1759 Tasting Notes

88

White Peony
I love this tea. Love love love! Or maybe it’s just “white” tea that I adore? It’s pretty much the strawberry white tea I reviewed last week, only without the strawberry and maybe a little bit heavier on the creaminess and not at all tart. I love that it tastes milky without any dairy product at all. The finish is great as well- slightly floral with that sweet dry aftertaste that lingers for awhile. Nothing beats the strawberry white of course.
Something I find odd though, is that I seem to prefer whites at room temperature. Sure, it’s great to have a nice hot cuppa’ but somehow the flavour really comes out for me once it’s cooled down.
I would definitely buy this tea again, if only it wasn’t so darned expensive! At double the price of most other teas, I only bought a ten gram sample. Boo! Oh well, when I finally try every other tea that I can get my hands on then I will splurge and grab me some more of this yummy stuff.

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 4 min, 30 sec

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69

This is an interesting tea to be sure. The buttery part is a little to predominant for my liking here, and I don’t really taste the “rum” but I think I will try it without milk next time. Given that I like my black tea with milk, I doubt I will be purchasing this one again. It tasted a bit more tart than I would have liked as well which I found odd as that is usually a rooibos characteristic. Oh and the coconut? I could hardly taste that either. I wonder if I had tea from the bottom of a tin and got all the butter?? I’ll have to ask next time I go to David’s.
So, as it stands now, this is just an ok tea. I have so many other favourites that I have a feeling the last of this batch will go to waste- unless I add some rum. Ohhhh now there is an idea. The score for this one may be bumped once I try that!!!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 30 sec

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81

This is an odd tea to be sure. Very earthy, almost a dirt texture. I added milk to cover some of it up. It reminds me of the burdock root that I used to recharge my liver back when I had some health issues. Hmmm. I’ll need to try this again to give a proper review. There is definitely more to it than “earthy” though. This is the only unflavoured pu’rer that I’ve tried so maybe I should check out another variety to compare.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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97

Wow. At first I wasn’t sure about this tea, but then by the time I finished the cup I was in love with it.
The needles, when dry, are fuzzy and white. Among these shoots are small bits of dried strawberry. Together, these two ingredients marry each other to create an intoxicating scent, flavour, and overall experience.
I added some sugar to draw the flavour out. I find it helps when trying to suss out the various notes and such. Maybe next time I’ll add less. Even still, every sip was a mouthful of delicate liquid strawberry-slightly tart and sweet all at once- topped with a slight floral taste. (however, that could be me getting confused by the scent)
While swallowing, I taste the flowers a bit more, followed by a pleasant but light bitterness with a sweet top note in the back of my throat. The finish is my favourite part.
Another thing I noticed was that it makes my mouth rather dry. Too bad, because I am rather enjoying the high from having just had a delicious cup of tea. Washing it all away with a glass of water seems such a shame.
It probably helps that I actually kept an eye on the clock this time and steeped it for the recommended time (5-6 min, I forgot to use the timer) and tried my best to add the 92 degree water- my kettle is of the simple variety.
Oh and I tried a touch of this tea with milk. I was surprised to find that I actually prefer it without.
I wonder how this compares to Tea Emporium’s Strawberry Shortcake…. I’ve had my eye on that one for a long while. *sighs
In any case, if I ever run out of all my teas, I shall certainly buy this one again! (I have so many, because I want to try them ALL. I refuse to buy the same one again until that day has come :) It makes me sad that I have only a ten gram sample of this one…
This tea gets an exceptionally high rating from me because I don’t know why but I’ve been inspired lately to find teas from every category that I enjoy, and to figure out why I dislike some and not others. I’ve had trouble finding a “floral” tea that I actually enjoy. Jasmine is usually too much for me, but the hint of that I see in this tea works really well. I think it’s because the flower part takes a back seat to the strawberry.
That is all!

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 45 sec

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55
drank Caramel Rooibos by Second Cup
1759 tasting notes

Ugh!!! rarely does a bagged tea impress me, so I should have known better than to order this up from Second Cup where a friend and I went last night… but it was late and I didn’t feel like having a latte. I should have had the blasted latte! (decaf!)
The “caramel” in this is barely present, adding a mild caramel flavour, but it was overpowered by the orange peel… so much so that it was almost sour. I added milk, so mild caramel, strong orange notes, and milk (plus I think it was a green rooibos, not my fave) blended together to make a rather un-tasty mixture.
I’m getting tired of tasting teas I don’t like. I miss the thrill of discovering a tea that makes takes me to that happy, tea-bliss place.
*sighs. This tea gets an even lower rating because I already have a creme brule rooibos that I love, and the difference between them is just pitiful!! Sorry for the venting!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 30 sec

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65
drank Baked Apple by DAVIDsTEA
1759 tasting notes

