Adagio Teas

June Sip down

Aroma: Honey, cough drops, & hibiscus

Cold brewed.

Tasting Notes: I sipped this down with a friend, and I noted, “Tastes like beets.” Their note, “Reminds me of pickled eggs – vinegar, beets, sour, & salty.” 45/100

June Sip down

Another cold brewed tea…This time, it worked!

Notes: The apple cuts the intensity of the hibiscus, so it’s not as tart as I would’ve expected it to be based on the dry material aroma and listed ingredients. Well rounded, slightly sweet, and great for a warm day. 71/100.

June Sip down

We’re nearly at the end of July and I’m working on my June sip downs…Lol.

Notes: Cold brewed. Works well plain, however, I think this tea would benefit as a sweet tea. 65/100. Perhaps the next time, I will add a little sweetener.

Wow, I knew the moment I opened this bag that I would enjoy this tea, and I was not mistaken! I love basically all earl grey teas, and I was initially skeptical that this one would taste too artificial. However, the notes of vanilla and citrus are most pleasant and taste as natural as can be. I also enjoyed that there is a nice strong presence of bergamot here – though that could be because I used a tablespoon of tea instead of the recommended teaspoon per cup. In all, this was extremely enjoyable and I look forward to having more of this tea.

Wuyi Ensemble. Adagio.
Lot no: 85424. FB: n/a.

Variously called Da Hong Pao, or Big Red Robe, or Rock Oolong, this is a type of tea I’ve battled before from several other vendors. I prepared Western style, as directed, using the entire 3.5 grams of dry leaf (smelled of seaweed) in 8 oz 190°F spring water for 3 min, resteeping once for 5 min. Yes, I could taste toastiness like toasted rice, minerality, floral and vegetal notes, aroma and flavors of kelp, and a sweet lengthy aftertaste of fruity flowers. It was like a floral sushi roll: a bundle of wilted orchids rolled up in toasted sesame rice in a nori (seaweed) wrapper, dipped in soy sauce. But only a quarter of the strength you are imagining. The flavors were too subtle for my liking, even though it was many times stronger than the BRR from Tealyra that I disliked and reported on two weeks ago. The resteep was similar but weaker. I would not waste time or spring water running a gongfu session on it, and I can feel my resentment toward this type of tea building, so I better stop here. Rating as 25 and not recommending, out of spite (toward the tea type, not Adagio which is likely blameless!)

Jasmine Yin Hao. Adagio.
Lot no. 90535. FB: n/a.
Recently received this single-serving portions-pouch of a terrific-sounding green tea, scented with Jasmine flowers, though the flowers themselves were absent from the blend. Prepared the full 3 g portion as directed, Western style: in 8 oz 180°F alpine spring water for 2.5 min. The liquor was a light amber hue, scented strongly of lovely jasmine, both the dry leaf and the infusion. It was a pleasure to drink, though except for a slight astringency, I could taste nothing of the green tea itself. I might as well have steeped a jasmine-scented empty teabag with a few mg of caffeine. I steeped a second infusion, re-using the leaf, hoping the jasmine element might be reduced sufficiently to permit appreciation of the Yin Hao, which by itself is said to be good for multiple infusions or gongfu style prep. Alas, though the jasmine was much weaker, I still could not discern notes from the green base, which I now conclude to be somewhat less than stellar. Really, after reading about the qualities of Yin Hao green tea, it was a disappointment to taste nothing of it. In the end, nothing set this apart from every other jasmine green tea I’ve had. If you like jasmine aroma and flavor, I can recommend this, just don’t expect more. I’ll rate it at 60 for being nice but unidimensional. Still better than drinking plain water!

