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So the last time I reviewed this I wrote about the taste but didn’t know how it worked. Been starting off my day with a cup of this plus 1 or 2 infusions since then and it works if any of you are wondering lol.

I recently read that Kendall Jenner drinks 12 cups of this a day. First, I had no idea who she is. I don’t live under a rock, but I don’t watch tv much I guess. I wondered are they 12 × 3g servings/tea bags or is she counting resteeps… Because if she is actually using 12 servings daily (and this works), she’d always be in the bathroom. o.O

My artbitrary thoughts for today. lol

A lightly oxidized oolong with vibrant green color, tightly rolled up large leaves. The liquor is very pale yellow, aromatic, smells similar to TGY. It’s kind of like a lightly oxidized TGY but without the sour kick and the floral is there but it’s really light. There is no sharpness or pull on the inner cheeks nor would I call it buttery. Hard to describe.

It’s fresh, crisp and bright, not slick but yet it’s warm, silky, smooth. Sheesh, I feel like I’m going in circles trying to describe this lol… But I really like it. (I haven’t had much ben shan, and this is a good one. Their site does not specifically say it’s ben shan though.) Well-balanced, snappy with delicate orchid notes. This would be nice when I feel like a TGY flavor but may need something a little easier on my stomach if it’s particularly sensitive that day. I think this would make a great daily tea.

5g, 110ml, 195°F, rinse, 7 steeps, rinse, 25s, 35s, 45s, 55s, 1m5s, 1m15s, 1m25s

I was reading about this tea and found it interesting on the type of rose they use. I don’t like strong rose but they use a different type of rose, call the Phnom Penh rose and comparatively speaking, it’s smaller, lighter in taste, sweeter than the typical rose. That sounded promising.

So, the little handmade tiny ball smelled of strong rose. They are gorgeous to look at because of the gold and rose colors in it. One thing about dragon balls, they are like mini tuochas, so convenient for travel or those lazy days. The wet leaves (pretty much still a ball at this point) after the 5-sec rinse smells sweet, of black tea, of delicate rose. The bright orange-reddish copper liquor had a very nice light rose (not perfumey) and is that honey sweetness or is that the sweetness from the rose itself? The tea itself is so smooth, a nice thick, warm comforting mouth and throat feel. It’s malty, cacao, very mellow, full-bodied, flavorful. I don’t really taste the spices per se, but I can feel it in the aftertaste ever so slightly. Even though I’m not into a strong rose taste (at all), I think I actually prefer this one over the Chrysanthemum Dragon Ball. Unfortunately, I bought all my TeaVivre black tea before the sale (boo) but that’s okay, I can always buy more.

Porcelain gaiwan, 110ml, 194F, 8 steeps: rinse, 25s, 20s, 10s, 15s, 20s, 30s, 40s, 80s

My favorite Numi Tea. I go to this great Korean restaurant and they have their own barley tea and I couldn’t for the life of me find a tea that tastes like that. At the time, I mainly bought my tea from grocery stores, health stores. I bought so many “toasted” tea types. The restaurant serves it iced and hot. I can drink it forever. This tea came closest to me.

Simple, refreshing, toasted rice, toasted barley. I steep it following Numi’s instructions.

I had this last night before bed. I’ll see if I can remember the experience. I was kind of out of it as it was like 2 am. At first, the dry leaf smell was a turn-off. It was so strong of leather and/or earth. I looked at the description again and it said “without overbearing earthiness” so I was highly doubtful at this point. Well, when all is said and done, they pretty much nailed the taste description. In fact, it was a very clean, smooth, mellow medium-bodied cup of ripe pu-erh tea.

It was slightly earthy, woody, some cream, sweetness, slightly malty, no dirt nor too earthy, no fishy notes, full of flavor, silky and warm mouthfeel, well-balanced. Unlike many pu-erhs, it definitely lacks that strong earth, leathery taste, the mustiness. I did not find it fruity, and there were hardly any, if at all, floral notes (at least that I can detect. I think others differed.) and unlike The Shu Fits and the Imperial dark, it wasn’t as chocolatey but more just a well balanced all-around mellow cup of ripe pu-erh tea. A daily drinker for that calming moment of the day. Perhaps a good starter for those new to ripe Pu-erh since it’s so clean as there are zero signs of a poorly processed tea. Any weird odors, odd tastes, muddy cup, sour taste are non-existent. I can find some who like the stronger tastes to find this a little mundane but since I’m still getting used to shou, it suits me well.

