Tea Review Tuesday Special on a Monday - A Review of Loose Leaf Spot's Cinderella Collection

Previously, I had spoken of a Kickstarter by Rebecca King, wherein she was crafting tea blends, inspired by classic fairy tales. Recently, her Kickstarter campaign ended, and the tea blends were shipped to the backers. (However, even if you missed the campaign, you can still try the blends, because she now has them for sale on her website, Loose Leaf Spot.) The blends, which are currently available, are based on four different stories. This provided a pre-organized method by which to group my reviews by each collection. Here are my thoughts on the blends of the Cinderella collection: Glass Slipper, Midnight Waltz, and Noble Twist.

Glass Slipper
Chamomile and mint. Easy enough around which to wrap my mind, though I must admit to not having considered them for blending, before. Then, I recall Xiao's Blend by Peet's Coffee & Tea, which contains these two ingredients, plus rosehips. I loved Xiao's Blend, so I eagerly begin to prepare a cup of Glass Slipper.

As a chamomile herbal blend, the use of more leaf, than with a tea blend, is suggested. For a twelve ounce mug, I use a little over two teaspoons of the mixture and top it with boiling water. As I prefer my chamomile strong and full, I steep the blend for seven minutes - the upper limit of the suggested time. The resulting brew smells of chamomile, through and through. If there is mint in the aroma, it is barely noticeable.

In the flavors, mint still sits less prominently than the chamomile, but it adds a pleasant coolness to the flavor and really mixes quite well with the floral chamomile. The aftertaste contains a lot more mint than the body of the brew, and I really enjoyed the cup. Glass Slipper is a fantastic herbal blend, suited perfectly to evening sipping and relaxation.

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate it a 97/100.


Midnight Waltz

The blend of Midnight Waltz is simple. Take a medium-grade, Ceylon black tea and blend it with the flavor of blueberry. Add some cornflower petals for decoration. Follow the instructions to brew a great cup of tea.

Here, the great cup of tea was crafted with a teaspoon and a half of in a twelve ounce mug, topped with just-boiled water, and left to steep for four minutes (the packaging recommends three to five). Once it had cooled a bit, it was time for sipping. Immediately, I noticed something that struck me as different from many of the blueberry-flavored black teas I have tried - the blueberry was subtle. The flavor of blueberry did not crash across my taste buds, like the flavor does when biting into fresh blueberries. Rather, it slid across the tongue, well-blended with the black tea, letting me enjoy the flavor of the Ceylon, too. Four minutes might have been a bit too long, as I started to noticed some astringency in the edges of the flavor profile. Perhaps, next time, I will steep for three and a half.

As a general descriptor, "brisk" fits Midnight Waltz. It is most certainly not a bold tea, and so its versatility is increased by being able to fit the mood for any time of day. I can imagine this as a complement to breakfast or with an afternoon snack. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea an 86/100.

Noble Twist
I never imagined that I would ever try an Earl Grey with - of all things - lime flavors. Yet, that is the precise "twist" added to this blend. The aroma embodies Earl Grey with a citrus undertone, but the lime is very subtle. Just as with the Midnight Waltz, I had used a teaspoon and a half with boiling water for four minutes in a twelve ounce mug. I do not detect any astringency in the aroma.

Unlike anything I have tried before, the flavor of my cup of Noble Twist remains most definitely Earl Grey at the base. However, the tastes of fresh orange and lime snakes throughout the cup. Truly, the aftertaste is quite juicy. Something strikes me as "off" about the flavors, but it might be that my taste buds do not prefer the combination of fruits. That said, the tea is quite flavorful and makes a lovely cup, albeit a very unique one!

On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this tea an 87/100.



These reviews were unsolicited and uncompensated.
The three blends of the Cinderella collection can be purchased from the Loose Leaf Spot website, here. Check out the rest of their offerings, too!
Photo credit to Built from Ink and Tea.
Text content is copyright 2014, Built from Ink and Tea .

