Golden Dragon Tippy Black Tea, Lot 240

Started snowing again! I think we have a few more inches coming! Made a big mug of this as it’s got such a natural sweet and spice warming character to it. Yum!

I posted a few kid snow photos and a slow motion video of the hummingbirds battling over the feeder on my rarely updated blog. Feel free to check it out here:

http://tastybrewtea.blogspot.com/2014/02/winter-fun.html

The video is at the bottom.

Really? I haven’t rated this before?

I iced a cup of this a day or so ago, and while it was okay, I really think the roasty chocolate profile is what I want in my straight iced blacks, and that’s not what this tea has. It’s more along the malty/bready lines. Still quite a flavourful tea, but not my favourite profile, as I want more chocolate, and more roasty toastiness.

So I finally managed to get my husband over the hump and on the mend from this flu and it looks like all of my compassion and voluntary nursing has been rewarded by my immune systems surrender and slow demise to the same tyrant virus… Thanks a lot immune system!! So instead of being at work this afternoon I’m working from home which at least has the benefit of being in close proximity to my tea stash… Before my taste buds go the same way as the immune system I decided to commiserate my impending doom with this tea…. Mmmm… opening the packet I’m greeted by a malty cocoa scent… brewed its big malt, honey, baked bread flavors with a slight hint of sweet potato… I may have to hoard the rest of this until I’m feeling better!

We decided to each make a different cup to do a comparison of sorts. I put this one in my cup, and Alexa has Golden Dragon Black, Lot 241.

This one reminds me quite a bit of Bailin. It’s light, yet not, with a malty, nearly light syrupy flavour. The syrupy-ness could almost be a light honey flavour, though I am so picky about my honey flavours. It’s definitely tasty.

TASTING NOTE # 600!

I wanted to drink a worthwhile tea for my 600th. So I brought this to work today for round 2.

I am wondering if maybe my gravity steeper still had a bit of the taste of yesterday’s (not my fave) tea in it, even though I rinsed it… because I seemed to enjoy this more when I made it at home.

This time it had a bit of a metallic zing to it. Strange.

I suspect though, in my mind I’m comparing it to the Yuchi Mountain Black, also from TTC, even though they’re two different teas. And let’s get real – nothing compares to that.

This had a bit of a honey note in it, but not as fruity as I recall.

I didn’t pay attention whatsoever to steeping time, and I also used the kettle at work and made it with what I can assume is whatever “boiling point” a cheapo kettle reaches.

I will try again at home.

Not quite the exciting 600th tasting note I was hoping for! Ah well :)

Another one from the BBB Box and one that has been good to me. I’m passing the last bit on to Cavo who is about to have her own TTC journey :) Thanks a bunch to TastyBrew for sharing this one with me since it’s one htat i hadn’t seen/tried yet so it was nice to try something new.

I’m trying some of this because I had to open the package anyway to send some to boychik. I really don’t know how TTC finds such incredible teas. There is an amazing combination of sweet spices in this. Their teas are unlike any I’ve had from other vendors. This is an incredible tea.

Taiwan Tea Crafts has some lovely & interesting teas, & this is another one of them.
If you’re looking for a knock your sox off bold tea, this is NOT it. But if you want something subtle & soothing, but still within the black tea genre, this might be the tea for you :)
There is a creamy quality, a honey & cream of wheat thing, a little pumpkin.
It kind of reminds me of Butiki’s wild mountain black, kind of.
Thanks to TastyBrew for including this in our latest BBBB!

Warm cinnamon raisin bread. That is exactly what this cup tasted like – so delicious!
There is a rich sweetness of cinnamon and spices, combined with the fruitiness of raisins, and fresh bread. Lovely and fragrant!