Teavana's Ti Kuan Yin tastes like pu!
Just tasted Teavana's Ti Kuan Yin today and it tastes too "earthy" and reminded me of their Pu-Erh. You can read my other post about Teavana's Pu-Erh (ick) tasting like someone tramped through a musty cave in hiking boots then tramped all over the tea leaves. I didn't buy any leaves, just let the yutz behind the counter brew up a cup for me to try. Compared to Upton's Ti Guan Yin, there is a HUGE difference.
A very likely reason is that the infuser that brewed your TGY was most recently used to brew their pu.
The Teavana infuser is made with a plastic filter, much like the IngenuiTEA that Adagio sells. I personally thinks it's a terrible thing, as ALL the flavours from previous brews tend to linger on the plastic mesh. It collects old flavours, especially if it's a strong one, or an infused one (like those fruity flavours).
Their other problem is that the water temperature was too low. They brew it without a wash, so it takes a minute just for the tea to unfurl. By then, the water has cooled considerably.
My last cup of Teavana brewed was their monkey picked, I think, and I thought it was both weak and nasty tasting.
The Teavana infuser is made with a plastic filter, much like the IngenuiTEA that Adagio sells. I personally thinks it's a terrible thing, as ALL the flavours from previous brews tend to linger on the plastic mesh. It collects old flavours, especially if it's a strong one, or an infused one (like those fruity flavours).
Their other problem is that the water temperature was too low. They brew it without a wash, so it takes a minute just for the tea to unfurl. By then, the water has cooled considerably.
My last cup of Teavana brewed was their monkey picked, I think, and I thought it was both weak and nasty tasting.
Ti Kuan Yin's taste should not be earthy at all. Pu erh is. Make sure the water is boling before you pour it into teapot. let it seep for 3-5minutes max before pouring the tea out into cup. Good Ti Kuan Yin should have a sweet and great after taste in your throat after drinking and it smells great too. Also, tea sets used for Pu Erh should not be used for other tea like Ti Kuan Yin or otehr wulong tea.
Allen12
http://all-about-wu-long-tea.blogspot.com/
Allen12
http://all-about-wu-long-tea.blogspot.com/
i have not been impressed with Teavana. They recently opened a new store near me and i went in out of curiosity. The tea they sell is not that good in my opinion. I did like a lot of the tea ware they had to sell though, of course it was ungodly expensive. They have a Tetsubin for $75 that you can buy for $35 at my local tea shop! (the exact same Tetsubin)
"Those who desire to give up Freedom in order to gain Security, will not have, nor do they deserve, either one." -Ben Franklin
With more than 20 years of drinking Tie Kwan Yin, I have to agree with what people are saying here about Tie Kwan Yin from Teavana. It is almost embarassing for Teavana to sell such low-quality Tie Kwan Yin.
If you just smell the tea without pouring the water, the tea smells very good. But during infusion, it smells nothing and there is no taste in your mouth. That is a little trick some people play to trick beginners. Basically they use low-quality Tie Kwan Yin, roast it to bring out all the taste so the dry tea will smell unusally good. But there won't be any taste left during infusion. I compared the 10$/2oz Ti Kwan Yin from Teavana with 4$/2oz Tie Kwan Yin I brought from China. As dry tea, Teavana's one smells much better. But Once I poured the water in, it is very obvious who is the winner. To judge Tie Kwan Yin's grade, you have to compare them as dry tea, look, smell and taste them during infusion, and look at the tea leaf after infusion. But The fact that Teavana's Tie Kwan Yin tastes nothing indicates to me that it is very low grade Tie Kwan Yin.
Tie Kwan Yin is my favorite tea. It is complex but excellent tea. I am just hoping that first-time Ti Kwan Yin drinkers won't dislike Tie Kwan Yi just because the Tie Kwan Yin from Teavana tastes bad.
If you just smell the tea without pouring the water, the tea smells very good. But during infusion, it smells nothing and there is no taste in your mouth. That is a little trick some people play to trick beginners. Basically they use low-quality Tie Kwan Yin, roast it to bring out all the taste so the dry tea will smell unusally good. But there won't be any taste left during infusion. I compared the 10$/2oz Ti Kwan Yin from Teavana with 4$/2oz Tie Kwan Yin I brought from China. As dry tea, Teavana's one smells much better. But Once I poured the water in, it is very obvious who is the winner. To judge Tie Kwan Yin's grade, you have to compare them as dry tea, look, smell and taste them during infusion, and look at the tea leaf after infusion. But The fact that Teavana's Tie Kwan Yin tastes nothing indicates to me that it is very low grade Tie Kwan Yin.
