Butiki Teas

I received this and my other samples from Butiki Teas a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, I hadn’t had the time until now to properly sit down, steep and review them so I forced myself to put them to the side until they could be paid attention to. I’d like to thank Stacy right away for sending these teas to me – They are all exciting smelling! When I first unpacked the teas, they all smelled strongly of mint, so I separated them to avoid any contamination in smell or flavour. Since I’ve taken so long to get to them, they are all cleared up, and now the only smells I get from this dry leaf are sweet grape and oolong. Its reminiscent of David’s Tea’s Through The Grapevine in grape smell – Surprisingly strong, but you still know you are smelling a tea. The grape flavour is more of a ripe purple grape, if you can picture that.

For steeping, I used all of my two cup sample, since the beau wanted to try it alongside me. I ended up using my new glasses, so it was approximately 1 tsp tea to an 11 oz glass, but I figure that is close enough. I am terrible at water temps, so we boiled it and then let it cool for about 5 minutes. The instructions suggested a steep time of 4 minutes, so that’s what we went with for the first steep.

The leaves expanded very rapidly…they’ve taken up the better part of the pot in only a few minutes. It looks like someone threw a bunch of spinach in my tea! The liquor is a warm yellow with a hint of green, and the smell is lightly grape with a strong oolong/vegetal tea smell. I smell a sweetness as well, but definitely a vegetal odor. Goes well with the spinach association! : )

First sips provide a hint of a spicy sweet taste, reminiscent almost of a mild cinnamon sugar, with grape in there somewhere. I might be saying grape because I know it’s there.. The vegetal smell is there in taste, but it’s sort of hiding. I notice it, but it seems to move around on the tongue, so it’s never strongly vegetal. It is balanced nicely with the sweet grape flavour. The initial taste is unusual, not something I’ve encountered before. I definitely enjoy it, but it’s a little confusing.

I’ve saved the leaves for further steeps, I will try to update this post with my thoughts on further steeps as I have them later on. As the cup cools, the strange cinnamon sugar grape smell becomes stronger at the beginning of the sip. It is almost floral…but I am terrible with identifying floral flavours. We have a flowering tea that was a semi sweet/spicy flavour that is similar to this. Maybe jasmine-esque? Don’t get me wrong, the grape is still the dominant taste in this, it just isn’t like eating a bunch of grapes straight up, it’s as if they’ve been sweetened or are maybe a bit over-ripe. Really yummy, if you’re interested in sweeter teas. I’m sad that my sample is gone, but looking forward to future steeps!

EDIT: Second steep retained the depth of flavour…Really enjoyable, thoguh the grape has muted slightly, it is still there in all of it’s sweet glory. I gave this steep about 4 minutes as well.

The third steep sat for about 7 or 8 minutes and still had some of that sweet grape flavour, but had lost most of the distinctive flavours. I could probably keep going on with smaller cups, but I think I’ve pushed this to it’s lovely end. Thanks again, Butiki Teas!

I got this as a free sample in my first order.

First, let me mention that I am not normally an oolong drinker, but more of a wannabe oolong drinker. I really liked this, and the second steep was just as good. The peach is subtle, and the flavor of the tea is light and more crisp than the blacks I usually drink. I see a serious relationship developing between oolongs and me for the summer tea season….. And shockingly, I drank this one straght up…no sweetener!

This tea smells lovely, and brews up promising. The liquor is golden yellow. Upon sipping the tea, one is greeted with a very pleasing, sweet, fruity flavor. However, the aftertaste — sharp and artificial-tasting — is a deal-breaker for me. It leaves a lingering stickiness/taste in the back of my throat, and I have to use another tea to get rid of the taste.

I’m sorry Butiki Teas; I really wanted to love this but it was not to be.

This is definitely creamy and lemony smelling and tasting. Much like a lemon meringue pie! It is just like it. Very yummy! These Butiki teas are amazing. I haven’t tried one I didn’t like yet. I love rooibos and it is interesting the marigold will give it this flavor. It really is just like a lemon meringue pie! It’s great if you want a zero calorie craving buster!