I had such high hopes for this tea!! Cooked apples are a dessert that I cannot get enough of, and I rarely have them… so when I saw this tea, tempting me with its fragrant apple and cinnamon bits (and orange/grapefruit?? I did not expect that) I was ready for a taste of apple bliss. Except when I tasted it after what seemed like an exceptionally long time cooling and also steeping ( it retains heat for a while) for lack of a garbage receptacle where the bag could go, which could be the cause of my dislike here. Anyhow, it tasted just like Tim Horton’s Apple and Spice tea!!!! Ugh, if I wanted that, I would go to Tim’s….
I do taste the citrus though, in the finish and aftertaste. At first I disliked the bitterness but then I found it’s the only thing that sets the tea apart from Tim’s tea and I grew to not mind it, and maybe even like it… Now that I think about it, creating a unique apple tea would be rather difficult. bah!
Also, it tastes awful cold, like spiced apple juice or cider—which I am not a fan of unless it’s done really well…. so it must be drunk quickly, in that fleeting space of time where it isn’t too hot, or too cold. Don’t try this at work! Not if you’re as busy as I am ha!
I would be interested to see what it tastes like iced. It would be refreshing, I think.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 6 min, 0 sec

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82
drank Pink Flamingo by DAVIDsTEA
1759 tasting notes

I received this tea as a gift and despite my apprehensions about the beets, decided to give it a steep n taste. It was better than I expected. The beet flavour does come through, but not as much as I had feared.
The tartness is nice as well… for a change. Sweet but tangy.
Of course, I find that the “berry” teas tend to taste pretty much the same, the variety of fruits tend to make up a generic flavour with very little variation in range of undertones. Pity… as it smells absolutely amazing. I had hoped that the grapefruit would show up more in the taste but knew that it likely wouldn’t so wasn’t surprised at all when the beets took over everything.
One day I’ll find a tea that actually has the intense grapefruit taste I seek!

On the flip side, this tea would make a great iced drink. I would drink it more as a “juice” than a tea though, and again, you could give me any berry tea, iced or not, and it would taste very much the same but it’s just as good as any of the others. Except for those with mint in them. I <3 those!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 7 min, 15 sec

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86

This is another of my favourite teas. I don’t really taste the fruit in it, but definitely the cinnamon and something else that lends a slight malty chocolate flavour. I personally enjoy plenty of milk in my tea, and since this is a type of “chai”, it goes especially well with milk. I tried it with boiled milk once and it was out of this world!! I doubt I brewed it properly though. oh well!
It smells amazing, like the perfect cup of warm me up after a long walk in the cold brew. I only wish that it was a red tea, then I could have it whenever I want…. as I try to have only one caffeinated beverage per day.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 15 sec

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88
drank Crème Brulée by DAVIDsTEA
1759 tasting notes

I really enjoy this tea despite it’s “green” nature. It has depth and character that I find only rooibos can bring out (well, that, and oolong). I know exactly where the tea base ends and where the additional flavour point begins. It really tastes like caramel, burnt just a little and smells just as heavenly. Not at all like my almond cookie tea, that’s almost too sweet.
With a few dashes of milk, it becomes a bold, creamy caramel confection that makes me think of dessert in a cup only not so bad for you! mmmmm.
The rooibos is a bit heavy in this batch, I’m not sure if that’s the type of tea or maybe just this particular harvest

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Bio

Let’s see… I’m a tea and workout fanatic, I work in HR, and most of my friends consider me to be an egg. White on the outside, Asian on the inside :)
-from philosophy to food, I love it all
Otherwise, what you see is what you get! I can be very straightforward and yet shy.

Also, I’ve started taking tea sommelier classes and it is an absolute blast! Well, so far I’ve only finished the first out of eight courses, but I am really looking forward to the next one.

Anyhow, if your curious as to how I rate things, this is how I work…

0-25
Like eating dirt, or some other unsanitary indelicacy that mentioning in my profile here would likely get me banned.
I don’t think I’ve found cause to banish a tea to the wasteland yet though so who knows what it’d inspire ;P

25-50
You know that expression “Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater”? I imagine drinking that water would be terrible enough to warrant this rating!
I’d never make my enemy drink this, but perhaps I’d throw it at them. Good thing I don’t have any enemies!

50-70
This is “tea”?? I tried finishing the cup… but my body rejected it. There may be others who enjoy this tea, but it’s beyond me!

70-80
I tried liking it, and I can almost get there! I certainly don’t hate it, but something is holding me back. Allergies? Men in white suits? who knows… certainly not me!

80-90
Lovely tea! Not my all time fave but close. I likely wouldn’t repurchase, but may decide to based on many factors: price, accessibility, whether it fills a “tea gap”, medicinal applications, and how often I crave it.
Every once in awhile I find the sweet spot that bumps these up to 90+. Those are the days I need to buy a lotto ticket!

90-95
Sweet Camellia! this is realllly good tea! Don’t talk to me until I’ve finished my cup…

95-100
Tea of the gods. I would do anything to get my hands on more of this liquid gold!

Location

Toronto (Mississauga, but I work in TO)

Website

http://hrslinger.wordpress.com/

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