CrowKettle

Nutella tea. Fleshy hazelnuts and vanilla toffee. So much flavorful sweetness. So much. This is smooth except for a bitter nut note. I bet this would rock my socks off as a latte. It already tastes like a flavoured coffee creamer.

Unlike the rose mango from Utopia Tea, which I’m saving for iced summer sessions, I feel this one would be better suited for the autumn and early winter seasons. It would’ve been useful to keep my chocolate cravings in check when I was gifted all those Purdy boxes. Still feeling the ramifications for that two months later..

Only complaints are this may be a little too rich for me and the tea base itself is not overly noticeable.

Just to reconfirm: milk does this tea no favours.It sucks up all the floral subtlety and hides the tea’s personality, making the whole thing rather bland. If the primary bite is a bother, it doesn’t stick around much for the second and third steeps (which are delicious).

Sometimes I rush into things without thinking. I just wish for once I could write something or get the words right the first time around without making a silly fool of myself. I need to remind myself to take it slow- that includes tea.

Backlog from yesterday: this is the iced batch and I think I can say I enjoyed it more. It really tastes like the smell of crisp yellow roses. It’s delicious, it calls up old memories of going to beautiful gardens (Butchart), but I don’t know if I enjoy this all too much. The candied fruit finish starts where the floral roses end, creating a bitter tangy sweetness that makes me pause. That fruitiness is not wholly like sweet mango, although that can be surmised up from it. There’s cutting, nippy lemon, and maybe even some tart pineapple too.

It’s still disappointing on the mango front but it sure delivers with roses. Floral yellow fans shouldn’t be disappointed. What a strange, intriguing tea. Also, I’m getting more green than any other tea base.

Mother’s reaction: “I don’t like it, but it’s nice” (huh?), and “it’s very delicate.”

This is exactly what I want when I say bold and brisk! Wow, this gets me going.

Astringent? Yes. Bitter? hmm.. kind of like an orange peel, or as with dark chocolate with dried up fruit bits. There is something almost sweet and soft to the cup, especially in beginning to mid sip, where it goes smooth in a creamy malty way. that smoothness coexists with the briskness in an appealing manner.

I added milk the first time I tried some a few days ago; it was pleasant, but I don’t feel the broth is thick enough to call for it. Also, that aforementioned softness balances out the potential harshness of the cup for me.

I second steeped it the other day as well, and it had all the strength of a Breakfast tea on first steep. It’s a potent cup! Today I’m going to see how long it can last. Edit- second steep today is definitely floral! Yum.

Thank you, Azzrian, for pointing me towards this! I can’t wait to try the purple tea next.

Besides the yellow rosy floral taste, this tea makes me sad. They should have put in real, big mango bits, grrrr!!! As it is, the fruity flavour, which is yet more “yellowness”, comes off as somewhat insincere. A little tangy, like pineapple or lemon. I hadn’t realized yellow was a taste before this tea so it gets cool points for that.

I should try this iced before passing final judgment on it though. I don’t think this tea was meant to thrive as a hot cup and it definitely wasn’t meant to ever bear witness to the addition of milk.. it came out tasting a little like pledge polisher after that. Nope.

The dry loose leaves smell like citrus jello, which is lovely but, you know, I want mangoes!

Edit: on closer inspection, this bag looks like it contains a handful of yellow and white fruit pieces, so there is hope. I’ll make a more “analytical” note when I make some iced tea.

Murchie’s had this out as a self-serve sample today, along with the Oolong Magnolia, when I went to go pick up a Tiramisu cake for get-together. Why don’t I go to Murchie’s more often? Their desserts are delicious and the teas aren’t bad either.

I thought this was going to be nasty when I read the name but it turned out to be quite pleasant. The berry flavour reminded me of the soft fruitiness found in jam. Very smooth and dessert-like, particularly with the vanilla and cinnamon- not spicy or hot like what I think of chai, but “spiced”. I could see this being an item at a children’s “tea party” if that makes sense. I didn’t get a very good overall impression but it was enough to intrigue me!

Silk Road gave their website a makeover and it looks like they are finally on board with the online shipping thing-before you apparently had to order over the phone! I wasn’t aware that their teas were categorized as “signature” or “limited edition”. Silly me, assuming everything is permanent.

Mmm, This is a delicate, dainty little tea. The dry leaves look like tightly curled up bits of thread. The aroma is almost unnoticeable when dry but it becomes characteristically floral when damp. The notes are simple, crisp and floral, with a honey sweet finish. This contains a surprising amount of flavour. There is something that almost seems “spiced” and musky about its aroma and finish but it’s too subtle for me to put my finger on.

