Vanilla Comoro

So I added milk to this tea and wow, does it ever bring out the flavour! Like I said before it’s not a powerful vanilla, but it’s very smooth almost to the point of being creamy and it actually has almost a caramel-like note to it.

I think this is the first decaffinated tea I’ve had that actually goes well with milk; most of the others being too thin and weak for it. This is one I really want to keep around.

I’m bumping up the rating a few notches.

This goes really nicely with those Adagio Tea cookies, I’ve discovered. Together they make for a wonderful, caffeine-free (well mostly) dessert.

Well, this is weird. I just added a tasting note for White Lion’s Vanilla Dolce, in which I said that the vanilla scent was stronger than in Harney’s Vanilla Comoro and also that I liked it better.

So, Self, I said, there’s that tin of Harney’s and it’s decaf, so why not do a comparison right away?

I sniffed the Harney’s and got what I now recognize as the mapley aroma mentioned long ago by ashmanra. Then I sniffed the White Lion, smugly expecting a blast of vanilla.

Guess what. No aroma at all from the White Lion dry leaves. Maybe my sense of smell was tired? I waited a bit and tried again. Same result.

So I brewed up the Harney’s and, dudes. I am so confused now. It smells so pretty. I have got to get my hands on the loose stuff.

12oz of this + 1tbsp So Delicious Dairy Free French Vanilla Coconut Milk Creamer = too much vanilla. I kinda knew it would be, but had to try it anyway. It may just be that’s it’s too sweet. shrug I did say yesterday that this doesn’t need additions, and I should stand by that.

So this pretty much says it all: Today I received a grand total of 32 teas from swaps, on Monday we picked out 15 new teas from tealish, and I’m resteeping this instead of trying a new one.

So my package from Ashley arrived a few days ago, yay!! I immediately reached for a cup of this.

I was underwhelmed. It seemed a bit bitter and just…not good. I think I need to play with the steeping parameters.

The only tea that I could think of tonight was Vanilla Comoro. I finally drank enough out of my very firmly packed pound bag to be able to shake up the leaves a bit. I was looking for the mysterious specks that JacquelineM has been raving about. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure what she was talking about, until I saw the specks!! I made sure to include a good amount of specks in my measuring spoon and I was rewarded handsomely for my efforts. The tea seems to have even more vanilla and is even richer than before. The specks really do make a big difference – I would never have guessed that!

There is just so much vanilla in this tonight! I even added a small amount of my favorite dark chocolate creamer for fun – fully expecting the chocolate to take over. However, the vanilla is definitely overpowering the chocolate! I am in vanilla heaven! Okay, I need to attend to this delicious pot of tea now!

A great before bed tea while watching a bit of TV. So perfectly vanilla and creamy, I will be sad when my pound bag runs out!

Every time I have this I wonder if it truly is decaf – the flavor is just too rich! I’m running low on my pound bag, but until then it is amazing. On the bright side, there are lots of vanilla specks at the bottom of the bag so each pot is more vanilla-y than usual.

I almost made another tea tonight, but I am sure glad that I didn’t! I haven’t had Vanilla Comoro in awhile which I think is why it tastes so incredibly delicious tonight. Sweet, smooth vanilla and caramel all backed by a briskly malty black tea base and to think this is decaf! Just. So. Good.

For some reason I was extremely tired today and fell asleep around 5pm…and didn’t wake up until around midnight. I definitely wanted some tea but didn’t necessarily want to stay up for the rest of the night so I pulled out the Vanilla Comoro. This tea is so smooth and flavorful, I almost can’t believe that it is a decaf tea. I’ve had so many poorly done decaf options, but this is so good!

Tea of the late evening. It was good, vanilla-creamy as always. I’m getting really close to end of my 1 lb bag though.

I wanted something a bit different, so I used 2 tsp Vanilla Comoro mixed with about 1 tsp Rishi Jasmine Pearls. Overall, the Vanilla Comoro is the most noticeable but there is a nice floral aspect to the aftertaste that is a nice change of pace.

Oh, and there were lots of specks in my Vanilla Comoro today!!! Yum!!!

I have not had a proper cup of tea for several days. Don’t get me wrong… I have had plenty of cold brewed iced tea during the day at work but nothing can compare to a big, steamy mug of delicious tea. I didn’t know what I wanted but I wanted a real tea (not herbal). But I had a issue with that since it is almost 10 pm. Vanilla Comoro was my happy compromise. This decaf is full of rich tea flavor while still allowing you to sleep. Perfection tonight!

