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“Actually bumping up the rating of this tea just a wee bit today. I took this one with me on my morning commute, so I added about a quarter teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of milk (for 12oz)...” Read full tasting note
“My thoughts on this feel similar to Auggy’s, so since she sent me this tea I’m going to do a small homage to one of her prior logs. Here we go. Hmm…Auggy sent this. Intriguing. Have I tried a CTC...” Read full tasting note
A rich red colour and a very strong, earthy, full, almost spicy taste to rival an Assam.
{ Africa }
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Actually bumping up the rating of this tea just a wee bit today. I took this one with me on my morning commute, so I added about a quarter teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of milk (for 12oz) just to keep off any potential bitterness that might develop from sitting in an insulated mug for half an hour. I honestly don’t think it needed even those minor additions because there was no hint of ick or even real astringency even on my last sip. This tea held up really well as a tumbler tea and I appreciate that.
As Kat suggested a bit ago, I took my tumbler lid off about half way through. It didn’t cause a significant change to the tea, but enough of one that I enjoyed it more lid-less. There was an almost tart fruity scent to it that taste-wise came across as a similar-to-Darjeeling brightness with the lid off and that made the tea a little more interesting. I’m thinking that’s what the previously tasted spiciness changes into with a little milk. I still got an enjoyable clean cardboard taste – I’m becoming quite fond of that taste.
This isn’t exactly a special tea or anything, but it’s a pretty good one. More of an “I don’t know what to have so I’ll have this one” tea instead of an “ooh, this looks good and I’m kind of craving it” tea. But it’s good (and necessary) for me to have some good, solid teas I can fall back on when nothing seems to spark my interest and for that reason, I could see this one becoming something I want to keep on hand.
And honestly, I find the brewing interesting. It brews up disturbingly dark but it’s fun to watch the little tea grounds run around in my pot. I still think of post-horked cat food when I see the wet leaves though.
My thoughts on this feel similar to Auggy’s, so since she sent me this tea I’m going to do a small homage to one of her prior logs. Here we go.
Hmm…Auggy sent this. Intriguing. Have I tried a CTC before?
…
…
…
I don’t think so. Hee, they look like coffee grounds.
Sniff, sniff.
I don’t smell anything.
Sniff, sniff!
…Dirt? Light dirt? What the what, am I congested?
Shrug. Pour.
I’m bored. Are they expanding? They’re not. Wait… Nevermind, nope. Is it done yet? How cold is it outside? 25? Poop. Is it done yet? I want to see Avatar again. I need to make cookies. Oh, laundry.
…
…
…
Finally!
Pull out infuser. Hold up the basket.
Sniff, sniff.
Okay, now I really don’t smell anything.
Hold up the cup.
Sniff, sniff.
…Keemun?
Tilt head. Furrow brow. Blow on liquid.
…
Sip.
OUCH!
Still not cool enough.
Checking the weather… Scanning the newspaper… Tapping my foot… Making a sandwich…mmm…ham.
What the world. Needs now. Is love. Sweet love. It’s the only thiiing. That there’s just. Too little of. Ah damn it, this is going to be stuck in my head all day, isn’t it?
Check the cup.
Better?
Sip.
Mm, okay. It’s kind of…sweet. But also malty. Bake-y? Oh. OH! Bitter. BITTER!!!
Okay. Hrm.
Tentative sip.
Swish, swish.
Okay. Kinda sweet at the front of the tongue. Sort of flat at the sides. Let’s try the back…
BITTER.
Gulp.
BITTER! Breathe. Oooh. That’s kind of sweet. Kind of…darjeeling sweet. Especially if I concentrate on the center of my tongue. I wonder what’ll happen if I move to the back…
BITTER!!!
Well, that was both predictable and stupid.
Is this the reeeeeal liiiiife? Is it just faaaantasssssy?
NO.
…
…
…
What the world. Needs now.
DAMN IT!
Sip.
Lather, rinse, repeat. I think I need to try this again, either with additives or a shorter steep time, or both, or whatever. It was interesting. I wouldn’t necessarily call it enjoyable. Overall, it reminded me of a keemun. A very near over-steeped keemun. I hope you enjoyed the rather censored journey into my brain. Thanks Auggy, I’ll be logging this again, I’m sure.
@Auggy Not this time, I’m afraid, but I’m gonna keep trying it until the sample’s gone. Glad I could entertain!
@Jillian Hee, thanks. Yeah, I probably oversteeped it. Or maybe understeeped it – I’ve gotten this with keemuns before if I understeep them too. Four minutes is usually a good middling time for me with blacks, so I typically start there if I don’t know what to do. Clearly, this was a bit much for me.
@teaplz Yeah, right? Dumb LTR doesn’t have pictures on their site. I’ll take one and get it up here so people can see.
@Ricky Hardly brilliant, but yeah, if distilled a bit.
@Kitch3ntools Thanks! It was fun to write!
@Shanti Damn! That’s why I never win at slots, then?
@LENA HEE! Yeah, I’ve had to explain myself more than a few times. Tell your husband I say we win!
Yeah, you probably have already figured out that shorter steep time is a good bet here but I just had one from Lupicia with a 1 – 2 minute steep time… so maybe that’s a good starting point for CTC leaf steep time.
I’m glad to know I’m not nuts … I never like any tea I have to drink through a sippy lid!
You’re not nuts, I’ve got the same thing. All my good things don’t really taste good out of my travel mug, but a cheap low quality supermarket bag becomes much more tolerable. I think it has something to do with how you don’t get the aroma while drinking when there’s a lid on it.
I’ll remember that when I’m down to nothing but scrud … the one tin of generic cheap Wal-Mart bags I use for eye compresses.
Pst Pst! Did you know zojirushi makes tumblers as well. shhhhhhhh
Shut up! Give me a link!
Never!
http://www.zojirushi.com/ourproducts/ssvbs/ssvbs.html
Now, I want one too…. why did I even look.
The advantage of the lid is that it retains flavor, sort of like a yixing pot =D. Yum, delicious!
Yes, I’d like one of everything please. (No seriously. Please?)
Is the tea actually grown in Tanzania? Or is it just given that name for its exotic appeal.
It is actually grown there. It’s a CTC tea, too, my first experience with CTC loose. From what I can find out about it, it is not a single estate but rather a blend. I think.
I’m really excited to try this. Today is Keemun day, though. Maybe tomorrow.
Thanks. It sounds interesting. I’ve been curious about the African teas, but worried about bitterness.
I’ve tried a no-name Kenyan from local health food store, and I wouldn’t call it bitter, but my! it was strong!
@Carolyn I only have two (this one and a Kenyan single estate) and one tea that I think has the Kenyan one blended into it but I’ve been really pleased. They seem to have a little Darjeeling hint to them but for the most part seem more like a Chinese black than an India so virtually no bitterness. But like gmathis says, they are pretty bold little things.