Ali Shan. Adagio.
Lot no. 85420. FB: n/a..
Recently got this single-serving portions pouch in a sample box, and it is said to be from Taiwan. Steeped as directed, Western style: the entire 3.8 g of rolled leaf in a stainless steel infusion basket with 8 oz. spring water at 195°F for 2 min. Produced a yellow liquor with a floral nose and buttery smooth floral flavor that included a note of perfume in the first re-steep. A very gentle tea, and the leaves appeared intact and fully expanded after the first re-steep. I noted many full single leaves, and a few sets of 2 or 3 leaves with or without a bud. Vigorous slurping and allowing the tea to crawl up my sinuses at the back of my tongue gave a more appreciable flavor. My overall impression, however, was of weakness. A fourth (final) infusion of the leaf at 205°F for 4 min. yielded a golden liquor with a similar aroma and flavor profile. I’ve enjoyed much more potent oolong flavors elsewhere, though this tea could go well with delicate foods and fruits, or done well by itself—possibly iced and sweetened. I detected grassy and spinach notes as the tea cooled during my session. A good, if basic, oolong, but not one to shop around for. Rating 70.

This now, is the second half of the portions pouch I started on 2 d ago. No food yet this morning, though I just finished sipping a slightly brutal 20 yr old raw pu-erh, and this Darjeeling in contrast is striking! It feels in my mouth like a balm to sore taste buds. The gentle spring flower aroma, the sweet liquor with flavor notes of honey and a long finish of molasses, the hint of malt and dandelion flower, and a smoothness in the back of my throat. Light but refreshing, and I’m raising my rating to 79. Sometimes deprivation helps one appreciate what can be had. Darjeelings are redeemed.

Spring Darjeeling. Adagio.
Lot no. 85535. FB: n/a.
Having been disappointed by a couple other Adagio Darjeeling’s, I approached this single-serving portions-pouch with trepidation. Received last month, so it’s fresh. For some reason, today I felt I’ve been drinking my teas a little bit over leafed, and so I’ve reduced the amount to 1.5 g per 8 oz. cup (which I feel better approximates the amount inside the pyramid sachets packed by various vendors) instead of my usual 2.5 or 3 g. And I’ve already had fully enjoyable cups, as such, of dragonwell and keemun this morning. No food yet. I noted that the leaf of this Spring Darjeeling was substantially broken (1 cm sized bits), yet a 3 minute Western style infusion produced a clear orange-amber liquor with a gentle, floral aroma. The flavor was a honeyed maltiness, without astringency, and a floral finish. Vigorous slurping increased my enjoyment and brought out other layers of savory wood and soft spiceyness. Overall a nice, gentle tea that was good to sip on this overcast, warm Independence Day (USA) morning. Did not attempt a resteep. I look forward to steeping the rest of the pouch tomorrow morning! Recommend with a rating of 74.

Sipdown of an herbal tisane for ashmanra’s sipdown challenge. This was a sample with my order back in May. It’s still not up on the website, but is currently still available on the rewards page, labeled “sneak peek.”

I’ve been enjoying this as an oat milk latte. Creamy, cinnamony, vanilla, sweet. Pretty good pastry vibes, especially for an Adagio blend. This flavor profile is right up my alley. It would probably be good with a dash of maple syrup too, but I didn’t think of that earlier!

dragonwell. Adagio.
Lot no. 90718. FB 09/2029

Brewed as directed, Western style, in a stainless steel infusion basket. This is a really good dragon well tea! I bought this bag at Adagio’s store in Naperville, IL. The aroma was vegetal and nutty, and flavors included chestnut, light grassiness, edamame, pleasantly astringent, and as the cup cooled, flashes of sweet fruit, possibly grape. Everything I expect from a lung jing! A re-steep was similar, but less potent and non-astringent but still enjoyable, probably because both steeps were 2.5 min. In the future I would simply combine both liquors and enjoy a large mugful, or shorten the first and lengthen the second, to balance it out. Recommended, and rate as 84.

Lot no. 85439
Single-serving portion pouch from sampler box; brewed Western, as directed.
The dry “leaf” is all chopped stems & twigs, as usual for honeybush, and has a pungent “hazelnut” aroma that overwhelms any other fragrance, as did the steeped liquor which was a nice clear amber in color. Flavor was sweet and roasty-woodsy, with strong hazelnut taste FAR stronger than that of actual roasted hazelnuts. This tisane is all about the strong hazelnut taste and smell, and would go well with strongly-flavored desserts like chocolate cake, etc. The only other note I sensed was occasional whiffs of cigarette butt. I would rather enjoy dessert with a creamy hazelnut liqueur that would more closely match the taste of the nuts. This tisane is pretty one-dimensional, and good if this flavor is your thing. Given the saturating taste and cigarette sensation, I’ll rate this only as 45, but withhold from recommending or belittling.

