15575 Tasting Notes

drank Yuzu Parfait by ETTE TEA
15575 tasting notes

I drank this tea the morning of my flight! The first time I had this tea I was admittedly a little underwhelmed, but this past cup was the first where I felt I “got it”. The darker and more oxidized oolong that makes up much of the blend was more mineral and woody, but the rich notes of chicory, spices, and stewed fruits complimented wonderfully with the subtle citrus notes of the aged Yuzu peel and rind. Less of a “parfait” in the lighter and more creamy sense I was expecting, but still a wonderful tea!!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CszGXSovXiD/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKUBwrBHIpc

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drank Deltangam by Tea Thoughts
15575 tasting notes

Right before I left for vacation my recent orders from W2T and Tea Thoughts arrived. I managed to sneak in a cup of Nazanin’s first tea blend, Deltangam, in my new W2T teacup before leaving; it was so rich and aromatic with cozy, warming notes of cinnamon alongside heady rose and a very floral-leaning bergamot!! The rest of the haul will have to wait until I get back to be explored, though of course it’ll be competing for my attention with all the tea and teaware I’ve accumulated while here in Vancouver and Victoria…

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CswV3u1J_Ik/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=480o6a8SBgY

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80

Gongfu!

This has definitely become one of my favourite oolongs that BLT has carried over the years! Though mineral, medium bodied, and warmly spicy from the start the flavour only gets deeper and richer over the course of a full session. Stewed plums, black cherry, lilac and orchids, allspice, clove, and cassia create what I can only think of describing as “tasting note tetris” – though elegant and not anywhere close to as frustrating as actual tetris. More like getting exactly the right sized piece that you need every single time. Love that for this tea!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsuF7ppSQCV/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1HtdYYL2SE

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Gongfu!

This was a short, but lovely, session I had at the park about two weeks ago – right before I left for vacation. This is one of my favourite traditional teas that DT released this past year; it’s so rich and full bodied with delicious notes of caramelized sweet potatoes, malt, and cocoa! Plus, just look at those plump fuzzy little golden buds!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CsrgYxwyjHG/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dx_vMONe3tM

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

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drank Pear Matcha by 3 Leaf Tea
15575 tasting notes

Nothing beats early morning matcha! This one is subtly sweet with the tender and almost “dewy” flavour of perfectly ripe Bartlett Pears, but with a lovely floral undertone that lingers on the palate after each sip. I love that those almost orchid-like elements overlap with the soft floral notes of the match itself. For a fruity matcha, it’s actually a surprisingly fresh and sophisticated flavour profile. Plus, look at all that gorgeous frothy goodness!!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cson-t-OddF/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svKJhANLCYo

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drank Aram by Tea Thoughts
15575 tasting notes

Got this is a recent Tea Thoughts order!

I’ve been so curious about Nazanin’s tea blends, so I’m happy to finally have ordered them. This one just looks so beautiful. The borage in particular, with it’s deep sapphire blue hue, is such a visually striking colour and it makes those lime segments pop so much!

I thought the taste was pretty soft, but looking at the ingredients list that’s to be expected and I think it also works with the idea behind the blend itself, which is to be calming and introspective. I mean, the whole tagline on the front of the bag is “a tea to bring you stillness” and as I sipped on the delicate floral and lime notes of this soft bodied blend I felt that was very apt for how it was making me feel emotionally.

I am going to want to revisit this a few more times and really sit with how it makes me feel in addition to the taste, but snap impression so far was positive!

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#SVTTB Round Two – Tea 7/???

Cold Brew!

This fandom blend has been driving me a little crazy since I pulled it out of the box because I so clearly recognize the character on the packaging but I cannot recall where from and the name isn’t ringing any bells either!

The tea was pretty good – the most prominent flavour is the mellow and refreshing watermelon, but with lighter citrus-y undertones of lemongrass and white tea. Maybe a hint of pineapple. It was best when it was ice cold, and as it warmed up it got a bit more muddied with less clarity of flavour overall. Ultimately it mostly tastes like Melon Cooler, and the thing is that I actually like Adagio’s Melon Cooler blend a lot – so much so that I would way prefer to just order that one straight up than to get it in a mixed format like there were the flavour is less straight forward.

Mastress Alita

The character is Ochako Uraraka from “Boku no Hero Academia.”

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#SVTTB Round Two – Tea 6/???

Cold Brew!

The dry leaf of this blend smelled a little weird and funky but not in a sour coconut way, so I decided to give it a shot. I’m drinking it currently and it’s still pretty well with me. Definitely strong pina colada vibes, which makes sense looking at some of the blends used in it – like the Kona Pineapple. I like that it leans more fruity, with notes of strawberry and hibiscus to go alongside the heavy tropical vibes. The hint of creamy coconut in the finish is just enough to give that cocktail kind of feeling, without it feeling gross given all the tart hibby pucker that’s present.

Happy to have tried this as it’s a fandom blend I never would have picked out for myself.

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My flight to BC (for vacation) is tomorrow so this past weekend I ran out to pick up some new clothes/shoes that were a bit more weather appropriate for some of the activities we have planned – this is what I drank while doing that shopping. Just shook up really well in some cold water. Very sweet, but also fresh and lemonade-like with just a bit of that almost pine tasting pithy/resinous quality that makes yuzu stand out. Liked it a lot! It was a good shopping tea.

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#SVTTB Round Two – Tea 5/???

Sipdown (2226)!

When I placed my Teeccino order last year I didn’t see this flavour available, so I had to take the opportunity to try it. I have to say, this might be one of the rare Teeccino flavours that I don’t actually like. I thought the presence of licorice root was unpleasant in contrast to the deeper and more bitter roast notes. It clung to the back of my palate in a sickly sweet way. Worse was the fact the turmeric erred very savory to me. So this was a little more like drinking a very dark, roasty broth (like some shou) but with the unpleasant sweet finish.

Glad I tried it, but very happy to not ever revisit this particular flavour.

Michelle

Good to know! Now where did I put that dandelion coconut Teeccino, I’ll need to drink that later :)

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Profile

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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