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Roswell Strange drank Kenya 'Rhino' Premium White Tea by What-Cha

15662 tasting notes

Guess what guys… This is my 4000th tasting note!

Holy shit that snuck up on me; I remember somewhat around tasting note 3300 or something I was trying to plan for distant future so I could pick a memorable tea for tasting note 4000 but then BANG 4000 is here already just like that!

I think this is a good pick for 4000 though; I LOVED Butiki’s White Rhino tea and I’m really happy to get the chance to try another company’s offering. It’s such a unique and memorable varietal because it’s white tea that really ISN’T white tea. Both in flavour and how you brew it. Instead of that 70-80 degree range, I definitely used near boiling water for this one ’cause I just know that it can take the heat. Literally; in this case.

And shit guys; it’s like drinking Butiki’s White Rhino all over again. Someone catch me; I’m swooning so hard right now I may just injure myself. I wish I had in real life tea friends who could share this excitement with me. It’s both nostalgic and new and exciting!

There’s so much going on with the flavours; I’m not even sure where to start. I guess I could just list ‘em? I mean, firstly the tea overall has that same Hot Cross Bun/Easter Bun flavour that I found so poignantly distinct to Butiki’s White Rhino. It’s REALLY cool that it’s translating to this one too. Sweet sugary dough/bread, that kind of icing-y stuff and glaze, soft cinnamon, raisins, and fruity undertones? Mmmm; all there! Apart from that, there’s also thick notes of hay, some yummy malt in the finish, honey, and sweet potato! Maybe even a sliver of cocoa; but that element is quite light. It all comes together to create something so rich and smooth. Easy to finish the full mug without realizing it/even starting the tasting note you were planning on writing alongside drinking it. You know, hypothetically of course…

This was a good choice; and after a day of pretty mediocre tea overall this was a GREAT note to end on. And yeah, holy shit, 4000 tasting notes! That’s totally INSANE. And it’s only been like three years since I’ve been on Steepster, eh? Rounding a bit, that averages to like four tasting notes a day!? Man I don’t even know how to feel about that…

Also, a song pairing ‘cause that’s just sort of my thing now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbqmajdaFk0&list=LL1M1wDjmJD4SJr_CwzXAGuQ&index=3

I actually tried SUPER hard to find the perfect, meaningful song to drink with this both to fit the tea but also the landmark tasting note. I struggled doing that and then eventually gave up searching. Instead I just put my playlist on shuffle, and settled into this one. It actually wound up feeling quite fitting…

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4 comments

tea-sipper
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Happy 4000! And a tea like White Rhino is definitely deserving of 4000. :D

Sil
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thanks for reminding me about this replacement…i’d forgotten about it! and grats on 4k!

Mookit
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That’s an amazing amount of tasting notes, congrats!

Inkay
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Congrats on 4000 notes! And based on this one, I’ll have to give White Rhino a try.

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Comments

tea-sipper
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Happy 4000! And a tea like White Rhino is definitely deserving of 4000. :D

Sil
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thanks for reminding me about this replacement…i’d forgotten about it! and grats on 4k!

Mookit
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That’s an amazing amount of tasting notes, congrats!

Inkay
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Congrats on 4000 notes! And based on this one, I’ll have to give White Rhino a try.

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Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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