3986 Tasting Notes

85

Home – 11:00 PM

Tonight I made some chicken broth in my Instant Pot. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, you definitely should! It’s basically a combination slow cooker and pressure cooker. So I put a whole chicken in with carrots, celery, herbs, and water and 30 minutes later, I had a fully cooked chicken to shred up plus delicious broth! I’m planning to use the broth for ramen this week, and the chicken will likely find its way into tacos, Buddha bowls, you name it! Anyway, Instant Pot infomerical over. ;)

I ordered New Moon’s Apple Cinnamon chamomile herbal blend on a whim a while ago when I was browsing tea sellers on Etsy. I really enjoyed it, so this time I got a pouch of this tisane as well. I realize now they’re pretty similar, but I love apple cinnamon, so no harm done…

Anyway, this tisane makes me think of warm apple crumble. There’s a lovely oat-y flavor that I assume is coming from the honeybush base. The cinnamon is probably the most dominant flavor, but it’s not candy cinnamon nor is it overly strong. I wish there were a bit more apple, but since this blend doesn’t contain any flavoring I can understand why there’s not a stronger apple presence.

Very yummy, and being caffeine free is a nice bonus. I need more tasty herbals in my collection.

Flavors: Apple, Cinnamon, Oats, Sweet

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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65
drank Caramel by Kusmi Tea
3986 tasting notes

Home – 7:30 PM

So there was a 30% off sale at Kusmi a week or so ago, and I took the opportunity to pick up some sachets of Four Red Fruits and this tea. Normally I would buy loose leaf, but I couldn’t remember whether I had liked either of these two teas so I didn’t want to commit to 125g. Plus, for some reason, this tea is currently only available in sachets and refill bag, and the refill bag is out of stock. (shrugs)

I used two of these lovely little muslin bags for my 16-ounce teapot.

Hmm… I’m not sure about this one. To me, it’s more dark burnt sugar and molasses than it is caramel. The base is slightly woody.

It’s not really doing it for me. Which is making me kind of sad… :(

Flavors: Bitter, Brown Sugar, Burnt Sugar, Molasses, Sweet, Wood

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 16 OZ / 473 ML

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85

Home – 11:00 AM

Matcha au Lait – Take 2!

Okay, so this time I put the mix in a glass measuring cup and added a bit of hot water, then stirred well to form a smooth paste and eliminate any lumps. Then I slow diluted it with soymilk, stirring frequently, until the total volume was 8 ounces. I frothed it a little at the end for a final mix and to create a bit of foam on top.

This seemed to work quite well! Huzzah!

This mix is super delicious. It actually reminds me a bit of genmaicha, with a nice toasted grain flavor that I love. I assume the soybean powder they’re emulating is the same as the kinako that traditional Japanese sweets are sometimes coated in. It definitely tastes similar.

I love love love this one! It is a tiny bit grainy, but that could be because it’s intended to be consumed as a hot beverage and I’m having it cold. Will definitely buy a pouch the next time I order from Lupicia!

Flavors: Creamy, Grass, Sweet, Toasted Rice, Vegetal

Preparation
Iced 3 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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82
drank Cassis & Blueberry by Lupicia
3986 tasting notes

Home – 9:00 AM

Happy weekend everyone!

This tea is one of my favorites from Lupicia. I do confess that I am both a blueberry and a blackcurrant lover, so I may be biased… ;)

I feel the blackcurrant is the star here, and it’s a lovely deep jammy blackcurrant flavor. The blueberry plays a nice supporting role and melds wonderfully with the blackcurrant. I always feel like blackcurrant has a bit of floral note to it, and that is here as well.

The base tea is interesting – it’s a bit malty, a bit earthy, a bit brisk… There’s a touch of astringency as well.

Still a favorite! I’m sure this would be delicious with milk and sugar or iced as well, but I’m perfectly content to drink it straight as I plod along with my knitting. ❤

P.S. – I was looking for a flavor description for blackcurrant and feel like this one (taken from New Zealand Blackcurrant Co-Operative) is spot-on:

“Fresh gooseberry and passion-fruit flavour-aromas and hints of raspberry, combined with the floral aromatic notes of carnations and roses. An underlying tannic structure adds complexity and balance to the blackcurrant’s acidity and sweetness.”

Flavors: Astringent, Black Currant, Blueberry, Earth, Floral, Jam, Malt, Mineral, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Mastress Alita

This tea is definitely a good one. <3

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50
drank Electric Lemonade by DAVIDsTEA
3986 tasting notes

Home – 9:00 PM

I had a hankering for something tart after having some more sweet and floral teas! It’s a bit late to be having maté, but it’s the weekend so oh well.

