Crowkettle Send Message

No one in my family is a serious baker (my maternal grandmother casts a long shadow). Once in blue moon cookies may happen. When they do, they come with a warning from my mom: “don’t overuse the vanilla. Don’t try to taste the vanilla extract straight up. You will regret it.”

Judging by the profile of this tea, no one ever offered similar advice to Mariage Frères.

The vanilla flavour is intense. Some might say too intense. It’s bold, sharp, vaguely alcoholic, and a stark reminder that vanilla does derive from an orchid and that the orchid in question probably hates you.

It’s just a lot, and there’s nothing to really balance it out. The black tea base isn’t naturally sweet or rich enough to make it feel like a finished dessert bake; it’s malty and astringent, with maybe a hint of something starchy and velvety.

I think the recommended steeping parameters of 95C for 5 minutes are the best bet for this tea. Some milk can help too, as does skipping straight to the second steep. A dab of maple syrup, or the right honey, may also be a welcome addition. Then you arguably have a breakfast raw pancake mix tea. Otherwise, this tea is a bit like eating the raw ingredients sans sugar. It’s like drinking vanilla extract.

Do Not Recommend. But, also – does anyone want this?

This is essentially my ideal Cream of Earl Grey. It’s London Fog-ready and invokes the Spirit of Scone.

I’ll definitely pick up more of this the next time I visit Steveston. I’m always in need a solid Double Cream of Earl Grey in my life (and a lavender one too).

I finally overcame my laziness and sorted out my account again (I don’t usually use Chrome but Steepster seems to despise Firefox). So… Hi everyone! I hope you have all been doing well :)

It’s fall, which apparently means French teas. Also lots and lots of Earl Grey. I think I meant to get Thé des Sages (should have double-checked my Steepster notes before ordering), but this one is still alright! The bergamot note and general profile is very clean, bold, bright, and floral-fruity – even with milk. Truly the best of both worlds with that assam/yunnan blend as a base.

2020 Summer Harvest

This is not a forgiving tea and easily turns into astringent and bitter green territory. The reminds a little of a darjeeling that way. I see that if I’d read the tea’s page more carefully I wouldn’t have been surprised by that…

The finicky quality meant that this tea sat, neglected, in my cupboard longer than was warranted. After committing to drinking it up this month, I got some pretty exquisite tangy peach and stonefruit notes which really endeared it to me. I wish I hadn’t shied away from it for so long because I ended up enjoying it a lot!

The floral bouquet is decadent and complex too, even if often laced with stabby knives.

Another sipdown from last week.

I wish they’d gone with a milk oolong base rather than a tieguanyin. Otherwise, I actually like the tart hibiscus, cherry, and floral silk profile – especially on the second steep. I just want more creamy mascarpone too.

Sipdown!

An easy tea to drink – and a forgiving one. This one doesn’t bite if you accidentally steep it for +10 minutes (whoops). It makes me want chocolate.

Second steep has a prevalent woody/eucalyptus component today. It’s a refreshing note to end on.

Another tea that I decided to open this month after existing in the timeless vaccuum that is my tea cupboard.

Both aroma and mouthful are incredibly nostalgic for me – a mix of those chocolate scented toys, a children’s chocolate birthday cake, a brownie with caramel drizzle, and most of all, malt balls (100% malt balls). It’s veering on chalky but that’s somewhat true to form and doesn’t detract from how cozy, simple, and pleasing this blend is.

Sipdown!

This tea has a cloying aroma and has ingredients that make me doubt life (chinese sencha? With cinnamon AND cocoa?). Yet I bought a sample pouch anyways because I’m apparently a masochist.

I didn’t love it during most of our time together. I thought it would work iced but it somehow became more cloying in a licorice-like way. Something must have changed with age (or me) though because the last few cups were enjoyable! Sweet, syrupy faux-honey & butterscotch, with notes of cinnamon, aniseed, candied fruit, and… chinese sencha.

Yeah, I don’t love it to bits – those ingredients are on my “nope” list – but it still is an awfully creative blend.

Sipdown! I’ve had this for two(!?) years but only cracked it open this month, in an attempt to polish off older and seasonal teas.

It’s not my favourite tea in the world but it was easy to drink. Apple and caramel notes are definitely subtle, but the base oolong (a toasty one) is flavourful despite the age.

Another sipdown (I have many this week)! Not so mournful about this one because I mentally ascribe it to “seasonal flavours.” I’ll order more near the end of summer season. Probably. Or when it becomes challenging to rally energy and resolve in the dark, cold hours of early morning, and I begin to look longingly at jars of Nutella. Whichever comes first…