89
drank Mixed Berry by Arbor Teas
2170 tasting notes

The dry leaf smells mostly of dried fruit, specifically figs. It actually smells a lot like Fig Newtons. I know some people don’t, but I really love fruity black teas. With the strawberry this reminds me of my favorite tea, Strawberry Slender Pu-erh by Teavana. If it tastes similar then I’m buying a ton of it!

The leaves have opened large and the fruit has melted into pockets of puree littered throughout the basket. The aroma is lovely, a slight bit of menthol which fits nicely here. I steeped this a few minutes too long because someone came to my desk before I could take it out. Hopefully this won’t negatively affect the flavor. It smells strong. The flavor is good unsweetened but I love honey and cream in my black teas so I’ll add those here. This is fruity and a little bit tangy. I can taste the strawberries.

Second Steep
6 ounces + 212 degrees + 8 minutes

I wonder what types of black teas are in this blend. I think soon I may do a taste comparison between the basic types of black tea available so that I can differentiate between them and find my favorites. Right now, I couldn’t tell you the difference between two types of black teas. I don’t know what each tastes like on its own.

This second steeping has a nice color to it and still smells a little fruity though I’m guessing it may not taste as fruity as the first go ‘round. I may have put a touch too much honey. It’s very sweet but still very good. I would say that this is definitely worth the time for a second steep. I should mention that the cream I added didn’t really want to mix with the tea in either cup. It didn’t necessarily curdle or get lumpy, but there is some ingredient that must be a little acidic because it didn’t turn out as creamy as I thought it would. Not pleasing to the eye maybe, but certainly still tasty.

Flavors: Dried Fruit, Fig, Fruity, Menthol, Strawberry, Tangy

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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Bio

Lifetime student. Lover of books and paper and ink. Kitchen dweller. Aspiring herbalist, excessively proud cat lady, and tea fanatic. Thirty-something elder millennial. She/her.

I love flavored black teas most of all, always with cream and honey. I enjoy floral and fruity teas, as well as flavored or scented ones. I’m not overly fond of green or white teas, but I’ve found a few that I enjoy.

I’m open to tea swaps and/or just sharing what’s in my tea cabinet! Please reach out if you see something I have that you’d like to try. I do my best to update my cupboard regularly.

Favorites
Any and all black teas, smoky teas, raspberry, strawberry, red fruits, bergamot, chai spices, floral teas, caramel/toffee, jasmine, rose, vanilla, peaches, plums, valerian root, cinnamon, cardamom

Not a huge fan
White teas, green teas, artificial sweeteners, sarsaparilla, licorice, lemongrass, lavender, hot hibiscus, hibiscus in black tea blends

Rating Scale

1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband, James, who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).

21-49: This tea is not good, but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.

50-69: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.

70-79: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.

80-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.

91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.

96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.

Updated May 2022.

Location

Alabaster, Alabama

Website

https://www.goodreads.com/sha...

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