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Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2024 Tea #1 – October 4 – World Smile Day: drink a tea that puts a smile on your face!

I love this one.  And it makes me smile as it reminds me of SO MANY peach teas I love that 52Teas has made in the past. Peachy Keen!!!  Peach Blackberry Crumble!!!  Smoky Butterscotch Peach!!! It has such a balance of unique peach/cardamom flavor.   This one is ancient, so I am shocked it has such a great flavor today.
2024 sipdowns: 71

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #9 – A tea that Kermit would drink

It’s EASY picking a green tea for Kermit. (Sorry, Kermit.)  And it being called a “downy” green tea for some reason reminds me of a swamp?  More than other green teas, anyway… I thought it would be a good reason to send this one on its way… BUT then I checked my stock list and I still have one more sample of this. argh  oh well, it will be enjoyed whenever it is enjoyed.(Sorry, I’m really tired right now.)

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #8 – September 27 – World Tourism Day: have a tea from a place you want to visit or have visited

There are many places I could dream of visiting at some point, but I also needed a tea with some kick this afternoon, so this is the one.  Of course Scotland would be great to visit.  I bought this from NM Tea co, hoping that it was like the English Tea Store blend that I really liked YEARS ago, and I think it is.  The blend is part CTC but also a mix of a slightly bigger leaf, just like English Tea Store’s from years ago. Twelve years ago I gave English Tea Store’s Scottish Breakfast a rating of 96! I’d say that is excellent for a tea that is partially CTC. This one here is quite tasty, quite strong and perfect tasting for breakfast.   The description mentions the dry quality, like a cask of Scottish bourbon.  I will at least imagine that it is a match to English Tea Store’s blend, as I think some of their teas are sourced from the same place.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #7 -A tea from China

 Finished some samples of this one.  It is a tea that I also have in an 100gram amount, so it definitely means I thought it was great.  I certainly can’t be buying 100grams of every Teavivre tea I think is great… that would be most of them.  So if I have 100grams of something, it is exceptional!  Otherwise it would just be about buying samples for the rare occasion I would like that great tea.  I’m awake right now, I promise.  I’m not even sure which harvest year this is.  It MUST be older though, since I started writing years on my Teavivre samples at least in 2018.  This one has no year written.  Teavivre is my favorite shop to buy Chinese tea, so it is fitting I am using a Teavivre tea for this prompt today.
2024 sipdowns: 70

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #6 – A tea Animal would drink
NOT sure what actually makes the tea “wild”… and I read through the description TWICE to make sure I wasn’t missing anything… no hints there.  Anyway, I think Animal could appreciate the name anyway, so I thought it a good time to finish this one.  The flavor is a little faded now.   Fading away is not a problem Animal has had or will ever have. 
2024 sipdowns: 68

edited to add: Actually, with the last two steeps, there was actually a ton of grapefruit flavor, so it ended on a good note. This was not a bad Earl green. Unfortunately, I don’t think they sell it anymore.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #5 -A tea from Taiwan

This GABA was the reason I bought the Teavivre GABA, and sadly it just isn’t as good (a rarity for Teavivre!).  This one here is much older than the Teavivre, but it has more flavor to it.  Not really why I’m drinking this particular tea anyway, but the flavor is definitely noticeably better despite the age.  If I had started with the Teavivre GABA, I would have said it is not the tea for me, but I will miss What-cha’s GABA! Last tasting note said it tasted like pear and white grape. I don’t taste those anymore. Now it’s squash!
2024 sipdowns: 66

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #4 -A tea from India

I’m glad I was able to sample this.  It was an okay assam. Not bad, not …awesome.  It’s a mug of black tea, and sometimes that is sufficient.
2024 sipdowns: 65

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #3 – A tea from Africa

I always forget this tea is around. It’s ALMOST gone now.  I also forget how finely chopped these ingredients are.  I wish I could distinctly tell it is houjicha.  I also usually forget that it IS houjicha as it usually tastes like an unroasted green tea, even if it is hiding under all those spices.

additional notes:  Fun to revisit this cake that I won ten years ago, AND revisit the tasting note.  Especially since realizing I’m a huge fan of the golden buds puerhs, so I’m appreciating that I won this even more now.  I think I’m steeping it with different parameters —  in the past, I went STRONG.  And because of that AND if I’m using drastically less leaves now, I’m not sure if this puerh may have mellowed a bit.  Less strong chocolate and coffee notes than the previous note.  This is still very delicious.  Originally, I noticed “pond” qualities, but they are not here in the leaf any longer.
Steep #1 // 20 minutes after boiling // 1-2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 18 minutes after boiling //   4-5 min
Steep #3 // just boiled // 3-4 min
Steep #4 // just boiled // 10 min

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – September 2024 Tea #2 – September 8 – World Literacy Day: drink tea while reading a favorite book or story

I wasn’t really reading anything that is a Favorite, but it’s rare I go a day without reading SOMETHING.  I just wanted to go with one of my S&V author teas today, and as time escaped me today, I had to choose the ONE no caff author tea.  This blend is just okay… I think it is mostly aimed for kids… it has a jello strawberry type of flavor.  As this tea is aging, it’s funny that it’s the strawberry flavor that is still going strong. Happy reading!