Cornelia Bean

HGTTB

Woo! So many good smells from this one. What hits me first is the sweetness of caramel, then bergamot and cream, followed by a little hint of citrus. This seriously smells so good, both dry and steeped.
The taste presents all of the same flavors, but the order changes up a bit, and I think the Bergamot shows itself a bit more. There’s also a toasty-ness that I really like, probably from the rooibos. There’s so many layers to this tea, and it’s like, you can taste each of the flavors distinctly, without one really overpowering the others, and yet they blend together and meld into smooth awesomeness. It’s been a while since I’ve found a tea I like as much as this one. There’s only a serving or two left of this one, and I think I’m keeping it. It’s a new fave.

I’m not sure if this is a case of – you know you have too much tea when….. or if I’m just loosing it (going senile in my old age….)
If you had asked me about coffee flavored pu’erh yesterday – would have said – love Davids haven’t tried any others – don’t have any in my house right now.
Then tonight I’m rummaging around in flavor town looking for something fun to drink and find this – where did this come from, obviously I bought it at some point. It’s in my Steepster cupboard, it’s on my spreadsheet, not registered in the brain….

Anyway…………….

I like David’s better – there is too much rooibos (?) or maybe mate (?) in here – that’s covering up the pu’erh. It’s good, it’s too cluttered, too much going on. I think this would be better as just coffee pu’erh without all the other stuff in it. Having said that – I think this would benefit from some chocolate – that would balance out the bitter from the mate. Next time I’m going to toss in a little cacao….

HGTTB

I really like orange teas. I also really like rosemary…in cooking. :) While i would call this tea an accurate one, it doesn’t work for me because it turns the tea into very much a savory tea. And orange for me isn’t a savory sort of thing…it’s sweet…and tangy but not savory. So this is a good tea, but it doesn’t work for me. The orange and the rosemary blend quite nicely, and the rooibos isn’t a very overpowering taste. It’s also not that sort of woody rooibos. So if that sounds like your sort of thing, id recommend this. :)

HGTTB

oh this is nice. I am a fan of the blending here in this cup. Just the right balance of malty and deep, dark delicious. Yep…going to have to see about picking up more of this sometime!

HGTTB not too shabby. I have had other instances of this tea from other companies before, so going in to it i knew it wasn’t going to be my favourite sort of black tea. However, this one isn’t bad…it’s just not what i prefer. It’s bold, and strong but there’s also an astringency here that i’m not a fan of.

HGTTB

I had this one as my morning tea a long time ago lol Another black from cornelia bean that i can get behind. It’s slightly malty, with a hint of sweet and an almost sweet/citrusy sort of feel to it as well. Over all a nice cup to start my morning with!

Hidden Gems Travelling Tea Box (HGTTB)

This was another from this morning and one i was looking forward to trying, if only to get a better idea of some of the other straight teas from Cornelia Bean. I’m familiar with their teas through swaps but i’ve only ever really had their flavoured. This one was a really nice, smooth cup of malty goodness. from this morning. I’d be willing to pick up more of this in the future i think

Odd, I was sure I rated this one before but it’s not showing up. Steepster’s eating my notes again!

I made this at the end of the day yesterday, my second time having it.

I reached the conclusion that it’s not a favourite of mine, though I do appreciate the chance to try it!

1) I guess I’m not much of a chai fan, but when I drink chai (albeit rarely), I want the strong black tea base so I can add milk and really make it a dessert. This is an herbal.

2) I am starting to realize that the only herbal teas I truly care for (aside from cacao obviously) are the fruity ones that I make iced tea with in the summer. Not so much to drink on a regular basis.

3) Something about this seemed kind of metallic, it left a weird taste in my mouth and slightly numbed my tongue. Maybe the ginger, but I really enjoy ginger and I’ve never noticed that happen before.

4) something about the smell of the tea was offputting to me… every time I took a sip I caught a whiff of this sort of sour note.

5) I didn’t really get any coconut from this!

It’s not a bad tea, I just think it’s not for me. But drinking it twice helped me redefine my tea tastes, so I can’t complain about that!!

But surely you can see why I wouldn’t want this tea to be my 600th tasting note, even though I drank it yesterday, prior to the one I actually used for my 600th tasting note.

I have some left if anyone would like to try it :)

Thanks to Anlina for sending me this in the Secret Santa swap!

Sipdown (156)

I feel like my reviews have all had a more negative edge to them lately. I seriously don’t mean to complain about the teas I have had but nothing has seemed to work out too well as of late. I’m hoping it’s the water but it may be me. I have been off tea for so long and now it seems I need to train myself to fall in love with it again. Florida water isn’t helping but even this tea is just okay and it was cold brewed in bottle water.

I find in this cup, the apple is taking over yet there is an underlying tartness from the cranberry. It’s juicy but weak all at once and just not as balanced as I recall. I just want something more…more cranberry…more flavor. Still, it’s always nice to try something new so I am grateful to Roswell Strange for the opportunity.

I cold brewed three teaspoons of this in a bottle of water and the result is a very sweet, juice-like drink. Granted, it is thinner than juice, as to be expected but it still has a juice-type flavor. The apple is it’s typical sweet self but it doesn’t take over as the cranberry certainly holds it’s own. It’s actually quite the tasty evening treat so thank you Roswell Strange for sending some my way.