5g, 212˚F, 110ml, 7 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 35s, 40s

Just a quick note on this one. I’m not sure what to think of this one honestly. I had it yesterday and didn’t take notes (and working on a report at the same time). It was very unique. I liked it but not sure why lol. Muscat grape is the predominant flavor. It was astringent and slightly bitter. I will definitely revisit this one soon to give it a more thorough analysis. If anything, to figure why it confused me so. :P

5g, 200ml, 212°F, 3 steeps, 2.5m., 3m, 3.5m

Cacao nibs, chocolate is really nice in this one. It’s a very dark rich chocolate flavor, more flavorful that some of their other chocolate ones I’ve tried. A very nice bittersweet chocolate and in the later steeps, a sweeter milk chocolate. Unfortunately, that’s about the only thing I enjoyed about this one. I hardly taste the bergamot… And the heavy floral takes that away. I don’t even have a clue what kind of floral flavor but it’s not really pleasant to me. If you don’t mind too much floral or you love the taste of floral teas (strooong floral teas :P), you may like this but for me, it is just far too perfumey for me. I finished a while ago, and I still feel like I have a nose full of perfume.

5g, 200ml, 212F, 3 steeps: 3m, 3.5m, 4.5m

Another nice one from Mandala. Dark liquor, like reddish-espresso color, with a leather, earthy aroma. The first couple of steeps there was earthiness, leather, hay, hints of dark cocoa. After a few steeps, I got some creaminess along with molasses, some spices, minerality, more chocolate, slightly nutty as well (not almonds though, not sure what type of nuts but it’s there. >.<). The later steeps I got some fruit notes and a camphor feeling. It was a very smooth, rich, mellow, clean Pu erh. Creamy and soothing mouth and throat-feel.

I don’t know which one I like better The Shu Fits or this one. I ‘think’ The Shu Fits but I have enough to keep comparing them. It may be the name lol. I love it. Anyway, I had bought the Plethora of Pu’er and those two came with it (along with the Rice Aroma which I had bought earlier, liked it and reviewed) and the Noble Mark which I’m looking forward to trying as well. What a great combination to send in one package.

5g, Yixing gaiwan, 212˚F, 110ml, 9 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 35s, 40s, 45s, 50s, 55s

Aww, very nice. It has a rich mango aroma (dry and wet leaves), along with a little floral aroma. I was worried that it would be sweet but it’s not. Now that I’ve been reviewing flavored teas, I think that’s one of my paranoias or something haha. Lupicia has surprised me almost everytime. I’ve tasted so many described “unflavored” milk oolongs that are far sweeter that I just know are not unflavored. So much so I can’t finish the cup.

It’s sweet but like the fruit, not a candy or overdone sweetness or artificial flavor. Very natural mango flavor. It’s lightly astringent and has a very slight bitterness that is equivalent to the peel of a mango. It gives the tea that wonderful tropical taste, an authentic mango taste. I almost want to put a little lime and chili powder in it lol (my favorite way to eat mangoes.) The oolong itself is very nice with light floral notes, rich buttery feel, warm, comforting. The floral notes take the backseat and the Mango is forefront. If you like Mangoes as much as I do, maybe give this a spin.

5g, 200ml, 212°F, 3 steeps, 2.5m., 3m, 3.5m

Note: In the future, I look forward to trying the Lupicia oolongs in a series of shorter infusions to see how they evolve but I just wanted to taste the mango yumminess right away. ^^ (Patience has never been one of my virtues)

Nice blend. Not fishy, no dirt taste. Leather and earth taste in the opening few steeps. It’s very mellow, warm, comforting mouth/throat feel. It has dark chocolate and bittersweet notes, and on the 5th it became more milk chocolate and became more creamy, brown sugar notes throughout, still has leather and earth notes. Nice lightly sweet finish.

I think I’ll try it the way it’s suggested which is 30 secs, then add 30 secs next time and see how it changes it as well. I just wanted to extract little by little to see how complex it was.

Yixing gaiwan, 5g, 212F, 110ml, rinse +10s, 15s,20s,25s,30s (am still in the process of drinking this.)