I think I must have ordered this a while ago, but the flavor seems like it’s holding up anyway. I’m always searching for that perfect vanilla tea. The description says the base tea is from China and Sri Lanka. To me, it tastes like Ceylon, for some reason especially on the first sips I can taste distinct notes of the black tea but then the flavoring tends to take over and hide the black tea. (Or since it’s from China it might be S&V’s China black I don’t really like that also tastes like Ceylon to me?) I kept trying this with one teaspoon, and I didn’t prefer it that way — then I tried it with two teaspoons and that was plenty more flavor while also not being too astringent. The resteep is also fairly flavorful. I’m also not sure how this is different from S&V’s “Vanilla black”. What makes French vanilla different? Not sure. But I haven’t tried their “Vanilla black” blend, so I can’t say. This still isn’t my ideal vanilla flavor (what is, at this point?) and there is no actual vanilla pieces here, but I’m glad the flavoring is lasting this long. And I can actually tell the flavor is actually aiming for vanilla with two teaspoons, when sometimes with other vanilla teas, I can’t even tell.
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 1/2 minute steep
This is You :-D
Profile
Bio
Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.
Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandala
verdanttea.com
Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas
My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.
Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!
I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.
My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors
My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again
I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)
Happy sipping!
Location
USA
