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Cameron B. drank Temple of Heaven Pearl Tea / Green Pearl Tea by Kiani Tea

4120 tasting notes

Kiani Tea Advent Calendar 2021 – Day 19

Ooh, a gunpowder green today from Kiani Tea. And no glitter in sight, hooray! \o/

There was probably about 1.5 teaspoons in the packet, and I waffled between using 12 or 16 ounces of water, but ended up with 12. Seems the correct choice, as it’s not overly strong or anything like that.

I will say it’s a bit more dimensional that I generally find gunpowder tea. It does have that mineral, slightly earthy, slightly smoky thing going on that warrants the name. But there’s also a lovely creamy nuttiness underneath, and bit of lightly grassy sweetness. The description mentions almond, and I think that’s pretty spot-on for the nutty note.

I wouldn’t rush out and buy it or anything, but I’m finding it quite good and very satisfying on a cold day here in Austin.

P.S. – In case anyone is wondering why all of these Kiani teas have two names, for some reason the name listed in the advent is almost always different from the name on their website, even though it’s the same tea…

Flavors: Almond, Creamy, Dry Grass, Earth, Grass, Mineral, Nuts, Smoke, Smooth, Soybean, Sweet

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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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… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- September sipdowns: 9
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 128

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.

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