17 Tasting Notes
This is only my 4th shou experience. I am getting better at enjoying this style. This one is lighter in flavour in my opinion which is a very good thing for this newbie. Great way to start out with. Towards the middle steeps I started tasting honey notes. Baby steps but I do think I could really start enjoying ripe puerh.
Preparation
I believe I have found the perfect black tea for me! I discovered what the “stone fruit” description is. I never knew what that tasted like but here it is in this incredible tea!! Both iced and hot this Ceylon just hits the spot! I brewed at 195 and 208 both for 4 min. Both temperatures worked but I do enjoy 195 degrees more seems to bring out more juiciness!
Flavors: Stonefruit
Preparation
I believe the sample I have is from 2008
This is actually the first shu I have been able to drink all the way through.
I used 5 grams and did two 30 sec rinses.
I had some great advice to not inhale before I tasted. So I put this in a travel type mug so I couldn’t smell it at first. Lol It worked for me! I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the taste. I tasted some mineral and lots of sweetness. Left an aftertaste of both
After several steeps the aroma was so much better. This 5 grams lasted me two days! Since it just kept giving I decided to steep and put in a mason jar to cool down and have it iced I enjoyed also. Some honey notes came out as it chilled.
I am a big fan of sheng. And I just maybe starting on the shu journey :)
Flavors: Honey, Mineral
Preparation
Ohh I so enjoyed this Darjeeling! I was so sad when my cup was empty! I actually said that out loud! I got all the sweet juicy notes and left such a great taste in my mouth. This was a sample I received and will have to order this one!
Preparation
I enjoyed this green to quite a bit. Not a huge fan of green teas but I am really trying :-) I can see my self craving this green. I got the fruity flavor slight veg taste plus a sweetness Nice refreshing clean taste I steeped at 185 for 2 min
Second steeped 185 for 4 min
Third 195 for 6 min
All 3 steeps were successful and juicy
Preparation
I just received my samples last night and thanks to another snow day I can sit and enjoy this WOW this is really different! In a good way! I steeped at 208 for 3 min I am not good at describing tea specially for a tea with this much uniqueness I taste some fruity notes I would say it is brisk but no astringency at all . I believe this good be really good iced. I will test that out. But I am not sure I want to stop drinking this hot it is that good! I am going to try a second steep sure hope i get as much flavor! This is a must have in my cupboard I will be placing an order very soon! Probably today since I am snowed in!
Preparation
Second steep ….. I am excited just as good! Yeah! I steeped at 208 for 4 min. The wet leaves are still firm and I would say wire like I do think I can get a 3rd steep out of this. From what I can tell this is a good high quality tea and even better organic
The 3rd steep just didn’t really do much for me At first it was really fruity sweet but once it cooled it just kinda want flat for me.
This is one of my favorite black teas. When I think of black tea this is what I want simple slightly robust intoxicating smell. Soothes me all over! I can get 2 flavorful steeps easily and the third just doesn’t quite do it for me. I use 1 heaping tsp. for 8 oz steep at 208 for 3 min first infusion and 4 min for second infusion. I have tried making sinharaja in my beloved Breville but it just doesn’t work for me the flavor is just not there.
I just received my first order of Tea Drops.
I rarely put sugar in my tea unless it’s chai. So I ordered the cardamom drops. I can tell there is sugar in it but it’s not overly sweet. And thankfully not an artificial sweetner! So by the recommended suggestion by the founder Sashee Chandran I added a little milk and that helped balance out the sweetness and was a nice calming chai which I quite enjoyed! The box is very cute and I will come up with something to reuse it for. I will reorder Tea Drops are something I would like to keep around. And I loved the hand written card that came with my order by the founder!
