes after incremental checks. Mostly nutty, and kinda like toffee.

Overall, I was surprised and impressed. Much sweeter than I was actually expecting. It was almost exactly what I was looking for when I was painting. I can’t help but wonder now what the regular osmanthus one tastes like…

Anyway, the Gongfu session is easily a 90 for me, but western a 70. Subjective, I know, but one that I really like. Not quite sure who I would recommend this to.

Backlog, and the next few I do for a while are going to be backlogs.

So, I liked this one, and it made me realize that I’m kind picky when it comes to Wu Yi dark oolongs. I maybe should have rinsed this one to get more flavors, but what I got is a slightly fruitier rock oolong.

Water at 195 degrees F.

#1. 30 second first infusion.
What I get- woodsy, smooth, a little nutty, roasted, and bits of cocoa. It’s so close to being a black tea to me. It’s also like a less astringent version of the Irie Wu Yi Oolong.

#2. 20 seconds. Cherry, but still woodsy. Not bad. Not Great.

#3. 45 seconds. Still cherry, some wood-which is skewed because I had chocolate. Way better.

#4. 1 minute. Much better. More cherry, with a hint of cocoa-very smooth and better lighter. It’s like cooked cherry really. The wood is not as strong and it’s sweeter. Really, this is more like cherry wood vs. Irie’s bamboo like oolong overall.

#5. Stored some in the same Teavana container (glass one) overnight in the fridge, and it was a refreshing iced version of steep four that was surprisingly sweeter.

Consensus-I really have to be in the mood for a dark oolong to really like it. The woodsy notes are welcomed, but get overwhelming at times. I have to be especially choosy when I get them from now on.