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This is from Cameron B! Thanks so much, as always. I thought yesterday would be the perfect occasion (hope all that celebrate had a joyous Thanksgiving). I love the variations of these Noel teas. They are usually so different from each other! Visually, we have some jasmine flowers. Tastewise, there is some delicious grapefruit. Then when the cup cools, I notice some houjicha. What a great combination. Perfectly steeped cups x2, I think. But wow are the flavors I’m noticing not picking up on the nuances from the description. IS this even houjicha? “Jasmine green tea” it says. I am not noticing bergamot, passion fruit, mango OR pineapple. Maybe they are all melding to create grapefruit… though there should also be citrus here anyway… though maybe I can notice mango in the background when I’m thinking it should be there. I am perfectly content with the grapefruit anyhow!
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 23 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 min

Thanks so much for allowing me to try this old favorite again, Cameron B! I used four pearls this time, rather than the suggested three pearls, and it did seem to have a harshness/astringency to it, so I shall try it again with three pearls next time. Good stuff though! Plenty of flavor.

edited to add: In a past note from seven years ago, I was wondering how the astringency of five pearls didn’t kill me, so there’s that. ha. Should have visited my past note before steeping this up!

Aw, I never wrote a note for this one and now it is gone.  I do believe it was from Meowster long ago — thank you!  It is probably due to the age of the leaves, but I never really loved this one.  I DO typically love a Wen Shan, but this one always never matched up to the flavor of others I have loved.  Also, the leaves look like they are very tiny/chopped unlike a typical big leafed Wen Shan.  It tastes like oolong but not really distinct delicious flavors… Four steeps, and it DID almost seem like a different oolong with every cup.  An 85 rating is a decently high rating from others though!

I’ll start by mentioning that S&V no longer sells this, so don’t run over to their site to find it. I managed to buy it when it was being discontinued, so I made sure to order. I’m glad I took the gamble, as I REALLY like this one. Strong marzipan on a great rooibos base. The marzipan isn’t cloying. And the occasional almond slice in the blend also lends another level of almond to the flavor (I’m assuming.) It’s a cozy blend though! A great dessert tea. I wonder why it was discontinued, as I think this is a keeper. Two solid steeps. I know there was a similar blend like this… maybe from Zen Tea back in the day.

Maybe it’s the grey in the name, but this is one I tend to reach for when the sky is overcast. The whole blend has a mellow, gentle sort of quality to it. As I was scooping the tea from the pouch, I saw at least one generous piece of vanilla and something that I thought was fruit, but since there isn’t any fruit here, it must have been a piece of burnt sugar candy. Everything about this blend is mellow: the black tea, the bergamot, the vanilla. It’s like a cotton candy fluffy earl cloud. But not TOO sweet. Two great steeps.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2025 Tea #3 - A tea that is good “on the go”
Yet another sample from Cameron B!  Thanks so much! The  first steep, I got a bit distracted, so the water was too cool and the flavor was too light.  Of course, the second steep I got distracted and steeped for longer than I would have liked, but luckily the flavor wasn’t too overdone.  The brew was quite dark.  Flavors of gardenia, but also chocolate.  Very sweet, but overall this is how I like black teas to taste.  The first steep I was a bit confused to the point where I thought it might be also a mix of sheng.  But it’s an entirely different experience on the second steep.  Four solid steeps, except for that weaker first one that wasn’t really to my taste.  The fourth is a little starchy, but still strong enough.  A full basket of leaves!  To think I once stuffed poor tea leaves into those small tablespoon size metal infusers…
Steep #1 // 7 gram coin for a full mug // 28 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 6 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 4 minute steep
Steep #4 // just boiled // 6 minute steep

additional notes: I’ve always been a fan of this one, no matter which tea shop I currently have it stocked from. (This one from Mastress Alita long ago! Thank you!) This one is now sipped down though. I would definitely always keep this old favorite around. I will be having this with some homemade apple pie later, made with apples from the tree in the yard. I don’t know what the type of apple IS, but it’s the best type of apple. :)
2025 Sipdown total: 76
2025 unique tea sipdowns: 59

Much thanks to Cameron B for this sample!  Somehow I have never tried this tea, though it should be very much my jam.  It tastes pretty good to me… a nice balance of the flavors that should be there.  I wish the fruit flavor was more jammy (ha) than tart.  Though this isn’t TOO tart.  But I don’t think a black forest cake should have any hint of hibiscus sort of tart at all.  Yet when I look at the ingredient list, it doesn’t even have hibiscus, so I must be tasting “cherry”. But I mostly like this blend!  It has a nice lingering cocoa/creme.  I also  like the tiny black tea leaf they use for this blend — it really emulates a black forest cake I think.  I’m sure other bases could have worked better for this, but other black teas also could have been much worse.  The second steep was also rich and flavorful.
Steep #1 //  1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 21 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2025 Tea #2 - A sample from an order

I was okay finishing this sample from a long ago order, as I only found it a Just Okay blend.  I miss ordering from B&B!   If only they had my favorites all at once, I might be able to justify shipping, but finding Easter Egg Nests and Pumpkin available at the same time is probably never going to happen…

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2025 Tea #1 - Nov. 1 – Drink a holiday tea from 2024 (you know you have one!)

Okay, so I’m not sure if I have any holiday teas from last year BUT I know I have a bajillion other holiday teas, and since I’m trying to finish this one simply due to the stevia in it, I will count this tea for the prompt.  I could live without the stevia in this blend (the cocoa shells should certainly be enough here!) but this is tolerable enough today.