Sencha Green Tea

This is the first green tea I've reviewed; although, I drink green tea daily. I just haven't gotten around to reviewing it.

This tea is absolutely delicious. It is one of the cheapest green teas available, but it's flavor is great. It has a grassy flavor with flower notes. It has an after taste like jasmine rice. The leaves are well developed full leaves that are well toasted. The color of the resulting liquor it a pleasant emerald green.

Sencha teas are available at most Asian stores and tea shops.

Bigelow Orange and Spice Herbal Tea

Today's tea is an herbal. It is late and I don't want caffeine. Don't get me wrong. I loves me some caffeine. I've just had a long day and feel like relaxing with a nice cup of no frills, tasty herbal tea. This tea is just that. It isn't going to break the bank, but it also isn't going to win any awards.

First I should start by mentioning that the oils from the tea had stained the bag and the package it came in a red color. For some I feel that may be a turnoff. I just made me say mmm there must be a lot of cinnamon.

The tea itself has a slight red tinge to it and tastes more like the spice than the orange. I've had orange spice teas that were all orange with no kick. This one seems to have taken the opposite approach. I could taste strong notes of cinnamon and a slight hint of something minty that really just cooled my throat more than it added flavor. All of these things are not negative judgments as much as they are observations about the character of the tea and the decisions made by the tea's creator. This tea, while not a typical orange spice flavor was good and refreshing in its own right. The hot spiciness of it mixed with the cooling effect on my throat had me relaxed and ready to turn in.

If you have a tea you would like reviewed feel free to send me a message containing the name and brand of tea. It would also help to hear where I might be able to purchase it.

Good Earth Chai Vanilla

I decided to go with a flavored black tea for my first review to play it safe. I happened to have a box of Good Earth Chai Vanilla. Good Earth in my experience has been a fair to moderate quality provider of bag tea. Okay, I love chai, but up until now my chai has come to me it a concentrated liquid I mix with milk. I decided to try it in the same fashion I drink my green teas. I added nothing. Obviously, there was vanilla flavor, cinnamon and other spices and the taste of black tea. Although I steeped it for a full six minutes in boiling water, it was very weak. There was a slight clove taste with a vanilla finish. Any spices besides clove were barely noticeable but definitely there. I'm going to follow this up with a steeping in less water then adding milk and sugar in the style of chai I am used to drinking.

Note to self: add pictures

Introduction to me.

I've always been fascinated by drinks that can tend to be a bit tannic. At first I was curious how anyone could taste such variety and flavor in things I tasted to be bitter and some times a bit burnt. Over time I've grown to appreciate the flavors of tea, coffee, wine and beer. Some I appreciate more than others. Dark beer tastes like eating burnt dandelions to me. All bitter and burnt. I like sweeter wines that do more than dry out my mouth. I love cooking, so I love flavor. Also, I love cooking with wine. Coffee is a toss up really. Some days I can't swallow a sip without gagging. Others I down it like a fiend. Obviously, given the fact this blog is to be about it, I really like tea. There are so many varieties of tea. Each has its own character. There are teas aromatic like fine perfume. There are teas with harsh earthy flavors and ones with notes of berries and blooms. In this blog I'll be trying to communicate my feelings about various teas I encounter. I have on hand a good variety of teas that I can review. I will then do something I have never done. I'll buy premium teas. That's right, I'm going to get the good stuff.