T2

OK so every time I have this, I get loads of hay. Maybe sweet, but mostly hay. Not like the dark, creamy hay of a pu erh, though: it’s lighter in body but definitely hay. Maybe I should experiment with brewing times to bring forward the fruitcake and chocolate?

Hay. So much hay.

Okay, not a TON of hay, but hay is the predominant note I’ve gotten out of this twice now. Go figure. Fruity a bit when it cools down a little, but wow. Totally hay.

Also, now working in an office where I’m not supposed to drink tea at my desk because it doesn’t “look professional”. It’s a nightmare. I hate it. I am so the wrong person to be working there. Thank Gosh it’s only a week and a half.

Sipdown (134)!

Sample comes to me via VariaTEA! Here’s what I wrote when I had it:

- Cold Brewed
- A little weak
- Has floral notes to it
- The cherry is present but rather artificial/fake
- Reminds me of “high end” Cherry Candy Perfume or Soap
- Not terrible; but just not great

But honestly I think this was pretty forgettable since I can’t remember enough about drinking it to really expand on any of the things I jotted down when I had it. Usually that’s not a great sign…

This was a LE tea that I pray to the tea gods everyday, becomes part of their T2 all star lineup! It’s a luxe flavoured tea that isn’t overly fragrant despite what one might think, but a flirty first cousin in the Earl Grey range that adds uber class with its sophisticated and true (not perfumey) rosy notes! I find that a short brew suits me best as it can get a bit bitter if left for a second more than 2 minutes at 100 degrees C. I love the smell of this beauty too, it translates directly into the taste as well, which is not only uncommon, but a refreshing change.

What a surprise packet! I adore this tea and it always seems to be the best pick me up! The amount and quality of cinnamon is perfect. It’s not sharp or acrid, but adds the perfect comforting warmth. Enter the chilli…Love this! This is a spicy little number. Not hot enough to make you forget your name, but hot enough to give you a spicy little kiss at the end of each sumptuous mouthful. I often have it with a splash of milk which adds to the depth of the tea. Also if I’m feeling like amping it up even more, I will add this to Organic Chai or with a full scoop of Chocolate tea. Yes, Chilli Kiss is a versatile little number that I can totally recommend. Love!

Ughhhhhh.

Ok, so I got an email from my colleague basically chewing me out for not yet having entered a bunch of stuff into our new database, which I’d planned on catching up with today. Email’s from Friday afternoon, when I’m not in the office. GREAT. Spent most of today freaking out about how my team will think I’m incompetent and want to fire me and all that scary jazz and stress that OH MY GOD my perma-fatigued, brain-foggy, suddenly-overweight self does not need in my life.

Like, I’ve been working here for a few months now and I swear to Gosh I can’t afford to be fired from the university because it’s basically the only employer in town, and nobody’s paying me to write.

But this tea is one of my favourites. It’s all pleasantly almondy cinnamony warm Australian goodness.

Man, this is one of my favourites ever. The base shines through as a solid, smooth black tea, and it’s got all that lovely warm, nutty, cinnamony sweet awesomeness that is apparently what wattleseed tastes like. I spent all day attempting to complete a new software training course while also still having to do the usual amount of work, and writing three articles for Cultbox. So I’m just going to sit here and drink this forever until I’m no longer exhausted and sore. It’s like a big cozy hug.

I got this tea when lovely Gentleman actually suggested we go all the way out to Shoreditch just to visit the T2 shop when we were in London last weekend. Bless his beautiful heart.

I also got it because I knew basically nothing about wattleseed except that I’d never tried it before, and it was an Australian thing. T2 being an Australian company, I thought it’d be appropriate to give this one a go. And I’m so glad I did. Straight out of the bag I get a scent of malty, sweet tea, redolent with cinnamon, chocolate, and almond. Then I went and forgot I was making it and sort of let it steep for 9 minutes.

And you know something? Still delicious! A little tannic, but that’s to be expected with such an overbrew. It’s, like, my ultimate comfort flavour combination. The cinnamon is sweet and warming, lightened by the roasty, toasty presence of almond with hints of cocoa, bolstered by robust black tea that I’m quite sure would be nice and smooth if you brew it for 3-4 minutes instead of like ten. It’s a keeper, that’s for sure. Highly recommended!

In my first tasting note of this tea, I mentioned I thought this would be good iced thus when I brewed up my cup today, I made sure to pour it over ice. Unfortunately, I think I was a bit misguided because despite the strong flavors in the hot cup, I am finding them drowned out in this one. Honestly this is like rose water. Where is the chocolate and candy notes from the hot cup? I miss them. Well, now I know if I ever get this again, it is best hot, though I won’t be seeking it out anytime soon. Still, I am grateful for the chance to try it so thank you Memily for the share. 170.

