424 Tasting Notes
I disagree with the (only) other review on this tea. I think it’s really good, and not artificial tasting at all. I have had two cups today and actually liked the resteep better than the first cup. First cup I went with their recommended 2 minute steep, and it was fine. But it seems to have a deeper flavor with the 3 minute resteep.
It’s not trying to be something it isn’t. It’s just a nice black tea with a well balanced vanilla flavor. No clowns or balloons. I won’t have any issues drinking the 50g I bought.
Let me tell you something about Stephanie. I think she is psychic! Yesterday my husband went to pick up the piece of art she made for me, and she sent a few teas along too. I was looking through the teas and said to my husband, “Oh she has been looking at my wish list.”
EXCEPT
None of them were on my wish list. I checked. They were JUST IN MY HEAD! How weird is that? And she nailed them all.
This one was in there. I don’t usually drink oolongs, but I was feeling brave and it’s Butiki, so it was bound to be good right? I really liked it! I didn’t get much “flowery” but I could get a bit of pineapple, and it was just smooth and sweet and very nice. I was worried when I steeped it because it smelled “green” and I’m not big on green, but it didn’t taste green at all.
I cheated on my tea tonight and had a homemade old fashioned chocolate soda.
I love chocolate soda. Haven’t had one in forever. My grandmother introduced me to them :) Still my favorite. I’ll take one over a milkshake any day.
It’s chocolate syrup, soda water, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
You take the chocolate syrup and mix it with either some of the soda water or the whipped cream in the bottom of the cup (to loosen it up). Then scoops of ice cream on top of that, then pour in the soda water and mix it around so the chocolate spreads throughout it (if you don’t loosen the chocolate first this is really difficult). Whipped cream on top if you like it. My daughter makes hers without whipped cream in the bottom but I like the creaminess it adds to it. Then serve with a straw and a spoon.
I have been very good about making myself pick something from the sip down pile lately, but this morning I felt like having the good stuff. This tea also has the benefit of being high caffeine, and I have a headache (weather induced) so that was appealing as well.
My daughter was down at my desk and I asked her to try it, she said, “Mmm, that’s smooth” and that’s pretty high praise from a teenager.
In other news, in two days we are making our trip to Chicago. My husband is a Danish citizen and due to the new biometric components of the Danish passports, we can only get his passport renewed in Sacramento, Chicago or NYC. Chicago is the closest (at 6 hours away) so we are making a weekend of it. We really love fine dining, so we are having dinner Saturday at Table 52 and Sunday at Spiaggia. We are planning to visit several tea stores (because my husband is a saint) and other than that, playing it by ear. Our hotel is downtown so we are near a lot of the fun stuff.
A sad Sipdown, but we will meet again. I am on a self imposed no order ban until after my Chicago trip, because I intend to get anything I damn well please there.
I just realized that everything I have had today has been from Whispering Pines, not really intentionally so I guess my subconscious is a fan (so is my conscious). Two cups of Golden Orchid early, then a long drooling nap, then this cup.
Graduation went really well last night, even the pre grad dinner with my ex and his evil wife. Afterward my daughter went to Project Graduation and won a laptop! My husband is a saint, so he both took her at 11 pm and picked her up at 4 am. That’s because he is a winner of a stepdad. <3.
I really liked this one, much more than I thought I would! It wasn’t bitter at all, and I definitely got the blackberry taste with hints of sage that made it just yummy savory.
One thing that surprised me was that when I looked at the steeped leaves, they looked like blackberry leaves – not tea leaves. That made sense since I know sometimes blackberry leaves are used, but I went to look it up on the site and they aren’t listed. Weird!
Maybe another cup is in order so I can investigate this more…
No clowns, eh? That’s good to hear :)
LOL! But I always want the balloons! Clowns are just plain scary!