72
drank Vanilla Matcha by DAVIDsTEA
3986 tasting notes

DAVIDsTEA Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 9

Ooh, another desserty one! I actually have a sample packet of this already that I haven’t opened – I think it was from a Sips by box? I hadn’t been drinking matcha much before this advent, so I just never got to it. Prepared this one with 8 ounces of warm water and 4 ounces of milk.

I feel like the matcha comes through a bit more in this flavor than in some of the others, and the flavoring seems slightly lighter. It’s a good thing, in my book. I don’t think I can really tell the difference between the coconut sugar in this one versus the usual cane sugar, especially with the milk added. There’s a light and sweet vanilla flavor here, I would assume it’s probably creamy as well but since I added milk, I can’t know that for sure. The sweetness level is about normal for these DAVIDsTEA flavored matchas, so far only the peach one has seemed really sweet.

Although I bet if I did add milk, I would find this one way too sweet as well… I’ll have to suck it up and try an all-water preparation again with the next flavor.

So for the Bonne Maman advent calendar, today’s jam is Rhubarb-Strawberry Spread. I quite like that rhubarb is first for once, and the rhubarb is quite strong in the jam as well. It starts off tasting like a slightly tart strawberry, and then the rhubarb comes forward more and more until the end is all rhubarb. A bit of strawberry comes back in the aftertaste. I love rhubarb and wish it were used more, so I find this one to be absolutely scrumptious! :3

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIlVZ7VAeAO/)

Flavors: Bitter, Broccoli, Creamy, Grass, Sugar, Sweet, Vanilla, Vegetal

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
AJRimmer

That jam sounds great! Rhubarb is so difficult to find in stores here for some reason!

Cameron B.

I love rhubarb everything! :3

Courtney

Rhubarb is the best! You can only get it here fresh during the summer, but we always make sure to make the best of it!

tea-sipper

Ah! That photo!!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

People who liked this

Comments

AJRimmer

That jam sounds great! Rhubarb is so difficult to find in stores here for some reason!

Cameron B.

I love rhubarb everything! :3

Courtney

Rhubarb is the best! You can only get it here fresh during the summer, but we always make sure to make the best of it!

tea-sipper

Ah! That photo!!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

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...

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer