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Advent Calendar from TakeT: Day 19
Back on track! Yay!

Ok, it seem I won’t sleep this night. Black tea, now a mate, well both high in caffeine. But actually, I was so tired today after work (which is strange as I haven’t done much), so extra caffeine boost is fine.

I really like that they have combined many different bases in this Advent. Mate for second time, most being black (but that’s common for Finnish tea blending) and actually just one was a fruit blend? At least it is not a show of hibiscus and rosehips.

This one is fine, but not so good as Happy Mate was. that one was creamy and refreshing, while this one was just a bit more sour / lemon filled mate. The mate they use is great though as it is definitely not smoky and not mineral as they often are… thus much more acessible for beginning drinkers, including me.

Sometimes, one local store (in NA terms rather just a corner shop) have interesting foodstuffs. I got very nice German weizen there for so cheap, I couldn’t believe it. Then they had there some fuet salami in such nice packaging I had to buy them. Or even foodstuffs imported from the US. Last time it was Chupa Chups lolipop pop (drink) and it was terribly sweet.
But yesterday, their branch in my factory, had this. 650 ml can for 2 bucks (when converted)? Well, I have to try that…

Honestly, I am sad as I have hoped it will be indeed half iced tea and half of mango juice; but mango juice is only 5 per cent of the container.

And well, I am not a fan. There is nothing that reminds me a tea; nor iced tea and it was rather like a bit bitter mango juice and with long artificial sweetener (WHY I HAVEN’T CHECKED THE INGREDIENTS?) aftertaste. Is this what are “common” people drink when they speak about tea? I am not surprised that many are looking on tea with despect.

Advent Calendar from TakeT: Day 18
Day behind.

Black tea? Check
Coconut? Check (and loads of it)
Pineapple? Check (in flavour)
Added aromas? Fail. But I don’t mind it.

Pleasant, highly coconuty tea (25 per cent of blend are coconut shreds!) and I have noticed something like pinepple when cooled down. It could be more of this; but maybe it would be too much pinacolada like?

Advent Calendar from Nabo: Day 18
Correct day! Yay!

A blueberry flavoured black tea is exactly up to my alley! But sadly, it seems I have oversteeped that a bit… there is some harsh edge of the lovely black tea with jammy blueberry note. There is also hint of vanilla maybe? It was a bit creamy and smooth. But that harsh edge… because my fault, that makes me a bit bitter.

Advent Calendar from Nabo: Day 17
Day behind

I am super happy to find a green rooibos blend and well, this base is great for this tea. Well, it is not sweet per se as I have thought based on the name. It is peach-y, but definitely expecting more of this stonefruit. On the other hand it is a huge step towards peach flavour compared to last year.
Maybe I have been expecting candy-like peach, but it’s not here. The green rooibos base fits this blend well as I have already wrote and yep, it is definitely peach-y tea.

Advent Calendar from TakeT: Day 17
Day behind. Yes, I am still one day behind. Will I make it back to the track today? I dunno.

This is a lovely, refreshing blend with hints of raspberry flavour. I may have used too cold water; but green/white tea blend deserves it and I didn’t wanted to ruin the experience. The raspberry, could be a bit stronger. If I didn’t know there are raspberries, I would say some generic red berrries. With that description goji berries are definitely described well.

But I can imagine drinking it on hot summer days.

Advent Calendar from Nabo: Day 16
Day behind

This had a lovely aroma when dry and when brewed; but in flavour it falls a bit short. It was tangerine indeed; quite nice and nicely spicy, but somehow simple and there wasn’t anything that made me say wow. A decent cup, but nothing I need to re-order.

Advent Calendar from TakeT: Day 16
Day behind. Yes, I am still one day behind.

I admit, I read Mate as that Aussie word for friend for first time and somehow it still holds in my head though I know it is Yerba Maté.

Putting a Maté to the Advent calendar is highly uncommon in my opinion and I just wonder what ingredient should make it happy.

Anyway, steeping it between 5 and 10 minutes seemed verya long for me, but I did that. I did 7-8 minutes steep and I have admit the aroma from my steeper was lovely. Slightly citrusy like lemongrass being in (it’s not) and a bit of mineral notes. The flavour was different though and it was smooth and somehow creamy, with no mineral notes, but the citrusy note was still there. And definitely it wasn’t smoky anyway. A very nice surprise!

Advent Calendar from TakeT: Day 15
Day behind

Well, I had higher hopes on this tea. It is quite strong black tea base, some floral notes and in aroma cherries are very prominent, but in flavour it is sadly quite weak and the base tea actually overpowers it with its malty character. I assume that cherry can be tricky, to make sure it is not cough syrup like, but a little more here would be nice.

Advent Calendar from Nabo: Day 15
Day behind

Well, rose bud tea is flavoured with rose, so that’s good start. And rose is strong here. But there is also a fruity element from litchi aroma (sadly only a aroma) but definitely noticeable.

I remeber seeing rose tea for first time a few years back. I thought it is not something I would ever enjoy. Then I have tried it… and I actually quite like it? Not a flavour profile for daily drinking; but this cup was actually quite lovely.