Just Me Send Message

Odd. Still very earthy and very smokey. I guess it just isn’t what I was expecting. Still I’d rather drink a pu-erh or lapsang if I’m craving something like this.

Tastes very earthy to me, and a lot like that 5 year or Golden Pu-erh from DAVIDsTEA etc. I oversteeped though, because I got distracted. There’s a little sweetness but not much. Will definitely have to try again.

Figured I’d try this one in the french press this time. As it turned out, my son had put a toy car and a nickel in the top part last week when we were doing some reorganizing, so that caught the tail end of the infusion. Still good. A little metallic. Yes, I plan on drinking it, dangit. :)

Tried again at a little over 2 minutes with cooler water. Big difference in taste. Still has that maltiness. Very smooth on the tongue. Hints of caramel and oranges. The gingerbread thing is gone but the honey’s still there. It’s actually very sweet. I can’t say whether I prefer the shorter infusion at lower temperature or longer infusion with higher, but I’m bumping up the score anyway now that I know it’s got this much versatility.

Serviceable bagged dust. Heh, what can I say really. It is strong enough to get the job done if you’re looking for a boost, but personally I won’t go out of my way to drink it for sheer pleasure. I think it’s a combination of Assam and Ceylon, the latter dominating. It’s fine, just not my cup of tea.

Got this in the mail today (a swap with Emilie).

I like the curlicue look of it, and when it steeps, the leaves open up to be surprisingly massive. Lots of fun to watch.

To me it smells a bit like nutmeg or some vague christmasy spice combination I can’t quite place.

There’s a little grassiness to it and a little spice. Fairly full-bodied and maltier than I was expecting. As it cools it starts to smell like freshly baked bread, and the best way I can describe the taste is like gingerbread without the ginger. I know that doesn’t make much sense, and, not being into baking, can’t vouch for its accuracy. It is what it is. :) I’m getting, oddly enough, hints of cinnamon, and yep, there’s that Yunnan honey goodness.

It’s pretty good. Strong enough without being bitter or astringent. I’ll have to experiment with it. As it stands I think it’s tasty but nothing special. It seems like if I prepare it differently it could turn into that “comfort in a cup” kinda tea.

Oy.. I think I put too many leaves in this one this time, because I didn’t steep it all that long. Has quite the bite to it. I’ll just write from memory of the first time I tried it (a few hours ago).Smells almost identical to Wild Black Yunnan from DAVIDsTEA, which is a good sign I suppose. Tastes different, though. There’s a subtle sweetness and a whole lot of woodsy. A bit smoky and a bit peppery on the tongue but not as overbearing as the Wild Black Yunnan (not that I minded that). Very full-bodied. Brings to mind an old mossy forest at dusk, the scent of woodsmoke from a nearby cabin gently kissing the air. The kind of tea to sip slowly beside a campfire or stargazing with a good friend.Hm, if I’m talking like that, it’s safe to say I like it. I chose it as a free sample but I’ll have to add it to my ever-growing wish/purchase list.