1429 Tasting Notes

83

It’s St. Patrick’s but I’m not sure I’m going to drink a beer today. I’m having this fitting tea just in case. It may taste like a dark boozy brownie but it also tastes like a delicious (albeit hot) craft beer too. Hurrah for Stout things (while the weather isn’t summer, which is Hefeweizen season).

This is hands down one of my favourite chocolate teas right now, and although it has that unmistakable trademark AQ2T dessert/chocolate blend flavouring I think it stands out from it’s counterparts too.

Flavors: Bread, Cacao, Chocolate, Hops, Malt, Pastries, Raspberry, Roasted Barley

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 15 sec

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73
drank Candied Pear by 52teas
1429 tasting notes

I think I want this to either go more pear or more of a molasses-like candy. Admittedly I’ve never had a red covered apple- just the cloying, thick caramel covered apples, so I’m probably off in my own imaginings.

The flavouring and tea base are both light and subtle, creating a delicate cup that’s suitable for a nice pre-spring day. The delicate, crystallized sweetness is a refreshing cup for prep gardening (read as watching juncos and listening to chickadees outside while other people do some edging). Glad I saved the dregs of this for a timely change in season.

Flavors: Cucumber, Grass, Melon, Pear, Sugar

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82

Apparently I never got around to writing a tea note on this one. I drank it up ages ago and memories are now foggy, but it was a nice cuppa while it lasted. Cotton Candy is a very thin, light candy flavour and sometimes that made the tea come across as watery- otherwise, I can’t think of other complaints right now.

Edit: I found some leftover tea in the back of the cupboard and I rescind my “watery” comment. The flavour to tea is full and complete; overall, the tea is delicious. On a second note, it’s really annoying to find a tea in your cupboard after you’ve unchecked it from your stash list.

Flavors: Blueberry, Candy, Cotton Candy, Vegetal

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70

This tea’s alright? I reached for this one readily enough but I think I was hoping for something else. Maybe something with a complex tart-sweet dancong base?

I would like something with “whipped cream” and “prune” in the description to be a little darker, richer, thicker, and more nuanced¬ overall, with less of the candied thing going on; The plum and white chocolate come across as somewhat artificial over the course of the cup. I like the smell of the dry leaf though.

Flavors: Candy, Plum, White Chocolate

Evol Ving Ness

Too bad! It shows such promise, at least in the description.
It’s not been a good season for August Uncommon. At those prices, our expectations are high.

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73

All the points are for the lemon cookie flavouring; jury’s still out on the whole unripe/green fig vibe. I’m meh on the green tea base here (Chinese Sencha blargh). The combined flavouring and tea gives me a marine impression, which I’m not completely loving.

Like Arabeseque, Good Humour’s deliciousness quotient relies on getting those steeping parameters right; too much leaf, temp, etc. leads to a bitter/drowned out cup.

Flavors: Apple, Cookie, Fig, Grass, Lemon, Lemon Zest, Lemongrass, Pastries, Tangy, Vanilla, Vegetal

Evol Ving Ness

It’s good to see you. We’ve missed you.

Crowkettle

I missed you all too!

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80
drank PMS Oolong by 52teas
1429 tasting notes

INT- A POORLY LIT STAGE

Crowkettle slowly approaches a disconnected mic on side stage, brown paper bag fully enveloping head.

CROWKETTLE (nervously)
I like this one better than Butiki’s Flowery Pinapple Oolong.

MIC CLATTERS

Crowkettle violently vanishes into a void leading to an unknown dungeon dimension.

Flavors: Floral, Mango, Pineapple, Strawberry

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Sil

hahaha i think i thought it was compareable as well. in other words, tasty!

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70
drank Arabesque by August Uncommon Tea
1429 tasting notes

This is pretty nice, except for that weak Chinese sencha blend. I think I may just straight out hate that stuff at this point. It’s such a watery non-substance after such lovely flavours here (orange, vanilla, sandalwood). I think this could be something pretty special if it weren’t for that generic, lackluster, hateful tea base (now let me tell you how I really feel).

Flavors: Cream, Grass, Orange, Vanilla, Vegetal

Evol Ving Ness

yep, until I discover something sencha that I haven’t tasted before, sencha is my least favourite thing. But that flavour overlay, wow—such potential.

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70

I mostly get clove-accented blackberries and stone fruits, with a floral citrus-orange mix that comes off as overly perfume-like. The floral perfume thing is unfortunately a little too much for me; it drowns out the room (and my tongue) for hours after the initial session. I kept thinking about how much Sil would dislike this one if I sent it to her.

