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Hi, this is the anti-cantaloupe girl. I couldn’t rate the Melon oolong because it tasted just like cantaloupe to me. I seriously do not like cantaloupe. I cringed thinking about trying this one, same name different type of tea. To my surprise, I liked this. It’s not too sweet like the Melon oolong and it’s not a cantaloupe flavor but more a honeydew flavor.

The white tea goes very well with the honeydew and there are no sugar crystals in it. This is a clear winner for those who love honeydew and not too shabby for those like me that just don’t like the overwhelming sweetness of a too ripe honeydew but don’t mind the general taste. The second steep there was a slight cantaloupe flavor that snuck in and I may drop down the temperature next time (bitterness in 2nd steep too).

If that makes any sense. ^^

Last free sample. I left this one for last because I either drank sencha or matcha my whole life hehe so I thought this could wait a bit lol.

The liquor was a very pale greenish golden color (good clue to decent sencha), and it was highly aromatic with strong vegetal notes. The taste was vegetal, green, umami, slight minerality with a very long comforting finish with a nice warm mouthfeel. No sweet potatoes like in the description though. The usual sencha slight bitterness was not present at all in this sample. I prepared it under 80C to make sure I extract the umami but not the tannins. Solid Sencha here. Not surprising since it’s from Kagoshima (Chiran).

1 teabag, 200ml, 175F, 2 steeps: 1m, 1:30m

Another free sample. :D

I don’t have much experience with Darjeeling but I liked this tea overall. I don’t have much to compare it to though (as far as Darjeeling). The First Flush had a very bright but light yellow liquor with a green, grassy, floral fresh aroma. The first steep was so delicate, mellow, and floral (not perfumey). I went to Mimi’s cafe earlier and had a Quiche Lorraine, rich muffins and more, and I didn’t drink anything during the whole meal so when I got home, I was thirsty lol. This was really refreshing to me. I didn’t want any strong flavors after a sensory overload at Mimi’s lol. I think I picked the right sample to try after that meal. No strong flavors but very flavorful. I can’t pick out the taste at all, what flowers, is there any fruit? Not sure at all. The 2nd steep it became slightly bitter (similar to the level of grapefruit bitter) with crisp astringency… Still very flavorful. Brisk, astringent, refreshing with a nice mouthfeel. The 3rd steep, while flavorful but extremely light now, astringent, but not as bitter.

Now it makes me want to try more Darjeeling. It peaked my interest.

1 bag, 200ml, 200°F, 3 steeps, 2.5min., 3min, 3.5min

I had just finished my 3 free samples from my first order and I got my Kumquat order today and so I got another 3 more free samples. :D

Hmm. Cassis and blueberries. I had to look up cassis as I had no idea what it is… Cassis is blackcurrant. Ah, that one I know. So, it is another of their teas that they state it “has a mature flavor”. There is a little bitterness so maybe my hypothesis that “mature taste” meant bitter is correct (my Lupicia Grapefruit green tea review for reference). Maybe, maybe not. hehe Either way, there was a slight bitterness in the finish and is a slightly astringent tea.

The tea bag smelled good, like blueberry pie, blueberry muffins, a rich berry smell along with the blackcurrant. I followed their directions and used 150ml of boiling water, steeped for 3m. Their teas are very mild in flavor so I am now opting for the longest time period of their recommendation. Still mild but maybe I’m still thinking “juice” flavor when I try these teas as I am new to flavored teas. Maybe they aren’t mild but normal when it comes to flavored teas. Time will tell as I keep trying them.^^ I like this one because it’s not really sweet, it’s just a nice blueberry-blackcurrant taste.

So I made an order with Lupicia and was really saddened that the Kumquat was sold out. I mentioned it to Cameron and she told me that it was still available in tins. (Yay. Thank you so much.) I got a tin of it and was really looking forward to it because I grew up eating bags of Kumquats… Until my stomach hurt. lol I travel a lot so I don’t see it often anymore if at all. I grew up in Southern California where they are more available, and my dad when he was alive, grew them and cooked with them too. I miss the Kumquats (and Loquats too) and especially miss my dad. Lucky girl to have had him. :)

I think of all the Lupicia teas I’ve tried so far, this one ranks number one for me. It tastes as Kumquat does. Tangy citrus, kind of like a tangerine but sourer, and unlike all the other citrus fruits, Kumquat peel isn’t bitter, so you eat the whole thing. This tea captured that perfectly. Orange, lemons, tangerines, grapefruits, although similar, all tastes a little/a lot different and this one tastes like Kumquats.

