Eponymous tea! I’ve been looking forward to drinking, er, Shanti, for some time now. Ick, this feels weird, referring to it as “Shanti”. I know the Jessicas and Elizabeths and Jennifers of the world are used to this, but I’ve never met another Shanti before in my life, so this is exciting. Maybe I should take a page out of the GOP’s playbook and start referring us as “Shanti the Person” and “Shanti the Tea”? Or perhaps “Shantea”?
Mmm, these leaves smell mysterious and opaque. I know opaque isn’t a smell, but bear with me. You know how colors like lavender and periwinkle are always opaque and milky looking? Well, if that opaque quality had a smell, it’d smell like Shantea. It’s a very cozy, comforting smell.
Whoa. The smell coming from the liquor is smoky. Kind of like cigarettes, to be honest. And under the cigarette smoke, there’s the—OMFG I JUST SNORTED TEA UP MY NOSE. Well, that’s a first. Ow!
Where was I? Oh yeah. Smells like smoke and just barely like some kind of salted vegetable. Sipping now…Smoke! Smoke smoke smoke! There’s quiet a bit of bitterness, but it’s a good bitter. A drinkable bitter. A dull, non-astringent bitter. It fits in with the smoke nicely, and I think the tea would taste worse if it wasn’t there. The smoky, dull, opaqueness of the tea is actually making me a little sleepy. The more I sip on this, the more I taste sweet grass and hay. And gasoline, maybe. And, wow, now I’m getting flashbacks of the smell of the farms along the highway in my rural hometown in central California. It doesn’t even taste like smoke to me anymore, it tastes like driving home. And now I’m feeling all nostalgic and homesick and want to take a nap. Thanks a lot, Shantea.
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Too funny! Is this what you took your user name from? Or is Shanti your given name? So sad it only got a 56 though. :(
It’s my real name. :) I forgot to say so in the note, but it means “peace” in Sanskrit.
I’ve found that lately I think I’ve forgotten how to drink tea, or properly function for that matter. When I taste teas these days the first slurp always ends up going down the wrong pipe, and I end up hacking a lung for awhile… Highly attractive and pleasant for the customers I’m sure.
Oh pretty!
Cofftea, I feel bad for rating it so low, because it was actually a very interesting and unique tea. It’s the first smoky tea I’ve ever had, and I’m not sure I like smoke :x but I think other people might really enjoy this if they like light smokiness.
Yeah, I try to be unbaised w/ my tea reviews and rate it based on what it is, not how I feel about it- but that’s hard.
LOL! Careful with that lethal tea. I hear you on having a name out of the ordinary. As a kid, I was always bummed when stores didn’t have Lena bracelets or Lena’s Room signs, etc. I’ve only met one other Lena in person. We’re a rare breed. HAHA!
Right there with the both of you. My name’s Emeric and the only other Emeric I’ve “met” is actually an Emeric I saw when I was a kid watching MTV summer Beach House… tragic really.
Awww. It’s always interesting when a flavor or smell sends us back to some other place…sort of a shame that this one wasn’t an instant trip to someplace you’d like to ruminate on, though.
Lena is a fairly common name in Denmark. I’m sure I could find a ton of name stuff for you. :)
Lena, me too! I was always jealous of my sister who has an “American” sounding name and always had plenty of those mini license plates and keychains available with her name. I especially loved when people would get us gifts, and her’s would be like “I’m name!” and mine would say corny generic stuff like “I’m Cool!” LOL!
I am one of the gazillon Jennifers out the and always wished I had a more unique name, lol.
In my graduating class of 150 (guys and girls) there were 6 Sara/hs, 7 Amandas, and 7 Rebeccas.
I think Shanti is a love it or hate it tea. I personally really like it, but I’ve noticed the reviews are pretty much split down the middle.
In terms of name, I feel kinda lucky. When I want to be more generic and blend in, I go by Beth. When I want to be a bit more unique, but not 1 in a million unique, I can be Bethany. Works out well!
Bethany, I know what you mean about the tea. I think I was a little shocked by the smoke, since I wasn’t expecting any. But, even now, I find myself wanting to try it again, so who knows…
Bethany – “I think Shanti is a love it or hate it tea. …I’ve noticed the reviews are pretty much split down the middle.” I agree! I remember reviewing this stuff and hating it… both this one and Chloe by The Simple Leaf. I am total green tea lover, but I couldn’t even make it to half of the cup. When I posted this review on twitter, one chic was just appalled that I hated it… she ranted and raved that I was completely wrong, that I must have not made it right. Heh, yes, insult someone’s intelligence, that will make them change their opinion. ;)
Not like that hasn’t worked before IndentiTea.. ;)
From your tasting note, it seems I would probably not like you. Sorry!