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue

Today's review covers another of the most common inks in the fountain pen world: Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

NockCo Shop Launch - June 25 at 12pm EST!

The NockCo shop launches officially, tomorrow at 12pm EST! Check it out, here: http://nockco.com/

Congratulations to Brad and Jeffrey for making this a reality!

For those, who are not familiar with NockCo., they are pen lovers, who have designed awesome pen cases. You can read about them, here: http://nockco.com/about/

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Tao Tea Leaf's 2011 An Ji Bai Cha

This artisan green tea struck my eye on account of the purported re-steep-ability. I love being able to resteep my teas, and I had been wanting to try more, new green tea. (There is still more Teavivre spring 2014 goodness coming, too!) This An Ji Bai Cha called out to me and I answered it.

Okay, so that sounded a bit pretentious, but it did catch my eye. The Tao Tea Leaf website is full of great information. So, in following with all of their guidelines, I measured out about a teaspoon and a half of this for a cup of water at about 170 degrees Fahrenheit. I changed it up and used a ceramic teapot, as my glass steeping cup was unavailable. I am sure this tea would look very pretty in a glass cup, as the leaves dance in the water. Preheating the teaware is important for a potentially delicate tea like this, as steeping tea in cold teaware can alter the flavor substantially.

After two minutes of steeping, the resulting brew is a smooth and slightly sweet, yet much muted version of the sweet, grassy dry leaves. While there is not a big "wow" factor to this tea, it goes down very smooth and is very enjoyable to sit and sip...and sip and sip... The resteepability and how much that maintains its flavor is an added bonus that I think makes this tea a worthwhile try. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give it an 86/100.


Photo credit to Tao Tea Leaf.
Unfortunately, Tao Tea Leaf's An Ji Bai Cha is currently out of stock, but you can read more about it on their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.
Text content is copyright 2014, Built from Ink and Tea .

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Parker Quink Black Ink

Today's review covers what is possibly one of the most common inks in the fountain pen world: Parker Quink Black.

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Teavivre's Organic Nonpareil Ming Qian Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea

 This morning, I am excited to share with you another review from the Teavivre spring 2014 green tea collection. Teavivre's Organic Nonpareil Ming Qian Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea represents the top grade of excellence among the Dragon Well green teas, which they carry. You may also be interested in my review of Teavivre's Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea, here.

 Upon opening the package of tea, I find the smell fresh and rich. Grassiness and nuttiness waft from the leaves. However, the aromas are not overwhelming. Instead, the tea embodies a certain maturity in its richness. Typical Dragon Well-sweetness wreaths it all.

 The instructions of the package prompt for a one to six minute steep time. Choosing four minutes for tablespoon and a half of leaves, which I have put into a twelve ounce mug, I heat the water to185℉ and set my timer. As I wait, I contemplate the aroma of the brewing tea. 

Different in some ways from the dry leaves, the intensity of aromas has subsided, which is not to say that it is in any way "weak." The nuttiness smells heavier and the edges are buttery. The timer rings - Time for a taste! One sip blows me away. The flavors of this tea are so incredibly thick and bold (yet not strong), and "heavy" might be a better descriptor, though they are not heavy in the same respect that an incredibly-smoky black tea might taste. Filling the mouth with flavor, it seems to saturate the taste buds. Primarily, I taste nuttiness in the green tea with edges of natural sweetness. The grassiness is very subdued, which provides a pleasant, smooth texture. After each drink, I am left with a pleasant aftertaste of nutty Dragon Well. 

This tea was superb. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate it a 97/100, and I highly urge my readers to give this tea a try. As it is a very high grade, the price is a bit more restrictive than would make for a "daily-drinker," but the tea embodies the essence of a treat. Just be sure to steep it, while it is still fresh!



Photo credit to Teavivre.
Teavivre's Organic Nonpareil Ming Qian Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea can be purchased from their website, here.
This tea sample was provided by Teavivre for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Text content is copyright 2014, Built from Ink and Tea .

