Black Bear Breakfast

Trying this one out before I leave for the thrilling roads of North Georgia and North Carolina. I was going to wait till like noon, but I don’t want to have to stop to eat, so eating an actual breakfast it is.

I love black bears. One reason I’m even going up to NC is because it’s a year since I got Bruno: https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/251468_2016482060693_2781157_n.jpg Bruno is my honorary pet (I’m not paying a $500 pet fee for a dog, no way) and road trip mascot, and I got him up there. The Smoky Mountains are filled with bears! So this is the perfect tea before I head off. And it is Bruno-approved.

This is nice. A bit spicy, a bit smoky, with just the right hint of elderberry flavor for a touch of sweetness. I am still pretty new with mate, and some blends are a little too much for me but this one is perfect. I could see this being something a bear would like on a rough morning for being a bear.

So far it has helped me remember one thing I NEED to take already…a flashlight. I definitely tripped over uneven ground last year in the dark. Yay last minute decision making.

Now just to hope I don’t fall back asleep. There are mountains to drive over! Can’t wait to try my other Whispering Pines samples, but they will have to wait until I return because I want to be able to spend some decent time with them!

I’ve had this sample for a while but evidently I forgot to post a tasting note for it until now…

This blend is definitely unique! It’s a bit smoky and also kind of… minty? tingly? Interesting element which I guess is from the mate. I think the elderberry also provides a nice fruity note here. There’s some black tea but it seems to be on the lighter side which is definitely nice. I am enjoying it this morning, not sure I will need any more but it’s definitely a good blend and will wake me up! :)

It’s been years since I tried yerba mate, and I don’t have any clear memories of my reaction. I must have been underwhelmed.

So when I picked up my packet of Black Bear Breakfast and reminded myself of the ingredients, I thought, “OK, time for breakfast, let’s try this out.”

I think yerba mate is still not my brew of choice. I can’t seem to single out what the mate is contributing to the flavor, but mostly I’m getting mild, slightly sweet, with an aftertaste of mint. Not getting the elderberries.

This is reminiscent of Manistee Moonrise but not as distinctive, a wakeup tea with a refreshing afterbite and probably a good introduction to yerba mate blends for the slightly mate-phobic like me!

Looking forward to trying my final two samples from Whispering Pines.