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Sipdown no. 7 of 2021 (no. 627 total).

I was pretty generous with my rating in my first note, and I think I really ought to bump it down some, so I am.

It’s pleasant enough, but it is heavy on the rooibos. And while the rooibos isn’t overly woody, I wanted to taste the other flavors more. I see that I also said this in my original note, so at least I’m consistent.

In particular, I really got very little rose, if any, in my last few cups. While too much rose can be a bad thing (and taste like a mouth full of soap or lotion), if it’s going to be called La Vie En Rose, I think the rose ought to be at least noticeable.

Sipdown no. 6 of 2021 (no. 626 total). A sample.

Backlogging from the weekend. My original note relays a sad story about the loss of some of this tea, and now it is entirely gone — but it was lovely. As the original note said, flowered butter, all the time. I did steep it western in the Breville this time, and it was still quite special.

And oh — sad news. My Breville died after approx. 10 years of faithful service. It gives me an error message, which all online sources say cannot be reset and requires a customer service call. By the time you factor in the amount it will likely cost to repair and ship, plus the amount of time that is likely to take, I decided I should just get a new one. I found one on sale through Williams Sonoma. Hoping it arrives soon — it is quite cold here.

Sipdown no. 5 of 2021 (no. 625 total).

This was a tiny tin, with just enough for about 3 pots of 2 cups each.

Three years ago, I really liked this and remarked on the chocolate/orange flavor. Which is a flavor I really do find enjoyable.

Not so much now. I don’t know whether it’s an age thing or a taste thing. Or maybe it’s just that I have had better orange/chocolate combos? Not sure. Bumping it down.

As an aside, I love that I have all of these prior notes to look back at. It’s very educational about how my own tastes have developed over time.

I would love it if Steepster had an export function that would periodically back up my notes on my hard drive in case something awful happens. It would be horrible to lose 10+ years of notes.

This is the next lowest rated black tea in my cupboard, so imagine my surprise when I had some this morning for the first time in a long time and went — wow, that’s really good.

I can see why I might have been conservative in the rating. It’s a sort of a heavy tea base and mango is such a juicy-light flavor, it is sort of odd to have it paired with a heavy base. I can also see why I thought it would be good iced (and I’ll try it that way eventually).

But for now, I have to bump the rating some. Just a few points for now, but if it continues to grow on me I’m open to more.

Sipdown no. 4 of 2021 (no. 624 total). Backlog from yesterday.

And it’s gone! The BF had asked about it, and I had enough for two cups left, so I made him some.

He really liked it. He described it as “sweet, but spicy.” Yeah, I guess it is that. And to be honest, it sort of grew on me. Enough that I’m bumping the rating some.

I had thought this was the sort of thing I’d only drink if I needed it as medicine, but I think I was being unfair. Particularly since last night I moved on to the Paris Herbal from Harney which I inexplicably rated a 78. Bumping that one down.

Maybe my tastes changed? Or maybe I remembered the Paris as having more oomph. But it was heavy, heavy on the rooibos last night.

Sipdown no. 3 of 2021 (no. 623 total). A sample. Backlogged from yesterday.

I rated this one pretty high when I originally put it through its paces, and I’m not going to second guess myself. Particularly since, though it appears I tried hard to preserve enough for a second serving, I failed. I had to add some tieguanyin from the defunct Chicago Tea Room to the mix to have enough to steep western style in the Breville.

Certainly, a nice final caffeine infusion for the day. I’m reminded that I need to drink this sort of tea not on the heals of a stronger one, though. Definitely need more than just a palate cleanser to fully appreciate the subtlety of this one — need at least half a day without other tea flavors. I described this in the original note as a light, by which I don’t mean in flavor, but in the emotional state it induces. To fully appreciate that, I’d need more of a time break between the last heavier tea and this.

Sipdown no. 2 of 2021 (no. 622 total).

I did not really intend to sip this one down. I thought it was a different Tea Gschwedebalaboop tea that I had rated lower. So there was some confusion, but also I think I had almond on the brain from the Brioche substitute discussion.

I stand by my original assessment — not a substitute for Brioche. It’s not sweet enough, and not pastry enough for that. Though it is more of a pure almond flavor, which also has a place in the flavor pantheon. With age, it is less alcohol like and more just nut like.

Look at me, on a sipdown roll in 2021!

Sipdown no. 1 of 2021! (no. 621 total).

Happy New Year, and may it be a lot better than 2020!

Still continuing with the house project. Going room by room. The easiest rooms first. I feel a lot better without all the clutter around. I don’t have high hopes that it will stay that way, though.

Anyway, I thought this tea would be right up my alley. I love fruity teas, and particularly French fruity teas. And yet, as I said in my original note, this one doesn’t have that mysterious French thing going other than in the name.

It’s an ok fruity tea, but I prefer the ones from Kusmi, Mariage Freres, etc. Those have more depth — this one has a sort of painted on quality to the fruit flavor.

Sipdown no. 25 of 2020 (no. 620 total). A sample.

Feeling rushed while having this, because I have to get my house cleaned as it is bugging me a lot. Rushed is not my favorite way to enjoy green oolong. I made it western style. For thoughtful details, see original note.

For the 10K foot level commentary, it’s a little less floral and buttery than my original note suggested, which may be a symptom of age.

But it has a fresh floral aftertaste that is quite pleasant.

Sipdown no. 24 of 2020 (no. 619 total). Sample tin. Backlog from yesterday.

There was so little of this left, it screamed for a sipdown. It is what I’d added to the Upton the other day so I would have enough to steep that in the Breville without having to go all fractional. I made it western style having done my duty by it through multiple steeps in the original tasting.

Green oolongs are so wonderfully springlike, it is hard to think about the fact that it is basically the dead of winter. Not that we have winter here, really.

This one was lovely and floral, with just enough butteriness.