Thyra's Tea Tasting Party, part 1

+Karen Veale and friends conducted several tea-tasting parties sampling some of my Adagio specialty blends.   They've generously permitted me to post their reviews.

At each party, the way it would work: Each person got to choose a tea from the list of un-tasted teas. I would pass around the tin so everyone could smell it before it was brewed. I would make one small pot of tea (about 2 normal servings), trying to steep it for the recommended time, or 3 minutes as a baseline. I would divide up the pot between 5-7 small teacups, for a small serving of each.  We would comment on the smell of the brewed tea before drinking it. 

We took our time with each cup and ate a few bites with most cups, to see how that changed the opinions. People were not required to finish their serving, though usually they did. Usually we didn't put any sweetener or milk in, and if we did, it was after tasting it "neat." We thought we would get through the samplers faster and have the chance to go back and try them with additives, but it's been hard to schedule one every month.  

The snacks each time have been different, usually on the sweet side but with some variety (I realize this is not good scientific method!). 

Session 1: 

Thyra’s Flamingo Chai: (black tea, lemon grass, ginger root, cinnamon bark, dried coconut, cardamom, natural coconut flavor)

Everyone liked it. We are used to chai with milk, but we think a) it wouldn’t work with it, and b) it doesn’t need it. Maybe the coconut takes the place of milk? 

Aife’s Irish Wisdom: (black tea, natural hazelnut flavor, natural forest berries flavor, raspberry leaves, raspberries, strawberries)

Not everyone tastes the berry flavor, but some wanted less. Some thought it was a little bitter. It tasted better when tasted with food.

Meggie’s Bad Idea Mate: (toasted mate tea, cinnamon bark, ginger root, orange peels, dark chocolate chips, natural spice flavor, natural chocolate flavor, natural hazelnut flavor, marigold flowers)

Tastes the way that coffee smells; tastes like a mocha coffee; this tastes just like of my winter cookies; this is a winter tea

Bruni’s Green Tea: (green tea, white tea, orange peels, natural mandarin flavor, marigold flowers, natural bergamot flavor, blue cornflowers, ginger)

Mostly straight up green tea. Maybe a little extra flavor at the finish, but hard to identify.

Goldie Chai: (black tea, orange peels, rose hips, hibiscus, cinnamon bark, ginger root, natural orange flavor, cocoa nibs, natural chocolate flavor, natural cinnamon flavor)

Lovely color. Very orangey, not very chocolate (which is a nice balance). Fruity without any weird aftertastes. Nice and light, quite pleasant. Expect it to be good iced. Universally liked. 

Engracia’s Pumpkin Gingerbread: (black tea, cinnamon bark, ginger root, natural pumpkin spice flavor, cloves, natural gingerbread flavor, marigold flowers, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger)

The black tea has an acerbity that we didn’t love. It didn’t come across as pumpkin or even pumpkin spice – pretty much just gingerbread, and even then the non-black-tea flavor isn’t enough to balance the black tea. Not bad, but not exciting.

Marion’s Vanilla Mint: (decaf ceylon tea, spearmint, peppermint, natural vanilla flavor)

Delightful. Smells fantastic. More body than a straight-up mint tea. Good balance of flavors. No weird aftertaste. Crowd pleaser.