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Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 20

Lovely white tea with floral and stonefruit notes (cherry, plum). It also as a dash of maple, which rounds it out nicely. The hibiscus contributes nicely to this tart-sweet profile while creating a pleasing blush to the tea. Not a bad Rhapsody at all! Very spring-like.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 21

This is a beautiful goji berry flavoured green tea. It’s fruity, buttery, and nutty. I also pick up sunflower notes, which is always a warm, cheerful thing to taste at winter. Overall, it reminds me a little of another of Mariage Frères tropical fruit green blends, Locombia Colombia because of the sunflower-ness); I liked that tea quite a bit.

I see MF has a zodiac series – all of which heavily feature goji berries. Interesting choice! I also like the advent’s reference to the upcoming new year here.

Steep Count: 2

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 22

I tend to side-eye coffee teas but I ended up enjoying this one! The coffee is light, fluffy, chocolate-y and dusted with cinnamon. It’s the brunt of a profile that’s cake-like, topped with a boozy-sweet maraschino. It’s tasty and I essentially inhaled it.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 20

The dominant note for me is the peach. It’s a juicy, dynamic peach though – with citrusy elements from the strawberry, passion fruit, and pineapple. Dammann Frères does fruit flavours well but this isn’t my favourite by them.

52teas 12 Teas of Christmas 2023 – Day 7

OMG, this got reblended?! Weeping Angels taste like pure nostalgia — viciously bittersweet, and filtered through a set of warm, buttery caramel tinted glasses. It’s a full experience.

The flavour profile here is pretty true to my memories of Frank’s version(s) of this tea (I actually like this version a tad better, if my memory is close to accurate). It’s a pleasantly brisk, tannic, and nippy cup — with lodes of buttery caramel (because something about this tea also reminds me of mining and rocks. Also maybe licking those rocks because apparently I do that without question if prompted by tour guides who think they’re funny). It’s maybe a rougher cousin to Butterbeer (mmm, Anne also perfected that blend).

If salt wasn’t already present I’d be tempted to sprinkle some in so I could really recapture that salt mine experience I had in Poland (That’s where I licked the rock wall. I’m only moderately embarrassed about it now). Salt * Caramel is deliciously perfect.

Weeping Angels was one of my first encounters with 52teas (back when Frank ran it). It, like many other of his blends, was initially tricky for me to work with because the base teas were often bolder and brisker than I was used to at that time. Less (leaf, steep time), is more for both old and new Weeping Angels blends. Letting the cup cool down for 10-15 minutes, really makes the buttery sweet profile pop as well.

Anyways, it’s nice to have this tea in the same year David Tennant returns for Doctor Who specials. I didn’t have any of that on my 2023 bingo sheet, but I’m delighted it happened. Fantastic reblend!

Steep Count: 3

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 21

I don’t know what made Dammann Frères decide that anise should be the dominant flavour of “Manhattan.” It’s a mystery.

When I’m feeling icky, I love anise (not licorice) so was glad to see this familiar tea this morning. Pairing it with a couple almonds, apple slices, leftover popcorn, and a steamed bun also brings out certain aspects of this tea – it’s butter, apple, and chestnut notes. The chestnut is like a sweet yam today. It was good enough to steep twice (and the anise toned down).

52teas 12 Teas of Christmas 2023 – Day 8

Yes!!! This is a flavoured tea that feels tailor-made for me! It’s a unique twist on one of my favourites 52teas creations: Banana Oolong (which is green… so pleasantly green). I was admittedly a little worried when I could only smell banana when I sniffed that dry leaf, but once it’s steeped up it’s pure alchemy. Banana but also Eggnog. Eggnog but also Banana. If there is any spice it’s swallowed by the incomprehensible depth that is Banana-Eggnog Infinity Loop – at least in this initial tasting.

Second Steep was more banana-y but still deliciously creamy, silky, buttery, floral, and smooth indulgence.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 10

I forgot to write a note for this one! It was pleasant – with an effervescent citrus quality to it. A refreshing and lively cup. One of the better “In Love” oolong blends.

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 18

Just like Habibi Rhapsody was the first in its respective collection to truly appeal to me, this blend also is the first to make me feel love in the “In Love” collection (Marais was also pretty good). Vanilla, Chocolate, Roses, Red Fruits – all on a black tea base… Collectively, it tastes like a rich, creamy, chocolate raspberry filled truffle. I polished off the pot way too quickly!

Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 17

This might be the first of the Rhapsody teas that I actually enjoy. The signature hibiscus is toned down compared to others in the collection – allowing the gorgeous pairing of rose and lychee to shine through (always a winning couple in my book). A garnish of orange blossoms help emphasize the sweet floral notes of the blend and subtle base. Good choices were made here.