301 Tasting Notes
This came highly recommended to me after my disappointment with Williamsberg Ginger Cake. Since I got another Harney gift certificate, I felt it was the perfect time to give it a try.
After opening the tin, I wasn’t sure what to think. It didn’t really smell like much I could recognize. However, once I poured hot water over one of the teabags, I could instantly smell ginger. The taste is pretty much all ginger. There might be a bit of clove in there, but I am unsure. However, I am not getting much of any other flavors here. I think a bit of cinnamon and vanilla would be welcome additions but I’m not getting either.
I also think it needs a bit of something more. I tried with with a little piece of stevia sweetened chocolate (another Christmas gift) and yes, I believe some sweetness is exactly what might be missing. As I am one who doesn’t like to put sweeteners in my tea, this is a little disappointing.
I was surprised this came in its original packaging inside a Harney tin that allowed me to play some with Google Translate (which can always be fun).
“Green cicadas drool with sweet fruity aroma”. Accurate as this is a bug bitten tea, but still an amusing translation. :)
Freshly steeped, this is nicely mild and smooth with a soft mouth feel. I don’t really get a honey flavor, but I can see the concept in the aftertaste.
Additional steeps are much the same as the first.
I only have two small complaints. While this is smooth and mild, it doesn’t really have much character of its own either.
Also, its a bit tannic as it goes cold.
Don’t know if I will re purchase. At its current price point of $33 USD for 2oz, its a bit pricy for an every day drinker and I have trouble seeing it as a special time drinker either as its lacking any real character of its own.
I am glad I tried it when I could defer the cost with a gift certificate.
I have spent the last 2 weeks prepping an office for a move. Friday and Saturday (today) I spent the final days with doors open to 50F weather and constantly on my feet. All of my tea stuff had been packed since Thursday and I had been surviving on eh bagged tea drunk from a paper cup. It tasted like wax.
I finally get to the new office this afternoon and behold the first box opened contained the kettle, my tea pot, and cup. I didn’t even have my desk or chair yet. But, I had received a restock order of this tea last night and it was waiting in my car.
OMG that was the best cup of tea I have ever drunk in my entire life. I know my perception was skewed by the activity, cold weather, and two days of waxy tasting tea. But as I stole 15m to enjoy the lovely view from our new break room and savor this tea, angels and cherubs were singing Hallelujah. :)
Sip down!
Well ok, my coworkers did most of the sipping. I just grabbed the last bag in the tin.
Almost a year old and a lot of the flavor has faded from what I previously remember. I think what I am getting mostly is vanilla and orange, which is not a favored combination.
Probably not going to restock this one again unless I get another big Harney gift certificate and no idea what to spend it on.
And another sip down.
I bought more after my previows notes. This time that bread like flavor/scent isn’t there. The burn sugar scent definately is.
A little heavy on the tannins in this cup, but I was down to mostly broken leaves so I’m not surprised.
The sip down is going to be short lived as this has been put on my staples list and I will be restocking soon. Hoping for a Black Friday sale.
Didn’t have much hopes on flavor here as I have not enjoyed other Silver Needle teas in the past. But this is a sample from a previous order and I’m in a mood to get things sipped down and my stash cleaned out.
The smell of the steeped leaves reminds me of cooked spinach maybe. It might be a food I adore, but in regards to drinking, not something I am usually wanting. Happily the smell of the liquor does not have that.
The liquor has a light almost golden color and is pretty. Flavor isn’t bad but really very light. Something in my brain keeps expecting it to have a sweet flavor, but that only shows up as its cooled down to near room temp. When its hot, there isn’t much there. Curious what it tastes like as a cold brew, but I don’t have enough left for that.
I took these notes a few days ago but never really managed to finish them due to prep for another office move. I’ve got enough for another pot today, but I just don’t feel like it. Its not bad, just not my thing. Going to treat this as a sip down and move on.
I am on a sip down roll lately and this one needed it as its almost 2 years old. And even with its age, the scent is still so wonderful.
Enjoyable though it suffers from my on again off again thing with flavored teas.
Not restocking at this time as I still have so much flavored tea that need to be sipped down.
