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290/365

Only one thing to say about this: awesome!

It’s very candy pineapple up front, much like those dried crystallised pieces you can buy in health shops. As it strengthens, the coconut becomes the (slightly) more dominant flavour, although not in a way that’s soapy or overpowering. If anything, it’s very clean and fresh tasting, and deliciously tropical. This one would have been perfect on those hot days we had recently, and I’m a little sad that I only discovered these in the last few days.

The green tea base is very subtle, although probably the cold brewing helps with that. It could also be that there’s just not that much green tea in each sachet, although there looks to be plenty of something green, but it’s so finely shredded, it’s hard to tell what it’s supposed to be.

Love it, though!

289/365

I found these in Sainsbury’s the other day. I’ll admit that while I’ve not been actively looking in the tea aisle, I’ve walked down it often enough and I don’t remember ever seeing these. That makes me think they’re a fairly recent release, and yet the timing seems a bit odd. If I’d known about these, I would have been all over them during the hot weather we had recently. They seem like the perfect thing. Anyway, today was warm still, so I took the opportunity to try them anyway. Maybe we’ll have an indian summer, and they’ll come in to their own then? Part of me hopes not, since I absolutely love autumn.

To provide a bit of context, these are silky pyramid-style affairs, specifically intended for rapid cold brewing. I can testify to that – I added 1 bag to the recommended 500ml water for my walk to work this morning, and it was ready to drink within 20 minutes or so. Possibly sooner, except the bottle was in my bag and I wasn’t really paying attention. I opened it when I got off the bus, and it was perfect at that point. The packaging states that these are heat treated to be “safe” for this method of brewing, and in all honesty that’s something I’ve never really thought about before. I’ve cold brewed teas in the fridge for years, and figured they were fine because the temperature is controlled. I suppose you could add these bags to water that wasn’t very cold, and then walk around with it, and that might be a problem, but it’s not one I’ve ever considered.

In terms of the flavour, I was really impressed. I went in to it with mild trepidation, given that it’s a bagged offering from a big commercial brand, and one that specifically states that it contains hibiscus. I needn’t have worried, though, because it turns out it’s exactly what it claims to be. The initial sip is very lemony, in the way of freshly grated lemon zest, which is then followed by an epic candy-rose flavour. It’s sweet, but not overpoweringly so, and not too floral. As someone who isn’t big on floral teas, I can say that with confidence. It’s not subtle, but it reminds me very much of turkish delight in that it’s a scent almost as much as a flavour. A really immersive experience, if you can say that about a tea. Added to the fact that it was really quick and easy to prepare, it’s very much a winner with me! I’d quite like to try it in lemonade or sparkling water, just to see what the carbonation does for the "lemonade"aspect, but I liked it so much, I went looking for other flavours straight after work. They could very well be my new obsession…

288/365

This one is part of Bird & Blend’s recent Fairytale collection, which I basically ignored until I was placing an order for the new Store Blends collection – who knows why? It wasn’t lack of interest, that’s for sure! Anyway, I got there eventually.

I made this one up as a latte, because butter beer. I don’t think there are any other options. I used 3 tsp of leaf, and gave it 4 minutes in 250ml boiling water. I topped it off with 150ml hot milk, frothed.

This one’s good. The last blend I tried that could be considered remotely similar was Adagio’s Beer Butter, and that one had it’s strengths, but this one is probably more in line with my own personal thoughts about Butter Beer. It’s deliciously caramelly, very smooth and creamy (the milk probably helps…), and the frothiness (again, the milk…) is just perfection. The base is a blend of Assam and Sri Lankan black teas, so pretty sweet and malty to begin with; the addition of the caramel flavouring just takes things to another level.

In terms of uniqueness, it’s probably doesn’t really have massive amounts to offer. There are some seriously great caramel black teas out there – some by Butiki and Mariage Freres spring to mind, for example. The thing about this one is the fandom connection – so basically the name – which give it a little something that help it to step beyond being just another caramel black. I mean, it is just another caramel black, when you really get down to it, but I guess that’s marketing for you! I’d have bought this one for its name regardless.

It’s good, though. Really good…and there’s always a place for a decent caramel tea in my cupboard. If it comes with a HP connection, then so much the better.

287/365

This one came to me from a colleague – one from the good old days, such as they were, before the stupidity really started. She wasn’t part of the problem, so we’re still in touch…and she knows all about my tea obsession.

This one’s a peach flavoured black; maybe a touch on the artificial side, but not too bad. I’m drinking my first cup without milk, but I reckon it’d probably be okay with also. It’s a little drying, so possibly it’d be a slight improvement. I’m okay with it, in any case. There’s a touch of liquorice/stevia sweetness towards the end of the sip that, as ever, I’m really not sold on. On the whole, though, it’s okay. Nothing I’d write home about, but nothing terrible either.

I think there are probably better peach teas out there – in fact, I know there are. Bird & Blend’s Peach Cobbler is one, but there are others. I’m intrigued by a few Whittard’s blends, but in practice I’m never bowled over by them which is why I’ve refrained from ordering for so long. This one has kind of confirmed to me that my decision still holds. It’s okay, but I want more than that.

286/365

Another revisit! It’s been a long time, with this one, and I don’t quite know why. I think probably the general funk I was experiencing a year or so ago probably had something to do with it. Fortunately, I’m confident that’s over now. My new job is turning out okay, and I feel a lot more positive about life in general.

