1443 Tasting Notes
So this tea is fairly old, we picked it up when we were last in Vancouver, which I want to say was 2016 (that in itself is just sad). However, it’s kept quite well!
I feel like I’ve lost it this evening with all these teas and nothing really hitting the spot, so I turned to chai — which I almost never want haha! When we do make chai, we make it in the pot on the stove with milk.
Tonight I brewed this up like any other tea in a mug and with the kettle. I did add half a teaspoon of simple (coconut) syrup just because.
The spices here are not too in-your-face, but yet very chai-like. They mesh nicely with the background tea. I added such a small amount of simple syrup I’m not really tasting it from what I can tell. I’m actually really loving this right now and I’m thrilled (so much so I’m thinking of ordering more chai as this one is almost gone and I had no plans to replace it)!
Preparation
I don’t tend to reach for chai either, but I’ve started craving it more with the cold and rainy weather here lately.
That could be it too. We had a warmer day here today, so some of the snow melted, but these spices are so nice for autumn/winter. I actually added Baby Spice to the Bird & Blend as well today.
I’m trying really hard not to place a B&B order just for Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Baby Spice, because I think they’re going away and I’ve never tried either… :|
I completely understand. I felt like a crazy person messaging them this morning to add more to my order! But when I saw that Pumpkin Spice was so highly rated here, I couldn’t help myself haha.
I’m not sure how the post is working between Canada/US right now, but I can always look into sending you some Baby Spice once it arrives?
Just ordered 50g of each and managed to stay under the threshold for the lowest shipping price. XD
Yaas! I am so excited for you! Now I want to send them another message to add the regular Pumpkin Spice to mine. Oh dear…XD
Sipping this one now — just making my way through these teas with this reading (it’s the only thing keeping me going haha).
This one I’m getting the strawberry and biscuit, along with a floral or perfume like aspect. I’m not crazy about the floral/perfume, but really enjoying the strawberry and biscuit flavours. DF has such a good thing going with their subtle, yet clear, flavours.
I did understeep this at 3 minutes to see if I could get a better outcome than Oolong Châtaigne.
Preparation
Just sipping this one now as I read up on peatland restoration. I’m getting mostly subtle hints of chocolate and then what tastes like the skin from a raw hazelnut. I know I’ve enjoyed this one in the past, but tonight it’s not quite hitting the spot. I do feel it’s getting better as it cools though.
A sample from VariaTEA :)
This one smells quite fruity but tastes less so. I’m finding it difficult to distinguish which fruits exactly, but I am enjoying the scent and the cup overall. As the tea cools, I’m getting a hint of grapefruit, which is fun. I also enjoy the mixed tea base of black, green, and white.
Thanks for sharing VariaTEA!
Preparation
I had this one over the weekend and saved the leaves for a second steep, which was my first cup of tea this morning. Work is off to a rough start this morning, but here’s to tea making it better!
I actually preferred the second steep to the first, though the first flew by without much memory. This morning this had a very faint cardboard quality that I often get in oolongs, but not in a negative way. This was paired with a hint of sweetness, especially as it cooled.
First steep 3 minutes
Second steep 4 minutes
I also may have edited my Bird & Blend order to add more teas before it ships…:P
MOAR TEA!
Hahah right? Oh my goshhhh. I already have no space and I just tidied the tea cupboards over the weekend!
Tidied… meaning you made room for more tea! ;)
I’ve never Western steeped a Gui Fei, though if it’s the same one Derk and I reviewed, it’s not much of a loss. Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks! How do you steep them normally? I only do Western steeping, but perhaps one day I’ll branch out. :)
Another sample from VariaTEA :)
I made this one as a teapot yesterday and then in a mug today. Both times, I got no flavour at all. The dry leaf smelled pretty tasty, but the hot water took on a faint pink hue and I taste nothing. :(
Regardless, it’s always great to try new teas!
A sample from whatshesaid a couple years ago now!
My amazing partner surprised me today by ordering me an early holiday gift in the form of the Bird & Blend advent calendar (actually we ordered two so we could enjoy them together), so I was excitedly building a very small cart on their website, while this tea cooled beside me, almost completely forgotten.
By the time I got to this, it was sadly lukewarm. However, I do have enough leaf for another fresh cup, so that’s good (plus I plan to resteep these leaves). In terms of this cup, it definitely has a caramel scent with a hint of butter in the scent as well, which is delicious and it translates to a subtle caramel taste. The base tea is quite smooth and velvet-y, which I think is thanks to the caramel as well, with a hint of earthiness in both the scent and taste. The scent of caramel and earthiness is stronger than the actual taste, but I don’t mind. Overall a tasty cup to enjoy this afternoon as I carry on with my Pacific Oyster case study.
Preparation
Teavivre sent me a sample of this one with my last order and I made this up as my last cup of tea tonight.
I actually really enjoy this tea. It’s smooth, not too thin and not too thick, hay-like and I love that. Hay is a favourite for sure, plus it reminds me of our two bunnies who eat all the hay, all the time!
It’s a very calming tea all round. I’d consider putting this one in my next order.
I’ve left the leaves in my infuser to do a second and possible third steep tomorrow!
Edit: I’ve just done the second steep (6.5 minutes) and the flavour has really held up.
Preparation
This is the last bit of my sample from VariaTEA, sadly!
Just as good as the first time — this tea is smooth with a healthy dose of vanilla that just tastes plain good. Theres some coconut in there too and it all just melds together nicely.
Thanks for sharing such a great tea!
Edit: Did a resteep of this because I couldn’t bear to let go of it, still smooth with a hint of creaminess but a lot less of the vanilla and coconut.
I just want you to know, I ordered one of their sampler packs and it’s all your fault! ;) ❤
Hahah the Crio Bru sampler packs?! You won’t regret it. :) It’s changed from years ago when I ordered their sample pack, but hopefully you enjoy! I steep this like tea, but I actually prefer it made in a mocha pot like espresso (this is usually how I do this one actually).
I do have a moka pot, so I might have to try that. Do you fill the whole coffee receptacle or just partway?
I generally fill it completely to try and amp the flavour (I juts have a wee one, I think it’s 3-4 espresso cups). This ‘tea’ is a trick to the mind where it’s hot chocolate-y, yet it’s thin like tea. So I like to make it more hot chocolate-y by using the pot.
I’ll definitely have to experiment with Finum basket vs. French press vs. Moka pot! :D Thanks for the tip.
Can’t wait to see how it all turns out! The American site has different flavours in their sample pack, I’ve realized. I just reached out to the company to see if there’s anywhere I can pick up in the city I’m in because this company actually started here. I want more Cavalla, but don’t want to pay shipping! XD
Hm, I didn’t realize that there was a Canadian site too. I wonder if they’re even the same company…?
I’m not sure! It’s a fairly unique name, but on Amazon.ca they also have it under both the American and Canadian branding. Not that that tells us much!
I think it is the same, there’s also an Australian site that has the same names as the Canadian site for the listings, but the pictures are the same packaging and naming as the US site. Which is actually convenient, since then I know which is which! :P
Perfect! Also, funny story, the first time I ordered I had no idea they were in YYC and saw that I could do a local pick-up. This is not my home city, so I selected that and ended up having to go to a suburb way down south of the city and literally enter a homeowner’s backyard to pick up my tea. It was truly insane, or so I thought. :P I have since ordered online/picked up at retailers in the city instead!
“We offer local pick-up from a backyard near you!” XD