308 Tasting Notes
I gave this blend a go this morning and, again, could not make it through the cup. I’m getting a bit of spice and a bit of sweetness on top of a lot of smoke. Not to sound like a repeat of yesterday’s tealog entry, but it’s like BBQ sauce or liquid (lightly peppered) bacon. I added a bit of milk to see if that would tone down the smokiness. It did, but it still tasted odd. I can’t wrap my head around it (smoky tea). I’m happy to have stepped out of my comfort zone, but I think it’s safe to say that smoked black tea is not my thing.
If anyone (in the US) is interested in sampling this, please let me know. Happy to pass it along to someone that enjoys smoky teas. :)
Flavors: Orange, Smoke, Spicy
I’ve been sipping on a few cups of this (iced) all afternoon. I wish there was more lemon flavor. Not that I mind the flavors I’m getting, but it’s pretty much straight berry and hibiscus for me. It’s not even really noticeably strawberry-ish. Unsweetened it’s quite tart, but that mellows with a touch of sweetener (stevia, in my case). I think it’d be great blended with actual lemonade. I might try that this weekend. I like it but I don’t know if it’ll be a repurchase. There are other berry-hibiscus blends that I enjoy more (and are cheaper, easier to get my hands on).
Wowzers. Or more appropriately…HOLY SMOKES!
It’s certainly a unique blend. The scent reminds me of aged bourbon while curled up beside a roaring fire. It’s smokey yet sweet. It’s got nice depth and complexity, but it’s a bit too smokey for me to enjoy. Truthfully, I felt like I was drinking barbecue sauce (sans tomato). Does that make sense? I actually started coughing when I removed the cover of my infuser. #lightweight
I’m happy I gave it a try, but I’ll be re-homing what’s left of it. If anyone (in the US) is interested in sampling this, please let me know. Happy to pass it along to someone that enjoys smoky teas. :)
Flavors: Burnt Sugar, Smoke
So like a Bloody Mary?
Hm, I’ve never had a Bloody Mary because the thought of drinking tomato juice makes me cringe. It’s like what I imagine a bourbon-y BBQ sauce would taste like if there wasn’t tomato sauce or ketchup added to it – smoky, slightly sweet, and a bit boozy. Like liquid smoke and a jaded sugar cube went to a dive bar on a cold night and exchanged a few boozy kisses. LOL
Woah, that’s quite the picture! Ha-ha. I dislike Bloody Mary, but I’ve tried one a while back. However, this sounds quite unique, and seems like it could be great with a cookout (skip the ketchup with the burger, just make a cup of this instead).
Hahaha! Yeah, I’ve heard of people cooking with lapsang souchong, so I imagine a tea like this would pair quite well with grilled foods. Or you could use it as part of the liquid base for a ketchup/BBQ sauce or a marinade. Or steeped in alcohol for a savory cocktail.
I might have to fire up the grill! Or try to make a cocktail sauce with this….Ha-ha.
Reposting this since I logged the wrong tea. Whoops.
This is what I was hoping Strawberry Fields (from DAVIDsTEA) would be. To my taste buds, this black tea blend is quite astringent (but not bitter). The strawberry flavor is wonderful and natural, not candied. The tea is a bit sweet and a bit creamy. I added the tiniest bit of stevia and that helped to bring out the custard notes. As suggested on the packaging, allowing the tea to cool really helps round out the flavors as well. Not to sound like a broken record but the black tea base is so smooth and isn’t overwhelmingly assertive (a good thing, in my book). I imagine it’d be just as tasty cold or iced.
I’m currently sipping my second steep of this blend. The first steep had a bit too much spice for me. There’s just enough black pepper to tickle the back of your throat and make you question the list of ingredients. There aren’t many ingredients, but the blend manages to taste quite complex without thirty ingredients and additives (I’m looking at you DT). I’ll admit that I couldn’t really get through the first cuppa hot. Pineapple and spice are really iffy ingredients for me, but the combination sounded so intriguing. I ended up adding a few ice cubes to the rest of my first cuppa and that was much more pleasant. The black pepper was still present but was more tolerable and the sweetness of the dried pineapple seemed a bit more apparent.
The second steep is better because the spice has been tamed a bit but the pineapple flavor has also significantly diminished.I don’t think I like it enough to go for a third steep.
Again, lovely black tea base that’s very smooth and easy to drink.
I think I’ll cold-steep the rest of my sample packet.
This is a really tasty gourmand tea. The smell of the dry leaf is quite intoxicating and very unique – rich, boozy, chocolaty. I’ve never had chestnuts before but the nuttiness in this blend reads hazelnut (not surprising given the ingredients) to my tastebuds. The black tea base was quite smooth and naturally sweet. The cocoa beans and husk lend a nice, bold chocolate flavor. I appreciate that the tea didn’t contain pieces of chocolate that would melt and, therefore, create that unappealing oiliness that coats the roof of your mouth.
I steeped the leaves three times before giving up the ghost.
All in all, it’s a lovely chocolate tea.Flavors: Chocolate, Hazelnut, Sweet
Weekend sipping…
I steeped this Friday night to chill overnight for the weekend. Apple teas don’t really rank very high on my list. I love fruity teas, but I’m more drawn to tropical, summer, and stone fruits.
That said, I love this tea. It’s one of the few flavored green teas that DT has offered in recent years that I actually enjoy. Daydreamer is another one I wish was still around. But, I digress…
I think the hibiscus is what saves it for me. For me, the hibiscus adds just enough dimension in the short steeping time to prevent this tea from becoming full-blown candy apple.
Lovely little tea to enjoy while my ankle was elevated for a good portion of the weekend. I managed to sprain it at some point during the day on Friday. No bueno, especially with a lot of chores and errands to get through. It’s better today, but I should’ve worn my brace to work…or, at the very least, flats.
Weekend sipping…
Mocha Chai + a sprinkle of Bluebird’s Great British Cuppa + cocoa powder and vanilla powder (Wild Foods Co), steeped in almond milk.
I’m not usually a fan of chai teas but I wanted something warm and caffeinated to help me wake up early Saturday morning. Holy smokes! This really hit the spot. I had the first cup warm and I enjoyed the remainder over ice in my mason jar mug. Warm it tasted a bit like a Mexican hot chocolate – the spicy (not hot) chocolate flavor accented with vanilla. Iced it tasted like melted chocolate ice cream with very subtle spiciness. Spicy teas aren’t my thing, but this is one of the better chai blends I’ve tried.
Redberry Tonic + Main Squeeze (1:2), iced.
It’s been another very trying week. One day I’ll be one of those people that loves their job and enjoys going to work. One day, but that day is not today.
I’m not super pumped about the weekend either. I’m gearing up to sell/trade/donate a lot of things that have accumulated in various “do something with this crap” piles over the past few weekends of spring cleaning.
Oh well, TGIF.
