1440 Tasting Notes
This has a very vegetal flavour to me, which I wasn’t expecting of a white tea with EG flavour! The bergamot is almost too subtle to even notice. I feel this may be user error — perhaps too high a steeping temperature?
Nonetheless, always happy to try a new tea! Thanks Cameron!
Preparation
I’ve never had any of the flavours in here: prickly pear, eleuthera root, or pau d’arco, but I am enjoying it all!
There’s hints of floral, but not like anything I’ve had before and a sour-y sweetness that seems to match the Google description of prickly pear tasting “like a strawberry and raspberry hooked up”. XD
There’s a somewhat drying feeling in my mouth, but nothing like astringency and almost imperceptible. All in all, an enjoyable cuppa!
Thanks for sharing such a unique tea Cameron :)
Preparation
I’ve never had actual prickly pear, but the prickly-pear-flavored things I’ve tried have been tart and fruity, and fuchsia in color.
Yes, this is maaaybe slightly tart, but something is balancing it out. And this is just a normal black tea colour!
2021 sipdown no. 25
This smells very cherry-like! Almost on the edge of medicinal, but not quite.
The cherry flavour here is quite lovely. It’s not exactly in the background, but also doesn’t overpower the base. It seems quite balanced. There is no hints of floral, which I appreciate as that does sometimes happen with DF. The smell is much stronger than the flavour, but I’m not bothered as DF teas are usually quite delicate in flavour (which I prefer to the opposite).
Lexa was surprised and said “I certainly don’t mind this!”
I wouldn’t turn down another cuppa of this, but I don’t know if I’d get through 100g on my own very quickly.
Thanks for the share Cameron :)
Preparation
2021 sipdown no. 24
This tea has subtle hints of vanilla and cake and it’s quite tasty against the green tea base. I don’t get a lot of rose, but I’m a-okay with that! I actually enjoyed this cup more than I thought I would!
Preparation
Waaaaaaah! The one that was supposed to come today was delayed and tracking doesn’t show where it is, and the one that was supposed to arrive Monday has been here in town since 5 am so why didn’t I get it today? I swear waiting for tea teaches patience better than anything I know!
2021 sipdown no. 23
This one is really tasty! I would consider ordering this one for my cupboard in a heartbeat.
The blueberry and peach and pastry notes all come through perfectly. They don’t fight for attention. Yet they’re all there, right at the forefront. The flavours are also very true to form. There’s no fake or cloying-ness here. The blueberries are so true, I felt like I was back home on the east coast, eating blueberries from my grandmother’s garden!
The base tea is lovely, but ever so slightly astringent, though this may be fixed by steeping temperature. As the tea cooled, it only got better! The flavour profiles didn’t change, but it’s just so refreshing!
Thanks for such a wonderful tea Nichole!
Preparation
2021 sipdown no. 22
Amazing sample from Cameron!
This tea is so delicious. The dry scent is exactly raspberries and chocolate. Exactly! I never enjoyed fruit and chocolate when I was young, but as I get older, I am starting to appreciate it more. This tea was an absolute delight. The steeped taste is like eating raspberries and chocolate and I am here for it.
I even did a second resteep and it still had a decent amount of flavour! This is going into our S&V cart for sure!
Preparation
2021 sipdown no. 21
This one is super tasty, but we both only got orange. No chocolate, no biscuit, sadly. I do enjoy an orange rooibos though, so that’s okay. I did think it was a bit odd, considering the sizable chocolate chunks, but alas!
This one tastes a little bit like Fauchon’s L’Automne with that real orange in there.
Thanks for sharing Cameron!
Preparation
I am super curious about this one! But I am scared it will just taste like orange tea, although Deb has some awesome orange blends that really pack a punch.
I would think the rooibos would add an oatmeal like quality, and the chocolate would melt into the tea?
I will request this one as a sample next time! :)
1st steep 3 minutes: Enjoying this as my first cup of the morning while I answer work emails and start on my soil lectures!
This one is lightly malty and really delicious. It’s reminding me a lot of another tea I can’t put my finger on.
2nd steep 4 minutes, 30 seconds: I steeped this up then got distracted cleaning the bunnies, taking a shower, then doing yoga, but this is still tasty! There’s still a lot of the same flavour from the first steep and it’s great lukewarm haha.
As it cools, there’s definitely some first flush Darjeeling notes here – some hay and the lightest malt.
3rd steep 6 minutes: Still delicious with those hints of Darjeeling. Really enjoyable cuppa, all thanks to Cameron!
Preparation
2021 sipdown no. 20
I officially started my new spring term courses today!
This tea is really good. There’s a delightful creaminess and notes of strawberry in the background. The strawberry is not cloying or artificial at all. The green tea flavour is there, but falls to the background as well.
Thanks for sending this one Cameron!
Preparation
2021 sipdown no. 19
This one is like those wee candies wrapped in clear plastic we would get at Halloween (https://candyfunhouse.ca/products/regal-creamy-caramels-2kg). Far too sweet for either of us! We actually ended up dumping our cups, but again in the minority here! I actually think this may come down to the many years without refined sugar haha!
Nonetheless, always happy to have an opportunity to try new things. Thanks Cameron!
Well that’s interesting, hah! I generally steep white teas at 185°F.
I use 185 also, but this is a fairly subtle bergamot and not a knock you down one. I like it and one of my students loves it, so I keep some on hand for her.
The H&S website said 175° F, I believe, so I waited a while after the water boiled to pour it in!
Well it’s certainly not rated that well, so I guess I’m an outlier in loving it! :P