902 Tasting Notes
A perfect tea for a lazy, starting-the-long-weekend morning. And my David’s order came yesterday, so I’ve got a big tin full to keep me warm!
Preparation
Ladies and Gents, being a lunch lady ain’t easy sometimes. We had the annual Thanksgiving bash at one of my schools today, and while it went surprisingly well, it’s always a crazy-busy-happy day that leaves you wanting to sit back and have a beer.
So, instead, I went to Cuppa and grabbed a chocolate strawberry latte with extra chocolate on my way back to the main office. Now to finish up this paperwork and start a long weekend!!
seykayay sent me some of this tea. I didn’t realize it was an herbal until after I was already sipping it…which is probably not a bad thing, since I’ve already had 2 pots with caffeine since I’ve woken up.
This is different, but good. It’s earthy, and vegetal, but slightly sweet. On the finish, it’s a bit like cocao nibs blended with steamed, buttered veggies. Sounds gross, yes, but it actually works!!
Thanks, seykayay, for this sample! I’ll definitely have to check the international sections of my grocery stores for this, or the Vietnamese section of Jungle Jim’s.
Preparation
I’ve had this before, but for some reason never made a note on it. Why? Who knows?
So, with my semi-new chai obsession, I had to get some of this when I ordered from Sanctuary T. They didn’t have it in a teaser, so I took the plunge and got a full tin. I’m so glad I did. The tin itself is very nice; brushed metal and short, it’s very classy. The dry leaf smells almost exceedingly spicy, but has a hint of sweetness.
Brewed up, this makes a dark, rich cuppa. The spices are strong but not overpowering, and I can’t single out just one. Rather, they meld to form a single taste that can only be described as “chai”. And the vanilla really, really makes this blend. It gives it a cookie-like quality; it tastes more like a dessert tea than an early morning blend. I’ve not tried it with milk yet, but I think it’d be very good that way as well.
A perfect cup to have whilst cuddled on the couch, listening to the rain and the thunder.
Preparation
Jillian kindly sent me some bags of this blend…ever since I read her note about “the citrus and hibiscus forming an unholy alliance” in her mouth, I’ve been intriqued. I adore tart things…my lemonade, for example, should lock your jaw it’s so tart, and I brew hibiscus-based blends at 10 minutes or longer.
So, on to this. It’s definitely pink, and definitely smells like hibiscus. I can kinda smell the yerba mate underneath that, but in scent, it’s definitely not the star player.
It’s really not as tart as I was expecting. Actually, I really don’t find it tart at all. The hibiscus is in the fore, and there’s lemon-like notes, but the yerba mate taste still comes through for me as herbal/woodsy. Sweet without having anything added; I think adding anything would be a bad idea. Probably the best yerba mate blend that I’ve had, to be honest (I’ve tasted all of three, and the other two were blended with chocolate flavors, so please take that statement with a grain of salt). I think this’d be fantastic iced in the summer as well.
Jillian, thanks for sending this one to me!! I’m definitely enjoying it!