I’m drinking this using my little glass gongfu pot… white tea and floral flavours can be so subtle yet potent! They make the world seem like it’s slowing down. I could just sit here and drift off with this (should be studying). Too bad this tea wasn’t cheaper.

I picked up some matcha to experiment with after Sil pointed me towards a great deal at Red Leaf. I’ve never made matcha myself but I enjoy the flavour of it in other food and beverages I’ve come across.

This is freaking delicious, in a smooth grassy way, but I failed so hard at making it. Taste is good, consistent and thick, no clumps, but also no froth. Today is going to be dedicated to whisking, sifting, and measuring abilities, my dear tea companions.. >.<

Ah, Verdant Tea gave me more of this as my free sample. I really feel I need to stock up on this if it’s still around by the time I empty out my cupboards.

First steep tastes like banana crackers today..tonight. Why did I put off my essays until now?! I’m not getting any sleep tonight. I hate myself right now so much.

Here’s another mini sipdown brought to you from the future! It’s also a backlog from the past! I’m totally time jumping, everyone.

I have 11:30-9:00 classes on Wednesdays so that’s the day where my Timolino Travel Mug proves it’s worth (or not..)! Usually I go for something strong, simple, and caffeinated (Glitter & Gold is my favourite here) but I felt like finishing this off and experimenting a little (my experiments usually have awful results).

Results to be posted here: Dun, dun, dun..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTGyeGgMpk8

and it was…Moderately Successful! Er, a little too much stevia-like sweetness and apple with not enough cream but it worked ok!

I’ve done some funky things with this tisane (like mixing it with pure coconut milk) but it’s always come out on top. I like mint, and coconut, and cream- which is exactly what this is in that order.

I didn’t fully appreciate the Cocomint until my aunt, who I’ve got hooked on David’s Tea, made a pot up after our Christmas Day dinner. Best, most delicious thing after shoving too many things in a stomach!

I hope they bring this, or some version of this, back next year; it may be herbal (actually, that’s a factor in it’s impressiveness) but it’s one of the meager few of the newer blends from David’s I’ve actually enjoyed. Definitely a candied “texture” though.

Mini sipdown! Working through these samples slowly.

This is my second time trying an oolong specifically labelled as a Tieguanyin! I’m actually drinking this, gongfu style, right beside the sample from Zen Tea that Cavocorax sent me. I still have a hard time describing oolong but there are some noticeable differences.

This one’s a little more vegetal, nutty, and all-around hearty in nature; definitely not as intoxicatingly floral, although that element is still there, or as vanilla-sweet. This oolong is very mellow and smooth and a lot more subtle in its flavours than the first one. It became very vegetal near the tenth steep, and started off buttery and creamy.

Now I can appreciate the base that makes up Earl of Anxi.

As much as I like this straight I have to admit it’s even better with milk.

The variations of tea in this blend means it tends to come out tasting slightly different each turn. While predominantly malty, pointy, and consisting of a good brisk finish, when I get more golden tips in my strainer I notice the finish inclines to an awesome, yet very subtle, clove-like spice.

A lot of the black teas I’m learning to love lately are quite expensive and “fancy” but this one’s nice and casual; I don’t feel I need to get all dressed up for it or ration it out!

Thank you Cavocorax for sending me this! I’ve never had an oolong specifically labelled as a Tieguanyin. I’ve wanted to try this since learning about Avalokiteśvara in my Asian religions class and reading the back story on the tea name.

Before this I thought I knew what a floral oolong was. Then I tried these little balls of joy…and the oolong ball soared out of the park! floral tea with a home run! Yeah… Breathtaking.

Truly though, I was shocked by this oolong’s floral body. My roommate said this reminded her of a jasmine tea from Teaopia (interesting). I can’t believe it isn’t flavoured either. It just goes to show I’m still a newbie with tea and there’s still a lot out there to try.

The sweet vanilla notes and milky richness make for a heady experience that would prevent me from drinking this regularly. I can think of a few occasions where I would want to pretend I’m in a gigantic garden filled with heavy bodied flowers, however. Like right now. This is the perfect tea to take my mind off personal bloopers and failings.

A Feast For Crows and Once Upon a Time, on the other hand, are NOT particularly cheery, and are lacking the overzealous flowers I crave for. I clearly need to find more euphoric forms of escapism! (Rumpelstiltskin is entertaining to watch, Cersei is not)

Aroma:
Dry Leaves- waffle cones, spices, and something fruity
Wet Leaves- musky roasted waffle fruit with burnt wood (very potent)

This tea has notes characteristic of a greener oolong in that it’s notably milky, but also possesses that savory roasted quality found in darker oolong. The unfurled wet leaves represent that dichotomy- long browny green strands.

