88

Another one from Nicole! And I’ve been really wanting to try this one too, mostly because of the adorable horse tin (hangs head in shame). I’m such a sucker for cute packages! The leaves are quite lovely – they’re somewhat long and curly and “fluffy”. About half golden and half brown. I ended up using closer to two teaspoons because of the fluffiness. I didn’t want to underleaf! The dry aroma is what I’m coming to expect from a very tippy Yunnan – bread and malt with honey and lovely stonefruit notes. Yummy.

At first, the tea smelled of just bread and honey. And I was okay with that! However, I noticed that as it started to cool to a more drinkable temperature, those stonefruit notes started poking their lovely little heads out. The taste is surprisingly light in texture. It’s predominantly bready malt with a bit of dried autumn leaves mixed in. And then there’s that little bit of honey sweetness too. I maybe get a little bit of a fruity aftertaste if I really look for it.

Overall, this tea is tasty. It’s uncomplicated, but done well and would make an excellent lighter everyday black tea.

So, a separate issue. I’ve made all three of my black teas today with bottled water instead of my usual tap. And they all three seemed to have the same mild bitterness. I don’t find that bitterness is usually an issue for me, since I generally do shortish steeps and use cooler water (200 degrees usually). So is it possible that my bottled water is making my teas taste more bitter…?

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Bread, Honey, Malt

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Ost

Mmm that sounds so good!

Marzipan

I love the tin, although I thought it was a cow at first.

Cameron B.

I love it too! But I don’t love it enough to spend $25 on it when I could get a comparable or better tea for cheaper. :(

TheTeaFairy

I guess it depends of the water Cameron. For example, I can’t stand Dasani water, I think it tastes worse than some tap water. I’m lucky to have found what works best for me, I use Mavea filters and love my water cause it gets super soft.

Nicole

I have noticed similar issues with water. Usually when something turns out way off from what others have noticed on here I try with a different water. I have some teas that I can’t stand when done with spring water from the local grocery store or the filtered water at work but with my tap water at home I love them. As TheTeaFairy said, just have to find what works best for you and if you like the tea, try to remember how you made it. :) That’s the part I have trouble with…

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Comments

Ost

Mmm that sounds so good!

Marzipan

I love the tin, although I thought it was a cow at first.

Cameron B.

I love it too! But I don’t love it enough to spend $25 on it when I could get a comparable or better tea for cheaper. :(

TheTeaFairy

I guess it depends of the water Cameron. For example, I can’t stand Dasani water, I think it tastes worse than some tap water. I’m lucky to have found what works best for me, I use Mavea filters and love my water cause it gets super soft.

Nicole

I have noticed similar issues with water. Usually when something turns out way off from what others have noticed on here I try with a different water. I have some teas that I can’t stand when done with spring water from the local grocery store or the filtered water at work but with my tap water at home I love them. As TheTeaFairy said, just have to find what works best for you and if you like the tea, try to remember how you made it. :) That’s the part I have trouble with…

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- July sipdowns: 6
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 109

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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