This is definitely grape, all right. Make no mistake about that — the scent is strong in the bag, even before it is opened. Steeped, it produces a yellow liquor. A little bit of sweetener is needed. The oolong flavor is present, but is greatly overshadowed by the grape flavoring. This is grape not like biting into a grape, but like grape Kool-Aid or grape jelly. Not that that’s a bad thing. I have two young daughters with whom I sometimes have tea parties — this flavored tea would be perfect for a child. It would also be good iced on a hot day, or maybe even blended with a mild green or white tea. I might consider getting this just for the novelty of it.

I’d describe this as ‘light’. It’s a sweet mild lemony flavor. Maybe drink this one when you don’t want a ton of flavor, but a boost of energy from the mate. I don’t think caffiene usually fazes me, but my brain did feel a bit sharper after drinking this. I think it would make a perfect summer sip.

I enjoyed this tea. It was what I expect from a gyokuro.

Alas! This is my last sample from the lovely Butiki teas. This is one dark brew! It smells strongly of cinnamon. The flavor is quite nice. It reminds me vaguely of cinnamon and apple sauce. In a very nice, spicy way. I really enjoyed this sample and wish I had more! I drank this without milk and I think that it would make a great latte type drink.

Thanks to Butiki for sending me these amazing samples! This tea is so beautiful. I’m not a prime source on white teas, but these leaves are covered in downy, soft, white fluffs. Which is just amazing. The brew reminds me of green veggies and almost like hay. The flavor is very soft and relaxing. It’s much more vegetal than most teas that I drink. But as I’m eating watermelon with it, it stands out beautifully. I didn’t plan on this pairing of drink/food but it’s surprising how well they match flavor wise! The only reason I’m lowering the score on this one is I don’t think it would be a good everyday tea for me personally.

Stacy was so smart to send free samples to everyone….the reviews on this one got me, and made me order. Her service on a regular order is very quick, in case you are curious! I love places that make it easy to order small amounts of tea as I have a cupboard full of it…..until one of those teas makes it necessary to order a whole bunch!

I really enjoyed this one. Light on the vanilla and lemon notes wich makes the cookie, and the almond is light, but maybe slightly more intense than the cookie part. I am so glad I ordered.

I enjoyed this tea. I would agree that it had a subtle flavor. I tasted buttery notes, and a very small hint of smokiness. I would surly recommend this tea.

Interesting! I had never heard of Genmaicha before. Toasted rice! Popped corn! With a green tea? What a surprise! It has a toasty flavor. I’m learning to appreciate a nice green tea because the green tea knows how to bring out the other flavors included. The smell of the toasted rice reminds me of a certain cereal from my childhood, but I’m not sure which. And I doubt the cereal was even made of toasted rice. You can smell and taste the popcorn, and there was only a couple little pieces in my sample. I wonder what a tea would be like with mostly popcorn? And would you add butter to it? :D

I picked this tea tonight for something light and refreshing. It sure fit the bill! I want to thank Butiki teas for sending me this sample. I was at first worried about the tea because it was close to my jasmine pearls and a lot of the smell rubbed off on it. But after steeping, it really didn’t change the flavor. The taste is not really “spicy” to me as much as minty. It’s an interesting mint because it’s not necessarily in the foreground of the taste. But it’s tasty nonetheless! I’m really digging the mint and the oolong flavors together and enjoy this a lot as a combination!

I’m finally getting around to the rooibos samples from Butiki (thanks again!), and I decided to have this one tonight. I don’t have a lot of plain vanilla teas, but that’s not because I don’t like them! I think I get too swept up in trying all the more complicated blends, and I forget how nice just a simple vanilla is.

The aroma of this one is primarily vanilla (no surprise there), but there’s an underlying ‘bright’ sweetness that almost seems like a fruit note. The taste is very true to the name: it’s all vanilla creaminess, with a hint of sweetness. I get a faint, almost almond note that I think is coming from the rooibos. This is a delicious, and it makes a nice evening dessert tea.

After the peach oolong from butiki, I was a little let down by this tea. It is good, but the grape did not flow as well with the oolong as the peach did.

