92

My first few times cart building on August Uncommon I totally glanced over this tea, and I actually don’t remember what it was about it that made me taste notice eventually maybe Sil’s review? but I’m so happy I did because this was incredibly unique and so tasty!

On their own, I’m a fan of all the things used in this blend, but together? I used to really enjoy DT’s Pink Flamingo mixed with Peppermint Amour which is grapefruit and mint together among many other ingredients, and while I find the pairing of mint and vanilla fairly overdone you have to admit that’s because traditionally it goes together quite well. This was better than any of those things.

The sweet and just slightly tart/bitter red grapefruit notes were probably the most natural and authentic grapefruit flavour I’ve ever experienced with tea. I bring one of those Del Monte type fruit cups with Red Grapefruit to work every day in my lunch, so even though it’s not a flavour I’m typically seeking out when it comes to tea I’ve very familiar with it and thoroughly enjoy it as well. Of course, the mint plays well with the grapefruit and the two provide such a harmonious contrast of flavours. The mint brings out the sweetness of the grapefruit and the grapefruit makes the refreshing and kind of “tingly” menthol part of the peppermint much was noticeable as a mouthfeel on the tongue after you’ve finish the sip. And the addition of vanilla is genius: it just smooths out the whole mug and provides a creaminess that I never knew I needed with grapefruit that I’ll probably be missing in every grapefruit drink that doesn’t have it from now on.

So yeah; right now I’m 2/2 with my August Uncommon teas. It’s a good thing I’m on a forced hiatus too because I’d snatch up a full 50g of this in a heartbeat otherwise, and I haven’t even tried the rest of my order yet.

Also: I had to look up “Cocteau” because for a company with such unique blend names I knew it must be representative of something. I sort of thought maybe it was a French word or a place? But after my quick Google Search it looks like this was named after a band I’d never heard of: The Cocteau Twins. Anyone familiar with them or possibly know what the significance is?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3diz8I0AVVk

Not 100% my sort of music, but definitely quite interesting. Maybe I’ll drink my next mug while listening to more of their music?

EDIT: Apparently reading the description more thoroughly would help me understand the significance of the music better because after listening to that song it’s definitely obvious where AU was coming from…

Flavors: Creamy, Grapefruit, Mint, Peppermint, Vanilla, White Chocolate

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Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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