4337 Tasting Notes
This is from MiepSteep, thanks very much! This flavor type was calling to me today, so here we are. The leaves are absolutely lovely, a rainbow of colors. Huge and twisted. The flavor is what you might expect. Sadly I have already had this sitting for another year since MiepSteep has sent it over, so the flavor notes will not be as distinct as they could be. I bet it was real flavorful back in the day. I wish I could be more specific! I will just have to appreciate its greatness from a distance of time….
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a mug // 21 minutes after boiling // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // 10 minutes after boiling // 2-3 min
additional notes: I’m really enjoying this one and then remembered that it’s one of the blends that B&B took out of their rotation. Dang it. Why. I remember they culled so many of my favorites back then, and I’m less thrilled with the blends that have stuck around on the tea wall. meh. I guess David’s blend is quite similar to this, and I do have some of that left.
I have some lovely Coffee PU’erh from Teamaze should you need a fix. (Not a recent buy, but it holds up nicely.) Send a message if you’d like to try!
https://teamazeshop.com/shop/coffee/?doing_wp_cron=1711232698.0827438831329345703125
additional notes: Wow, this one is ancient is aging so so well, that last sip of the SECOND steep was perfection – peaches and cream. Heavy on the cream. Heavy on the vanilla. I would definitely restock this one whenever I order from DF….
Flavors: Cream, Creamy, Peach, Vanilla, Whipped Cream
From Daylon R Thomas! Thanks very much! The first time I steeped this, I expected it to be light and tame, used two teaspoons and WOWZAs was that too much. Too astringent. I should have read Daylon’s notes before steeping it up! (I tend to not do that though, so my flavor notes aren’t influenced by the power of suggestion…) So I vowed to try it again with one teaspoon and here we are. MUCH better. The leaves are so big, hints of gold, nutty scent almost? Could be the cashews I had. I didn’t expect it to be so rich, with such huge leaves. The flavor in the first steep is wonderful and just dark and deep enough: Plummy, fruity, a combo of sweet strawberry, fig. But then a spice to it, a kick. Sweet like a pastry, cinnamon roll maybe. I mean, the flavor notes seem so light and sweet but it’s a STRONG tea at the same time. But then I’m wondering if it’s contaminated from the tea in the infuser before. Very drying to the mouth. The second steep it’s like impossibly, beyond dark maple syrup which sets my teeth abuzzin. Syrupy both in flavor and mouthfeel. Quite astringent even with a tame steep. It’s quite unique. Like a stronger Premium Taiwanese Assam. Note to self: ONE TEASPOON.
Steep #1 // 1 teaspoon for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 min
Album: Bettye Lavette – LaVette
Song: Don’t Get Me Started https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n04sbZXctjA
Flavors: Fig, Maple Syrup, Plum, Strawberry
additional notes: Just a note to say, at six years old, I did not expect this tea to age so well. A surprise, because when I originally tried a sample from a teabox, I thought it was terrible because of the age of the tea. I acquired this sample because it was in the holiday box, so now I’m glad I was forced to give it a second chance! It would definitely be a S&V restock, simply because it has aged so gracefully. (I have quite the list forming.)
2024 sipdowns: 28
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2024 Tea #7 -March 14 – Pi Day and Einstein’s Birthday
Had to go with a cake tea for all those Steepster bdays! I hope everyone with a March bday has or had a great day! As usual, I’m about a month behind on reading tasting notes, so probably won’t get to wish you well on your own day! This tea is hanging on strong somehow, with a best by date of 2013. Yowzers. Next time will be a sipdown of this particular pouch.
2013! My word haha!
I started drinking and acquiring tea seriously around 2016, so I have a few teas that are almost as old. Glad this has stood the test of time!
Supports my theory that when coconut gets beyond old, it stops having a rancid flavor. heh
We could have an “oldest non-puerh/intentionally aged tea” contest! But we would be brave enough to drink the very oldest ones?
Ha – oh but I am that brave every day. I’m still livin! :D
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2024 Tea #6 – Your tea with the longest name
Thinking of a tea with a long name, I thought of this one which always made me laugh at how absolutely specific and long the name is. So I’m glad to finish it for this prompt today. A touch of flavor remains in this old tea, but it was never my favorite to begin with.
2024 sipdowns: 26
Album: Raze Regal & White Denim Inc
Song: Don’t Laff – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpYl6j5PkhI
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2024 Tea #5 – An evening tea
I think a no caff- chai is a cupboard staple for nighttime drinking, so this one was acceptable! Hopefully last night was one of the last colder nights for the year. That wind was fierce. Fun fact: one of my oldest teas around here looks to still be available!
2024 sipdowns: 25
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – March 2024 Tea #4 – A breakfast tea
Never could tell why this was a “breakfast tea”. But now in my scoop, I’m seeing tiny pieces of something… I wonder if whatever that is contains caffeine? Maybe the Ashwagandha or Gurana? And maybe I didn’t get these tiny particles in a scoop previously and just had the bigger pieces in the infuser? I think it’s hilarious they changed the name of the blend to LIGHT breakfast boost. Still ain’t a breakfast blend IMO! Helpful tasting note, I know.
Album: Tiny Ruins – Ceremony
Song: In Light of Everything https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAvaiIoMnXE
Guarana is often considered a stimulant, and is one of the main ingredients in energy drinks like Redbull.
Yup, guarana extract is a major ingredient in Bawls soda, which we drank an unhealthy amount of in high school (I mean, it also has a lot of sugar and added caffeine, so it’s honestly a marvel any of us are still here).