BEST PEACH TEA EVER! This is a new cupboard essential for me. The peach flavor is superb – I picture juicy, plump peaches when I sip this. It’s a dream! I love peach tea; I used to live on the Diet Peach powder tea (I know, I know) when I was growing up. So this reminds me of summertime, sunshine, and happiness. Sigh. Wonderful! Thanks to Stacy for sending a sample!

I added this tea, but I wonder if it’s a duplicate… anyway, thanks to the wonderful Stacy for this sample. I’m a chai fiend and very picky, so she took a risk sending this to me. ;) However, it paid off. I let it steep for over 10 mins (work meeting) and the spicy concoction I was awarded with was worth it. In this delicious medley, I taste cinnamon, clove, ginger, allspice and even pepper. I won’t say it’s as good as my fave blend, but it’s a close second. More like 1a. ;) I love the spicy flavoring, plus the black tea base is bold and hearty. YUMS!

It had plenty of silver needle in it, and was delicious. Very Good… Want more.

I found that the Lychee agree’s with the Oolong which is mild and in the background. I liked the aroma, and found the flavor didn’t drop off the map on the second steep. Good tea…even though I’m not as found of blended/ flavored teas. I get such a kick out of using just leaf & hot water seeing how amazing the tea by itself can be.

Thank you to Butiki Teas for the sample.

Gyokuro is just about my favorite style of green tea, so I’m always happy to sample it. In the sample bag, this didn’t smell like anything special, but when I brewed it, it yielded a flavorful cup with no bitterness whatsoever, and a nice umami flavor. The liquor is medium greenish yellow. Normally I add a touch of sweetener to gyokuro, but this one did not need any. I am getting vegetal and seaweed flavors, something almost a bit salty, but kind of sweet at the same time. It’s a smooth, delightful cup of green tea, and the flavors are such that I think it could convert someone who is not a gyokuro lover. Although vegetal, this doesn’t have that ‘boiled spinach’ aspect that some green teas and gyokuros have. Very tasty. I almost have an urge to eat the leaves. I will update later with the results of the second steeping.

I’m no coffee drinker. I prefer tea. But this lovely tea actually tastes like a mild coffee (it has caffeine), which is PERFECT for me. The second steep is darker than the first, tastier, and blacker than a cup of coffee. I did not know a “coffee tea” like this existed, and it will now be a favorite. Yum!

This is a good all-around Yunnan. What I like about it is how smooth it is — there isn’t even the slightest hint of astringency or bitterness. It’s not the strongest Yunnan I’ve ever had, but perhaps that’s because I tend to brew my tea fairly strong, and this sample was on the small side. It’s not spicy or peppery, but a little bit biscuit-y. Very easy to drink. Overall, a nice mellow black tea with a pleasing flavor.

This is my first pear tea, but I’ve always wanted to try one so it was a perfect candidate to request for a sample from Butiki. The tea is apparently a new blend, and it has tons of whole flower buds in the dry tea. The aroma dry is definitely pear and general juicy-fruity, with some definite florals underlying it. Steeped, the tea liquor is a pale yellow (but not as pale as the Rose Violet Calendula Oolong!), and it smells like primarily like pears, but now a little more vegetal with floral overtones I can’t quite place.

The flavor is really juicy pear! It surprised me a bit, actually. Again in the taste I get the vegetal notes from the aroma (the green tea perhaps), and definitely an array of florals. I’m interested to know what flowers are actually in this one, but I really like it! I hope this one gets added for online ordering, because I would order more.

Let me preface this note by saying I’m not a big fan of heavily flavored teas. I decided to try this because I tend to be fond of almond and vanilla flavors, as long as they are not too strong or artificial. For a flavored tea, this is good, but it doesn’t really taste like almonds to me. It’s kind of fruity and mildly spicy, and reminds me of a cup of mulled wine or spiced cider. I can taste the tea, but the tea is definitely overshadowed by the flavors and spices. Again, this isn’t bad, but I don’t think I’ll buy it, because it’s just a little too much like a cup of hot cider for my tastes. If you like dessert-y flavored teas, this is worth a try, as long as you don’t expect it to taste purely like almonds. Thank you to Butiki Teas for the sample.