2253 Tasting Notes
Morning latte. The raspberry here is stronger than I expected – very thick and jammy. It’s offset perfectly with an equally strong vanilla cream note. Together, absolutely reminiscent of raspberry ripple ice cream. I much prefer this to yesterday’s strawberries and cream; the berry flavour is captured much more accurately here. Definitely a contender for a future cupboard addition in a larger size.
Morning matcha latte. This one is quite yummy; there’s a definite cream note, and plenty of strawberry, but the strawberry leans quite artificial. There’s also a slight underlying floral that I feel is throwing me off. More campino vibes (does anyone remember those?!) than actual strawberries and cream, but pleasant enough. Not a daily drinker for me, but then that’s the joy of a sampler!
Chamomile and vanilla upfront, but with an unexpected roasty/earthy undertone from the chicory. I don’t taste much in the way of cinnamon, cardamom, or apple, so the “spiced” aspect they refer to in the description is, at least for me, somewhat missing here. A nice subtle, calming blend nonetheless, though. I can’t speak for its efficacy really, but I do find that blends like this help me to focus on being more mindful, so there’s that. Possibly more suggestion than science, however!
Starting the day with a cup of Assam Latumoni “Handrolled Tippy” (May 2025 First Flush harvest) from What-Cha. Assam is my all-time favourite black tea, and this one is delicious. Super smooth, very malty, with a perfectly balanced interplay of sweet-sharp notes between hints of red berry and sweet potato. There is no more perfect way to start a workday.
Brewing parameters: 2tsp, 4m @ 100 C
Made into a matcha latte this morning using plain whole milk; so comforting now the colder weather is here. I’m a sucker for all things banana, so this was one I was looking forward to trying. The banana flavour is fairly natural, and just a little creamy. It plays really well with the matcha which gives it an edge of “realistic” greenness, as if the banana were slightly underripe. Not that it isn’t sweet, just that it isn’t too sweet or candy-like. Definitely one I’ll be happy to revisit before I decide which larger sizes to add to my cupboard.
I took the opportunity today to really get to know a new-to-me tea: Candy Floss at the Fair!
First trial: Hot (1tsp 100c 4m)
Sweet but not overpowering. Definite candy floss flavour; sugary, hints of bubblegum, perhaps just the tiniest hit of strawberry. Very light and airy. Hibiscus isn’t too pronounced so no sourness to speak of. Loads of sugar stars, which are a cute touch and really fit the vibe. Smells very much like candy floss also, which is very evocative and just adds to the experience. A fun choice for a chilly autumn evening.
Second trial: Iced (2tsp 4.5m in 100ml boiling water, topped up with ice and 100ml cold water)
Very similar flavour profile to the hot brew, just a touch thinner/more watery and perhaps slightly more of a scent than a flavour. Still deliciously sweet with discernible candy floss/spun sugar notes.
Third trial: Cold brewed in whole milk (4tsp 400ml overnight)
This was a good call; cold brewing in milk isn’t something I do too often, but this makes an absolutely delicious flavoured milk. It’s soft, sweet, gentle, and the candy floss notes are lightly fluffy. This would be dreamy as a pre-bedtime cup.
Fourth trial: Cold brewed in lemonade (5tsp overnight)
Not as much of a success as I hoped. I think the flavour of this one is just too delicate to properly stand up to the lemonade, and as a result lemonade is mostly what I can taste, with just a touch of extra fruitiness at the tail end of the sip.
Overall winner: Hot. It comes as a surprise to me to say this, as ordinarily hot is my least favourite way to enjoy a fruit tisane. Here, however, the overall profile is at its best, and the candy floss flavour really shines. The rest of my bag will definitely be used up this way.
Revisiting an old favourite today! Bird & Blend’s Eton Mess, cold brewed in lemonade. I used 5tsp of leaf in my cold brew tea bottle, and left overnight in the fridge. IMO it really shines like this (so sweet, fruity, and creamy) although it’s also good both hot and iced. A really versatile blend! The lemonade makes the strawberry just a touch more candy-like, and amplifies the meringue note to perfection. The ideal afternoon sweet treat!
Today’s cup is Caramelised Biscuit Brew, which I picked up at the supermarket (along with Malty Biscuit Brew) the other day. I brewed one bag in boiling water for the recommended 4.5 minutes and added a splash of whole milk. In terms of taste, it’s basically liquid Biscoff, and I’m really impressed with how accurately they’ve recreated the flavour in tea form. It’s sweet without being overpowering, with hints of caramel and biscuit, and just a touch malty. This is definitely a tea I will happily return to this autumn, and one I’m pleased to have finally added to my cupboard. If you enjoy Biscoff, or dessert tea in general, this one’s worth a try.
So this is a lot better than I expected it to be. I’ve walked by it in the supermarket at least a couple hundred times, but last time I finally decided to give it a chance. I brewed one bag in boiling water for 4 mins, and added a generous splash of whole milk. It’s a sweet black tea with huge biscuit flavour – think malted milk or shortbread vibes. Creamy, smooth, deliciousness. This is one I will happily revisit when I’m feeling something sweeter and a little more gourmet/dessert like than a plain breakfast tea.
Preparation
Diving back into matcha this morning (it’s been a while!) with B&B’s Pure Grade, made into a latte with pistachio flavoured oat milk. Possibly the most delicious thing I’ve tasted in a decent while; creamy, savoury, nutty, just a touch salty. The matcha is perfect; smooth, rich, a tad vegetal. Easy to blend too which is always a bonus. This tea/milk pairing is amazing, and you should definitely try it – especially if you like pistachio.
