1013 Tasting Notes
2025 TTB #17
I liked this more than I was expecting to! The matcha gave it a rather unpleasant murky look in the cup and the stevia on the ingredients list scared me. But the actual flavor was quite ice cream like without being cloyingly sweet. I think it was the nuttiness of the almonds that saved it for me.
Flavors: Almond, Creamy, Sweet, Vanilla
Preparation
2025 TTB #16
This certainly isn’t the most original flavor combination, but this company does it well! The puerh adds a nice depth and richness to the chocolate flavor and the peppermint is present without being overpowering. Even my husband (who isn’t much of a tea person) commented that this was really tasty! May be hanging on to this one.
Flavors: Dark Chocolate, Peppermint
Preparation
2025 TTB #15
The name sounded like a yummy dessert tea, but what I actually got was a chai-reminiscent blend of cinnamon and ginger with a weirdly tart aftertaste from the rosehip and hibiscus. This is easily my least favorite tea of the box so far.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Ginger, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Spices, Tart
Preparation
2025 TTB #14
Stevia, ugh! I really need to learn to check the ingredients on David’s Tea blends before trying them, because so many of them are ruined for me by that nasty stevia aftertaste. This one did seem to have a pretty enjoyable chocolate orange flavor, but the artificially sweet aftertaste just messed everything up.
Flavors: Artificial, Dark Chocolate, Orange, Stevia, Sweet
Preparation
2025 TTB #13
Had to look at the tea description to see what the “cloud” in the name meant…marshmallow, apparently? Unfortunately, I didn’t really taste any marshmallow in the blend. The cherry flavor was quite mild and natural-tasting (which I appreciated, because I do NOT enjoy that overly artificial cherry flavor that reminds me of childhood Triaminic!) and the base tea came through clearly with a nice chocolatey note. Would have called this one something like “chocolate-covered cherry”, personally.
Flavors: Cherry, Dark Chocolate
Preparation
2025 TTB #12
I love coconut and I love Earl Grey, so I had to try this one! It tastes a lot like an Earl Grey Cream, but I do think the coconut adds a little extra depth and interest to the flavor. Personally, I like LOTS of bergamot in my Earl Grey, so I do wish that aspect of the blend was a bit stronger. But overall, this was very tasty and definitely something I would drink again!
Flavors: Bergamot, Coconut, Creamy
Preparation
2025 TTB #11
If this had been on a black tea base instead of rooibos, I almost certainly would have purchased it in my last Dessert by Deb order. I love both mango and raspberry and I’m not sure I’ve had a tea with both flavors before. Sadly, I really didn’t get both flavors in this blend. Hot, the rooibos base was pretty much all I tasted. As it cooled, some raspberry started to come through, but I really didn’t taste the mango at all. Kinda wishing I’d tried adding milk, as I’m curious how that might have changed the flavor. But either way, I don’t think this one is for me. Hopefully there’s a rooibos lover along the line who will enjoy it more!
Flavors: Fruity, Medicinal, Raspberry, Rooibos
Preparation
2025 TTB #10
I really enjoyed the Umber I tried earlier in the week, so I had to give Crimson a try as well! Based on the name, I would have expected something a bit…flashier, I guess? But this is actually an exceptionally smooth, mellow blend. If I didn’t know it was a blend of a bunch of different kinds of teas, I think I would have pegged it as just a roasted oolong. The flavor is mostly mineral with a touch of nuttiness and a super smooth, lightly sweet finish. Nothing really stands out in a good way, but there are no jarring notes either…no bitterness or astringency or funkiness from the puerh. I honestly can’t decide if it’s perfectly balanced or just a bit boring, but I’m glad I tried it!
Flavors: Butter, Mineral, Nutty, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
2025 TTB #9
Butiki had a Caramel Apple Oolong that I ADORED back in the day and every candy/caramel apple tea I ever try gets measured up against that one and found wanting. But I have to say, this one was an exceptionally odd take on the concept. Who puts cinnamon on a caramel apple? The flavor doesn’t even read apple pie, because the cinnamon is so assertive…more like a cup full of melted red hot candies (maybe that’s where the candy comes in?) with an apple slice or two hanging out in the background someplace. Not for me!
Flavors: Cinnamon, Green Apple, Spicy
Preparation
2025 TTB #8
I thought about trying this one last time I ordered from Dessert by Deb, so I was excited to see it in the box! The package specifies to “enjoy with milk or as a latte” so I went ahead and added milk right away. The result was a creamy, almond-forward cuppa that didn’t seem to have much else going on. I really didn’t taste any lemon or anything that reminded me of pie. But on the plus side, I also didn’t get any of that nasty medicinal flavor that I find common with red rooibos!
Flavors: Almond
