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Sipdown! I really like this one, although I don’t often feel that I have a lot to day about it. It’s an Earl Grey Creme – what is there to say, really, other than that it’s like an Earl Grey but creamier?! This is a good one, I think, probably one of the best. The creaminess is rich and distinctive, and you don’t have to look (taste?) hard to find it. The Earl Grey is pleasantly citrussy, not to sharp or heavy on the bergamot, and it stands up to milk which really only helps with the creaminess…

All in all, a total win.

I’ve been drinking this one fairly steadily recently, so much so that my mini tin is almost gone. There’s something peculiarly wintry about cinnamon, at least in my book. It’s warming and festive, and it makes me feel happy. In the summer, by contrast, I barely go near it. It’s an added bonus that it doesn’t need milk, because my matcha lattes are taking up most of that right now.

I’m still not the biggest pu’erh fan, although it’s growing in my estimation. This one is a little fecal, at least in terms of scent, but the cinnamon masks its worst excesses. I think I might miss this one, when it’s gone.

It’s the turn of apricot today. I’m coming towards the end of my matcha samples, which is incredibly sad for one special reason. I was just going to place an order with Matcha Outlet, now they stock sample packages and ship to the UK. That was until I realised that the shipping was going to cost $47, and seems to be flat rate. A few small samples of tea powder absolutely do not cost anything like that to post, and I don’t have that kind of cash to splash at the moment anyway, so that’s off. It’s a real shame, because Red Leaf/Matcha Outlet have the best flavours, and at the moment there’s nothing comparable in the UK. It’s sad face time, boys and girls.

This latte, though. I’m actually liking this a little more than I did last time, although it’s there’s still a touch of soapy floral that’s hard to ignore once you’ve tasted it. Having said that, it’s mostly apricot, and that’s all good with me. It’s not the most natural tasting apricot, admittedly, but it’s pretty good. It’s actually reminding me a little of…something. Some kind of gummy sweet? Wine Gums? Were there orange wine gums? If there were, then that’s what I’m tasting. Sweet, slightly syrupy, artificial apricot. It’s nicer than it sounds.

Finished off the last of this sample today. I made it up as a latte again, because I’m pretty sure last time it didn’t go so well as a result of unexpectedly expiring whisk batteries. Fortunately, that’s not today’s problem.

I used a little more powder than I usually would, partly because there wasn’t a full 1/2 tsp left (so it would be two under-strength cups or one over…) and also because it’s the delicate flavouring level, and I’m finding that I drown the flavour in milk when I use my work cup (which is on the larger side…). So that’s how it is this morning.

Also, I’m bored. I have plenty to do, but I don’t really want to get on with any of it. What I’d really like is a new job with some new challenges, but that doesn’t seem to be on the cards at the moment.

So, the latte. It’s good – it tastes like candy grape. I think the extra bit of powder has amplified that a bit, because it’s a touch stronger than I remember it being last time, although still subtle on the whole. It’s also mildly floral, which could be either the grape flavouring or the matcha itself…it’s hard to tell where one ends and the other begins, which I think is a good thing when it comes to flavoured tea of any variety.

I’m thinking of placing an order with Red Leaf/Matcha Outlet in the next few days, and this one could well be on the list if it’s available. It’s different, and enjoyable – a good combination!

First cup of the morning. I have to say, I’m not particularly wowed by this one. It has a very faint sweet apple flavour, no brandy to speak of, and the assam base seems quite thin and weak. All this, despite using nearly 2 tsp of leaf and a 4 minute brew time. It’s pleasant enough, but it’s not really living up to its name. Sad face.

A sample from Roswell Strange! One thing I wondered as I was preparing this one – butternut as in butternut squash? Or butter and nuts? Based on the initial sip, I’m thinking the former, probably. It has a sweet-savoury vibe going on, and it reminds me a bit of pumpkin pie, although without the spices. It also tastes pretty buttery, though, so who knows? Clearly not me. I prepared this one as a latte, using 1/4 tsp and then an extra bit for luck. I like that it’s one of the more savoury matchas I’ve come across, because it makes a refreshing change. I don’t always want sweet or desserty tea, and it’s nice to have the option. Pistachio is another one that ticks that box for me.

