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Spring subscription tea.

This is a bit of an odd combo. I actually do like their horchata rooibos and have a full tin of it – mostly it’s just rooibos with a bunch of cinnamon, but tasty enough. I assume they were going for a cozy sort of sleepy time blend with this, but I just don’t think chamomile and rooibos go together all that well. It’s not a bad combination, I just prefer them separately I guess? Either way I like that they use actual cinnamon instead of flavoring, it’s so much mellower and more cozy.

Sipdown! (11 | 50)

So satisfying to finish all these nearly-empty fruit infusion tins this month! I think I have one left from Harney, and then I’ll move on to my remaining Tealyra pouches. I’ve been really enjoying having a fruity cold steep every day though, so may need to restock a couple of blends when I run out completely…

As with all of Harney’s fruit infusions (except for the goji berry one, which I hated lol), this is lovely. A bit generic to be sure, but I don’t necessarily mind that when it’s a solid base. I added a small amount of raw sugar, and it has a nice balance of sweet and tangy. Not sure I get specifically mango, maybe dried mango slices? I think if I were guessing, I would say apple mixed with orange and maybe a touch of passion fruit. Really refreshing though, and would order it again.

I don’t think I’ve ever had a tea from Meghalaya, but the leaf and dry scent seemed most similar to a Darjeeling or Nepalese black tea to me. The steeped color is quite light and somewhat golden.

I like it more than I thought I would, since I’m not a big fan of the aforementioned types of tea. This is light and airy, but not overtly floral and harsh like some Darjeelings can be. It’s smooth and a bit creamy in texture, with a mellow oat and rye bread flavor. Definitely getting some hints of fruit, perhaps stonefruit with a slight tang. There’s a subtle cannabis note in the finish, but not enough to steer me away.

It’s a nice soft yet comforting tea, just not something I would personally reach for, plus the price is a bit high for me.

Spring subscription tea!

This seems like a weird combo to me. I get the butterfly garden and lavender together, but then a creamy element? Floral and fruity and creamy seems like a bit too much… Plus oolong and rooibos together?

It’s not bad though. The lavender comes through quite strongly, and I don’t notice the fruit or the oolong. Mostly it’s lavender and red rooibos with an undertone of custardy vanilla. And since I’m not a fan of either of those first two things, into the rehoming box it goes! :D

Sipdown! (10 | 49)

Another cold steep sipdown! This is a nice peachy infusion, and the tang of the hibiscus makes it taste more authentic to me, as opposed to candylike. I did add a small amount of raw sugar to the pitcher, just to take the edge off of that hibiscus tang. Overall it’s very enjoyable and one that I would consider ordering again.

Sipdown! (9 | 48)

Another oldie finished from Simpson & Vail! This is a nice one – they call it French toast, but it reminds me more of an apple cinnamon coffee cake or even oatmeal. Very mellow with sweet, cooked apple and just the right amount of cinnamon to enhance and add sweetness without taking over, plus the richness of maple. The flavor has definitely diminished with age, so it’s more mild than it once was, but still an enjoyable cuppa.

This was one of my first loves from S&V (along with Almond Sugar Cookie). I’m not sure if I would reorder it at this point, since I don’t often reach for dessert-like teas. It might be nice to have around for fall though, when I tend to crave apple & cinnamon flavors. Thankfully, I can buy a 2-ounce bag next time since I already have the tin!

A spring subscription selection.

When I first saw this one, I assumed they had renamed their Mocha Maté. But this seems to actually be a completely new tea! Usually they send an email announcement for new releases, so I was surprised to be seeing this for the first time in the box. It does seem to maybe be a replacement for Mocha Maté (which AFAIK was just Adagio’s Mocha Nut Maté) as that one is no longer on the OBTC site.

Anyway, this is a green yerba maté and black tea blend with coffee beans, cacao, and cinnamon. I love all of their blends with coffee beans, so I was excited to see them here as well. And I enjoy this one, too! It’s somewhat mellow with an earthy/grassy flavor from the green maté, a bit of body from the black tea, and a kick of roasty coffee. The cinnamon is quite mild, and the cacao even moreso. They describe it as being similar to Mexican hot chocolate, but to me it’s more reminiscent of a cup of black coffee with a sprinkling of cinnamon and cocoa powder. Not really desserty or decadent, but comforting and slightly sweet.

I think I will probably pick up a tin of this one the next time I order from OBTC (not anytime soon, LOL!) as it’s different enough from their other coffee blends to have a place in my cupboard. I like the flavor that the green maté contributes in particular, which is different from their usual puerh (which is also good!).

Sipdown! (8 | 47)

I’ve been slacking on cold steeping (and tea in general) these last couple of months, so it’s nice to come back with a bang thanks to many tins that were already low.

This is a really nice one from Harney, it’s mostly raspberry with just a hint of refreshing mint. I don’t really notice lime, but it’s already quite tart from the hibiscus so maybe it just blends in together. I like that it’s very specifically raspberry, rather than a generic berry blend, and tastes like a fresh, tangy raspberry. It does need a touch of sweetener for me, but nothing drastic.

Will definitely consider a reorder in the future, though I find it weird that this comes in a 3-ounce tin instead of the usual 4, and they consider it an “herbal tea” rather than a “fruit tea”. Yes, it has mint, but the vast majority is hibiscus/rosehips and fruit chunks. (shrugs)

Sipdown! (7 | 46)

This was a lingering tin from the winter subscription box. Red rooibos just isn’t my thing, so I never tend to reach for it, which is why this was still hanging around. It’s fairly unremarkable, mostly just red rooibos and herbaceous peppermint – I don’t really notice much in the way of vanilla. And because the rooibos is quite woody and the peppermint more herbal than crisp, it goes to a very earthy-tasting place that doesn’t really fit the name.

Not awful, just not my thing and didn’t come through on the promised vanilla.

Another one from the spring subscription.

Was dreading this a bit, as I hate Western cherry blossom-flavored teas, and have tried OBTC’s before. But thankfully, the berry fruit infusion mostly overpowers the cherry candy flavoring, and the tanginess helps tame the cloying, medicinal notes that I so despise.

It’s not amazing, but it tastes more like a very mild tangy raspberry fruit tisane, with a dash of cherry and an undertone of green tea. Very easy-drinking, and I might just try it as a cold steep as well.