26 Tasting Notes

89
drank Toasted Walnut by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

Ok—this is one of my favorite greens of all time. I was actually in the mood for a black tea tonight, and pulled this out thinking it was a black until I poured the light colored liquid into my mug. It smelled so nuttily delicious I didn’t mind a bit. It has a full enough flavor for black tea lovers, which is awesome.

What a win DT has here! No wonder it’s so popular. DT has managed to combine the two things you most want to do on a high-of-15-degrees-Fahrenheit day like today: 1) sit on a beach under a palm tree, and/or 2) snuggle up next to a fire. Pineapple, coconuts and walnuts together (with emphasis on the nuts)—who would’a guessed? It’s the perfect cuppa right now. :)

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec

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68
drank Earl Grey Creme by Teavana
26 tasting notes

You have to be really careful not to overbrew this tea. Most blacks I steep for 3-5 minutes. I wouldn’t go over 2.5 for this one. It gets pretty bitter.

When you brew it properly, though, it’s a pretty nice earl grey. I still feel like there’s a little something off about it, though. Maybe I’m just not a fan of the added vanilla.

Preparation
Boiling 2 min, 30 sec

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73
drank Green and Fruity by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

omigosh, now that’s a yummy tea! DT’s advent calendar is giving me a new appreciation for rooibos! This one is fruity and sweet, but not toooo much of either. It’s not a fake fruity taste, just a nice clean simple fruitiness, with a tad bit of tang. Just right. Now if only rooibos had caffeine!!…said the law student :)

BF liked it as well—we might have to stock up!

Preparation
5 min, 0 sec

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91

This is my go-to breakfast tea. I’ve always got a box or two in my cupboard. I now live in the Midwest, and on winter mornings below 20F, when I have to be in the car before 6am (and stay in it for >1 hour commute), this tea is what gets me going—sans jitters.

There’s also something I love about the artwork on the Celestial Seasonings box. I feel sucked into it every time I look at it, and can almost feel the brisk morning air that the bison is snorting back out of his nostrils. I love the gorgeous sunrise, and the feeling I get that there’s a big, grand day ahead.

For those of you who drink your tea black, I think you’ll enjoy this one black. The roasted mate gives it a nice flavor on top of the black. For me though, a bit of milk and sugar makes this tea a treat and makes “everything” (the wee hour, the ice, the long drive, my carpooler) better… :)

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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33
drank Sleigh Ride by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

Reminds me much more of a cornucopia than a sleigh ride…might be nice in November. It’s also pretty much fruit/nut/spice-infused water; no tea or really even herbs in this one.

That said, it is tasty. I could even taste the popped rice!

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72
drank Hot Lips (Organic) by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

The obvious comparison (given that many reviewers have mentioned it, and it was my first thought as well) is to Harney’s Hot Cinnamon Spice black tea . Which personally, I find is like getting kicked in the face with cinnamon (which sometimes I am in the mood for…but usually not).

This one is slightly less cinnamony, and it does have a little kick to it, but from the chili peppers! I never imagined having a “hot,” in the chili peppers sense, tea but … I like it :) The heat comes right at the end, and it’s pretty mild. If you enjoy Mexican hot chocolate, which usually has cinnamon and some kind of chili, then you should try Hot Lips!

I should add that sometimes I find that green tea tastes like soap…this one doesn’t :)

Preparation
2 min, 0 sec

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100
drank Ginger Liquorice by Harney & Sons
26 tasting notes

I love strong, sweetened ginger flavors (like ginger candies, and practically the only carbonated beverage I drink is ginger beer—and then the stronger the ginger and the less citrus, the better!) and I also enjoy licorice/anise teas. So I thought this one would be a good one to try and threw in a sample order with my latest Harney order.

When I opened the bag and took a whif, my nose tingled and I coughed (as good strong ginger will make you do!). I agree that the steeped tea has a medicinal smell, but then I tasted it…

How lovely! It really is a perfect blend of both! And the great thing about the licorice is that I don’t even have to sweeten the tea (and I almost always put honey in my tea!). This tisane is…fantastic. At least if you love these two flavors as much as I do. I wondered how they would work together, without any other base—and now I know: awesomely.

I found it very similar to Yogi’s Ginger tea, which has ginger and licorice along with lemongrass, peppermint, and black pepper. The quality and simplicity of Harney’s tisane sets it apart though :)

Wish I had bought more!

Preparation
7 min, 0 sec

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94
drank Glitter & Gold by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

This is #6 in my DAVIDsTEA 24 Days of Tea advent calendar—and what a treat! It’s gorgeous dry, with the gold pearls and sugar crystals. But the best part is when you steep it. The gold pearls partially dissolve in the hot water (some of the filigree is left with the leaves)—and they give you a tea that actually glitters with a million dancing sparkles! I’ve never had so much fun watching my tea—the warm water swirls and shimmers in my mug. The cinnamon is veeeery subtle, but the tea has a nice flavor – mellow black tea with perfect sweetness; I taste the vanilla and clove more. Now, at the bottom of my almost-empty mug, along with small bit of tea leaves, there is a silver swirl of sparkles. This tea is bringing out the girl in me (shiny!)

I used my travel mug with loose leaf steeper this morning as I was running out the door for the bus, which means it probably steeped for 10 or so minutes. It didn’t turn bitter, and was such a pleasant surprise as I got to sip it in the cold outside!

When I tried it again tonight, I steeped for 7 minutes, and it turned out great once again.

It doesn’t seem to make a very strong second steep, and there are still sparkles, but less. But the first cup IS magical…I may need to get more of this. Of course, it’s perfect this time of year, with my Christmas tree lit and glowing across the room :)

(added dollop of honey, no milk)

Preparation
7 min, 0 sec

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94
drank Glitter & Gold by DAVIDsTEA
26 tasting notes

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68
drank Earl Grey Creme by Teavana
26 tasting notes

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Profile

Bio

I became a tea convert in 2009, and have been overfilling my cupboards with tea ever since. I’m mostly a fan of flavored blacks and matés, but also enjoy some of their lighter cousins!

My tea cupboard is way too full. I’ve never done a tea swap yet, so message me (and tell me how the Steepster swaps work)—I’m game!

Location

Midwest USA

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