358 Tasting Notes

60
drank Pure Mint by Twinings
358 tasting notes

Another sample from Twinings. It seems like I will never get through all of these teabags. I like minty teas, so this one looked good. I was a little let down by it. There’s an odd earthy/musty note in the black tea, but it does disappear when milk and sugar are added. The mint flavor is just a little thin tasting, and reminds me slightly of toothpaste. Overall, it’s not a terrible tea but I won’t be purchasing a box of it.

-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells faintly of sweet mint. Tea liquor aroma is of fresh mint with a hint of black tea.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy dark brown color.
-Slightly earthy flavor with a minty finish. Cooling mint aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. Unpleasant earthy taste with a refreshing mintiness. Mint flavor is a little thin.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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70
drank Mixed Berry by Twinings
358 tasting notes

I’m not sure why, but Twinings keeps sending me the little sample packets in the mail. I requested the first one, and have received 2 others since then. I’m not complaining though. It always makes my day to get any kind of tea in the mail. Twinings is one that I normally wouldn’t purchase on my own, so I’m happy to try some of these, and have been pleasantly surprised with a few of them. After discovering how good the Orange Bliss flavor is, I looked for it in our local stores, and couldn’t locate it. I did find loose leaf Twinings, but not in any of the flavored varieties.

This one is full of sweet berry flavor! Mostly cherry, but it’s not too artificial. I can’t really taste any of the black tea, but it’s still a pleasant cup. I probably wouldn’t purchase this one even if I could find it in a store because of the cherry (not my favorite), but it is nicely done and not flavored like cherry cough syrup.

-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells of juicy cherries. Tea liquor aroma is of warm sweet fruit.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy dark brown color.
-Robust berry flavor with a sweet finish. Lingering cherry aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A juicy cup with sweet berry flavors. Cherry is most prominent.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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50

Another sample that I’ve had just lying around. I wasn’t so sure about this one. Then I opened the packet and was loving the fresh orange scent. Then I tasted it, and it was entirely ginger. There’s a little orange and a hint of earthiness in the flavor, but it’s primarily ginger. I’m not a huge fan of ginger, so this isn’t my favorite tea. It was a little better with some milk and sugar, but not something that I would ever purchase.

-Dry blend has medium and large black and green tea leaves with pieces of orange peel and ginger.
-Dry leaves smell of fresh orange juice with a hint of ginger. Tea liquor aroma is of orange and ginger with an earthy note.
-Tea liquor is a clear dark brown color.
-Strong ginger flavor with a light orange finish. Earthy ginger aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Fair tea. Strong ginger flavor with an earthy undertone and hints of orange.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 30 sec

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60
drank Vanilla Chai Tea by Bigelow
358 tasting notes

First cup of the day. I found this on top of my ‘need-to-taste’ teabag box, so I’m assuming it’s from a swap. As soon as I opened the little teabag packet, I could smell a rich and creamy vanilla scent. The tea itself is much the same, with an undertone of chai spices. I wasn’t impressed by this tea without milk, but with a little milk and sweetener it becomes a thick and creamy cup full of vanilla flavor. It’s still a little artificial-tasting, but it’s packed full of sweet vanilla flavor. I have 2 teabags left which I’m saving for my fiancee, aka the chai-aholic. I’m sure he’ll love this take on chai!

-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells of rich and creamy vanilla with a hint of spices. Tea liquor aroma is of warm, sweet vanilla with an undertone of chai spices.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy dark orange brown color.
-Muted spicy chai flavor with a dull vanilla finish. Artificial vanilla aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A warming cup of thick vanilla flavor with a hint of spicy chai. Slightly artificial note.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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70

This is one of the samples that came with my recent Harney’s order. I usually don’t reach for breakfast versions because I prefer a little more flavor, or just a really strong cup of PG Tipps or Red Rose with lots of milk and sugar. This was surprisingly good, though. It is very smooth, and is actually just as drinkable without any milk or sugar added, which I can’t say about a lot of other teas. I don’t think I would purchase any of this with all of the other wonderful flavors that Harney’s has, but I wouldn’t turn down a cup either!

