6106 Tasting Notes
Sipdown! 211/365!
Counting this as a sipdown because I only know I have two packages because I inventoried my Frank-era 52teas today (some of them, anyhow), and discovered all sorts of treasures! Among them – another packet of Cotton Candy iced tea AND Razzleberry iced tea! Hurrah! Also Rainbow Sherbet, and Lime Jello. I’m pretty stoked about this, because I thought perhaps I’d drank them, and the remaining iced teas in my 12 teas of Christmas box are not thrilling (not black, or they’re minty or cinnamony). So that was fun.
Anyhow, this tea smelled a little funky in the package, and a little funky brewed up. Perhaps it was the ginger flavouring? Something just didn’t seem quite right. However, the flavour is okay, so I guess that doesn’t matter too much! Definitely not my favourite; I can taste the honey aspect (yum) but am just not caring for the ginger flavouring – I think I want actual ginger. The black base is yummy though – familiar and Frank-y, which I sometimes really miss.
You know, I’m not entirely sure I consider this tea a 97 anymore… I remember it being good, but I never really reach for it, because it’s generally a bit much for what I want. I’ll leave it for now, at least until I have another hot cup of it, in case I’m misremembering.
Anyhow, iced this tea as well today as I thought it would be a good way to use it up (this is again along the theme of this tea being good but not a favourite). I was hoping the smokiness would be tamed a bit more, and I’d end up with more roasty chocolate goodness. Turns out I was right, and I did enjoy this iced, though not as much as Plum Rooster, and the smokiness comes right back once it warms up at all. Not that it’s terribly smoky, but sometimes that’s just not what you want.
I was in the mood for a different kind of iced tea, and pulled this out. I had meant to grab Laoshan Black, but made it over to the kettle before I realized my mistake, and was too lazy to fix it. However, I wasn’t disappointed, so it was worth it. I just brewed a normal cup of this and stuck it in the fridge to chill, and drank it with supper – it was lovely to have the refreshment of a cold beverage with the delicious light roasty chocolate aftertaste of this tea. Will probably repeat this, but only on an individual mug scale (I’m not sharing, at least not with a husband who wouldn’t appreciate it!)
Not tasting the flavours as much in this tonight, for whatever reason, but I’m digging the base. It’s just… malty and complex and just barely astringent, which is really working for me right now.
Although on that note… I really should stop drinking caffeinated teas so late at night, or at least, in the quantities I’ve been having. I’ve generally been a pretty good sleeper in recent years, with only a few nights of insomnia, but last night was kind of rough – I just couldn’t fall asleep, despite definitely being tired. I blame having a matcha latte and loads of other caffeinated teas right before bed, which I thought didn’t affect me, but perhaps I overdid it…
Brewed up a pitcher pack of this one. Same parameters as yesterday’s green, so 180 for 2 minutes or so. It turned out fairly well in that respect, but I’m not a big fan. It’s surprisingly sweet, which I think is from blackberry leaves(?), and I find it a bit much. I’m also not keen on the flavours – grassy green base (ok), almost medicinal-berry notes. I ate a goji berry from the steeped tea and didn’t care for it, so it seems I’m just not a big fan of goji. I did like Goji Pop back when it was still around, though!
In good news, however, husband seemed to like both teas (and without added sugar!!), so getting through the few pitcher packs I have of each won’t be a problem.
Should have drank this alongside the DavidsTea version when I had the chance! Ah well.
Not sure I’m a big fan of this tea; the rooibos isn’t particularly notable, which is always good, but the spice blend is almost a bit perfumey, and doesn’t quite nail carrot cake for me. I actually can’t quite identify what that perfumey flavour I’m tasting is, though it is familiar and makes me think of Christmases past. (It’s not nutmeg or cinnamon – I taste both of those as well.) Since I happened to have finished off my bag from DT quite recently, I believe I can say that I preferred it, as it had spicing more like what I’m used to, as well as bonus icing creaminess. Perhaps British carrot cake spicing is just different?