I meant Shantea, not Shanti ;)
IdentiTEA – Lol! By the way, Chloe was just “eh” for me…not a lot of flavor on that one. I think I have to try Shantea again, though. I’ve never had smoky tea before, and it wasn’t in the description, so I was shocked and not in the mood for it.
Ricky – cries You don’t like me?? sobs hehe j/k. Just you wait…one of these days they’re going to make Ricktea and I will say I hate you too! muahahaha
“You don’t like me??” Nope, not at all. KIDDING! I mean what is there not to like about those adorable kitties in your avatar. You shall never find a tea with my name, fwahaha. I wonder what time of tea I’d be. Would I be a black, green or oolong. Ummm I wonder!
Ricky, A blend of pu erh and a chinese oolong.
Too funny! Is this what you took your user name from? Or is Shanti your given name? So sad it only got a 56 though. :(
It’s my real name. :) I forgot to say so in the note, but it means “peace” in Sanskrit.
I’ve found that lately I think I’ve forgotten how to drink tea, or properly function for that matter. When I taste teas these days the first slurp always ends up going down the wrong pipe, and I end up hacking a lung for awhile… Highly attractive and pleasant for the customers I’m sure.
Oh pretty!
Cofftea, I feel bad for rating it so low, because it was actually a very interesting and unique tea. It’s the first smoky tea I’ve ever had, and I’m not sure I like smoke :x but I think other people might really enjoy this if they like light smokiness.
Yeah, I try to be unbaised w/ my tea reviews and rate it based on what it is, not how I feel about it- but that’s hard.
LOL! Careful with that lethal tea. I hear you on having a name out of the ordinary. As a kid, I was always bummed when stores didn’t have Lena bracelets or Lena’s Room signs, etc. I’ve only met one other Lena in person. We’re a rare breed. HAHA!
Right there with the both of you. My name’s Emeric and the only other Emeric I’ve “met” is actually an Emeric I saw when I was a kid watching MTV summer Beach House… tragic really.
Awww. It’s always interesting when a flavor or smell sends us back to some other place…sort of a shame that this one wasn’t an instant trip to someplace you’d like to ruminate on, though.
Lena is a fairly common name in Denmark. I’m sure I could find a ton of name stuff for you. :)
Lena, me too! I was always jealous of my sister who has an “American” sounding name and always had plenty of those mini license plates and keychains available with her name. I especially loved when people would get us gifts, and her’s would be like “I’m name!” and mine would say corny generic stuff like “I’m Cool!” LOL!
I am one of the gazillon Jennifers out the and always wished I had a more unique name, lol.
In my graduating class of 150 (guys and girls) there were 6 Sara/hs, 7 Amandas, and 7 Rebeccas.
I think Shanti is a love it or hate it tea. I personally really like it, but I’ve noticed the reviews are pretty much split down the middle.
In terms of name, I feel kinda lucky. When I want to be more generic and blend in, I go by Beth. When I want to be a bit more unique, but not 1 in a million unique, I can be Bethany. Works out well!
Bethany, I know what you mean about the tea. I think I was a little shocked by the smoke, since I wasn’t expecting any. But, even now, I find myself wanting to try it again, so who knows…
Bethany – “I think Shanti is a love it or hate it tea. …I’ve noticed the reviews are pretty much split down the middle.” I agree! I remember reviewing this stuff and hating it… both this one and Chloe by The Simple Leaf. I am total green tea lover, but I couldn’t even make it to half of the cup. When I posted this review on twitter, one chic was just appalled that I hated it… she ranted and raved that I was completely wrong, that I must have not made it right. Heh, yes, insult someone’s intelligence, that will make them change their opinion. ;)
Not like that hasn’t worked before IndentiTea.. ;)
From your tasting note, it seems I would probably not like you. Sorry!
I meant Shantea, not Shanti ;)
IdentiTEA – Lol! By the way, Chloe was just “eh” for me…not a lot of flavor on that one. I think I have to try Shantea again, though. I’ve never had smoky tea before, and it wasn’t in the description, so I was shocked and not in the mood for it.
Ricky – cries You don’t like me?? sobs hehe j/k. Just you wait…one of these days they’re going to make Ricktea and I will say I hate you too! muahahaha
“You don’t like me??” Nope, not at all. KIDDING! I mean what is there not to like about those adorable kitties in your avatar. You shall never find a tea with my name, fwahaha. I wonder what time of tea I’d be. Would I be a black, green or oolong. Ummm I wonder!
Ricky, A blend of pu erh and a chinese oolong.