I’m so glad Cameron let me know that it’s seasonal, can miss out on them and that it was still available in the tins. I was just focused on the “out of stock” label on the loose leaf. I will drink it again and will probably revisit the review section for other thoughts and experiences about this tea.

Yikes. I selected the wrong Dragon Ball Black Tea. haha Sorry! I deleted it, and am putting here where it belongs. It wasn’t the rose one I tried but the Chrysanthemum. Doh.

Little hand rolled Dianhong Tea balls with a few golden colors and you can see the dried yellow chrysanthemum flowers. The colorful little ball weighed ~7 grams. The aroma was floral, a little apple, maybe a little rose. The liquor is an orange-reddish color, very bright looking. It was a complex tea. Would really like to see a thorough review of this. I love reading the reviews of teas while sipping on it. hehe

It was rich, full-bodied, thick, comforting, warm mouthfeel. It was floral but not perfumey. Sweet potatoes, spices, slight sweetness of yellow chrysanthemum, malt, some bittersweet aftertaste lingers. Very flavorful. On the 2nd steep everything opened up (flower, tea), it became slightly astringent and moderately bitter. It was like eating a delicious yam with cinnamon and butter on it, but with a bitter finish. The 3rd steep was more intense and you could see the yellow flower floating about. Malt, molasses, yams, sweetness, spices, chrysanthemum, brown sugar, cinnamon, butter but still a bitter finish. It wasn’t till the 4th steep that the bitterness subsided. The 5th, 6th and on, the yam notes delightfully continued, and it became more sweet, mellow, silky. I didn’t like the bitter long finish in the earlier steeps but that went away.

1 pc, gaiwan, 110ml, 194℉, 9 steeps: rinse,25s, 35s, 45s, 55s, 35s,, 35s, 35s, 50s, 60s

Wow, this works big time. Made all my porcelain gaiwans, cups look new. I just used the hot water from the faucet, put in 2 tsp in a big bowl and put my stained teaware in there and they all look new. No scrubbing, nothing. I’m impressed.

I had a good experience with the Mandala’s mixed mini tuocha sampler so I ordered the Rice Scented Ripe Mini Tuocha but got Lao Cang Ripe Mini Tuocha instead. No biggy. Mandala has been very good to me.

It came in a small bag, full of cute, compressed little bowl-shaped mini tuocha cakes. Each individually wrapped, one serving. I’ll be going to California for business soon, and I’ll probably bring these along with me.

The aroma is mainly hay, with a very mild leather aroma. The liquor is super dark, looks like rich coffee, like espresso. The flavor is far better than the aroma (opposite of the last tea I sampled hehe). It’s very soothing, rich, sweet and smooth. Not too much leather, and a bit of honey sweetness but very light. I wouldn’t classify this as a complex Pu-erh by no means (huge caveat: remember my identifying flavor/smell skills though haha), but more like a daily pu erh sipper due to the mellowness. It may be a good starter for those trying ripe pu erh too.

1 mini tuocha, 212˚F, 110ml, 7 steeps: rinse, 10s, 15s, 20s, 25s, 30s, 35s, 40s

Last free sample. It smells very fruity, mainly of peaches, stonefruit, then mango. Although the aroma has a strong peach, the taste is not. It definitely has the peach flavor, other stonefruits, but the mango and pineapple notes are about the same. It comes out kind of weird though like the flavors are muted. It also has a strange aftertaste that lingers in my nose. Of all of the Lupicia I’ve tried so far, this one tastes more artificial, not in artificial sweetness but in fruit taste, Maybe all those fruits do not go great with the base… Not sure what it is. It is astringent, not bitter and that’s not the problem.

The aroma is very nice, but the flavors do not rise to that level. Maybe it’d be better iced…

Sachet in 130 ml, boiling water for 2 steeps: 2.5m, 3m.

Another free Lupicia sample. Really cool they send 3 free samples with orders.

The sachet had little specks of coconut in it, some pink rose. It had a strong strawberry aroma with a little coconut, sweetness, maybe some vanilla. I couldn’t really smell the rose from the sachet. It smells good. Overall, Lupicia teas sure smell good. I had thought “If the aroma holds up, I will like it but if it takes a vicious turn and brings in strong rose…” Well, you know. lol

The aroma held up concerning the rose. A nice taste of strawberry (not artificial) and a slight tartness like real strawberries have. I think Lupicia has strawberry down pretty well. The coconut and vanilla notes were light but were there, same with cream notes. Although not a favorite of those I tried so far, I’m glad I was able to sample it as I saw they were sold out of it on their site.

Sachet in 130 ml, boiling water for 3 steeps 2.5m, 3m, 3.5m.