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Cameron B. drank Vietnam 'Wild Boar' Black Tea by What-Cha

3986 tasting notes

Woo, I got my What-Cha order! I forgot how many samples I ordered, and taking them out of the box made me feel a bit like Mary Poppins because they just kept coming. There was a little village of pouches on my coffee table by the time I was done unpacking. Thanks to Alistair for including two bonus samples and a lovely handwritten note! I admit, I ordered two Vietnamese teas mostly because the names were so epic! Seriously though, Wild Boar and Red Buffalo? Too awesome. The leaves of this tea are large and twisty, and there are a few golden tips included. Dry scent is malty and sweet but also savory in a way that I can’t describe.

The steeped cup smells rich and malty. Hmm, this is a simple but yummy tea. Definitely quite malty, and the texture is very thick and rich. I can definitely see a comparison to unsweetened dark baking chocolate or very dark cocoa powder. I have a hard time tasting chocolate when there’s no sweetness, but since I already read the description and know it’s supposed to be there, I can taste it. There’s perhaps a tiny bit of dried fruit flavor? Overall, it’s a strong tea with Assam-like intensity but without bitterness. Perhaps the tiniest touch of astringency?

Flavors: Cocoa, Dark Chocolate, Dried Fruit, Earth, Malt, Smooth, Thick

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

I Like This

16 likes

4 comments

DeliriumsFrogs
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That tea sounds really good…. and I agree on the name thing. So epic!

Cameron B.
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The name is definitely appropriate one this one! Nice and strong, a wake-up tea. :P

Anlina
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I love that Alistair sells 10g samples. Every time I order I have to restrain myself from getting a sample of everything, because individually they’re so reasonable, but there’s so many teas, and it adds up fast.

Cameron B.
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Anlina, hah! Yeah I just got enough samples to bring me up to the $40 free shipping mark. ;)

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Comments

DeliriumsFrogs
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That tea sounds really good…. and I agree on the name thing. So epic!

Cameron B.
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The name is definitely appropriate one this one! Nice and strong, a wake-up tea. :P

Anlina
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Cameron B.
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Anlina, hah! Yeah I just got enough samples to bring me up to the $40 free shipping mark. ;)

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