377 Tasting Notes
Wow! This has quite the punch to it. Peppermint. Cinnamon. Licorice and there’s a sweetness that I’m not sure where it’s coming from….but I like it. This reminds me of a decaf version of Teavana’s French Quarter Spice Quartet. However the bottom the cup is tongue numbing cinnamon. It’s decent and I would probably pick it up in the store.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who did not quite enjoy this one. It was given to me when I visited the newly reopened coffee shop in town. Smelled good. Then I added water. It kinda reminds me of the friendship tea that I think all of us despise that you usually get at church Christmas bazaars. I tried to like it but it’s weak in flavor and black tea base. Tastes more like tang with cloves. I try not to be overly critical when given a tea, and tasting tea. I can stand most teas like most coffees even if they are not high quality, but this doesn’t quite reach the bar.
If I remember correctly, I thought this one (sample bag that came from a catalog) tasted like furniture polish.
I don’t have much luck with Republic of tea…
I’ve had some other decent ones but it kinda seems like it’s about mass production bags. I haven’t had much of their loose leaf offerings….so I’m not sure if those are better.
I decided to break this one out this morning for a little something different. The mix of lapsang, assam, and osmanthus flowers do a nice job to start the day. I am still uncertain how the flowers affect the flavor here, but still a good morning kick start.
That sound pretty good :)
I will send you some :)
Cool! Thanks :)
lapsang and osmanthus?! interesting indeed!
I can’t decide what osmanthus tastes like … haven’t had it often enough for it to imprint my taste buds, I guess.
Ummm very flowery. Light. not too sweet… from what I remember. I’ve only ever had it highly sweetened though.
This one was in a recent purchase for me. I wasn’t sure about it because other straight up Assams were a bit like drinking spaghetti sauce. However….this one was fabulous. Mellow. Malty. Had a nice kick to start the morning before a 3 hour drive to work. I don’t get it. A little snow in Northeast Ohio and people forget how to drive. C’est la vie.
This sample came to me courtesy of taite. The dry leaf aroma is invigorating!! Like fresh squeezed OJ. The jasmine flowers intrigued me. I have never had a tea with the actual flowers in it. The liquor is a pale yellow with a faint citrus aroma. I would compare the aroma to warm Orange Crush or Squirt. Initially the jasmine stands out. As it is cooling down though I’m tasting some nice citrus notes. I can see though how this tea might throw some people off. I’m thinking rather than the jasmine some vanilla would be killer in this. Almost like drinking a creamcicle. The second half of the pot has darkened a little bit. I have noticed this with greens lately too. Pale at first then a little more yellow. Theres a little more citrus coming out too. Almost like absolute citron, which may have been the goal in creating this tea. Or the flavor could be comparable to the scent of hand sanitizer. Either way I can tell this is one of those teas you like or you don’t. It’s pretty good but I’m not sure if I would buy a whole package of it. I am liking the chance some DAVIDs selections to my palette.
I guess you would say I’m double fisting Teavivre style this morning. I enjoy jasmine teas quite a bit. They are not everyday teas for me but there is a comfort that jasmine brings to me. It reminds me so much of summer and going on vacation. Dragon pearls fascinate me as well…as do other artisan teas. Yes Hollywood has corrupted me because every time I hear pearl I think Pirates of the Caribbean. If you saw my previous post about pirates and drinking tea. Arrr! I think there is a beauty in watching the pearls open up like watching a Ti Kuan Yin open up. I really like this version of pearls because the jasmine is a little more subtle and not overpowering. This would be a great after dinner or afternoon tea. Thus continuing my high esteem for Teavivre.
I can’t believe I have forgotten to review this one. Many thanks to Angel for this sample.This is my morning pot. I don’t have to be in to work till the afternoon so I’m relaxing a little bit and enjoying this tea steeped in the perfect teamaker that I saved 10 dollars on Ebay with. Is it bad that I am starting to compare other teas up to the standard of Teavivre? This one is excellent a nice caramel liquor. I would say this is more of a mellow brew. It’s not as peppery as a Keemun. It kind of reminds me of baked potatoes. Growing up our church had chicken barbecues and when it was done everyone who worked ate. There always used to be the Styrofoam cooler with the baked potatoes. I used to grab one, they were made with a little butter in the foil, peel the foil and eat it straight like an apple. That’s the way to enjoy baked potatoes. This tea is excellent! I am really starting to fully enjoy good black teas.
MMM. (Re: tea description and potato description.)
Yum to both the tea and potatoes as well!
My church homecoming memory is of coffee, not tea. We children were not allowed to drink coffee at home, but at homecoming our neighbor, whom we called “Aint Neal” – there was no “ant” vs. “ahwnt” ’round here, would let my brother and me get coffee from the huge urn. It was mostly milk and sugar in the cup, she let us help ourselves to that, too, and I doubt we ever finished it, but it was fun to sneak a cup while Mom and Dad were working the dinner!
Ha yeah that’s where I started drinking coffee at church. Originally with a load of cream and sugar.
Ashmanra, thank you for prompting some very smile-inducing memories of our white-haired church ladies. Grandma Bacon, particularly. And Miss Estaline in the closet-sized church library, that smelled pleasantly of dust and sour pages.
I brewed this basket-style yesterday and it was yum. Angel said to do it in the Gaiwan. I am brewing the Keemun in the Gaiwan now and it is so very nice…
It’s kinda like green tea without the tea. There is a roasty flavor to this that I really like. I may have already said this but it is hard not to eat this tea. I eat half popped kernals of popcorn that don’t quite pop all the way. Like cooking some teas happen by accident take a left over…a grain…a flower steep it and there you go :-)
This is one of my fave teas to take on the go. Yums! :)