440 Tasting Notes
This was my morning cup today, and my first sips were definitely of strawberry notes. I found though that I had to add sugar to make it more to my tastes. The black tea dominates here, and is one that is less to my taste than most. I don’t dislike the tea, but wish that the base had been different or less noticeable.
Preparation
Despite my box from Teavivre arriving over a week ago, it has taken me this long to try them! My apologies to Angel Chen and the lovely people at the company who provided these amazing samples to me, but in my defence the delay was to be able to give them my best attention. I normally use unfiltered tap water for my tea but felt that since these were quality teas from a quality company and a gift, they deserved better. So I finally got some spring water to put in my kettle and some time to sit and appreciate. Sadly, that time today was after midnight so I am starting with the only herbal in the bunch!
Since hibiscus and tart flavours aren’t my favourite, I disregarded the recommended brewing instructions and instead did what I normally do for my herbals, a heaping teaspoon in boiling water for five minutes.
First impressions are that the tea is lovely brewed, a pinkish red that makes me think of summer and sangria and happy times. The scent is hard for me to define, but definitely fruity in nature . . . maybe a blended strawberry scent? The first sips are lovely, with a tart undertone to a nice fruit punch flavour.
Part way through the cup I added some sweetener, curious how this would change the flavours. I found that it added to the fruit punch aspects, highlighting the slight tartness but also the richness that was in the flavour.
I definitely am enjoying the cup and am curious now how it will taste iced. I don’t think I’d like it cold brewed since the roselle would dominate, but brewed hot over ice would be very interesting.
Preparation
Thank you so much to SimplyJenW for the chance to try this one! I’m a sucker for a good flavoured tea, and was super happy to have the chance to try this one. I’m not normally a ban of banana teas, but I knew that if this one caught that baked banana flavour I’d be sold.
And wow, it does taste like banana bread to me. Or at least banana muffins which is close enough for me! This is a flavoured tea where the flavouring dominates over the tea itself, but that is rarely a bad thing for me. I am glad I had this one after dinner because it screams dessert tea in all the best ways.
Preparation
Been drinking a lot of this one this weekend, finishing it up so I can buy a fresh bag when I get my next order. I normally drink it iced but I am doing it hot and am just as in love with it. This is the flavour I expected from all the Earls I’ve tried, and didn’t get. Lemon-y without overpowerment. Definitely a keeper in the cupboard.
Preparation
This tea is still finicky with me. When you get it right, it is awesome but when you get it wrong, you are left with . . . something resembling tea. I took a bit off a friend’s hands who had given up on it and am drinking it up tonight. It is too finicky for me to buy again, though.
Yum! This tea never fails to bring a smile to my face, and with the wind whipping outside and laundry staring at me, I wanted a smile. Well, two actually since my first cup was followed my another of this one made as a latte with vanilla flavoured soy. Both were delightful but oh man, the latte that I’m sipping now is just delightfully amazing. I am extremely glad that I just restocked this one because I don’t think I want to have my cupboard ever be without it. Upping the rating because I really do love it that much.
Preparation
Got this one as a sample while attending a tea tasting by the Tea Guild of Canada. We’d had a chance to taste it that day and I wasn’t overly impressed so it has taken me a while to revisit it.
Today though, I definitely liked it more than I did that day. It was a pretty hearty black, which I normally don’t enjoy very much, but I needed a jolt this morning and chose to get it through this tea. There were definitely astringent notes, and a healthy dose of malt. I added a bit of sugar and it held up to it well. I’m pretty sure it’d do well with some milk as well, but I was too lazy to go to the fridge and get some.
Preparation
AHA! I knew this one dry reminded me of something and now that I’ve brewed it I know what! This is a very close dupe for Lime Fizz by the Tea Haus, which is one of my all time favourites. The ginger makes the tea have a fizzy sensation here in this one too, and the citrus notes are lovely. Big thanks to De for pointing me to a local version of this very big fav of mine!
