Butterfly Jasmine

Butterfly Jasmine from DT

Ingredients: Chinese green tea from Fujian Province, scented with Jasmine blossoms

So exciting!!!

I have been wanted to try this tea for quite some time.
What was stopping me? It is the most expensive tea that DavidsTea sells! Twenty dollars for fifty grams! 
What finally got me to buy some? The fact that I didn't have to buy it! I used my DT frequent steeper points and got 50 grams for free! (I used the other 50 grams of free tea I had saved the points up for and got more Quangzhou milk oolong)

 Not going to lie, I had my nose inside of the bag the entire drive home from the mall. I think I told Chris "This is the best smelling tea ever" about fifty times within those ten minutes. This tea makes Dragon Pearls jasmine smell like afalfa.

I steeped these gorgeously wrapped leaves for four minutes my plain old ceramic pot. 
Everything smells amazing!

It tastes exactly the way that it smells. 
This is the smoothest, creamiest jasmine I have ever had. It is beautiful. The floral accents are at the perfect level and there isn't a hint of bitterness. I'm sure that the second cups worth that is still in the pot may be a little too strong by the time that I get to it, but it won't be long. I am powering through this absolutely perfect cup I have right now.

I was wrong. Even with the second half of the pot sitting for fourty five minutes, it is not at all bitter or overpowering; just stronger and still delicious and perfect!
Holy shit, this tea is magical!

Beautiful. 
Everyone should treat themselves to this tea at some point in their lives.
I am in LOVE.

Best tea?
I might just have to say YES.


Happy euphoric steeping,

~K



Update:
Yoshi loves it so much he is trying bathe himself in it!

Three Wishes

I know Kayla reviewed this back in 2013, SO NOW IT IS MY TURN.

This tea is lovely.

L.O.V.E.L.Y

My one qualm with the tea, is the artificial flavoring. It doesn't elaborate as to what the flavoring is flavored as, so it's not 100% positive what belongs to what. Honestly though, the tea still tastes great so fuck it.



My qualm with DavidsTea is that they have it in JUST the Black Tea section, instead of both the Green and Black. Considering it has both green and black tea in it, it just seems unfair and misleading! I'M BEING PETTY. DON'T JUDGE.

A little tip with this tea, I've brewed it at both a full boil, like you would normally do for a black, and then at the lower temperature that tends to suit greens better, and SURPRISINGLY brewing it as if it were JUST a black tea is what works best. That may be why it is in the black tea section

It smells kind of pineapple-y, kind of mango-y. Basically really refreshing. I have tried it iced. It get's this weird bitter after bite, and loses the fruity qualities. 2/10. Would not do again.

Flavor wise you can absolutely taste both the green and the black tea, with a hint of that pineapple-y and mango-y taste.  This is one of those teas from DavidsTea that makes me keep coming back. Lately there are fewer and fewer of those, which makes me sad.

But, this tea rocks. Go buy it. Like, right now. But don't ice it, you'll feel bitter and disappointed.

-Laura

Jasmine Pearls

Picture from here

In honor of Game of Thrones starting up on Sunday, and the amazing Khaleesi and her dragons; Viserion, Drogon, and Rhaegal, I'm reviewing Jasmine Black Pearls, by DavidsTea.
Kayla gave me some of her Jasmine Pearls (because she's awesome), so I'm very excited!

Don't worry, I'll keep it spoilers free!

Also, our kitchen reno's started yesterday, so this is basically the last review until the reno's are done that won't be prescheduled. Considering I am typing this up after Game of Thrones, so it's like past 10pm, give me a break if it sucks. SILLY MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME. And the fact that I was up early today may have an effect on my writing quality



I just plopped 3 of the pearls directly into my pot and boiled my water to the green setting on my kettle. So, it steeped until the pot was done

It tastes like green tea and jasmine. It is really, really yummy. I just found that 3 pearls was a little too strong for me (since it was just sitting in the pot). I think next time I'll try it with one pearl, see how it goes. It didn't turn bitter with the very long steep time, which was fantastic! I WAS AMAZINGLY SURPRISED.




It smells like jasmine. Really nice jasmine perfume.


On the Game of Thrones note, IT WAS SO GOOD THE HOUR WENT BY REALLY QUICKLY. ARYA. ARYA YOU ARE A BAMF.

Remember, all men must die - but we are not men.

-L

Black Jasmine Pearls

Black Jasmine Pearls from DavidsTea

Ingredients: Organic black tea pearls from Hunnan Province, China, scented with jasmine blossoms


You would not believe the size of these balls!
But seriously. These are giant pearls, at least compared to the dragon pearls I reviewed some weeks ago. You could play marbles with these... if you knew how to play marbles, who knows how to play marbles?!