Oh well, moving on!

Flavors: Bergamot, Blackberry, Citrus Zest, Cloves, Flowers, Perfume

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84

The last few months have been a bit of a struggle both mentally and healthwise, but the better weather here on the West Coast seems to have given me back some energy. I’m looking forward to drinking teas besides Cold 911 (maybe iced tea is in the cards?).

This one more than makes up for my poor experience with (cue Twilight Zone music) the Black Lodge. This easy steeper had such a lovely balance of sour-sweet green apple, fennel and citrus zest that I ended up never drinking it with milk- the cloves and strong herbs make me mentally group it as a chai but I’ll have to order more if I want a latte or iced cup now!

The description on the back makes me laugh though. “Melodic sonic modulations” what now?! This is a pretty happy tea drinking experience and it got me through quite a few sick days, so I’ll go with it. This will be on the reorder list when I eventually run out of Psychocandy.

Flavors: Citrus Zest, Cloves, Fennel, Green Apple

Fjellrev

Aww, I’m sorry you’ve had a rough few months, CrowKettle. I really hope 2018 will improve for you to the max.

Lexie Aleah

I’m pretty sure this one is on sale right now and they are trying to clear it out. I’ve been wanting to try it myself. Hopefully the rest of the year goes better for you.

Sil

hugs

Crowkettle

Thanks everyone. Things seem to be going more smoothly now.

I appreciate the heads-up, Lexie Aleah :)

Evol Ving Ness

more hugs to you, CrowKettle.

It sucks to be less than 100%.

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76
drank Organic Cold 911 by DAVIDsTEA
1429 tasting notes

I’m still alive but not fully functioning right now. Just want people to know that they haven’t been forgotten. Parcels will be sent out soon when everything I touch doesn’t become plague-ridden.

Flavors: Berry, Eucalyptus, Mint

Evol Ving Ness

I hope you feel better soon. Here too, I have some sort of wonky on and off again lingering thing. Ugh.

Crowkettle

I’m almost better. I hope you feel better soon too! Some of the things going around this season have been brutal!

The two parcels I should’ve sent out two months ago are more brutal though. arrgh

Evol Ving Ness

I’m much better. Thank you.

The parcels, of course, can wait. Take care of you and the rest will come. You can usually count on tea people having plenty of tea to occupy themselves with before the new teas roll in.

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Profile

Bio

I started my Steepster loose leaf adventure back in 2012. I can’t say I’m completely new anymore, but I still view oolong as a magical, extraterrestrial creature that unfurls in water.

My favourites are teas like Milk Oolong, Silver Needle,and Japanese Sencha/Gyokuro, or fruity and floral flavoured ones. However, I generally enjoy ALL the teas, including a good old cup of Earl Grey or Breakfast blend.

FAVOURITE INGREDIENTS/NOTES:

DESSERT FLAVOURS
Vanilla, Maple, Caramel, Butterscotch, Cream, Toffee, Nougat, Marzipan, Butter

FRUIT & BERRIES
Citrus Fruits, Passionfruit, Banana, Pineapple, Melons, Blackberry, Raspberry, Currants, Elderberry, Persimmon, Rhubarb..

SPICES
Ginger, Turmeric, Clove-forward chai, Cardamom

AROMATIC & HERBACEOUS NOTES
Sandalwood, Frankincense, Juniper, Eucalyptus, Mints

FLORALS
Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Lilac, Violet, etc.

VEGGIE/GRAIN NOTES
Spinach, Grass, Hay, Cucumber, Rice, Sweet Potato

Less Preferred Flavours/Ingredients:
Stevia, Apple, Cocoa Nib, Almond, Licorice, Cinnamon-forward blends, Chinese Sencha

Subjective Rating System:
I don’t give a lot of low ratings out, since a) I tend to grab tea I know will appeal to me, and b) I don’t have a lot of strong dislikes.

90-100: Favourites. The Desert Island Teas.
80-89: Loved teas. Possibly staple-worthy.
70-79: Good teas, but I’m less likely to repurchase. Minor quibbles.
60-69: Ok teas. Likely a few preference and/or quality issues.
50-59: Cup of meh. Will do in a pinch.
11-49: Varying levels of undrinkable tea.
1-10: Nightmare tea from the chaos realms. This tea is the embodiment of the primordial swamp, an unholy abomination. It’s very gross and I’m almost positive it doesn’t exist.

Location

BC, Canada

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