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Noodler's Mandalay Maroon Ink

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - Shepherd's Tea's Peach White Tea

I must admit that I love the smell of peach teas. This peach white tea is no exception. After removing the teabag from the plastic packaging, the whiff of peaches hits my nose, and I inhale deeply, enjoying the, thankfully, not-perfume-y aroma of fresh peaches. 

Heating some water to the proper temperature for white tea (not near boiling, as the website for this tea suggests, I take a look at the packaging. Relatively simple with little flair or flash, each teabag tag has a Bible verse on it. While this may work well for serving tea at church luncheons, my past experience has suggested that such teas are more novel than actual quality. Hopefully, this one will not be the same!

Four minutes of steeping, as per the website's suggestion, provides an aromatic cup that smells much less strongly of peaches than did the dry, bagged leaves. The smell of white tea blends with the smell of peaches and actually complements it quite nicely. I found the taste of this tea interesting. It is quite crisp and clean, again hinting that the peach flavor is not overwhelming the flavor of the white tea. That in and of itself definitely gets major bonus points from me. 

This is one peach white tea that I will certainly be recommending, especially to people who still enjoy using teabags. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would give it an 83/100.

Photo credit to Shepherd's Tea.
Shepherd's Tea's Peach White Tea can be purchase from their website, here.
This review was unsolicited and uncompensated.

Stained Fingers on Thursday - A Review of Diamine Sargasso Sea Ink

The Sargasso Sea is a region in the north Atlantic Ocean. This review was performed while safely on land. Enjoy from wherever you are reading this blog!

This scan was done on an HP Deskjet F4280 at 600dpi.
Note: Because these scans are done with a light emitting printer, actual colors will, more likely than not, be slightly darker than they may appear, here. The colors shown, here, are probably a bit more reminiscent of what the ink would be like under a bright light or if it were held up and viewed with a light behind it.

Tea Review Tuesday - A Review of Teavivre's Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea

With such a long mouthful of a name, this tea sets some strong expectations, before the package is even opened. Knowing Teavivre, I feel as though these expectations will probably be well met. Boasting no less than three organic certifications, Teavivre's Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing green tea (to which I will just refer as "Dragon Well") was harvested about a month and a half ago in mid-April of 2014. Much like my last review of one of Teavivre's spring 2014 teas, the freshness is telling.

As I start to open the sample packet, I have to stop and chuckle. As with their Bi Luo Chun, their Brew Guide on the label states that the tea should be steeped for "1 to 6 minutes." Already deciding to go with three minutes of steep time and see how it tastes, I finish opening the package and the aroma of Dragon Well hits me from at least a foot away. I must admit that Dragon Well is one of my favorite green teas, and the aroma embodies a sweet nuttiness of the leaves, pleasantly. Layered over the top is the scent of fresh, green, grassy aroma, but not nearly to the same extent as many green teas.

Leaves into the infuser basket. Basket into the mug. Water into both. And now I wait. The smell rising from the steeping tea has grown richer and deeper. The nuttiness still presents itself. The fresh, green scent has become more akin to roasted, loamy notes. Three minutes seem to be a long time in arriving, but the timer finally rings.

Much like the infusing leaves, the smell of the brewed tea gives of notes of richness and roasted aromas. My first sip swells across the tongue and departs, leaving reminders of the aroma, mid-tongue. Surprisingly brisk, the taste nonetheless imparts a sweetness that was originally present in the scent of the dried leaf. While some might think the briskness to be unpleasant, it gives this Dragon Well a good amount of character and body. In fact, without it, I think this green tea might very well be dull. The tongue picks up a number of flavor nuances. The roasted aspect moves along the sides of the tongue, while the sweet nuttiness cascades along the middle. For such a pale tea with an unassuming aroma, Teavivre's Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing presents itself well and maintains a surprisingly bold flavor profile.

I would definitely recommend this tea for those, who enjoy teas with roasted flavors. I have tried many Dragon Well teas, and this is one of the best. On my personal enjoyment scale, I would rate this green tea a 94/100.