I’ll have another Earl Grey for today. The lavender in this brew balances out the bergamont. It causes for an interesting smoothness. I enjoy this brew and I can see it making its way to my Earl Grey list. I always discover new and different Earl Grey mixtures. Its fascinating how many ways you can mix a classic blend. It has a smooth body and soft black tea flavor. The bergamont isn’t that potent. I can mostly hint at the lavender. This is a soothing mixture.

brrrr!!! I needed something to warm me up this frigid day, so I picked a nice chai. I opened the package to be greeted with a familiar chai scent. The usual cardamom, cinnamon, and anise. The only difference with this, is there was a sharp scent that I couldn’t quite place. I brewed a generous amount in my mug to hopefully cure my frostbite. The aroma was a thick sweet cinnamon with slight anise. The flavor was somewhat surprising. I assumed the black tea pellets was Assam, but this tea doesn’t have the all well known “malt.” Instead, this brew is very smooth and has a slightly watered down taste. This is a rather weak chai, which is okay. It warmed me right up and showed me a lighter side of the chai world.

This tea has a very interesting aroma. I can smell the bergamot distinctly, but its blended well with vanilla and caramel. The flavor matches its scent almost exact. This brew tastes of a smooth silky bergamot with a soft root finish. Its mixed in with caramel syrup and a faint citrus. This tea is nice and soft. I think its perfect for relaxing on a cold night, such as this.

Okay, the steeped leaves smell like camphor. It was not cool, hahah. the brew however is much better! Its a very earthy drink. It reminds me of old styled rosemary rolls. It has a sweet essence, with the sharp intake of rosemary. This flavor is then followed by a deep root flavor, which is slightly dusted. The undertones are of a calm citrus. I enjoy this drink, just not the steeping, hahah.

I was feeling a little jittery, so I decided to taper down on the caffeine. I picked this one based on its name. I opened the package and could smell only slight sweet tones which intrigued me. I don’t like flavored teas with overpowering artificial scents. Upon brewing, I wafted the air and could scent a chocolate atmosphere. This brew is incredibly rich and bold with flavors. The sip starts off with an almond brittle essence, then it follows with a sweet milk chocolate covering. The taste then finishes off with a peanut butter cinnamon flavor. I can taste undertones of twig and nutmeg. This is a delicious blend. I can definitely see myself drinking this in the future after dinner.

I already use Nilgiri as my everyday black, so I picked this one out to see if it was different. The leaves are small BoP, mine are usually a lot thicker and longer. The aroma was way better than the variety that I use. The stem rising from my cup smells of a cabin in the Yukon territory. I can hint at large maple trees, cinnamon and undertones of cured leather. The taste is somewhat different. It has a dominant sweet flavor. I can taste green pine and sugarcane. This is an interesting brew and very surprising. I always enjoy tea that makes me reconsider my expectations.

Good morning! I was feeling very sluggish this morning, so I needed a pick-me-up. This definitely did the job. I enjoy a reliable brew. I brewed western in my mug. I can also get behind a good Irish Breakfast and this is the one. The tea is strong, malty, woodsy and with just the right amount of sweet. This is perfect for a good morning jolt that tastes smooth and keeps me going. I love a good everyday black!

Before I head back out I needed something to “pick-me-up.” This blend had black in it, so I picked this one, hahah. While brewing, it reminded me of this soap bar my Grandmother sent me from London. I know that sounds bad but its not. This soap smelled amazing!! I brewed this “soapy” tea western and with small amounts. The initial flavor was very strong. I can taste orange peel, white grape and rose. This is a very flavorful tea but for me the orange peel is little overwhelming. If you enjoy flavored and sharp black tea then this is for you :)

I chose this solely based on its name. I love creative names with blends. I enjoy sipping my brew as I sit and imagine what inspired the creator. It has a lovely mix. I can spot small flowers and Sencha. I brewed western with a small amount. As soon as the water touched the leaves the aroma of peach exploded throughout my tea room. It reminded me of a fruitful peach smoothie. The flavor is very floral. The word perfume comes to my mind. I can distinctly taste peach and flower petals. The flavor then smooths out to a grassy and spring taste. Lastly you’re left with undertones of fruit and twigs. This brew leaves a sweet jolly rancher aftertaste. I enjoyed this tea but I don’t believe it is the one for me.

The name of this intrigued me. I love it when companies get inspired and creative and let their ideas flow. I had no idea what to expect with this brew. I believed it to be a robust rooibos with the almost coffee tobacco flavoring. Instead I was greeted with a silky smooth caramel treat. This blend has just the right amount of sweet and spice. I can hint at undertones of chai, allspice, and zest. I picture a golden strip in the desert with a cherry red mustang roaring down the road. I love this brew, and I usually don’t appreciate flavored tea. I will definitely add this to my stock in the future.

This brew is heavy. While looking at the dry leaves I can spot Yunnan Dian Hong and what I thought was Kenyan Estate black. It turns out its a pellet formed Assam. I brewed western at a very high temperature. The liquor is stunning crimson orange, which I love. I’ve been searching for this particular color so already the tea had me won. The taste is powerful and smooth. It has a very hearty depth and follows through with a silky finish. This is some strong stuff. It has a sweet coffee flavor. This would be perfect for an early morning pick-me up. Also, I couldn’t stop hearing Dark Horse by Katy Perry playing in my head while drinking this, hahah.