To start, it has a honeyed body and a sweet tangy finish that very much embodies sharp red grapefruit. The aftertaste is citric and sweet- smooth and sharp.

I think I’m on my sixth or seventh steep in my gongfu pot and the tea has become noticeably honey rich, spiced near the end, and woody in a roasted way. I’m glad for this change in profile; even though I love grapefruit I can only handle so much of it. Interesting transition to say the least!

I’m still getting used to darker roasted oolongs. This is a good one for me as it definitely never allows for boredom, and contains notes from my favourite citrus fruit (sometimes I can’t believe these teas aren’t flavoured).

Also, sipdown!

Sample sipdown from ToiToi!

The smell of the blend and liquor took me by surprise; it’s a very intrusive sweet citrus perfume mixed with the berry-like qualities of rooibos. It reminds me both of Raspberry Nectar from David’s tea and SunnyD. Very sticky sweet.

The taste is a mixture of fruity floral qualities and ever present citrus. It has a smooth citrus sweet finish: top notch lemons, oranges, and even some grapefruit? The rooibos is distinguishable but I don’t feel it’s overly medicinal. Some sour puckering. I love the taste more than the smell; I’m enjoying it more than both Raspberry Nectar and SunnyD, thankfully.

Even though I stir up my tea and tisanes, I find when I drink rooibos it first tastes watery but after a few sips that wateriness becomes pleasantly creamy and thick. I don’t know why that happens but I always start to enjoy my rooibos after I’m mid-cup in. This blend is no exception.

Note: my oolong is greener and more balled up than the picture depicted on the website.

Disclosure: The fluoride treatment I always end up with at the dentist’s is orange creamsicle, the near identical flavour of this tea. It’s throwing me off a tad. I am clearly biased here so I will try to do a quick summary breakdown of the basic characteristics.

The leaves smell of the orange rinds found along with the oolong balls. The aroma of the liquor is buttery, milky oolong notes with a backdrop of candied orange. The broth feels oily and rich. The main notes are buttery, vegetal oolong followed by tangy orange peel which mellows out for the fruity and creamy sweet finish. Floral, buttery qualities make up the aftertaste texture, while citrus sourness linger on the back of the tongue.

When I had my first cup of this I was ready to drop this tea for reminding me of fluoride but today I can respect the solid floral green oolong and the milky orange. I’m actually enjoying this cup; it isn’t coming off as artificial and chemical-like as I first experienced. It’s very much the candy creamsicle tea, however.

Aroma of dry leaves: sweet and creamy chocolate
Wet leaves: tangy cocoa, leather, coffee

Taste: very malty and woody; beer-like. Tangy/pointy orange peel, more beer, soft cocoa, hint of cream
Aftertaste: orange peel, cloves

Additional flavours in later steeps: cloves Version 2.0, pepper finish… so much pepper. This isn’t chai? Burnt wood

Awesomeness level: pretty awesome.

Can CrowKettle handle the manly power of this tea? Nope

Objective level of this note: going down with each additional word

Prevailing thought while sipping: where did the chocolate go??

Another sipdown! This tea made me late for class the other day because I refused to go out the door until I had finished all of this scalding wonder.

This tea possesses the most delightful juicy sweetness, and I want to drink it every day. I will definitely be picking up a huge stock of this in spite of the crazy costs and the increase in shipping. When I started exploring teas I never thought a unflavoured black would be on my top favourite teas list of all time, yet here I am.

Sipdown! This tastes way better when I’m more generous with the amount I put in the glass gongfu pot.

The first steep is extremely nutty, like raw almonds, with a bit of sweet grassiness. I ruined the second steep by forgetting about it for a minute, and the third one tastes like a creamy bright salve in comparison.

Fourth steep is unbelievably sweet- aftertaste of banana cream. I never achieved this the first go around (where it tasted more like sparkling apple juice and pastry). Prevailing nuttiness on the sides of the tongue and back.

Fifth steep has a finish of vanilla cream. It’s pretty tasty and I’ll bump up my arbitrary rating by a few. There is a pleasent tickling puckering astringency, but nothing bitter here.

eighth steep and up, is seeing a return to a refreshing zippy leafiness. It’s almost like it has come full circle!

Side Note: My silver sample packet of this was open and exposed to the elements for slightly over two weeks, if that has any bearing.

