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I was in the mood for a French tea after excitedly discussing the Dammann Freres advent calendar with Miss Stephanie, so I decided to give this one a try! This sample came from boychik, who originally got it from CharlotteZero. So, a big thanks to both ladies! This tea has small, dark leaves blended with blue cornflower petals, small pieces of nuts, and some cinnamon bark. Dry scent is cinnamon and honey with an odd tang, maybe from the blueberry? I steeped a heaping teaspoon of leaf for 3 minutes at 200 degrees.

Mm… This tea has a warm and comforting aroma – mild cinnamon and clove with sweet marzipan and a hint of berry. The taste is a tad bit milder than I would like, so next time I will try a longer steep. There’s mild cinnamon combined with a smooth nutty flavor and a touch of berry juiciness. The aftertaste is sweet marzipan. For some reason, I am getting a bit of a chocolate note, perhaps it’s from the base tea? Either way, a delicious and comforting melange of flavors, and I’m sure this one will be even better with a longer steep.

Flavors: Berry, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Marzipan, Nuts, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Dinosara

I hope Dammann does the advent calendar again this year. It was so much fun! Even if they put the exact same one out I would probably do it again.

Cameron B.

They have it for sale on their website, whether it’s the same one or not, I don’t know. :) Either way, it’s new to me!

TeaTiff

Dammann Frees advent calendar?? How do I take part in this? Most everything I have tried from Dammann Freres I have loved.

Cameron B.

TeaTiff, this is the one they have for sale right now. I don’t know whether it’ll change closer to the holidays:

http://www.dammann.fr/coffrets/1081-calendrier-de-l-avent.html

TeaTiff

Looks fun. I wonder how much shipping would be. I will have to take a closer look when I get home.

Dinosara

Well it went up 1,01 euro in price lol. The design on the front is different as well, who knows if the teas are different! I have been scouring their site over the past month and never saw it, so I think it must have just been added.

Will have to order this in November after I get back from Europe. Too bad I’m not going to Paris, although I don’t know if they had these in stores.

Also, I knew I should have waited for the fall teas for my order. I mean, “Oolong Caramel au beurre salé”? That must be mine. Oh well, there’s another in my future.

Dinosara

TeaTiff – last year it was 10 euro for the Advent calender only. The shipping is scaled, so it depends on how much you buy. Also last year this site had them for 8 euro shipping: http://www.cadeau-deco-vendome.com/en/christmas-dammann-xsl-727_780.html
They may get them in stock this year too.

TeaTiff

Thanks for the info! I am getting excited for Christmas already.

Lariel of Lórien

Oh, I wish I had some for the full moon this month. It sounds interesting. Praise Selene!

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Comments

Dinosara

I hope Dammann does the advent calendar again this year. It was so much fun! Even if they put the exact same one out I would probably do it again.

Cameron B.

They have it for sale on their website, whether it’s the same one or not, I don’t know. :) Either way, it’s new to me!

TeaTiff

Dammann Frees advent calendar?? How do I take part in this? Most everything I have tried from Dammann Freres I have loved.

Cameron B.

TeaTiff, this is the one they have for sale right now. I don’t know whether it’ll change closer to the holidays:

http://www.dammann.fr/coffrets/1081-calendrier-de-l-avent.html

TeaTiff

Looks fun. I wonder how much shipping would be. I will have to take a closer look when I get home.

Dinosara

Well it went up 1,01 euro in price lol. The design on the front is different as well, who knows if the teas are different! I have been scouring their site over the past month and never saw it, so I think it must have just been added.

Will have to order this in November after I get back from Europe. Too bad I’m not going to Paris, although I don’t know if they had these in stores.

Also, I knew I should have waited for the fall teas for my order. I mean, “Oolong Caramel au beurre salé”? That must be mine. Oh well, there’s another in my future.

Dinosara

TeaTiff – last year it was 10 euro for the Advent calender only. The shipping is scaled, so it depends on how much you buy. Also last year this site had them for 8 euro shipping: http://www.cadeau-deco-vendome.com/en/christmas-dammann-xsl-727_780.html
They may get them in stock this year too.

TeaTiff

Thanks for the info! I am getting excited for Christmas already.

Lariel of Lórien

Oh, I wish I had some for the full moon this month. It sounds interesting. Praise Selene!

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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