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teataku drank Kalo Chia Black Tea by Nepali Tea Traders

226 tasting notes

I got this tea as a sample with my order. I steeped it up to have with breakfast this morning (pancakes and syrup with strawberries, yum). It’s not really a breakfasty tea, but whatever. The loose leaf smelled pretty non-descript, and the brew smelled like a light-bodied black, perhaps like a Keemun or Darjeeling. My first sip was surprisingly sweet; I got a big hit of honey flavor, followed by some very mellow malt and a slight hint of bread. I think the reason it is so light in flavor for me is possibly because I didn’t quite have two teaspoons worth, but I steeped it in my 16-oz. perfect Teamaker anyway… I tried to not fill it all the way to compensate, but I guess it must not have worked, unless this tea is just meant to be light—a quality about which I am not complaining, though, since I do love a good easygoing black tea! Sometimes you just aren’t in the mood for a strong cuppa. The honey flavor is really complementing these pancakes beautifully, too. I may just have to buy some of this!

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 7 OZ / 207 ML

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I very clearly remember my first experience with tea. It was in a Target near my house, and my best friend handed me a cup of chai from the Starbucks inside the store and said, “Try this.” I believe I was about 12 at the time, and from then on, I was completely hooked.

Anyway, as my increasingly weirded out family will tell you, my obsession with tea has (almost) steadily escalated since then. I discovered the world of tea slowly, first with just chai, and then with bagged teas I could get from supermarkets and specialty stores, and then with loose leaf teas. I mostly shop for tea at Teavana, but I also patronize other local shops that I’ve discovered within the last couple of years. I’ve ordered a smattering of teas from a few online places, but I’m always leery of buying tea online, since most of how I select teas in person is by smell… unless I’m at The English Tea Room.

My favorite types of tea are blacks and flavored blacks. And oolongs. Right underneath that are rooiboses and whites, and then greens and herbals, and then mates. I’m always looking for a new favorite, but I appreciate rediscovering old favorites. I like to blend teas, but I never store them that way, mostly because I like to leave myself options.

I prefer nutty/sweet/rich teas to fruity/light-flavored teas or bold/full-bodied teas, but I do try to drink some of everything to widen my palate. I’m always willing to try any tea at least once (except this one tea that Teavana mercifully discontinued… the loose leaf smelled like cheese, I swear). I do perhaps rate teas a little leniently… because I’m not very picky. I will try a tea at least three times before I pronounce that I hate it, and I will always focus on the good aspects of a tea rather than the bad. That’s just how I roll. :3

Location

Colorado, USA

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