3986 Tasting Notes

80

Thésaurus Tea Fandom Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 20

This one is super interesting. I don’t think I’ve ever seen honeysuckle like this in a tea? Like, it’s actually the full long stamens of honeysuckle flowers, and it looks so cool.

I assume the black tea here is lapsang, because I’m definitely getting a savory smoky note. Otherwise it’s a mellow but fresh mix of resinous flavors – Labrador tea, cedar, and rosemary are all in here, along with lemon balm. I don’t have enough experience with Labrador tea to know which notes are coming from that vs. the cedar, but it definitely has a very unusual evergreen flavor profile. I can pick out the rosemary as well, luckily it’s not overpowering. I do taste those lightly sweet nectar notes from the honeysuckle on the top end.

Really just a super interesting blend, and one that I really enjoyed. Then again, I do tend to love woodsy teas. ;)

Flavors: Cedar, Evergreen, Herbaceous, Honeysuckle, Nectar, Resin, Rosemary, Sap, Savory, Smoked, Sweet, Wood, Woodsy

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML
Mastress Alita

Wow, Deedlit, there is a reference I never thought I’d see here! I’m glad Thesaurus Tea appreciates 90s anime as much as I do.

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75

Tea at the White House Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 20

I was afraid I had accidentally used too much water for this teabag (I got distracted while I was pouring from the kettle lol), but it seems to have come out fine.

Really nice buttery caramel sort of flavor without being overly artificial. I definitely get the toffee sauce inspiration. However, I don’t really get the pudding? Still, quite nice and I always appreciate a more restrained hand with flavoring.

Flavors: Brown Sugar, Butter, Butterscotch, Caramel, Earthy, Smooth, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 10 OZ / 295 ML

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Bird & Blend Matcha Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 20

Plain ol’ matcha today! I actually shook this up into an iced eggnog latte, and I have no regrets. I still get plenty of matcha flavor, but also that lovely sweet, rich, nutmeggy eggnog. It actually reminds me a bit of some of the more concentrated matcha chocolates I’ve had in the past, with that sweet creaminess paired with the earthy matcha. I had some Kit-Kits once that were some sort of fancy, more intense matcha version, and that’s what this is making me think of. Tasty!

Preparation
Iced 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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75

Sipology Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 19

This is a pleasant enough cinnamon rooibos. I do get a tiny bit of maple richness in the finish, but mostly the rooibos overpowers it. Wasn’t there a tea in this advent called Cinnamon Sugar Donut? I feel like that name fits this tea better, since there’s nothing really waffley about it.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Honey, Maple, Rooibos, Sweet, Woody

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

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82

DIY Kyoto Obubu Advent Calendar – Day 19

So toasty! Honestly this might be the more intense-tasting of their hojicha, even though it’s not the darkest roast. It just has quite a strong toasty, woody flavor to it with a hint of bitterness. It’s not necessarily smoky, but it reminds me of being around a campfire and the way wood smells when the moisture is escaping and making steam. That’s weirdly specific, but there you are lol.

Not my favorite of their hojicha, but still so tasty.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec 5 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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65

Thésaurus Tea Fandom Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 19

Tulsi again? At least I like tulsi, he he.

This mostly just tastes like tulsi with a bit of that mouth-coating licorice root sweetness. I don’t notice the white tea and the lemon balm likely blends in with the tulsi.

It’s fine, though I could do without the licorice root. Mostly not really understanding the point of a blend where I can only mostly taste one ingredient? (shrugs)

Flavors: Herbaceous, Licorice Root, Mint, Pepper, Sweet, Tulsi

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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80

Tea at the White House Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 19

This is nice! It’s sort of what I wish Bonfire Toffee from B&B would have been. Good balance of cooked apple with candy-spicy cinnamon and a dash of savory smoke. I think I’m getting a bit of the cranberry as well? Which would be shocking ha ha.

Really nice fall and winter tea, I might actually have to seek this one out…

Flavors: Apple, Candy, Cinnamon, Cranberry, Earthy, Savory, Smoked, Smooth, Spices, Sweet, Tart

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

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52teas 12 Teas of Christmas 2023 – Day 7

So I couldn’t really tell that this was meant to taste like caramel corn. Honestly I didn’t get much flavoring at all in the taste? When I smelled the dry leaf, I guessed maybe hazelnut and something creamy, but that was obviously wrong ha ha.

Steeped up, I mostly taste the black tea? Which tastes like it has at least some Ceylon in it, which is not my favorite. I’m wondering if a shorter steep might do this one some good, I’ll have to try that next time.

Flavors: Acidic, Astringent, Earthy, Metallic, Musty, Tannic

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

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75

Bird & Blend Matcha Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 19

Ooh banana. This is nice, but doesn’t have a strong enough banana flavor for me. As an iced latte it’s very yummy and creamy, but the banana is a bit subtle and I would like it to be at the forefront. For what it’s worth, it does taste quite natural though.

But that’s okay, I already have a favorite banana matcha from 3 Leaf, he he… :3

Flavors: Banana, Creamy, Grassy, Smooth, Sweet

Preparation
Iced 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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78

Compagnie & Co Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 19

Ugh work. Don’t they know I have advent teas to drink?! XP

Ah, red fruits, a French classic. This one is quite nice – I mostly get raspberry and a bit of strawberry, and it is somewhat candylike but not cloying. Very sweet and more syrupy instead of tart.

I don’t know that I would order it, but I very much enjoyed my small mugful this morning. Classic for a reason! :)

Flavors: Berry, Candy, Earthy, Raspberry, Red Fruits, Smooth, Strawberry, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 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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