Lot No: 85419. BB: n/a.
Single portion pouch, of Adagio’s Formosa Oolong prepared as directed: Western style.
Mild, toasty oolong aroma on the dry leaf as well as the liquid. Nice clear dark amber liquor. The roasty-toasty flavor may have been from charcoal roasting, but I don’t really associate a flavor with charcoal, per se. There was no flavor of smokiness, or pine. Nor of raisin, nor malt, nor chestnut, nor anything floral or fruity. Just a basic oolong flavor, slightly woody, smooth, pleasant, with notes of roasted wheat or barley. Non-astringent, non-bitter, nothing objectionable to me. But very plain tasting. A 3.5 min. re-steep was very similar. Drink this with a meal, without worry of overpowering any nuance, since there is none. I won’t recommend nor discourage, because I’m that ambivalent about it. Rating? let’s say 65, since I rate Lipton black the same. Both have (differing) inoffensive flavors and caffeine, but that’s the best I can say.

Brewed as directed, alongside green rooibos for comparison. Nauseating. Tastes like dill mixed with cedarwood sawdust and cured kalamata olives. And, oddly, strongly of coffee; I love good coffee, but the notes in red rooibos are, to me, more akin to yesterday’s spent, sour, wet grounds from a stale, cheap generic. YUCK! Exactly as anticipated, based on a blend from another vendor, so I don’t blame Adagio. This is the worst beverage I’ve had in my life. Rate 1 and not recommended. Disclaimer: my tastes vary from the typical, for example stevia tastes unsweet and bitter to me, which I understand to be a genetic thing, similar to how some people dislike cilantro or asparagus. So your impressions of red rooibos may differ from mine!

Oh, rooibos, how I dislike thee. But green rooibos? I’ve had a couple green rooibos blends that I liked, so it was time to give the straight green rooibos a chance. Brewed as directed, Western: 3 g leaf in 8 oz boiling spring water for 5 min. The aroma was unusual and unidentifiable. And the liquor was bright pumpkin orange (in full sunlight). It didn’t strike me as being sweet, so much as lacking sourness, astringency, or bitterness. And as others have written, the flavor of the hot tisane was mild and nondescript. I didn’t get pine, but perhaps the slightest note of cedar, so I’d say more like a non-oak hardwood sawdust. Perhaps maple? (Perhaps Aspalathus sp. sawdust?) As I continued sipping and the liquid cooled, I noticed notes of red rooibos, which is reminiscent of dill, kalamata olives and spent coffee grounds to me. And, actually, I thought there were some darker flecks in the powder, possibly accounting for that impression. Okay, this stuff is definitely not my favorite by itself. However, I can see how it can make a good base for blending, and even work as a carrier for flavoring agents. I will not choose to drink it again my itself, and must rate it lower than my starting spring water, as a 20. Nothing greatly offensive, but nothing much more than sawdust, either. Can’t recommend it. No fault of Adagio, however!

Darjeeling Sungma Summer. Adagio.
Lot no. 88740. FB 05/2029.
I love muscat grapes and muscat raisins and dry muscatel wine. I found nothing of that in this tea— nothing even remotely of grape. No fruitiness whatsoever, and just weak notes of black tea flavor. I brewed as directed, Western style: 3 g leaf in 8 oz boiling alpine spring water for 3 min. in a stainless steel infusion basket. As it cooled, bitterness arose along the sides of my tongue, and the already astringent quality strengthened. And it began to taste more like wet cardboard. Even discounting the lack of expected flavors, this tea was unpleasant at best. I would rate Lipton Orange Pekoe and Pekoe cut black tea bags superior to this, and so this merits a rating of only 50. It’s destined for the garden compost heap. Not recommended.

UPDATE 11 days later: Gave this another chance. Found aroma of cocoa powder in the dry leaf and in the liquor. This time I reduced the leaf to 1.5 g, and did taste faint notes of honey and floral, with strong cardboard. Still not to my liking, and not a recommendation, but I’ll raise the rating to 58 because I found some favorable notes this time.

Okay, this is part II, using the second sachet in the pouch…. See my initial review for very positive comments on this as a hot-brewed iced tea.

As a Sun Tea:
I tossed the second sachet into a quart of room-temp spring water and let it sit in the afternoon sunny window for 4hr, then kept it on the kitchen table overnight. Next day I set the jar outside in the morning sun for 5 hr, at which point the tea was as deeply colored as the brewed version, and had passively reached 108°F (outside air was 92°F by then). I removed the sachet and refrigerated the tea for the next 6 hr to chill. Oh dear, this smells terrible! A light scent that smells more of sour fruit rinds, and not at all floral. The taste was quite unpleasant, having only a slight sweetness and a phenolic bite. I would not call it fruity— more medicinal. Speaking as a biochemist, I believe what has happened here is that because the fruit was dried— but not cooked, and then rehydrated— but not with hot water, that active enzymes were released from the apple chunks [polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catechol oxidase, and other enzymes that create melanins and benzoquinone from natural phenols] and these enzymes acted as they do in browning cut apples and potatoes, etc. These phenolic components are why we dislike the taste of things that have substantial enzymatic browning. It would have been prevented if there had been more rose hip and hibiscus present (containing vitamin C) or even added vitamin C, which prevents browning. But those sources are also very tart. Alternatively, if the fruit had been cooked (such as with boiling water) it could be avoided. Clearly Adagio’s marketing people put the sun tea advice on the website without actually trying it first! Anyway, the Sun Tea is a total fail. Don’t do it with this product. Make it using boiling (or 180°F) water and enjoy! I’ll leave the rating at 77, and hope you find it worthy.

PS: If you insist on going the sun tea route, you can toss a few fresh lemon slices (or squeeze a fresh lemon wedge) into the water before adding the sachet. The vitamin C should be sufficient to block browning, just as it does in your other cooking. But if you’re going to start slicing fruit, you might as well make real sangria!

Free with order, two large sachets in the sample pouch, each to infuse 1 quart of water.

As a Hot-Brewed, Iced Tea:
The first sachet I infused for 5 minutes in 180°F spring water, as directed on the mylar pouch, then removed the pouch and refrigerated the liquor a couple days. Lovely fruity aroma. I drank half as-is, naturally sweet from the apple and cherry, and I added 2 Tbsp sugar to the rest, just to try it. No substantial flavor difference. My initial sensation was of mintiness, yet this tea contains no mint. I assume it was the combination of the grapefruit flavor, raspberry leaves, rose hip, and hibiscus that simulated the mint impression. By the way, the hibiscus was very mild, and perfectly balanced with the grapefruit, apricot, cherry and apple. I could not individually discern the other ingredients. But this infusion was the perfect refreshment for a record hot and muggy midwestern first day of summer, and I enjoyed it both with and without ice. I suppose there was white tea in this too (the sachet seemed well-filled) though the tea component was definitely quite smooth and gentle, without astringency. The rose hip served to provide a bit of zing. But the infusion was neither tart nor bitter. I liked it! I’m not sure it mimicked sangria, though it was fruity on the tongue and in the nose. I would rate this as 77, and recommend! I’m going to prepare the second sachet as a sun tea, tomorrow, and will amend this review if I have further observations to report.

As a Sun Tea:
I tossed the second sachet into a quart of room-temp spring water and let it sit in the afternoon sunny window for 4hr, then kept it on the kitchen table overnight. Next day I set the jar outside in the morning sun for 5 hr, at which point the tea was as deeply colored as the brewed version, and had passively reached 108°F (outside air was 92°F by then). I removed the sachet and refrigerated the tea for the next 6 hr to chill. Oh dear, this smells terrible! A light scent that smells more of sour fruit rinds, and not at all floral. The taste was quite unpleasant, having only a slight sweetness and a phenolic bite. I would not call it fruity— more medicinal. Speaking as a chemist, I believe what has happened here is that because the fruit was dried— but not cooked, and then rehydrated— but not with hot water, that active enzymes were released from the apple chunks [polyphenol oxidase (PPO), catechol oxidase, and other enzymes that create melanins and benzoquinone from natural phenols] and these enzymes acted as they do in browning cut apples and potatoes, etc. These phenolic components are why we dislike the taste of things that have substantial enzymatic browning. It would have been prevented if there had been more rose hip and hibiscus present (containing vitamin C) or even added vitamin C, which prevents browning. But those sources are also very tart. Alternatively, if the fruit had been cooked (such as with boiling water) it could be avoided. Clearly Adagio’s marketing people put the sun tea advice on the website without actually trying it first! Anyway, the Sun Tea is a total fail. Don’t do it with this product. Make it using boiling (or 180°F) water and enjoy! I’ll leave the rating at 77, and hope you find it worthy.

PS: If you insist on going the sun tea route, you can toss a few fresh lemon slices (or squeeze a fresh lemon wedge) into the water before adding the sachet. The vitamin C should be sufficient to block browning, just as it does in your other cooking. But if you’re going to start slicing fruit, you might as well make real sangria!

Lot no. 84955.
I steeped this portion packet Western style, as directed, in 8 oz spring water. The strange thing is, I like vanilla! I add it to my waffle mix and pancake batter, I like it in ice cream and cake, and in cookies, and elsewhere. Even in some cocktails. But it seems an unlikely combination with tea, to me. and I’m not particularly fond of the chemical vapor fragrance that came from the sample pouch when I opened it. And I nearly spat out my first mouthful of the brew. But I realized that was unfair: to be prejudiced against a flavor just because I didn’t expect it somewhere. And to give it credit, the lingering aftertaste was discernibly black tea and discernibly vanilla. How could I not like it? As the infusion cooled in my cup, I noted that the pungency of chemical vanilla was waning, but also that an astringent bitterness was becoming notable. Well, I suppose in time I could get used to this combination, though would I ever find it appealing? I did get used to having cheddar cheese on top of apple pie… and can enjoy that. But I never have liked poutine. And I think I better leave the vanilla for the desserts and pastries. Yeah, no, I can’t recommend this vanilla black tea, and I’m rating it a 20. Yuck. No offense to Adagio, or to @AJRimmer or @tea-sipper or anyone else who thinks it the cats meow!

Darjeeling Puttabong Summer. Adagio.
Lot no. 94819, FB 03/2030.
Steeped Western, as directed: 2.5 g in 8oz boiling spring water for 4 min.
Aroma with floral notes. A light tea with some astringency and pleasant faint aftertaste. Lightly sweet, notes of white grape, malt, honey and floral elements. This tea may have premium cultivation credentials (elevation, etc.) but it didn’t knock my socks off, and wasn’t worth the premium price. Might steep the next session for 5 min, per commentary by @eastkyteaguy. Seems to have a long expiry date. I’ll rate it as 68. Mediocre. A single re-steep of the leaf produced a cup of brown water with a faint cardboard smell. Not worthy of my spring water.

UPDATE 17 days later: Giving this another chance. Reduced leaf amount to 2 g, and steeped once, for 2 min. Flavors the same, but a bit stronger, with no astringency. A bit more pleasant this time, and raising my rating to 72. Will keep it around and sip now and then, but not reorder because the flavors aren’t worth the premium price.

Found this Ti Kuan Yin amongst the sample packets I recently received from Adagio. Steeped the entire sample (about 3 g) as directed in 8 oz alpine spring water at 195°F for 2 min. There was a quick flash of potent orchid aroma while adding the water, then a less bold scent as the green leaves unfurled. A deep golden liquor was produced, with a slight tint of green. The soft floral scent endured throughout the session.

The flavors were essentially as Adagio described: “warm, soft and soothingly mineral in texture. Notes of toasted walnut and tender collard greens. Intriguing lingering floral aroma, lightly orchid and gentle astringency. A meditative cup.” I will add that the mouthfeel was very thick and smooth, and I also noticed a gentle sweet butter flavor in the finish. Although vegetal, it was not the harsh grassiness I’ve sensed in other teas. The aftertaste continued for a few pleasant minutes after each sip. A re-steep of 90 seconds also at 195°F again produced a deep golden liquor. And this time the butteriness was somehow sweeter and more umami in character, making the second cupful different, but every bit as enjoyable as the first.

I really enjoyed this much more than other tieguanyins I’ve had. I’ll rate this as an 87, and no longer stand in fear of the Iron Goddess!

