Rose Violet Calendula Oolong

For a variety of reasons (some of which make sense and some of which don’t), the past few days have been really difficult for me. When Stacy said they were pulling this tea, my immediate reaction was to panic and horde what I have. But when deciding what to have with breakfast this morning, I realized that the only tea that could stand a chance at helping me out was this one. And it was just as lovely as it’s always been: just as full of innocence and promises and hope and comfort. I can’t tell you how distraught I am over the pulling of this tea. I even contacted naivetea, who also make a rose violet calendula oolong, but they, too, have pulled it.

Have a good day, guys. Things have to get better eventually, I tell myself.

I had just enough of this at work for one cup. It’s a good thing my Butiki order came in the mail yesterday and I have another package waiting for me at home. This is springtime in a cup. I love this!

Second steep came through at 95% of the potency of the first—still really dark in color, but this time I’m getting a heavier floral vibe. (My water was a little hottish, so that may have affected it, too.) I guess violets—that’s what it has to be—taste a little like grape kool-aid. There’s just a hint of artificial-tasting flavor to this round, but it is still pleasant. Cries out to be sipped from finer china than my utilitarian Tervis mug.

Sipdown #3!!

(sorry Sil, I can’t give a ‘numbers of teas left’ count, because that would require me to actually update my list & count all the teas. I promise on Monday I’ll (probably) get around to doing it…or not)

I have to be in the right frame of mind to enjoy this tea. Usually I’m not, but that is not the tea’s fault, as it is a beautiful floral fairie’s delight. Today I’ve been sitting at my desk, answering voicemails & emails, booking weddings, setting up lessons for new students, & next on my agenda is an email that I need to send out to the St. Louis Chapter of the American Harp Society (of which I’m president), announcing our annual tea party, etc.
And I’m drinking this tea! Today it’s very soothing & I almost wish I’d saved it to sip in a bubble bath. For those who love florals, it really is a masterpiece!

So, confession time.
One reason I love drinking tea, if because it evokes memories of places I have been.
Rarely, do the teas come into my mind as people, if any of you have known me long, you might suspect my deep love for Earl Grey.
Yes, my husband is aware of my admiration, but oddly enough does not feel threatened.
So far, it has just been EG and then Paris by H&S that have brought people to mind.
Till this tea.
The first time I smelt even the dry leaves of this tea I gasped.
She is stunning. In mind, spirit and body.
She is everything I ever wanted to be.
She makes me feel inferior but if I could just drink enough of this tea maybe also a little like her?
This tea is champagne colored (how perfect is that?) and when I drink I truly feel as if I should be sipping this in a champagne flute.
Classy,and always speaks eloquently with a soft smile upon her lips.
This tea is total experience that I recommend highly.
After the first couple of sips this song came to mind, so I will share it with you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AEoUa0Hlso
Now, that you think me insane for creating characters out of my tea, I shall take my leave.
Maybe I will go and try to find our wedding champagne flutes…

This is the first rose tea I’ve ever had that actually TASTES like rose. When you put your nose over the edge of the cup in the process of taking a sip, you smell rose. OOLONG is an excellent choice as a delicate and ridiculously expensive essence like rose should be paired with a delicate tea that will complement and not overpower it. That shows a profound understanding by the Artist who blended this.

The teas with rose that I have tried up to now have all just had a few petals thrown into black tea. They get swallowed up in the blackness !

This is a stunningly beautiful, delicately nuanced tea blend. It calls to mind lace on a wedding dress, or wings on a butterfly… I could wax poetic over this tea.

Thanks to Stacy at Butiki for this sample!

I drink flowery tea only when I’m in the MOOD for them. The mood strikes me fairly infrequently.

This afternoon, there was (and is) a forest fire in Poudre Canyon. I noticed the air was smelling strongly of smoke. The wind had kicked up and the fire had doubled, making me concerned for the people needing to evacuate. I called my daughter to find out how the air was at her house…“Dirty, dark and soot in the air”, which I had seen from 10 miles away. She was closer to the fire, although not in the hills. Her home and 8 kids are only a few blocks from a reservoir. I felt relief.

I wanted to wipe the smoke away and bring back the Springtime. I had a sample tea that had the promise of flowers. Rose Violet Calendula Oolong. What better time to drink this tea than now.

I steeped the Oolong 4 minutes letting the fragrant buds fill me with the most beautiful heady floral bouquet. The sipping from beginning to end was a delight.

My first impression was of candied violets, not overly sweet or cloying but delicate and very juicy. The taste turned to crenshaw melon and became buttercream…almost no astringency at all present. The floral bouquet filled my mouth and the scent was surrounding me creating a complete experience. My glass cup of the light yellow liquor was filled again and I delighted in the tea. Violet stood out as the distinct floral up front but, I can’t say that there was a primary rose flavor, a jasmine flavor, a calendula flavor…but a harmony of the other floral flavors.

I added a little sugar at the end…trying to imagine a tea party…and the sugar was such a great addition for a dessert tea. I think this is a perfect, perfect tea party tea!

If you would please say a prayer for all the people in the path of fires going on in Arizona and Colorado please and the firefighters too. Thanks!

This is one of the samples I had with my Butiki Order.

I have no words to say how fantastic this tea is…It’s a kind of perfection, a violet and rose perfection.
Of course these two flavours are among my favorites but the way this tea is blended and flavoured is just wonderful.

It’s just so delicate,the kind of tea you are happy to have in the finest china bone tea cup.

I regret now not having ordered 4 oz of it.
I more than highly recommend Rose Violet Calendula Oolong.

Thanks so much Stacy :)

Thanks so much to the lovely teamore for this swap sample!

I’m a little leery of heavily floral teas, though a good jasmine green is one of my favorite things ever. This one does NOT taste like drinking perfume, LOL. It is delicate, feminine, sweet and totally drinkable! It is the kind of flavor I can get lost in…

I really want to try the Champagne Rose Cream now! ugh!!!!

This is so beautiful my oh my oh my.

This first steep brews up a lovely champagne color and is primarily a sweet green oolong with highlights of jasmine.

The second steep (4:00) is where there really opens into a beautiful bouquet. The color becomes slightly warmer and deeper. The rose becomes the dominant flavor, but the other’ still play in the background. It’s lovely and immersive without being perfumey or artificial, and it manages to be strongly flavored while still being delicate.

The third steep (5:00) smells more of lavender and tastes more of it too. While the rose is still a dominant flavor, the lavender matches it in presence. There’s a really gentle jasmine flutter at the tail of the sip.

This tea is elevating me to a place of calm, and zen, where things are all teddy bears puppies and butterflies. I just want to get lost in this cup forever.

Thank you Short Sorceress!