15752 Tasting Notes
Mmmm!
I had this one over the weekend and it was just so rich and toasty. Really heavily reminded me of the Haystack cookies that my mom used to make occasionally for things like school bake sales, and boy that was a nostalgic trip down memory lane. I haven’t thought about those haystack cookies in years! It was so spot on to my memory of them though…
Finally decided to try this one as part of yesterday’s ‘teas I drink in a day’ IG round up. The rainy day seemed as good as any to take this seemingly very cozy matcha profile for a spin. It was actually my first tea of the day, and I got to whisk it up in a new matcha bowl that I picked up from O5 when I was in Vancouver!
This matcha was simultaneously immediate satisfaction and immediate frustration. As soon as the water hit the matcha powder I was hit with this highly aromatic wave of perfect carrot cake spices. Exactly the right spices in the right ratios for how I picture the perfect carrot cake in my head; cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice. Divine. However, I was ALSO hit with orange zest. The same kind of orange as Bird & Blend’s Jaffa Cake matcha. It’s a perfectly fine orange on its own, but it’s PAINFULLY OUT OF PLACE in a carrot cake. I mean, who the hell puts orange zest in their carrot cake??? I’ve heard of pineapple or raisins, which I will begrudgingly accept but the inclusion of orange here is a crime.
Amazingly and tragically, the steeped taste is very similar to the aroma. A little more allspice than I’d picked up in scent, but otherwise great spice balance with a lovely note of slightly tangy vanilla frosting that I hadn’t got in the nose. It’s not carrot cake without the frosting, so I was tickled pink to taste in in the blend after all. Also orange. Fuck the orange. Just… why???
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuiALRCOC3G/ (Fifth Photo)
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H2LpL4dLGZk
Cold, rainy day? Seems like an inevitability that I would pick something more dark and roasted to drink. I know myself well enough to know that’s a particular comfort tea of mine. Year round but especially when it’s cold…
Gonna give myself some credit for switching it up and doing the Kyobancha instead of a hojicha though! It was very nice. Kind of mineral in a more metallic and brassy sort of way but with those crunchy, slightly roasty notes mixed with a hint of something a little more fresh and green. Combined, it very much painted the picture of autumn leaves somewhere in the mid point of when they’ve freshly changed colour to when they’ve fallen and are super crunchy.
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuiALRCOC3G/ (Fourth Photo)
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ds7peptxp0
Iced Oat Milk Latte!
This was the only tea that I knew I was going to make yesterday before I saw the weather and decided to do my ‘teas I drink in a day’ round up. I just woke up really craving this specific chocolate blend. It tasted strongly like the orange flavoured Tootsie Roll lollipop, but in a good sort of way. Maybe a smidge less orange and more chocolate. Very nostalgic. Maybe that’s why I wanted this one in particular??
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuiALRCOC3G/ (Third Photo)
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_CLW5WTQp4
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.
Another as part of yesterday’s ‘teas I drink in a day’ round up…
I snagged the photo for this one when I was passing through the park on my way to the metro, but I actually drank the cup later in the morning at the office. One cone to a sixteen ounce mug, but with an extra long steep time. It’s just thick and full bodied with lots of malt, dark honey, and a yeast heavy kind of dark brown bread note. Definitely quite cozy, which was sort of the vibe I wanted to channel in the morning after escaping the rain for my commute.
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuiALRCOC3G/ (Second Photo)
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPunC15rxc0
It was really dreary, cold and clammy outside yesterday so I thought it could be an interesting day to do one of those “teas I drink in a day” roundups. Just to see which teas I naturally gravitated towards with the gross weather…
Though a lot of people start their day with an Earl Grey, I actually ended up ending my day with this one. Well, my work day anyway. I had a few evening teas that I didn’t end up posting about on instagram. I’ve grown to really, really like this blend for how the pithy botanical flavour of the gin seems to really draw out the sweetness of the black tea itself. It’s quite bright and refreshing, but still grounded/anchored by the heady bergamot flowers.
I think it was that kind of “classic comfort” that made me think of this tea, but I wanted some sort of twist to a run of the mill EG and I think this one delivers on that in a such an elevated way.
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CuiALRCOC3G/ (First Photo)
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJfPsw1fYwA
Gongfu Sipdown (2322)!
Enjoying the sun and gentle breeze with an outdoor session of this sheng that was kindly gifted to me by Togo! The liquor is light bodied at first, but with each steep pushes into something more medium bodied and substantial on the palate. Consistent astringency, in a much more woody and mineral sort of way. The tasting notes are in part floral, with elements of dried chrysanthemum that has been pressed in an older, antique book. It’s also slightly vegetal in a way that rides the line of sweet and savory – it makes me think of orange bell pepper in the process of being cooked, where the aroma is a mix of cooking oils and the bright, crisp essential oils from cutting into the crisp, ripe pepper just moments before. Hard to put into words; it’s just such a specific smell that’s been translated into the taste of this tea…
It’s interesting because the tasting notes of this session do feel a little bit in direct opposition to the hot weather and this bright, whimsical and floral teaware set up. Oops! Regardless, I had a lovely time with this sheng and really appreciate Togo’s generosity.
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/Cuc2XP3uY6e/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjjvFlW3VFM
Gongfu!
Decided to pull out some some teaware I haven’t used in quite some time that was just begging for a little attention. Though this compressed white tea is slightly less creamy than the previous year’s production, it still has much of the crisp, cooling cucumber pulp notes I love about this tea though with a slightly more vegetal bite that makes me think of cucumber skins as well. Aside from that, there’s a slightly more coarse peach skin note and a pleasant soothing undertone of hot hay. One of the best parts of having such a large collection of both tea and teaware is getting to pull out the exact perfect combination of the two to suit whatever your mood is!!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CufWGw3O25F/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71iHOYyRKrE
Gongfu!
Started my morning with this tea while diving into some Starstruck!! It’s such a beautifully dark and heavy tea with a thick and syrupy mouthfeel to suit. Though I still taste fresh, aromatic roses in many of these steeps I’m finding that it’s the slightly more bitter taste of the fudge-like dark cocoa that is commanding the most attention today. It’s a bold, in your face kind of profile with subtle naunces to elevate: leather, Ovaltine, Bordeaux cherries. Lots and lots here to love and still one of the best teas I’ve tasted out of Hawaii!!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/CukO6Nsuk6u/
It was another very grey, overcast and rainy day so it was a challenge to get good natural lighting in the apartment…
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQoTBWdLzHk
Sipdown (2323)!
So far this has been my favourite of the zodiac blends. Like Scorpio, it’s very straightforward with a full bodied, brisk and malty black tea base with additions of fresh, aromatic cardamom and just a bit of cream. There’s just enough natural sweetness present, and the flavour is rich which not overwhelming the base. I could see it being so phenomenal with a splash of milk. I am, for sure, a bit of a sucker for cardamom but it does feel a little more rare to see it in such a pure play way that just honors the flavour so entirely.
I would definitely buy this one again.
I’m enjoying your zodiac tea reviews! I considered buying them when they came out, but the flavor profiles didn’t really seem that interesting initially. It sounds like the sachet sampler is the way to go!
Well, a first one from the reviewed from you which I would consider buying.