That includes this tea, although I’ve always felt fairly positive about it if I’m honest. It’s a chocolate orange flavoured black tea, deliciously tangy, and definitely more orange than chocolate. The chocolate there is is lovely, though – smooth, milky, and a perfect counterpoint to the sharper orange. The orange is perhaps slightly artificial – there are moments when it reminds me of those fizzy vitamins – but that’s easy enough to overlook because the combination is a good one. It absolutely tastes like a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, so if you love those then you’ll probably love this. I’m glad to have this one back in my cupboard for a while.

285/365

This one came to me in my August tea club box from Bird & Blend, and is part of their upcoming Autumn collection. I think it’s released this Sunday. It’s a black tea with honeycomb flavouring – so far, so good.

Taste wise, I’d say it’s sweet but not overly so – certainly not cloying. It contains liquorice root, which is my arch-nemesis, but interestingly I’m not having my usual issues with it. I can’t really taste it at all, in fact, which is a huge bonus! It mostly tastes like liquid Crunchie – lots of milk chocolate, with a decent smack of honey and a touch of caramel.

While nice, I’d not say it’s particularly remarkable. There are, after all, lots of chocolate flavoured teas out there. This one’s a good ‘un, and it’s pretty unique among B & B’s range, but it’s not one I’d go out of my way to drink again. It’s nice, but pretty ordinary. I think the USP here is probably that it’s vegan – I feel like that’s something they’ve been pushing for a while, and it’s interesting to see them add another string to that bow. I’m not vegan, so it’s not something that I really worry about when it comes to my tea choices, but I guess that just means I’m not the intended audience for this blend. If I were vegan, I’m pretty sure I’d find it more surprising since it’s a rarity to find a blend like this that is. For a non-vegan like me, though, this is pretty standard fare, so my rating reflects the flavour rather than anything else.

284/365

I’ve tried this one a few times previously, and I’ve always felt my experiences with it were a bit hit and miss. This cup, though, was good. Possibly it’s because it was a bagged sample, and one I acquired only very recently with my last Bird & Blend order. It’s probably as fresh as they come, and maybe, with this one, that makes all the difference.

In flavour terms, the rhubarb is nicely tart, and the creamy, sweet custard flavour complements it nicely. It’s very reminiscent of the boiled sweet, which I’m pretty sure was the intention. In the past I’ve found the rooibos overpowering, but this time I didn’t really notice the base because the flavouring was so on-point. I’m actually going to say that I love that it’s a rooibos blend, since I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy it as an evening or pre-bedtime option – probably in place of dessert, since it’s deliciously desserty. Just what you’d expect of a blend with this name. I think I’m going to have to start paying more attention to this one!

283/365

It’s been a while since I had a cup of this one, so it was nice to reacquaint myself this evening. This month, Bird & Blend have added rainbow sprinkles to celebrate Pride, which adds a little something to the aesthetic and just a touch of sweetness to the flavour. Mostly, though, it’s the blend I know and love; my favourite thing about this one is the almost-starchy roast potato kind of vibe it has. There’s an underlying maltiness, but on the whole it strikes me as a fairly savoury breakfast option. It’s pretty robust, as well – definitely one I’d drink with milk, but sometimes that’s just the thing. Given that I’m still trying to get into a new routine, It’s absolutely the thing right now!

This is one that comes and goes from my cupboard. I don’t feel like I need to keep it around all the time, but when I do revisit it I’m always happy with the outcome. It’s probably one I should pay more attention to, but it’s really just a case of so much tea, so little time. If you’re looking for a solid breakfast option, this one’s 100% worth a try.

282/365

I’m going to call this one my first week at work tea since it’s pretty much all I drank once I got over the initial teething issues (which included not being able to leave the office, due to not being able to get back in. There was one evening when I couldn’t even get out of the building at all, because I didn’t have a security pass at that stage and the fucking security guard point blank refused to acknowledge me.) So, yeah. I feel like the universe is having a huge laugh at my expense, especially when it comes to jobs. On the whole, though, I’m confident I made the right decision. I’m pretty sure I’m going to like it well enough, once I’ve learned my new job properly and things are a bit (okay, a lot…) more familiar. My colleagues seem nice, and I’m not missing my old job even though I feel like my whole life has been tipped upside down just at the moment…

So, tea. I haven’t really been drinking my usual things, since I haven’t got all my kit with me yet and since I’ve only just got enough access to actually be able to leave the office to make any tea. This one’s okay, though. It’s bagged, which is never my preference, but I find it soothing and delicious, and it’s caffeinated (which is also a bonus…) It tastes like liquid orange sherbet, as long as you don’t overdo the steep time, and that’s really all I have to say about it. I feel much the same way about Lady Grey as I do about Earl Grey (or at least the Twinings version); I just find something about the scent really calming, even when I’m in total turmoil and can’t think straight. It’s a good go-to when I’m stressed, which was the reason I chose it for this week in the first place. As it turned out, I also had the world’s worst cold for all of my first week, and so even if I’d had new and exciting tea with me, I wouldn’t really have been able to taste it. Between this one and Lemsip, though, we got through it. Hopefully it’ll all be smoother sailing from now on, because I’m pretty sure the universe owes me a break.

This is another one I’ve been drinking pretty regularly (so regularly, I’m nearly done with my 100g bag…), but just never seem to remember to log. I like it – it’s fruity, not too artificial, and it’s good without milk for those frequent occasions I find myself without any. It does have a slight tendency to become astringent if it’s left too long, but I guess that’s my fault for not concentrating when I brew it. Nice, though. I’m glad I’ve got it around!