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It’s a lot more mate than kuki today, and that makes me want to bump it down (so I dropped it a few points). Also a lot of dusty residue in the bottom of the cup, which I’d had more with the plain mate and less with the kuki until today. Maybe I just hit a few scoops that had more mate in them. Who knows.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, as I’ve passed the halfway point on this tin.

Another long ago 52teas purchase that was never opened. I’m breaking this one out in anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day. I’m only just the tiniest bit Irish, but hey it’s an excuse. I can see the St. Patrick’s Day menu now. This, Irish Breakfast, some green tea later in the day. Maybe some corned beefy lapsang, or something with a potato note. Who knows what else I might have in my stash that’s appropriate. Heh.

The packet has a creamy vanilla fragrance with a darker undertone, and this also comes through in the aroma of the steeped tea. It has a reddish-maple colored liquor.

There’s something dark-ish about the cream flavor in the tea that’s almost got a chocolate tone to it. Not so much a whisky flavor, but I “get it.” It’s a nice approximation of an Irish Cream like Bailey’s in tea form. The BF said he “got it” right away, too.

It gets high marks for flavor replication and pretty high marks so far for drinking pleasure. I don’t think I’ll have a “food tea” problem with this, but the flavor is a bit heavier than some of the other 52teas blacks I’ve had recently so it may not be something I can drink easily every day. We’ll see.

Wow, this one is already close to sipdown. Like maybe as early as tomorrow. Did I mention I was a heaper?

I love it when I’m enjoying a tea such that a sipdown sneaks up on me rather than looms over me. This one is definitely in the former category. It’s a definite, but not overpowering orange flavor without a citrus tang (which keeps it from being mimosa-like), and instead with a suggestion of effervescence like an orange soda but of course, without the bubbles, which seems fitting for the “champagne of teas.”

Sipdown no. 115 of the year 2014.

Nothing to be said that hasn’t been said already—it was a good solid cinnamon, though not my top pick in the category. An easy sipdown.

Still not a favorite, but so much better than the Tulsi Dosha Chai. And easier to drink for me than Sleep Tight from TeaGschwed…whatever because not savory.

I smelled orange again and I even sort of taste orange, which is fascinating given that there isn’t any orange in this, but I’ll take it.

Time to go lie down with a mug next to me and zone out to whatever’s been Tivo’d and I haven’t yet watched.

BTW, you guys who went to the David’s Tea spring sale are really making my fingers itch in a big way. Mason jar! Whale mug! Tentacles! (And I’d even get the whale and the tentacles despite being hand wash only just because they’re so adorable…) I have to get offline before I find myself whipping out the credit card…. bye!

Sipdown no. 114 of the year 2014. And I’m so glad….

I considered saving this for a night when I found myself at the end of the day with nothing sipped down, and then I thought…. Nah. Time for it to go now.

It’s still too lotion-y to be redeemed by its spice bouquet, which is so unfortunate because the spices work together in a way that could be quite tasty.

Now I must apply myself to sipping down Sleep Tight, though after I finish this I think I might have something like Rooibos Lemon Chiffon or perhaps Peppermint. I don’t think I can do both of these in one night two nights running…

Steeped this one longer this time, and it did come out with a color closer to honey. It also came out tasting an awful lot like the Eagle Nest Ever Drop. The same bready flavor, which I’m now recognizing also has a sort of a sweetness to it, like a touch of honey.

I’m vacillating on this and on the Eagle Nest, because they really do have a distinctive flavor, but it’s more of a black flavor than a green tea flavor, and when seek out a green tea it’s not really what I’m looking to drink.

I’m going to knock both of them to the same rating and call it a day.

Fairly certain this came as part of my Tea Table tea of the month club membership. It was still unopened until today. I’m working from home today so I have more leeway in tea selection and preparation method than usual. Still, I think this will be my last black tea of the day.

The tea has a strong, malty smell in the packet, like an Assam despite being a Ceylon. And despite the “fannings” designation, the leaves look attractive, though small. They look to me like extra long, extra thin rye seeds.

The liquor is a deep reddish brown. The aroma has more of the malty smell of the dry leaves smoothed out by steeping, and a fruitiness as well. The description says plum, and I definitely get that note. I might have said grape as well, as there’s something a little like wine about the aftertaste.

I don’t get the Assam-like maltiness in the flavor, and instead get the spicy fruitiness of a Ceylon. I get the plum note in the flavor as well, along with some astringency and an occasional back of the throat bite. It has a medium body and a fairly smooth mouth feel with some substance to it despite the astringency.

I think no. 2 will like this one as he likes the very solidly “tea” tasting unflavored blacks. My guess is this would make a good iced tea, too. Lots of flavor in this one. Pure Ceylons don’t usually rate astonishingly high with me as I prefer the China blacks in general, but this one is really nice for its type.

I steeped this one a little hotter this time, at 190, and I think that really brought out the orange flavor nicely. I have to confess I don’t think I’ve ever had a Dreamsicle. I’m more of a Fudgesicle person when the ice cream man comes around. But I’ve certainly seen others having them and the flavor of this—orangy and slightly milky—does evoke the ice cream product.

Another that should be an enjoyable journey toward sipdown.

Today’s second morning tea, and now positioned for sipdown tomorrow. Not a difficult sipdown at all, but will make me feel less like I’m overdoing it when I open Mike-the-Nerd’s Irish Cream in anticipation of St. Patrick’s day, which I expect to do tomorrow or the next day.

I am slowly but surely making my way through all my old 52Teas packets. I will likely hit a speed bump soon because I have three of their chocolate chais. Since I’m dieting, I’m lucky if I can make room for one chai in my week, and seems like two is the most I can fit in. Of course, I could exercise and then I’d be able to fit in more, but it’s so hard to get started when you haven’t been doing it in a while and have lost all your aerobic capacity…