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Roswell Strange drank Lichuan Black Tea by Flow Inverse Tea

16841 tasting notes

Gongfu!

Today I’m finally trying the Lichuan Black Tea sample that this company kindly gifted me to review!! The green tea they sent, which I reviewed about a week back, really impressed me, so my expectations for this tea were high. I think it lived up to them, though. The leaves are gorgeous with a deep umber colour contrasted by the many fine golden tips. In terms of taste this was rich and very full bodied with an explosion of malt and starchy baked yam sweetness. Those initial notes were supported by flavours of dark chocolate and dried apricots with a more floral, lingering finish that made me think of traditionally rosewater flavoured Turkish delights. Very potent, and something I am excited to revisit. My only criticism is really the cost. It’s not that I necessarily feel the tea overpriced, but I do think that there are teas of the same or higher quality offered at the same price range from companies that are a lot more accesible to order from – and that can be a tough hurdle to overcome.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C92oYFVO_DU/?img_index=1

To be honest, I rarely drink tea at my desk anymore. I find my usual set up by the window with all my plants quite grounding. Though it’s arguably as equally cluttered as my desk, which rarely has the space to accommodate a tea tray anymore, there’s something about it that feels more intentional/curated. Plus the lighting is typically so much better. However, I recently moved this plant (thank you @helensealplum for the plant baby) up to the top of the desk and it’s been thriving, so I was a little more inspired to have my morning tea session in this space instead and incorporate it into the photography.

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXcX94gLTfo

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derk
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Try it grandpa style if you still have some!

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derk
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Try it grandpa style if you still have some!

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Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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