-Silken pyramid-shaped teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells sweetly malty. Tea liquor aroma is sweet and toasty.
-Tea liquor is a thick dark brown color.
-Heavy and malty flavor and finish. Lightly sweet aftertaste.
-Milk and sweetener optional.
-Good tea. A balanced and smooth cup that is good on its own or with milk and sweetener.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 30 sec
keychange

Yay! you’re writing reviews again. I hope you write tasting notes for your Harneys haul, because I love reading reviews by other milk and sugar users! LOL

Josie Jade

Haha, well I’m trying to write reviews again. Nursing school is consuming my life. But it’s good to take a break every once in awhile and just think about something pleasant, like tea! I actually only ordered 2 teas from Harneys – Boston for me (it’s awesome with milk and sugar, you should try it if you haven’t!) and Chocolate Mint for my fiancee. I’m waiting until Black Friday sales to order some new teas to write about! :)

keychange

I’ve heard great things about Boston, and the fact that it’s great with milk and sugar only confirms it for me! did you get it loose? or the sachets? I know how much school can consume your life, but I’m glad you’re finding even a bit of time to yourself.

Josie Jade

I do get the Boston loose, and it’s wonderful! Good luck on your test coming up, you’re going to do great!

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80

Pumpkin-flavored things are about the only thing that makes me excited for summer ending and fall beginning. Every year, I always want to try Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, but then I remember how I don’t like coffee and love tea. I tried The Republic of Tea’s pumpkin spice blend and didn’t like it at all – it was much too spicy from what I remember. When I saw this tea on Angelina’s website I knew I wanted to try it, even though it’s a rooibos and not a black tea. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it! It definitely has that thick, creamy pumpkin flavor, especially with a little milk added. Actually, milk and sugar pretty much transforms this cup of tea in my opinion. It’s also not too overwhelmingly spicy, which I appreciate. I like the pumpkin pie flavor, not the nothing-but-spices-with-a-little-pumpkin-on-the-side flavor. This is a great cup to celebrate fall!

-Dry blend has red and green pieces of rooibos and honeybush with pieces of nuts, spices, sweet potato cubes and puffed rice.
-Dry leaves smell softly of pumpkin and sweet spices. Tea liquor aroma is of candy pumpkin with a hint of spices and rooibos.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy medium orange brown color.
-Mediciney flavor with a spicy finish. Sweet creamy pumpkin aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. Creamy pumpkin taste with a hint of sweet spices. Not too much rooibos flavor with milk and sweetener.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
keychange

Have you tried dellaterra’s pumpkin pie? It’s a black, which I know you like, and I of course enjoy it with a ton of milk and sugar. delish!

Josie Jade

I haven’t, but I want to! I’m sure I would love it. I’ve been planning a Della Terra order, and this one will go on the list since you recommended it and we’re kind of tea-twins and all with our love of milk and sugar! :)

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50
drank English Afternoon by Twinings
358 tasting notes

Afternoon cup of tea on this beautiful fall day. The weather this weekend has been wonderful. Yesterday we went to the farmer’s market and ran a bunch of errands. We also went to the animal shelter to drop off some food and almost left with a new kitten, oops. He was gray and just so darn cute. I left it up to my fiancee, since he is the only boy in a housefull of all girls and I know he wants a male cat. He decided to wait since we foster kittens all the time, and that way you can really get to know their personalities. It’s nice and sunshiney here today, and we enjoyed a nice walk around the neighborhood with the dogs. I’m going to curl up on the couch to finish my library book that’s due tomorrow and then work on the homework that I’ve been putting off all weekend. I don’t regret it, though, because the fiancee’s days off are few and far between, so it was very nice yesterday to have him to myself for the whole day!

This tea is ok, just very average really. It has more of an earthy/smokey taste to it, and I prefer my black teas to be just strong and sweetly malty. Not terrible at all, but I doubt that I would actually purchase any of this for my house!