Out of the handful of pumpkin teas I’ve tried this one tastes the most like pumpkin pie. It carries a mushy creaminess, a slightly pungent finish, that makes me think of pumpkin or black tea, and even the sensation of sweet rich whip cream. Are you sure this is vegan?

I don’t get creme brulee as much but it has already succeeded where many other teas have clunked out- creating a convincing pumpkin dessert, both in texture and in taste, without going overboard artificial, and still managing to be tea. Thank you BoxerMama for the sample, and Stacy for all the amazing teas!

Edit: This holds up decently to additional steeping, although the cinnamon is more dominant, and my empty cup has the amazing aroma of nutmeg, cinnamon, and creamy pumpkin.

Backlog: ToiToi generously sent this to me, along with some amazing samples and candies, after the Christmas swap. I’m so grateful I got to try this!

To quickly sum it up, it tastes like a floral cream of earl grey. There are strands of rose notes and something that reminds me of lavender; the same floral minty flavour that I recognize from other lavender teas is present here but it may just be the combination of bergamot and other flowers. The dry leaves don’t smell of lavender at all; only sweet floral notes and bergamot. That citrus flavour is very present but not freakishly harsh. I think all the ingredients are balanced, and come together nicely.

I was expecting a green/black blend when I opened the packet but apparently it’s black leaves. The base is solid enough that this might go nicely with some milk. I find that this Sweet, floral, creamy, and pointy tea needs little addition, however. I don’t normally like Earl Grey bergamot teas but this one is decent.

Edit: After another day with this tea I’m pretty sure there’s no lavender. There are some very pleasant fruity floral notes that I can’t identify though. :)

I’ve never been one for breakfast teas. They make me nervous. Are they a tea-lover’s equivalent to the black hole that is a cup of morning coffee? Are they robust? Aggressive? Some hideous demonic fiend, come to rip me from my comfortable sleep-deprived stupor? I don’t want that. Not at all. Leave me alone, scary black tea.

I love to force myself out of my comfort zone… really, I do, but I don’t think I truly left it by ordering this tea. It’s surprisingly mellow and non-confrontational, which is very misleading, seeing as the sticker for this tea consists of some dude in a chariot, clutching both a spear and shield. I was expecting to get shredded and then dragged along behind! I usually steep it underneath the recommended 4-5 minute mark but I think I would still be safe if I hit that time. It would be the perfect milk companion then.

Orange Pekoe is new to me, as are “Indian teas”. A peppery finish, while less new, is still a novelty, although I don’t always pick that up with this blend. A cup of this tends to be pointy and a tad bready- like a morning orange and bun. It has a zippy fresh quality that is invigorating, yet manages not to shred my tongue up with astringent talons. It’s pleasant and bright.

The liquid’s aroma comes off as pleasantly musky sweet. It tasted and smelled rather fine with the butter chicken yesterday. It’s been a good month for black teas!

Cavocorax sent me a parcel about a week ago that included this amazing tea! Thank you- I’ve been eying this for some time now. My roommate can attest to the amount of squeeing that went on when I opened this up. Love the evasive coconut smell- it even took over my room for a few days. :)

I couldn’t help but hold this up to the Coconut Pouchong from Golden Moon Tea, which is one of my favourite teas. Despite my love for that pouchong, and unfortunately for Golden Moon, I can’t afford the $15 addition for shipping it literally a few hours across the boarder. until I manage to make my way down to Seattle and pick this up in person I’ll need a substitute- and I think I’ve found it in this oolong!

It’s straight up coconut and floral green oolong. This comes off as more roasted nutty, and dessert-like than the other pouchong; I read Kittena’s note about this tasting more “flavoured”, which I feel puts it nicely. It’s not exactly the same but It’s now a staple! It’s one of the few oolong teas I make potfuls of!

This was included in a Christmas swap from ToiToi!

Black vanilla tea always make me think of sunny spring afternoons. It may not be spring but it is a sunny afternoon here, and this is a very pleasant, straightforward vanilla black tea.

It differentiates from its fellow vanilla comrades slightly, however, in the cream component, also noted in this tea’s name. While sipping this I sometimes get the impression of icing cream and cake; it’s kind of sweet! The black base is mostly smooth and lightly jasmine infused, although there is a hint of robustness to it (at least for me) that I’m sure would come out if it was steeped for over five minutes.

This is a very pleasant dessert tea without being a chaotic overly artificial mess. It’s sweet and smooth enough to take without milk, although I am curious to try it with some. I wish I knew what kind of black base this has; I’m a newb when it comes to black tea and “luxury black” doesn’t cut it for me.

I don’t know if it’s the sun or this tea but I feel very happy right now. It’s bright out! Thanks again, ToiToi!