Cameron B. select Send Message

345 Followers / 341 Following

Recommended

Cameron B. drank Sakura Sumomo Tea by Karel Capek

4115 tasting notes

Sipdown! (23 | 426)

Last gifted sample, and my first ever Karel Capek tea! I’ve seen this Japanese company’s cute wrapped sachets shared before, and I’m so excited to finally try one. Thanks Tiana! :3

So this is a sakura and plum-flavored black tea, and it does have a nice underripe, tart sort of plum flavor to it. It almost reminds me a little bit of Momijigari, which technically has apricot flavoring, but it tastes similar. This also has a crisp and tart flavor that reminds me a bit of apples. It’s very nice because it tastes like the actual fresh fruits, not cooked or jam versions of them. It tastes like biting into a plum, skin and all. As for the sakura, I do get a hint of its savory floral notes, but the plum is definitely the star here. The base tea is very light in flavor but has a bit of a briskness and astringency to it.

Such a nice fruit and refreshing tea for spring! I might have to seek out some more Karel Capek teas to try in the future, though they tend to be expensive.

Flavors: Apple, Apple Skins, Astringent, Brisk, Cherry Blossom, Crisp, Fruity, Plum, Sakura, Savory, Sweet, Tart

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 0 sec 16 OZ / 473 ML

I Like This

13 likes

2 comments

vallhallow
Delete

It’s not cheap but Rainbowholicshop.com exports Karel Capek teas since KC itself doesn’t ship outside of japan. I have gotten teas from them a few times and the shipping times are really quick.

Martin Bednář
Delete

Interesting, how Japanese company chose Czech writer name, does wrappers nonewhere to his work, but their wrappers are lovely indeed. During my search of those tea bags wrappers I found this website (and I heard it is reliable): https://www.teadora.co/

People who liked this

Comments

vallhallow
Delete

It’s not cheap but Rainbowholicshop.com exports Karel Capek teas since KC itself doesn’t ship outside of japan. I have gotten teas from them a few times and the shipping times are really quick.

Martin Bednář
Delete

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, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- September Sipdowns: 7
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 126

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.

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

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

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