After a particularly trying day and an unfortunate bit of insomnia tonight, Vanilla Comoro sounded like just the thing to smooth out the imperfections of the day and, hopefully, soothe me into a nice, restful sleep. If it doesn’t help me sleep, at least it tastes awesome!

I love that I can have this before bed and still sleep soundly. What a great treat while sitting in bed reading a good book!

I fell in love with this decaf tea after trying one of Harney’s sachets. However, I wanted the loose leaf form so I sprung for a pound of this beauty. From what I remember, the loose leaf has a much stronger caramel scent, seriously yummy. I almost took a spoon and ate the leaves before steeping. I also remember this having significantly less vanilla in the sachet form. This tea is just so awesome! Don’t get me wrong, I love honeybush, rooibos, and herbals, but sometimes I want a REAL, fortifying tea in the evenings. This tea nicely fits the bill while allowing me to sleep easily.

Nothing ends a long day on a higher note than a great cup of tea – and a yummy, creamy, vanilla tea that is also decaf (without tasting like it) is even better! (Seriously, try this tea with some vanilla almond milk…..so good!)

I can’t sleep and wanted tea, but was sure that caffeine wasn’t a good idea so I reached for Vanilla Comoro. I love the smooth vanilla/caramel flavor of this tea which is perfection with cream and sugar. I’m not sure if it will help me sleep, but at least I’ll enjoy my sleepless night!

This vanilla tea gets me every time! It is so smooth and rich, I still can’t believe it can possibly be decaf. I had a bunch of specks in my tea tonight and the vanilla flavor is out of this world!!! A perfect way to end the night and (hopefully) lull me into a nice, deep sleep.

Deeply satisfying and excellent with a splash of eggnog!

I love that this decaf tea doesn’t taste like most decaf teas tend to. Vanilla Comoro is FULL on rich, creamy, vanilla excellence that doesn’t ever let me down. Plus, I’ll be able to sleep tonight!

We have a home!
An amazing place that is empty but gorgeous, and we’re slowly filling it (very sloooowly).
I am sitting at my cheap cheap dining table, the only seating in the house, and celebrating with this delicious cup of Vanilla Comoro, brewed to perfection with my.. wait for it..

variable temp kettle! eeee!

It’s gooorgeous baby. You can change the temperature by degree, so I brewed the first cup at 175 because I find this tea to be a little finicky in the bitter department sometimes. It was perfect, vanilla, sweet just lovely! Did a second cup at boiling (212) and it was just as good.

So yes! Happiness! Happiness and tea!

Had a cup of this today and was a little disappointed. Initially it was the delicious sweet vanilla tea I love, but as it sat it became bitter and over-steeped, even though I shook out the “dust” beforehand. I’ve got to finally admit that I wish I hadn’t been so quick to purchase a whole pound of this, as it will take me FOREVER to finish. Lately I’ve been feeling very blah about all my tea – I have too much of it and the turnover just isn’t there. I hope these winter blues go away as I would prefer to be loving my tea again.

Made a pot of this for breakfast tea. Last night I was floating around on the Harney and Sons website, resisting the urge to order more tea. Luckily, there wasn’t a specific flavour that I wanted from them, it was just a generic tea urge. I’m also still a little annoyed with the shipping debacle from my pound of vanilla comoro.

Anyway, that web surfing must have inspired me, because I knew that I wanted vanilla comoro this morning. Usually we go through the torture of the beau asking me what tea I want, and me saying I don’t know. I rarely know. I have to think about it. Today, we skipped straight to the good stuff.

This pot had that lovely vanilla caramel edge that I so love…It almost reminds me of Sawadee’s Monk’s Blend which I find to be caramelly. This was just a great cuppa. The beau said his was a little bitter, but he always gets the last of the pot. : )

Currently drinking…

I just got an e-mail from Harneys saying my order had shipped today. It’s been 8 days since I placed the order. Two days since I e-mailed them saying I am disappointed. I never heard back. Harney’s loses points for terrible customer service in this situation, but I’m glad my tea is on the way. I don’t think I’ll order from them again, but a pound of vanilla comoro should last me a while!

As for the tea, it is the second steep from my earlier cup. So delicious – I love the second steep from this!

Had a DELICIOUS pot of this last evening with the beau (after packaging up an ounce or two for a swap!) We used two heaping teaspoons for the pot and each got two 8 ounce cups out of it, so that’s pretty good in my book. The taste was rich decadent vanilla with a hint of caramel, just the way I like it. Adjusting the rating back up based on that perfect pot – I think the key to this one for me is a bit more leaf and only about 3 minutes to steep. I don’t like astringency, so most of my blacks get about 3 minute steeps and that’s just what I like – No additions.

I know there is nothing new about the fact that this tea is tasty, but I am enjoying it so much right now that I figured I might as well log it. My only disappointment with this tea is that it frequently seems to be rather thin, likely because it is a decaf tea. The vanilla flavour is still more caramel than coconut, and though it could be stronger it is a lovely mild tea, not one I really focus on but good to wile away the afternoon at work (though I’d rather have another afternoon at home with a good book!)

Had my first cuppa this loose today – My tea arrived! Made a pot for the beau, a friend and myself. It was very lovely, though the smell was stronger and more caramelly than the teabags I had before. A pound of tea, it turns out, s a very large measure indeed!

Re-steep. I like this tea, I really do. I don’t find myself turning to it very often, but I think that is the unassuming nature of this tea. It is solid and dependable, and will be there for you when things are strange, but it doesn’t demand your attention all the time. It’s relaxing, it’s mild, it’s lovely and comforting. I’m enjoying it.

This steep actually has the faintest of smells that suggests it is over-steeped, but none of that comes through in the taste. I love that it retains that vanilla flavour over the black tea base in multiple steepings…I could go to a third, but I think I’d lose all the vanilla at that point. It’s not the richest of teas, I find, but a splash of cream would be lovely in here, if I had some.

Tea attempt #2:

First cup of water had to be dumped because someone somehow got coffee grinds IN the hot water spout. Second cup came out clean. Progress. Obviously, i decided to go with Vanilla Comoro, hoping to get the sickly sweet taste of basically boiled fruit out of my mouth.

Once it’s coooled, I’m happy. Yes, vanilla Comoro is sweet but nothing like my travel mug disaster. The vanilla is nice but not too forward and I can actually taste the tea. I’ve saved the bag for another steep (this is one of the last two pre-bagged vanilla comoro I got from Meghann M). This is nice. Thank you, tea gods.

I’ve evnded up in the unusual circumstance of having this tea available both in bagged and loose. Honestly, the smell of loose (and my own preference for same) is the way I love to go, but these bags are perfect for work.

Since I’m stuck at Switchboard for the afternoon (and off and on for the next three weeks, gah) I figured a big mug of vanilla comoro was the way to go. I popped it in my travel mug, poured some hottish water on and am leaving it to steep. I would prefer to have some loose as this teabag doesn’t really flavour up enough for my 16 oz. mug, but it’s still got a lovely mild vanilla flavour. Sort of reminds me of cappuccino (sp?) but less strong.

Had a steaming pot of this for breakfast this morning. We established that the beau prefers his with a splash of milk – He found it a lovely improvement. I left mine “black” as I tend to do. The dry smell is amazing, as always. Reminiscent of caramel, vanilla, marshmallows and maybe even syrup. Steeped, I lose a lot of that depth (I find this tea does best with a bit of extra leaf – Though I never remember that until it’s too late). Good base, good flavours, good tea!

Re-steeped the teabag from last night – Worked out surprisingly well. Tasted more of the vanilla, and it was deliciously creamy and smooth. You know you have a lovely tea when a bag re-steeps this nicely!

Bcaklog: Made a travel mug full of this to take to a friend’s tonight. Oh my, THIS was the vanilla comoro I wanted. Rich, creamy, vanilla, caramel, tea, delicious. I think I just need to be a little more generous with the tea to really get that depth of flavour. I also see things that could, potentially, be construed as specks!

Backlog from last night:

The second steep was as yummy as I expected. Is it normal to enjoy the second more than the first? I find the tea taste tones down a bit for steep #2 and the creamy vanilla takes over.

Backlog:

This was my breakfast tea today, enjoy slowly while I played gin rummy with the beau and ate peanut butter crackers for breakfast. Then, of course the usual scurry to get to work on time. But while I was drinking this and playing cards – relaxation. I didn’t get a very strong vanilla hit off this one either, but I intend to re-steep this evening when I get home and I expect I’ll get a stronger vanilla taste again, like last time.

Re-steeped last night’s leaves for my morning tea. The flavour had diminished quite a bit, but I kind of expected that, for a number of reasons. Luckily, the black tea base to this tea is really nice, since that is mostly the flavour I got this morning.

Backlog:

This was my morning tea – Yummy nummy goodness, reminds me of a cappuchino (in smell.)

I’m enjoying the last of my teabags from Meghann M over lunch. Now all I have is my loose pound…but oh what a pound it is! : )