Another winning Adagio sample packet! Prepared as directed, infusing all 3.2 g of material in 8 oz boiling spring water for 5 min. The aroma of the dry blend was pleasant, if powerful, but it softened considerably during steeping. I was skeptical here because there is no actual banana ingredient, only a flavoring. And I’m wary of cinnamon which often overwhelms.

But my fears were wasted and, as Steepster @Kaylee mentioned a few months ago, the banana flavoring was short of being candylike. In fact, my overall impression was of flaming, buttered Bananas Foster in a banana-nut bread context, which I adore. Kaylee couldn’t identify the nut, and neither could I except for having read of the chestnut flavoring ingredient— another dubious flavoring that turns out to work quite well. I was unaware of any cinnamon unless I tried to taste it. The sweetness was quite forward, and undoubtedly results from the honeybush and the dry apple pieces. Forward, but perfectly sweet in my opinion! I counted 14 small cubes of diced apple, and the resulting flavor was of baked apple dumpling, rather than sharp green apple (nor artificial flavor), which was warming, mouthwatering, and terrific. Steepster @Ashmanra reported some time ago about having liked the chocolate flavor (from the cocoa nib ingredient) in her sample packet, whereas my sample must not have gotten any nibs, since that element was undetectable. No matter, I do like chocolate with banana and/or apple, but this tisane was fine without. The marigold petals added no flavor, but imbued the liquor with golden color to brighten the amber honeybush tint.

A re-steep following the same parameters had a softer aroma, wherein the cinnamon was gently asserting itself. The banana was less impressive, but still notable, and the sweetness vastly reduced. Still no chocolate notes. Nevertheless, it was still an enjoyable echo of the original result, and a soft landing for the evening. I will include more of this in my upcoming Adagio order, and play around with combining the first and second steeps for an improved 2 cups of ‘tea’. It’s really now one of my favorite non-caffeine dessert drinks. I’ll rate it at 89 for now, and recommend.

One stone, two birds.
First, I remember, vaguely, a challenge to steep something having ten or more ingredients. Well this has a whole spice rack of ingredients!
Second, @ashmanra suggested I give green rooibos a try, since I liked honeybush, and one of the thirteen components here is green rooibos!

So I went digging thru my teas and found Samurai Maté, from Adagio. Now, I thought yerba maté was a South American beverage, whilst Samurai are from Japan, so it seemed dubious at first thought. But we’re well beyond the jet age, so why not‽ ‽ I ripped open the sample pouch and inhaled deeply… wow! I could smell so many things, and yet nothing dominated, not even the cinnamon! Even the empty pouch carries a terrific peppery fruit scent, reminiscent of Juicyfruit gum and warm spices. Really appealing to me. They’ve excluded clove and nutmeg, thereby deftly avoiding any echo of pumpkin spice.

I brewed as directed: the entire pouch (~3 g) in 8 oz. boiling spring water for a whopping ten minutes. A deeply golden liquor resulted, from which an aromatic battle erupted, with anise, ginger, orange, cardamom, cinnamon, and almond finishing in détente: all contributing, but none dominating. My nose couldn’t discern the lemongrass, maté, rooibos, mango or pineapple. It was quite an odorific result, but pleasing to me.

While sipping, my tongue first noted the sweetness of… ? Perhaps sweet from rooibos, or mango, or pineapple, or papaya or orange. And while I can convince myself that I could taste all of the flavors at play (other than maté and rooibos), I mostly found my attention swept away by by the clamorous roar of battle on my tongue and in my sinuses. And some caffeine came from the maté (as I learned many decades ago, drinking Celestial Seasonings’ Morning Thunder blend, before high school) so this makes a good wake up! beverage in multiple ways.

Yes, there is a lot going on in this tisane. And I like every bit of it! Perhaps overly raucous or jarring to some, I found it invigoratingly welcome after a string of somewhat boring teas. Often cinnamon overpowers in blends, but it was under control in the sample pouch I drank today. I’ll rate it an 88 and remember to order some more at my next opportunity. My only regret is that I could not clearly discern a flavor from the green rooibos. No matter, I’ve ordered some of that as a straight tisane to better evaluate its properties.