114 Tasting Notes
Had this tea with Ashmanra’s April prompt, “fanciest tea” in mind. I actually had a few other ones mentally picked out for that prompt, but I couldn’t resist this one after it came in with my newest W2T order. I’ve shared it with a couple of friends already heheh
I forget the exact tasting notes I was remarking on with my friends, but the deep floral scent of the wet leaf peeking through the light nutty roast absolutely stuck with me. One of my friends picked up a light lemon note, more zest than juice though. This tea was a crowd pleaser both sessions. I also love how absurdly massive the leaves are, and ended up grampa styling the last half of the leaf sesh I had yesterday. This tea packs a sneaky flavorful punch!
Will report back when I sit down and mindfully drink this one.
Flavors: Artichoke, Floral, Lemon Zest, Lily, Roasted Nuts
Preparation
This was my most anticipated tea in my last Yunomi order. I am a huuge smoked tea lover and the idea of using cinnamon wood to smoke a tea was impossible to resist. Finally cracked it open today and the hisssss of the compressed packaging was so satisfying. The dry leaves were large and lightly curled, and I knew they’d expand to show bigger leaves. I was a bit nervous at how intense the smoke was on the dry leaf, a little peaty, a little too backyard propane bbq. I could sense the cinnamon faintly, it almost smelled like cinnamon oil rather than ground cinnamon.
The brew was exquisite! it wasn’t as intensely smoky as I feared when smelling the dry leaf, but the smokiness lends itself to a sort of lit incense quality when playing with the cinnamon spice aspect. The cinnamon is a little hard to describe, it’s clearly there, but not in a way it would be in a chai or an autumn inspired blend. It has a veiled quality, very much present, but in a subtler, more spicy and almost numbing way, like a cinnamon oil. The combo of the smoke and the hint of warming cinnamon makes this medium bodied tea so intricate and fun to drink. It really make me want some pulled pork hahaha.
I also read on the package that they use a traditionally cultivation method called Chagasuba, which just means that the tea bushes are grown in cultivated grasslands and the tea is shaded using the grass, as well as used as compost to enrich the soil and reduce the environmental impact. Cool!
Flavors: Cinnamon, Incense, Peat, Smoke
Preparation
Found the final sachet in the tea cupboard at work and figured, why not me? I’ve been craving flavored teas all day, and after a round of Melbourne Breakfast, this tea was my next victim. Is it a sipdown if it’s a communal tea?
And Just like that… it’s a Sipdown! Got treated to some Levain Bakery cookies today, and this tea was the perfect compliment :) I guess I like Bai Hao oolongs again hehehe. Thankfully this tea type is traditionally a summer harvest tea, so i can chug down some more of my teas before going ham at Taiwan Tea Crafts again :P
Finished my bag up as a cold brew. I added some hot water to cover the leaves and to melt the konpeito left in the bag before adding cool filtered water to sweeten the brew. It’s the perfect juicy melon oolong tea! The melon in this blend is exactly like my favorite honeydew boba, and somehow even the age of this tea hasn’t dulled that melon scent.
Flavors: Flowers, Melon
Preparation
Got such a tiny amount of this tea left that I decided to split it and do a sort of modified western style with about 2ish grams of tea. This is perhaps my final (non-lapsang) Chinese black, and I am in the mood to savor. I have other equally fascinating black teas on deck, and while I am anticipating those, nothing beats a delicious dian hong.
Speaking of dian hongs, This is such a unique tea. I distinctly remember the height of the hype train for this tea, and I was a little skeptical at first. But the second I gave in to the peer pressure, I realized that it was hyped for good reason. The leaves are so distinct and beautiful, and all the golden fuzzies full of the promise of a cha qi buzz. I really enjoyed each session I had with this tea, which is definitely why i squirreled some away until now
Steeped 2ish grams in about 100ml water for 2.5minutes each time. Got a satisfyingly sweet brew, filled with sweet honey, cocoa, vanilla and a musky woodiness.
Flavors: Cocoa, Earth, Sandalwood, Vanilla
Preparation
Sat down with this tea for breakfast. It’s such a refreshing tea to start my day with. The leaves swimming in my mini kyusu were truly fascintating ! So varied… I saw some paper white buds, rusted red oxidized spots on some leaves, and even a lil tea seed. While these are considered flaws, I find them very entertaining and a bonus each brew.
Flavors: Asparagus, Butternut Squash, Lettuce
It took me two tries to really get into this brew. I always get too excited and overleaf, especially if it’s my first time with a tea. I was slinging senchas so often that I forgot how much kamairicha can expand! Second time around was much better. all the bitter green I got the first time around had mellowed out to a lovely wakame freshness. This tea is full of marine umami – I sensed butter drenched scallops and salty oysters. It’s a very refreshing green tea, definitely on the more savory side.
Flavors: Mineral, Seashell, Seaweed, Shellfish