I used two pearls in my steeper (I don't want to call it "my 'the steeper'", that sounds stupid).
I left it for the suggested time, expecting to see a black tea kind of liquor (I hope I'm using that correctly)... but it was incredibly light. But once I popped that sucker on my cup and watched what was apparently hiding at the bottom mix with the rest and create a beautiful mahogany colour. There is the dark tea I was expecting!

Now on to flavour. And talk about flavour! DAMN. Move over, Dragon Pearls, you just lost your place on the favourites list.
Dark but smooth and silk. Like silk, flowers and honey. Yes, this surprisingly light black tea has a smooth, sweet linger of honey. The jasmine is super light, just the right amount. Mmm-mm!
And if that sounds good, get this... THE SECOND STEEP IS EVEN BETTER!!

This is amazing. AMAZING.
Now, this tea is on web special (and FORTY percent off) so you had better hurry if you want to get your hands on it. HURRY! YOU MUST HAVE THIS TEA!! Or not, more for me!!! HAHA



Happy Steeping,
-K

Dragon Pearls

Dragon Pearls
From DavidsTea

Chinese green tea from Zhejiang Province, scented with jasmine flowers.

Yup, that's all it is! Beautiful green tea! No added stuffs. Ooooo

Cute little tea pot.

This is probably my favourite tea (so far anyway... dun dun duunnnn). It was also the first tea that I ever bought from DavidsTea several years ago for my mum as a birthday present and she insisted I share a cup with her. It has stuck with me ever since, even though (gasp, a but is coming) it's pretty damn expensive. ($27 for 100 grams - HOLY SHIT) booo

Now, I love green tea. I think I get it from my dad (I totally do). Seriously, he named our dog after his favourite tea; Jasmine (I shit you not!). And this reminds me so much of his special stash of tea. So, whenever I drink it I get a little sad, but also a lot happy - so please forgive my blathering. Here's to you, daddy. Skål!

Ahem!! As I was saying.... I love green tea. But, that bitterness that can cling to your tongue if you don't brew it just right can kill it for me. It takes a LOT to get that nasty-ness from this tea, but still... FOLLOW THE DIRECTONS FOR THIS TEA. If you're one of those strong green tea weirdos that I just can't, for the life of me, understand... still try four minutes first (of the recommended 3-4). Don't ruin a good (and expensive) thing. I used my awesomely adorable cast iron teapot that I got from my boyfriend's dad for Christmas a few years back to steep, it did a lovely job! I love green tea steeped in cast iron, it just...works!

The tree in the background makes it look darker than it really is.

Don't let the lightness of the tea deceive you, it still has flavour. And it is a GREAT flavour! The green with the sneaky hint of jasmine blossoms (not crazy powerful like Silk Dragon). It's simple, so simple... but heavenly. I would say this is the perfect any-time tea, but -again- it's just too damn expensive, so it's more of an indulgence for me. But if you can afford it... I hate you, Mr/Ms/Mrs Moneybags, you just go away.....

Anyways! Love this tea. Love love love it


INDULGE! do eet... dooo eeet

 
Happy Steeping!

-K

Original Sacher Tee

This tea may be one of the few teas that I'm reviewing that isn't DavidsTea!

This tea is straight from Vienna, Austria! Sadly, I wasn't the one to bring it home, my mother was. She went on a Europe trip with my Dad and they stayed there for a little.

This tea comes from the legendary Sacher (pronounced: Soccer) Hotel in Vienna. More Sacher History HERE

The tea itself is a mix of Earl Grey, Darjeeling teas,  and jasmine blossoms.

My mother and I made a pot of it to enjoy together. In the Davids filter thing, we put TWO HEAPING TEASPOONS of the loose leaf, then steeped it with boiling water for about 3-4 minutes.







It's shitty weather again, so the pictures are, again, inside. The ram is there because I felt like it.
I AM MATURE. I DRINK TEA. SHUT UP.









I first tried a cup black, and then a cup with some skim milk. I did prefer it black. To me, the milk brought out more of the Earl Grey, which then overpowered the other flavors/scents.
It has a distinct Earl Grey flavor, definitely the star of this rodeo. But, there is still the undertones of the jasmine and the Darjeeling aroma.

I haven't had much experience with Darjeeling, it's actually only from reading Wiki that I was able to place the taste/scent of the Darjeeling to the Darjeeling.

Overall, a nice tea. And, if you find Earl Grey too strong, it would be perfect for you. Just keep in mind, adding milk may make the Earl Grey more prominent, because it overpowers the gentler flavors.

Skål and happy drinking!

-Laura


IF YOU HAVE ANY TEA YOU WOULD LIKE REVIEWED, LEAVE A COMMENT AND WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO.