Champagne Cider

Ehh, this one is not my thing. Honestly, I think Honeybush is just a little too close to rooibos for me. Bummer! I love the idea of apple cinnamon tea…

A pastdue review of the last of the three teas from December 2013’s Amoda tea box, oop.

Smells super cozy brewed. Also has a kind of tingly/fizzy mouthfeel that reminds me a bit of champagne. Also can taste the apple pretty easily, since my sample had a load of apple chips in it. I can smell the spices but can’t quite taste them.

It’s an interesting blend for me, especially considering the its mouthfeel brewed when it is – in fact – a tea.

Backlog:

A really good honeybush blend. I was REALLY happy with the December box from Amoda. (Note: the February box is pretty exciting too!)

I didn’t get a lot of champagne-ish notes from this, but I definitely got a spiced cider like flavor. I can SMELL the champagne, but, I don’t really taste it a whole lot. The fruit notes are really nice though, the orange brightens the cup, the apple adds a nice sweetness, and I like that the spices are on the subtle side. It’s a really nice take on a mulled-wine (or I guess mulled champagne?)

I enjoyed it.

This was yesterday’s pre-bedtime cup. I nearly reached for a black tea again, and then thought the better of it. That’s probably not a habit I should get into on a week night, for the sake of my sanity. I’ve no complaints about this one though, I mean it smells totally delicious when all you do is open the bag. Last night it put me in mind of apple pie, that wonderful autumn staple. I think it was the apple/cinnamon combination that did it. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 4 minutes in boiling water. No additions.

Steeped, this tastes less of apple pie and more of cider. Excellent news! I think it’s the sharpness of the apple, contrasted with the mild but warming spices that differentiate it. Apple pie would be mushier, sweeter apple flavour. I didn’t get much in the way of champagne at first, but as I sipped I did start to notice a sort of heady grapey flavour that did remind me of sparkling wine. It’s not effervescent, obviously, but it’s one of those rare teas that manages to seem like it is, even if only lightly.

The overall combination is, I think, a really good one. Cider and champagne are two things I probably wouldn’t have thought to put together, but it’s a flavour combination that works. I like the warming, wintery spices, the sharpness of the apple, and the almost-bubbly sweetness of the champagne. It’s a truly great thing. I’m going to try and save a cup of this for new year – or, failing that, to drink as my last ever cup of Butiki tea. It’s a true celebratory tea.

I’ve had this one for almost a year now but haven’t written any tasting notes. From the Amoda box! I love the flavor of honeybush but it must be the most impossible flavor to describe. There are plenty of big pieces in the blend that aren’t honeybush. Big pieces of apple, even with some of the skin. The cider of the name is accurate, as the brewed color looks like cider! There are hints of apple in the taste and somehow I expect more cinnamon flavor than is here. I’d say the dominant flavor is honeybush. Now how did that happen? But it’s tasty anyway. I can’t wait to see the new Butiki blends…
Steep #1 // 1tsp // just boiled // few minutes steep
Steep #2 // few min after boiling // few min steep

Thanks for the sample!! Either from Lala or Starfevre… so sorry, your packets got mixed up when Mum went through my cupboard looking for some tea! Not that I mind, it means she was looking for tea!!! This is a big deal…

But the tea itself was quite amazing as well. I kinda wish it was a black base.
The cider taste really punches through, creating the sensation of apple spiced liquor warming your throat! Phenomenal. I am so impressed. In fact I’d order some today if I was able to :)

Must be my least favorite of the December’s Amoda box. Probably it would be better as a part of the recipe: with apple cider and liquor added. I can barely taste anything interesting in it apart from the obvious honeybush notes. The smell is also unnoticeable which is unusual for honeybush dessert blends.