Photo credit to Teavivre and Built from Ink and Tea.
Teavivre's Organic Superfine Dragon Well Long Jing Green Tea can be purchased from their website, here.
This tea sample was provided by Teavivre for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

An Alternate Pen - The Montblanc Fineliner Body Hack

Recently, while at my local Montblanc boutique, I had the opportunity to try their fineliner refill. What an interesting experience! The tip feels a bit like a felt-tipped pen or a rollerball with no pressure needed to make a line. The feeling is almost brush-like. If you have not before had the opportunity to try the fineliner, I definitely recommend that you do so. However, as the refill is proprietary, one cannot simply buy fineliner refills and stick them in any pen body.

While researching the findings of others, it seemed that few folks had pursued alternative pen bodies for the Montblanc fineliner refills. However, a number of internet forums had discussion threads in which the participants spoke about searches for alternative pens to take the Montblanc rollerball refills. One popular option, reported to be successful, was the Waterman Kultur rollerball pen, as well as some Jinhao pens (but not all of them). By far the most popular was a hack in which one cuts some of the plastic from the non-tip end of the refill, shortening it, so that it may fit inside a Pilot G2 body. Inexpensive, mostly comfortable in a utilitarian way, and easy. I loved the idea.

Then, during my last trip to Montblanc, I learned that the rollerball and fineliner refills are interchangeable. This was the breakthrough. While this compatibility may be obvious, if the refills were inspected side-by-side, I had not yet been able to do so. Immediately, I purchased a pack of fineliner refills and sat down (not in the store) to perform the G2 hack on a fineliner refill.

Here you can see a comparison of a G2 refill (top), the modified fineliner refill (middle), and an unmodified fineliner refill (bottom):

All that it took to modify the fineliner refill was cutting some of the plastic from the non-tip end. Simply line up the tip-end of the main body portion of a G2 refill and the fineliner refill and see how much overhang is on the non-tip end of the fineliner refill. That will show you how much to cut.

My new, inexpensive fineliner was fantastic. I quickly determined, over several days of use, that the fineliner was second only to fountain pens in my mind. However, the G2 body quickly became unsatisfactory to me. I wanted something nicer in which to case a fineliner refill, hacked or un-hacked, without spending a large amount of money.

Knowing that the hacked refill fit a Pilot G2, I began to investigate what other pens took a Pilot G2 refill. Then, I remembered one of the recent, inexpensive entries to the fountain pen world: the Pilot Metropolitan. Since the Metropolitan was available in a rollerball variant, I ventured a guess that it might take a Pilot G2 rollerball refill.

I was right.

Swapping my hacked fineliner refill for the refill from the Metropolitan, I was left with something awesome: the great writing experience of the fineliner refill combined with the comfortable - and affordable - Pilot Metropolitan body.

If you are looking for an alternate body for using the Montblance fineliner refill (or even the Montblanc rollerball refills), look no farther than the Pilot Metropolitan and this easy hack.

TWSBI Updates - Micarta Discontinuation and 580RB Availability!

Hi folks - just a quick TWSBI update of some information I recently learned.

TWSBI Micarta and accompanying notebook

The TWSBI Micarta, now in its second version, is being discontinued. While these are still available for sale, various places, TWSBI will be ceasing the manufacture of these very unique pens. Specific reasons are unknown, but it may be to "make room" for the wood-bodied pen that TWSBI has teased as in-the-works.

Finally, the brand-new TWSBI Diamond 580RB is now available from the official TWSBI website and their Amazon store.

Essentially a re-release of their limited edition pen from 2011, the Diamond 540 ROC 100, the new Diamond 580RB uses their improved Diamond 580 as the base, while adding the special red cap and section, blue piston knob, and ROC cap jewel. TWSBI has confirmed that this will be a limited edition pen, but the exact limited number is unknown. A first run of these pens will be available through the TWSBI sites, while a second run at a later date will be available through authorized retailers.


Photo credit to TWSBI.