Thank you Memily for sharing! This tea smells amazing. Alas, there is something a touch off in the taste. I get a bit of chocolate and a fair amount of apple but there is one prominent note that I am not loving yet I can’t quite place it. Weirdly enough, for a tea called “Rose” this isn’t an overly floral tea which is good. All in all its alright but not something I would seek out. However, I think it could be nice iced so I will definitely have to try it that way next.

Ok Smarty Pants, I’m doing NaNoWriMo this month so it’s you and me till you run out. (Making good choices!)

Wow, T2—good job here.

This was a sample sneak peek I got to try of T2’s September limited edition teas with a “study” theme.

I saw the licorice root on the label as one of only five ingredients and felt a little anxious, but I went for it anyway and opened the sachet. CHEWING GUM! The spearmint scent is overpowering. The other three ingredients (apple pieces, basil and green tea) come into play more in the tea once it’s brewed and the end result is really refreshing and invigorating.

Darn you, T2. Quit pulling me back in.

Made this iced as per Memily’s suggestion and though it was pleasant enough, I think I preferred it hot. Iced, the base was more pronounced which pushed some of the tasty banana flavor to the background. Although, perhaps I was more biased having this cup because I just finished the tasty Banana Pudding tea that I enjoy so much.

Thanks Memily for sharing this with me. It is a pretty solid banana tea. Not something I immediately need to run out and stock but it certainly is nice and has a great banana flavor. I am happy I have much more to this sample so thank you once again.

Two tasting notes in one day? Must be on some kind of roll.
I received this as a taster sachet from my last T2 haul in London and what an extraordinary pleasure it was to try. I can certainly say I’ve never had anything like this before and initial thoughts had me dubious of what to expect. The leaves give off an almighty, sinus clearing scent that one would expect from the anise and spearmint elements in this blend. A little nervous, I bit the bullet and took my first sip, only to pleasantly surprised by a sweetness that works perfectly in tandem with the minty notes. All together, wonderfully refreshing and a much needed relief aid for my pesky hay fever.

This tea is a perfect brew to start the morning. The green tea makes for a decent health kick, while the sweetness of the berries counteracts any bitterness it may offer. However, if steeped for too long that tartness can slightly override the berry notes. But that is a danger with any green or white tea, so best to brew only as much as you need and drink it hot. On the contrary this particular blend doesn’t become that bad if over steeped and overall could be quite nice chilled. That is, when the weather here decides to become less dark and dreary. When that will be, I have no idea!

Got a sample of this in a lucky dip in store the other day. Took one sniff of it and threw it in an overnight cold brew. It tastes just like Jefferson’s “Summer Puddin’”. It’s fine. It’s a tart fruit tisane. I’m not fussed.

This was a total impulse buy. On a bright and sunny day, I was ill and freezing at work. What I wouldn’t do for some hot tea.
T2 had just released their awesome tea flasks; the black one with the built-in infuser and leak-proof lid. It was limited and it’ll be a while before they come back instore again.
The moment I saw it I was like, ‘that is so mine.’ Then I asked the girl if she minded brewing something inside the flask for me, gosh I felt so cold and sick, and it really made my day when she handed it back with Melbourne Breakfast.
Went back to the store later in the day feeling much better and bought a 100 gram box.
Tastes like a chocolate croissant with vanilla sugar. Having said that, I wouldn’t say this is a sweet tea. It’s actually a little bitter but in a refreshing way, and it can get astringent if oversteeped but yay to T2 for making awesome loose leaf blends readily available in Australia!

Last time I had this, I brewed it hot and had it plain so with the rest of the leaf, I decided to try it a couple of different ways: hot with milk and iced.

I find the addition of milk to the hot cup highlights the coconut flavour of this tea. So the start of the sip is sweet, creamy coconut goodness. As the sip ends though, the cocoa really comes through to finish things off with a rich chocolatey note. Though if I am being honest, I don’t think this tea really needs the milk as the difference between this and the plain cup is minimal.

Iced, this reminds me of a watered down sweetened hot chocolate. The base also comes through more strongly as well. Unfortunately, I find the flavours are just too subtle for an iced cup. So, at the end of the day, I think I will stick to having this one hot.

Thank you Memily for such a generous sample. I really enjoyed playing around with this tasty tea! 166.

This is good. Very good. he coconut is present and strong but true to the nut. It is creamy and rich but not lotiony in the slightest. The cocoa compliments the coconut beautifully and adds some depth to the cup. The base keeps everything tame while not overwhelming the flavors. I am not usually a white tea fan but I can get behind this. Thank you Memily for sharing such a tasty treat!!

Sipdown! This one will also be sadly missed. I’ve not come across another fruit blend that manages to taste so much like a decadent vanilla custard pastry. Absolute deliciousness!