This tea reminds me a little of Della Terra’s Eight Candles with a punchier base tea, and a little bitterness provided by both the base and the chocolate notes. I think it’s because the vanilla in the caramel reminds me of those waxy air freshener vanilla candles, a scent and flavour which may come off as coconut to others.
Having said that this is a pleasant dessert tea with a base that is robust enough to welcome cream or milk. The tea smells to me of vanilla candles with hints of chocolate over a breast base tea.
I over steeped this tea slightly so the base is more dominant than I may of liked it. It seems that around 2 min 30 s is a sweet spot for this tea and I left it for 1 min more, because of this the bases flavours are the first notes apparent to me. It is a nice dense rugged tea that is breast and malty with light vegetal and floral notes, a cocoa note and a sharper red berry note. It is slightly tannic and astringent. While I appreciate a robust base I do think the base could be a little sweeter.
Once the base notes dissipate a little bittersweet cocoa is apparent as well as a vanilla caramel. The caramel doesn’t quite seem creamy enough, so when hot it seems a little waxy to me.
Generally this tea is a good mix of bitter base and cocoa notes, malt, and vanilla caramel. I think I like it a little bit !ore than eight candles, though Della terras base is smoother. I like how the cocoa tempers the vanilla caramel. It has a good balance between the base and the flavouring if kept to short steeps. It is also is nice that it is a dessert tea that is robust enough to handle additives.Thanks JustJames for the sample!