I’m going to assume that the flavour here is butternut squash. I have the delicate level of flavouring, so it’s fairly subtle, but that’s what it’s reminding me of most. There’s a hint of pastry/pie crust, which probably accounts for the butteriness I’m tasting. Together, they’re a good combination, and I’d happily drink this one again. I’m not sure that any pie flavoured thing, particularly when it comes to matcha, will ever beat Rich Berry Pie in my estimation, but this is a decent contender.

No notes for this one? It’s not exactly new, either – I ordered it in June last year, then I got scared, and it’s been sitting in my cupboard until now. I figured a medicinal style blend might be appropriate given that I’m feeling pretty icky just at the moment, so here goes.

This is Bluebird’s version of a Ba Bao Cha, and it contains jasmine green tea, ginger, goji berries, ginseng, extra jasmine, and gynostemma. I have no idea about that last. I do remember now why I’ve put this one off so long – jasmine, ginger, and goji berries are not among my favourite things. Quite the opposite, in fact. But tea is there to be tried, so I bought it anyway.

I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in water cooled to around 180 degrees. There’s not a lot to say about this one, I don’t think. It’s not a strong flavour, but what flavour there is is mostly jasmine with a hint of smooth, grassy green tea. It has a “herbal” aspect to it, and it verges on medicinal. You can tell it’s a blend that’s trying to do some good! It’s easy enough to drink, fresh and clean tasting. I’d not hurry out to buy it again, but it’s certainly not obnoxious!

What have I got to celebrate? Absolutely nothing. I’m back at work, I’ve got a cold, and I lost the flat I spent three months thinking I was buying because “estate agent” is apparently a synonym for “liar”. But I’m still going to treat myself to some champagne matcha, all the same.

This one came to me as a sample from Roswell Strange, and I actually should have started it ages ago. A combination of factors put paid to that, but better late than never. I think I held off on this one for so long because I only drink my matcha in milk, and champagne and milk seemed like an odd combination. I’m surprised to say that it works, though. It tastes like champagne. Which is obviously not the most helpful or descriptive tasting note, but it is a fact. It’s not bubbly, and there’s no hint of effervescence (I wasn’t excepting there to be, because…how?) but it’s definitely champagne and it even stands up to the milk. We’re not talking super-strong, but you can tell that that’s what it is.

I’m hoping a matcha latte will perk me up a bit, because something honestly needs to. I think I might buy some tea this evening. That’ll do it, for sure.

I bought a bag of these on the strength of all the good reviews I read about them at least a year ago, and then never got around to drinking them. At least that’s been remedied now – I’ve been drinking this one pretty steadily since November, mostly in my Timolino at events. Hence, I’ve never logged it either. I’m in the office today, though, and drinking this one. It’s really good. Hazelnut is the main initial flavour, followed by a dark-ish chocolate. It reminds me a lot of nutella, which is probably the intention. There’s not a whole lot else going on with this one, except a light maltiness from the base tea. It stands up to milk well, if you give it a decent brew time (I went for 4 minutes), but it’s best to drink it hot because it seems to get bitter as it cools…

I like this one. It’s probably my favourite Twinings tea.

This is the second of the Twinings chai latte blends I’ve tried this week, and the second that contains only black tea and “flavourings” – this time vanilla spice and syrup flavourings. And that’s my problem with these blends – chai is surely easy enough to put together from actual spices, and there are clearly none in these bags. Why resort to chemicals? There’s no need.

I used 1 bag for my cup, and gave it 4 minutes in 1/2 cup of boiling water, topped up with hot milk. I like this one better than the Bollywood Chai, for some reason, but it’s a close thing. Both have a weird, artificial quality that’s just plain odd, but the vanilla in this one pips it for me. At least I can taste vanilla and identify it as such, even if it is a bit on the fake side. It reminds me of coffee syrup vanilla, rather than vanilla pods, but it’s sweet and warming, and it’s cold out, so I’m not particularly hard to please this morning.

I wouldn’t buy these again, though. Any of them. There are far, far better chai blends out there. Ones that are actually properly blended from spices and accordingly taste that much nicer. This just seems kinda lazy to me, and I expected better.