For some reason this came out a bit bitter, possibly because I used quite a lot of leaf. It’s also quite sweet, maybe from the apple pomace or the blackberry leaves?

It mostly tastes of lemon, with a bit of tartness up front and then sweetness at the end. There’s also apple and a minty flavor, although there’s no mint in the blend, as well as a touch of strawberry.

Overall, I do actually like it, but the bitterness is hard to ignore. I would prefer it to be less sweet as well.

The maté blends seem to be the ones I like best from David’s.

Flavors: Apple, Bitter, Lemon, Mint, Strawberry, Sweet, Tart

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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72
drank White Sangria by Lupicia
3986 tasting notes

Home – 8:00 PM

This one is similar to some of Lupicia’s other wine or grape-based teas (like Jingle Bells, Yamabudo, et cetera).

It tastes of white grape with a strong muscatel flavor and a very floral finish. The black tea is very light and doesn’t contribute much in the way of flavor, but it does add some body.

There is some added citrus here as well, perhaps orange and grapefruit? It’s difficult to pin down a specific fruit since the flavor melds so readily with the floral notes.

It’s a good tea, but is very similar to some of Lupicia’s other teas that I’ve already tried. It’s also a touch too floral for my tastes.

Flavors: Citrus, Floral, Grapefruit, Muscatel, Orange, White Grapes

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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85
drank Christmas Wreath by Lupicia
3986 tasting notes

Home – 6:00 PM

This tea is way better than I expected. I assumed it would be stronger on the spices since it’s a Christmas tea. Plus I saw a lot of whole cardamom pods in the dry leaf.

But happily, the strongest flavor here is the apple. It’s a soft cooked apple flavor, like filling in a pie. There’s a touch of cinnamon that really makes it taste pie-ish. There’s a nice, slightly tart dried cranberry flavor as well, and some lovely honey notes coming through from the black tea.

Yummy. This is a lovely tea for autumn, too. ❤

Flavors: Apple, Cinnamon, Cranberry, Honey, Malt, Smooth

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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72

Home – 4:30 PM

Daily tea from the Tales and Tea Leaves sampler!

This one is much better than the Wizard’s Grey I tried yesterday (in my opinion). It’s a blend of green chai, cream black tea, and apple black tea. I would say the chai is the strongest flavor, though I wouldn’t necessarily know it was green-tea-based. Clove is the most prominent, followed by ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and a touch of orange peel. I can taste a bit of the caramel apple in the middle (although I would like more of it). The cream is present throughout but really shines at the end.

Mostly it’s a tasty cream chai tea. More apple would be nice, but it’s still pretty good without it. Definitely can’t tell that there’s green tea in it.

Flavors: Apple, Caramel, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Cream, Ginger, Milk, Orange

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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85

Work – 2:30 PM

I have a little white tea gift pack (that I undoubtedly got on sale) from Løv Organic. It has six sachets each of Blueberry-Coconut, Mango-Passion Fruit, and this tea, all in cute little colorful cardboard boxes.

I used two sachets for my 18-ounce teapot (filled to the brim) and let them steep for 2.5 minutes. It came out perfect!

I can taste the white tea base with its lovely creamy hay and oat notes. Good white teas have a tendency to remind me a bit of muesli or granola, in the best way possible. There’s a hint of bitterness as well.

The flavoring is a combination of peach and apricot, with a touch of astringency mimicking their fuzzy skins. Because this is such a light tea, the blackcurrant lacks the syrupy, jammy quality that really makes me think “blackcurrant”. So to me, it’s closer to blackberry, but equally yummy. It plays second fiddle to the stonefruit either way, and is a nice supporting flavor.

Really digging this one as an afternoon tea. It’s light but flavorful. I might have to consider ordering a tin of it if I ever allow myself to buy tea again… ;)

Flavors: Apricot, Astringent, Black Currant, Blackberry, Creamy, Hay, Oats, Peach, Smooth

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 30 sec 18 OZ / 532 ML

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80
drank Jardin Bleu by Dammann Frères
3986 tasting notes

Work – 11:30 AM

Ahh, Dammann Frères… I am never disappointed in your teas.

This is one of several DF teas that I actually bought in France. It’s probably a year old now, so it’s possibly lost a bit of flavor. Although sometimes these tins can be so difficult to open that I feel there must be a vacuum inside… ;)

Anyway, this one reminds me of strawberry jam. It’s smooth and sweet, with a touch of tart rhubarb at the end. Still has plenty of flavor at (probably over) a year old. The base tea is a little bit earthy but very smooth.

Is it outstanding? No. But it’s a nice, soothing strawberry tea and I will have no trouble drinking it all up. ❤

Flavors: Earth, Jam, Rhubarb, Smooth, Strawberry, Sweet, Tart

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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