-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells faintly of malty black tea. Tea liquor aroma is earthy with a hint of maltiness.
-Tea liquor is a thick dark brown color.
-Lightly smokey flavor with a malty finish. Soft and somewhat sweet black tea aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Fair tea. A standard afternoon tea with a smokey/earthy note.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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60

This is the first tea that I found this morning in my big box of teabags that I’m trying to get through. I was hoping for smooth and malty, but it was a bit more robust than that. Still a good tea, but nothing amazing here. I would gladly accept a cup of this if offered, but I won’t seek out any to purchase on my own. I’m getting ready to go shopping with my mom and this morning and plan to put a super strong and delicious tea in my Timolino to enjoy while we’re out and about. Hopefully that will help me get through all of these errands that we have to run! I have so many things on my mind with school, house stuff, the pets, etc. that I feel pulled in 50 directions and don’t know where to start. I’ll just start with tea, tea solves everything!

-Large square teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells musty and slightly malty. Tea liquor aroma is sweet and malty.
-Tea liquor is a thick dark brown color.
-Robust flavor and finish. Light malty aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. An average breakfast tea. More of a robust than malty flavor.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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60

First cup of the morning. I’m so glad it’s already the weekend again. Even after just a short 2 day week after fall break, I was ready for the weekend again! Lots of homework to get done today, and also my dog’s halloween costume. :) Then tomorrow we are going to visit a friend for the rest of the weekend. Today it’s sunny outside, but very chilly.

This was another new tea from Angelina’s. Since I love the blueberry maple tea so much, I thought this one may be a winner too, since it’s blackberry and maple. It’s good, but nothing compared to the blueberry maple. It’s very softly flavored, and the blackberry is a little artificial. The maple doesn’t really stand out either, it’s just there as a sweet flavor in the background. Even the maltiness isn’t really all that malty, just a rounded and gentle maltiness. I will gladly finish this 1 ounce, probably in my Timolino, but I doubt that I’ll repurchase this one.

-Dry blend has medium and large black and green tea leaves with small blue and white flowers.
-Dry leaves smell softly of blackberries with a hint of sweet maple syrup. Tea liquor aroma is of warm berries.
-Tea liquor is a clear dark orange brown color.
-Malty and sweet fruity flavor and finish. Artificial berry and maple aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A softly flavored cup. Light berry flavor with a touch of sweetness from the maple.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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70

I’ve been wanting to try this tea for awhile. I remember someone raving about Monk’s Blend in one of their reviews, and I’ve been curious ever since. This is pretty good, very sweet and a little artificial tasting, but not too much. It has a syrupy sweet aroma and flavor. The vanilla is a nice touch to the grenadine’s sweetness, and it gives it a creamy texture. I like this one, but I’m not sure if I will purchase more after I get through this ounce. Maybe I’ll have to try another company’s blend to see if it tastes any different.

-Dry blend has large black tea leaves and twigs with large yellow petals.
-Dry leaves smell fruity and syrupy sweet. Tea liquor aroma is of vanilla and sweet fruit.
-Tea liquor is a clear dark orange brown color.
-Malty and fruity flavor with a sweet fruity finish. Light creamy grenadine aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. A syrupy sweet cup with a fruity hint and a vanilla creaminess.

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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Profile

Bio

Just a Southern girl who loves sunshine, little dogs and all things tea!

I love animals and animal rescue. We have a rescued Chihuahua, Greyhound, Siamese and 2 Tabbies. We also foster kittens for the local humane society.

My favorite teas are sweet and malty black teas but I try to branch out and taste them all. :)

“Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.”

Rating Guide:
10 – Awful tea, wouldn’t purchase again
20 – Poor tea, wouldn’t purchase again
40 – Fair tea, might purchase again
60 – Good tea, likely to purchase again
80 – Very good tea, very likely to purchase again
100 – Excellent tea, will definitely purchase again

Location

North Carolina

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