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Vanilla Orchid from DAVIDsTEA

Not sure where I’m going wrong with this one. When I had it at the store, it was FRENCH VANILLA/VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM IN YOUR FACE and it was creamy and delicious. After one sip, I exclaimed “WOW! I’ll take 50g!”

But no matter how I prepare it at home, I can’t get it to taste like vanilla at all. I’ve tried following the instructions on the package, I’ve tried doubling and tripling (not recommended to triple, wow that infuser nearly exploded!) the leaf. In a last ditch effort, I even tried loading it with sugar. (not that I wanted to drink it that way, just wondering if that was how they did it so I could put the issue to rest) Even that unsavory means didn’t do it. Just tasted like sugared oolong. Which isn’t a good thing. =/ Just plain oolong, thanks.

If this is what I’d tasted when I bought it, this wouldn’t be a problem. You see, normally when a flavored tea ONLY tastes like the flavor and not like tea at all, that’s usually a huge negative with me. But I bought this under the impression that it’s SUPER vanilla with the hopes that this could be a dessert busting tea, and when I want to drink tea I’ll just reach for something else in the cupboard.

But as it stands, this isn’t making a dessert buster, nor a really good tea either.

I just can’t for the life of me figure out what the girl did at the store to make it taste so different. It’s like it’s two entirely different beverages.

So I feel really disappointed. I feel like my first impression at the store was an entirely wrong impression and now I feel like I’m missing out on a tea that everyone else seems to be enjoying, which I can’t because of a misconception. Not really sure what to make of this.

People who liked this

Rachel J
Lala
Anyanka
Angrboda
Kittenna
Miss Starfish

Comments

Rachel J
Rachel J 2013-03-19 21:06:45 -0400

Well, if it’s any consolation, I really don’t like this tea!

Chizakura
Chizakura 2013-03-19 21:08:59 -0400

Haha, it does make me feel a little better, actually! I actually find I’m almost aways disappointed with DT. I LOVE Organic Cream of Earl Grey and I really liked the Pumpkin Chai too, but otherwise pretty much everything has just been subpar. =/ I really want to love them, but I dunno. The only tea I’ve ever purchased twice from there is the Cream of Earl Grey. … And I’ve bought and tried quite a few now.

Ah well, they make an excellent teaware shop I suppose.

Rachel J
Rachel J 2013-03-19 21:12:44 -0400

Yeah, I agree! I have been much happier with the teaware than the tea! I don’t think it can compare with some of the really high end tea that people talk about around here.

Tealizzy
Tealizzy 2013-03-19 23:24:03 -0400

That’s a bummer, especially since you went for the 50g!

OMGsrsly
OMGsrsly 2013-03-19 23:30:56 -0400

Mine is super vanilla-y. So much so that i dump the first infusion and only drink the second and third. And that’s only if i want a vanilla tea. I don’t hate it, but it’s also not something i reach for.

Chizakura
Chizakura 2013-03-19 23:40:04 -0400

Well it’s not so much a shame that I got the 50g, ’cause I nearly used it all up trying to figure out how to obtain that ultra vanilla flavor I had in store. lol. If I could crack that, I would never need dessert ever again. xD

I wonder why mine doesn’t come out vanilla-y when I make it. =/ Doesn’t matter how hot or cool the water is, or how long or short I steep it, or even how much leaf, I just can’t get that flavor. DX;

Chizakura
Chizakura 2013-03-20 00:05:58 -0400

I’m almost beginning to wonder if they gave me a different tea by accident. Just doesn’t seem possible that it tastes so radically different. o_o; It was CRAZY busy in there and it was several minutes apart from when they brewed up a cup and scooped some out for me. xD

OMGsrsly
OMGsrsly 2013-03-20 00:34:10 -0400

There is another vanilla oolong, but I don’t remember what it’s called. It’s entirely possible they scooped out the wrong one. My parents just picked up 250g of vanilla orchid for someone, and the girl almost gave them the other one instead. Good thing i was paying attention!

Kittenna
Kittenna 2013-03-20 05:30:20 -0400

The other Vanilla oolong (aka Vanilla Oolong, I think) has a darker oolong as a base, and is less floral than Vanilla Orchid. It’s possible that they gave you the wrong tea (although I thought Vanilla Oolong was discontinued a while back).

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Profile

Bio

Hello! I’m a 23 year old Canadian, currently working at Starbucks while I figure out what I want to do with myself in life, haha.

So I’m a reformed bag drinker. ;) Grew up on the tea bags (Tetley Orange Pekoe as well as Tetley Earl Grey Vanilla in particular) but other than my weekly free tin of Awake tea from my job at Starbucks, I’ve entirely made the switch over this past year, and I’m finding I’m loving tea more than I ever have since I did.

My favorite kind of tea is black, and unflavored, although I do enjoy an occasional dessert black. I’ve recently been dipping my toes into white, green and oolongs.

Purely for tasting notes references, the only additives I use in tea is milk for blacks. Older tasting notes for blacks was with milk+sugar. Whites, oolongs, greens and herbals are all drunk straight unless otherwise specified in the notes.

Location

Canada

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