308 Tasting Notes
This is such a surprising blend. Apricot and hazelnuts aren’t ingredients I often see paired together. Straight with a 3-minute steep and about 10 ounces of water, I get a lot of apricot flavor and some nuttiness. Again, the black tea base is quite robust and slightly astringent.
Adding sweetener and milk really makes this a treat. It’s giving me holiday baked good vibes. The cinnamon is much more evident, and it just tastes like a holiday cookie – not the sort of cookie you’d find stateside, but something you’d find in Europe (Italy perhaps). The name is absolutely fitting; the smell and taste are both very festive. I imagine it’d make a glorious eggnog latte. I believe I’ll repurchase this one.
Flavors: Apricot, Hazelnut
The 4-minute recommended steep time was too long. The almond and cranberry flavors were more detectable as the tea cooled. The black tea itself was quite robust and a bit astringent, but I’ll, perhaps prematurely, attribute that to the steeping time. I’ll give it another go with a shorter steep, more water, or a combination of both.
Yesterday was a rough day for me, and last night I didn’t get much sleep. I’m lucky I had a bag of this in my stash at work because I really need something to get me going this morning.
I’m sipping away on a huge tumbler of this blend over ice, and it’s really growing on me. It’s strong but not overpowering. It’s malty and a bit smoky but not alarmingly so. I’m still not getting much cherry flavor, if anything it provides a slight sweetness that balances the citrus. The citrus, though, is wonderfully sour in the best possible way.
It reminds me of being in a dimly lit speakeasy-gastropub. The kind that hipsters flock to in droves. The kind that serves nothing but Prohibition era cocktails and reimagined, and often, deconstructed versions of entrees you’d find in a Swanson TV dinner (mmm meatloaf!), and the house jazz band plays Top 40 hits. I’m not saying I’ve been to these sort of places. I’m not a cool cat. That’s how I envision them.
I digress, this tea has proved to be a very comforting cuppa this morning. I’m happy I’ve got another large bag squirreled away at home.
Another sample…
I grabbed this out of my tea bin at my desk this morning. The weather was wonderfully crisp and I fancied a hot cuppa. I can’t do red rooibos or honeybush straight, so I’d already decided to make a latte. Y’know, it wasn’t half bad. The name of this tea is so appropriate. It smelled divine as it was steeping, like autumn in a cup. The combination of apple and pear is wonderful, although I could do with a bit more pear if I’m being honest. The spices complement the fruit so nicely, and I’m so glad there’s no cloves to overpower the blend.
I’m tempted to purchase more. I bet it’d make an excellent eggnog latte. I’ll have to see if it’s still around the next time I place an order.
Flavors: Apple, Cinnamon, Ginger, Pear
I received this as a sample with a recent order. Try as I might to be more open-minded about rooibos blends, they normally just don’t do anything for me. I’m sipping through my sample of this and trying to remind myself that rooibos blends are really hydrating and, therefore, good for me. LOL It’s predominantly orange to my tastebuds, despite the abundance of dried raspberries in my bag. If the raspberry is there, it’s very faint. I can smell the raspberry, but I can’t taste it. Curses!
One day another magical blend like Crisp Cranberry Soda will come along…one day…
Flavors: Orange
I’m not normally a fan of the apple cinnamon flavor combination in teas, but, this tea sounded intriguing. Honestly, I think the black tea base is what drew me in. The dry leaf smelled…interesting. I couldn’t quite make out the scent to be honest, apart from the very mild smell of apples and cinnamon. There’s something in it that I can’t quite place. Unfortunately, the flavor doesn’t translate very well when steeped. I didn’t get much maple flavor at all, sadly. I was able to get through my cuppa, but it left me wanting so much more. Again, the name threw me off completely. The apple pieces added a bit of sweetness, but there was nothing maple sugar-y about this blend.
The last of my samples from a recent order…
People rave about this tea, hot or iced. The dry blend smells amazing – a bit like a really cheerful, uplifting potpourri. I tried it iced and it wasn’t half bad. There’s far too much spearmint for my tastes. I was hoping it’d be a bit more subdued. I’ve never had a gooseberry so I don’t know that I’d be able to detect its flavor in this blend. The tea actually reminds me of Main Squeeze. The citrus flavor is similar, but this blend has a really pleasant vanilla note added to it. I might opt for another sample of it the next time I place an order and try a shorter steep.
Another sample…
Yikes. So, this reminds me of those fruit and vegetable juices. Y’know, the kind that are bottled by Naked or Bolthouse Farms. I feel like Tropicana had a line too. Anyway, if carrot juice is your jam and you like some citrus thrown into the mix, this is the tea for you. I took one sip against my better judgment and burped carrots for about an hour afterward. Fun times. I didn’t notice any pumpkin flavor; it was all carrot and orange for me with a very slight hint of ginger. That said, I did just have one small sip. Sadly, that was all I could manage. Sort of like a carrot cake minus the cake…so, basically, a carrot-orange-ginger juice.
Flavors: Carrot, Ginger, Orange
I got a sample of this in my last order. It’s decent, despite the carrot. GRRRRR! It’s an interesting mix of flavors – apple, blackberry, raspberry, carrot (random), hibiscus… The aftertaste is a bit earthy, possibly from both the beet root and the maté. It’s a bit like Bear Trap with a maté base…and some carrots thrown in for funzies. I’m glad I gave it a go, but I’ll stick to Queen of Tarts.
I’m currently sipping a tall glass of this blend over ice. It’s much more enjoyable this time around. I’m still not getting much cherry flavor, but the Golden Yunnan and the lemon are a really nice pair. It works, and I can easily imagine sipping a pitcher of this over the course of a lazy weekend. It’s not a favorite, but it’s nice to try new things every now and again.