Tie Kwan Yin is my favorite tea. It is complex but excellent tea. I am just hoping that first-time Ti Kwan Yin drinkers won't dislike Tie Kwan Yi just because the Tie Kwan Yin from Teavana tastes bad.
They probably discontinued it because it was rootie-tootie fruitie like most of the teas sold at Teavana. That, or it didn't appeal with people's inner cakra.
Like Republic of Tea (or as I like to call, the Autocracy of Ripoff), Teavana is there to sell an image, not tea. You aren't paying for their product, but for the privilege to purchase their product, patron their trendy, minimalistic decorated stores, and fashionable packaging (take a look at the pretty little package that RoT's products come in, or stop into a Teavana shop if you don't believe me). I'm surprise that both of them aren't selling Ayurvedic remedies or specialty blends that match people's astrological sign.
Now, that's not to say that you won't find good teas from both of these companies. My sister, completely ignorant of what to give me for my birthday last year, purchased some gyokuro from Teavana for a reasonable price. It was lovely, with a smooth vegetal essence, with that slight buttery note that gyokuros should have. It was a real class act.
But I'm not amused when looking at their products with a gestalt outlook. Even their flavored blacks and greens I can replicate on my own with minimal strain on my wallet.
In general, I can find blends of a better quality, and for a more reasonable price just looking around at Adagio, Upton, Mark T. Wendell, etc.
Like Republic of Tea (or as I like to call, the Autocracy of Ripoff), Teavana is there to sell an image, not tea. You aren't paying for their product, but for the privilege to purchase their product, patron their trendy, minimalistic decorated stores, and fashionable packaging (take a look at the pretty little package that RoT's products come in, or stop into a Teavana shop if you don't believe me). I'm surprise that both of them aren't selling Ayurvedic remedies or specialty blends that match people's astrological sign.
Now, that's not to say that you won't find good teas from both of these companies. My sister, completely ignorant of what to give me for my birthday last year, purchased some gyokuro from Teavana for a reasonable price. It was lovely, with a smooth vegetal essence, with that slight buttery note that gyokuros should have. It was a real class act.
But I'm not amused when looking at their products with a gestalt outlook. Even their flavored blacks and greens I can replicate on my own with minimal strain on my wallet.
In general, I can find blends of a better quality, and for a more reasonable price just looking around at Adagio, Upton, Mark T. Wendell, etc.
As Cicero once said, "De gustibus non est disputatum," (roughly translated, "there's no accounting for taste").Samovar wrote:I happen to enjoy the atmosphere at Teavana. Though it may not be everyone's cup of tea, I do find that atmosphere in a tea shop is just as important as the quality of the tea.
Samovar
I'm not into all the glitz and glamor of tea shops, frankly. Teavana has the advantage that I can actually step into their shop, and smell, sense, and look at the tea, but compared to the prices of many places here on the internet, as well as the variety, they can't compete.
Feb 15th, '07, 16:38
Posts: 1559
Joined: Jan 28th, '07, 02:24
Location: Fort Worth, TX
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Space Samurai
I have to agree with Oolongaddict.
Don't get me wrong, I am a tea junky. I love tea shops, and there are so few in Texas, and I enjoy being around others who like tea. But when it comes to what I'll actually buy and drink, I am very picky.
There seems to be two kinds of tea companies. Those who are commited to selling "real" tea, and those who are commited to selling tea to Americans. Places like Republic of Tea fall into the latter catagory.
However, I have since realised that drinking tea is about fun, and everyone should drink what makes them happy how it makes them happy.
Don't get me wrong, I am a tea junky. I love tea shops, and there are so few in Texas, and I enjoy being around others who like tea. But when it comes to what I'll actually buy and drink, I am very picky.
There seems to be two kinds of tea companies. Those who are commited to selling "real" tea, and those who are commited to selling tea to Americans. Places like Republic of Tea fall into the latter catagory.
However, I have since realised that drinking tea is about fun, and everyone should drink what makes them happy how it makes them happy.
Spacesamurai,
being in texas you would probably get fast shiping from Houdeasianart (located in Houston, TX) (www.houdeasianart.com). I have found they have very good quality teas! (especially oolongs and puerh)
being in texas you would probably get fast shiping from Houdeasianart (located in Houston, TX) (www.houdeasianart.com). I have found they have very good quality teas! (especially oolongs and puerh)
"Those who desire to give up Freedom in order to gain Security, will not have, nor do they deserve, either one." -Ben Franklin
Feb 15th, '07, 17:20
Posts: 1559
Joined: Jan 28th, '07, 02:24
Location: Fort Worth, TX
Contact:
Space Samurai