1648 Tasting Notes
It appears my little sample of “tea you’d drink with a granny after taking her to the Walmart” has gone missing, along with the sturdy reusable bag it was probably in, whose last use was probably a few weeks ago.
So I’m having an imaginary cup of this classic orange spice black tea in a slow moment at work.
Bah!
Flavors: Airy
Preparation
Teabg
The bergamot nuances I get in the regular Earl Grey are lost to orange. The two tastes blend well. A somewhat serious disposition peaks from behind the sunny face. Overall, a lighthearted tea.
Flavors: Bergamot, Bright, Citrusy, Drying, Orange, Orange Zest, Tangy, Tea, Wood
Preparation
US teabag version.
Much better than the English Breakfast. It doesn’t hold a flame to the memory of their tinned leaf I had 25 years ago but it’s good enough in a pinch. Rather drying and woody! I get hints of lime-cream swirling within the surprisingly complex bergamot taste.
Flavors: Bergamot, Bright, Butterscotch, Citrusy, Cream, Floral, Lime, Tangy, Tannic, Tea, Wood
Preparation
A tisane I’ve had in years past; giving a new box a go.
This time around, I can taste more than turmeric. The honeybush and/or rooibos come through a bit with honeyed sweetness and a woody, dry texture. Vanilla is soft and mild. I suspect cinnamon and cardamom round out the flavor but they are separately imperceptible. Overall, this tisane is mild, fairly thin and watery.
Flavors: Black Pepper, Dry, Honey, Spices, Thin, Turmeric, Vanilla, Watery, Woody
Preparation
This is a heavy roast yancha which seems difficult to come by these days. The roast is well done, and if this tea is from 2020, it’s had plenty of time to mellow. “Dark forest chicory-carob-mulberry” sums it up well. Plenty of texture between smooth and velvety, almost syrupy, and barky rasp. No fuss here just full flavor and aroma without a demanding aftertaste. I did several sessions at 6g:100mL but 5g does as well.
One of the first gifts my boyfriend gave me. He’s a good man that knows how to shop for a good tea.
Flavors: Bark, Chicory, Chocolate, Dark Wood, Earthy, Forest Floor, Mineral, Mulberry, Orchid, Peach, Silky, Sweet, Syrupy, Tannin
Preparation
As a housewarming gift, Kiki gave me a nice glass teapot from HomeGoods that included a few flowering teas. Spring snuck (do you say sneaked or snuck?) in this weekend, so why not give one of them a try. Gosh, I don’t think I’ve had one for 12 years, since my dad sent me an awesome Numi flowering tea giftbox.
Directions say to brew with boiling water for 5-10 minutes but I can’t bring myself to do so, recalling how the Numi balls would become bitter. So 185F, enough to get the ball to unfurl. The flower tower isn’t standing upright; it’s definitely a leaner.
The tea itself is drinkable, mostly mineral with light cooked green bean taste and a hint of butter. It is so heavily perfumed with jasmine and maybe rose?, though, that I’d only be comfortable serving this to a matronly patron of Crabtree & Evelyn. A little peach hides behind that gigantic perfumed schnoz.
For me, it’s a fair complement to the sunny, windows-open day but not something I would buy. Much too strong and artificial.
Flavors: Airy, Artificial, Butter, Green Beans, Jasmine, Mineral, Perfume