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“This tea I drank just now. Yum. The base on this tea seems a bit more keemun-y than Dammann’s usual blend. Not sure what it is about it, but it reminds me a touch of the keemun base on Lupicia’s...” Read full tasting note
“2023 sipdown no. 10 Steeped, this tea has the scent of floral apple juice. I’m really not sure how else to describe it. I find in taste, the floral comes slightly more to the front, though the...” Read full tasting note
“Sipdown! (89 | 186) I like this one a bit better than the l’Ôriental Noir from yesterday, but I still don’t love it as much as I thought I would. To be fair, I’ve never had a mangosteen, so I was...” Read full tasting note
“thanks again for this one Crowkettle one i would have picked up myself and now i don’t have to. Really do enjoy DF and MF teas even when they’re not black teas haha. the flavouring is always...” Read full tasting note
“Mangoustan” flavored black tea
A harmonious blend of black teas with mangosteen flavour (a peach-pear-passion fruit savoured fruit sourced from Asia) and bits of pineapple, flower petals delivers a unique infusion.
Brewing time: 4 to 5 minutes
This tea I drank just now. Yum. The base on this tea seems a bit more keemun-y than Dammann’s usual blend. Not sure what it is about it, but it reminds me a touch of the keemun base on Lupicia’s Earl Grey.
Love drinking my tropical mangosteen tea. This one I don’t crave like some of the other DF teas, but I think that’s because it’s a bit simpler. It’s definitely still very tasty, and it captures the mangosteen flavor well. I should probably try cold brewing this one, I bet it would be awesome.
2023 sipdown no. 10
Steeped, this tea has the scent of floral apple juice. I’m really not sure how else to describe it. I find in taste, the floral comes slightly more to the front, though the apple juice-esque flavour tones it down quite a bit to where they’re almost equal. There’s a definite fruit juiciness here as well.
Sipdown! (89 | 186)
I like this one a bit better than the l’Ôriental Noir from yesterday, but I still don’t love it as much as I thought I would.
To be fair, I’ve never had a mangosteen, so I was mostly just expecting some sort of tropical flavor. And this does taste tropical, though it’s difficult to place. The description calls it peach-pear-passion fruit, which I can sort of see. I would guess mango, but perhaps that’s the passion fruit tartness. I think I get some peachiness in the aftertaste.
Similar to l’Ôriental Noir, the base is a bit too earthy in my opinion, and it’s an odd combination with the light, tart, fruity flavor. Maybe if the flavoring were a bit stronger, it would stand up to the base better. I don’t remember having this issue with other fruit-flavored black teas I have from Dammann, so I’ll have to try those again and see if it’s a different base or if I’m just being crazy. :P
ETA: Forgot to mention, this was another sample from Courtney!
Flavors: Earthy, Mango, Passion Fruit, Peach, Smooth, Sweet, Tart
This tea is straightforward but delicious. The fruity mangosteen and bright malty base end on a perfumed cream-like note that makes my tongue melt (I also have “Mango Lassi” and it has the same cream-like quality. It’s so good). I initially felt bad that I forwent the Passion Fruit with the Black Tea base for this, but when I see a rarity like mangosteen I don’t walk, I run!
There’s no mangosteen on Steepster’s flavour list, but Dammann Frères’ descriptor of “peach-pear-passion fruit” more than suffices. That’s essentially what this round, dark purple-ish red fruit with white flesh tastes like if you’re lucky enough to find a bruised and battered one in a specialty market around here (they sadly don’t travel well). The tea nailed it and my fruit-loving heart is happy! Now, if only this company did a “tamarind pop” tea.
Steep Count: 2
Flavors: Cream, Floral, Fruity, Malt, Passion Fruit, Peach, Smooth, Tangy, Tropical Fruit
Oooo—mangosteen! Wow. Well done, you!
I find mangosteen and passionfruit overlap in flavour.
Yep! That’s why I felt it would be a safe choice, given how much I adore this company’s passion fruit flavour. I only picked up tropical fruit teas, and there are so many I eventually want to try..
Also, bonus – when I finally get down to the post office, all these 100gs of tea “share” well. Just a warning..
Did you ever get a chance to try a “fresher” mangosteen when you worked in China? I sadly forgot to prioritize that when I did some travelling around Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Vietnam, Singapore). One of my deepest regrets, that :P
Hahaha, with the post office. :)
I had a fresh fruit hut/shop close to my apartment and I was there every couple of days. Mangosteen was either in season or always available because I was buying it all the time.
I don’t recall much, if any, exposure to it in Thailand or Vietnam. (But i don’t recall fruit shops there either.). Most of my fruit-gobbling was done at the fruit carving carts—pineapple and mango mostly. I do remember jackfruit and durian there, but I can’t recall when I got it.
Haven’t been to Singapore yet.
My big regret is not having been into or knowledgeable about tea when I was in Yunnan. Of course, all over China too, but especially when I was in Yunnan.
Ooh, I’ve never had mangosteen, but now I’m intrigued to add this to my cart!
Sweet – you will be in a good position to assess this “mangosteen” tea then! The only fresh fruit that I can recall trying was durian (I’d love to see that as a flavoured tea hehe). I didn’t spend very long in Singapore, Vietnam, etc and would love to go back. So much food and tea. :)
That’s such a cool experience! I’d love to explore Yunnan one day(and everywhere).. and I’ve similar feelings re- spending nearly a month in Japan with an unlimited train pass, and not checking out various green tea spots… Because I’d yet to realize how much I love their green teas. Regrets, always.
@Courtney – if you like passion fruit (especially DF’s treatment of it) or fruit in general you may enjoy this one.
I adore passionfruit, so I have already gone and added this one haha!
I remember one company which do only tea bags having mangosteen tea. I think it was combined with black currant.
I never had it on my own and oh, this tea sounds delicious.
Ooooh, black currant and mangosteen sounds like a winning combo if it’s done properly. Thank you for mentioning that, Martin. It’s made my morning just that much better.
CrowKettle, I was only in Yunnan province for about two weeks. Not nearly enough time to see the things and places I wanted to see. I loved it though.
And yes, I’d love to explore everywhere too. To see and eat all the things.
@Martin Bednář, mangosteen + black currant sounds like it could be so good! Even if only the black currant came through I’d be happy haha.
I had a Mangosteen Matcha a million years ago. It was pleasant but wasn’t accurate.
Has anyone made a truly great black currant black tea?
Erm, There was a local company in Vancouver (Steam Tea House?) that had a basic one. I don’t see it or their maple on the site anymore though.. Bulk Barn’s wasn’t terrible either? (lolol)I think EG-esque “Thé de Lune” has notes of black currant (which is why I like it) – but it’s MF so it tastes like various different things to different people, with no consensus.
Long story short: no, I can’t think of any definite showstoppers.
Thank you for mulling this over aloud. Too bad. One of my favourite flavours.
—goes to check what the deal is with black currant and DF.
I was really excited to order this, because I don’t think I have ever seen a mangosteen tea before. If I’m being honest, my experience with mangosteen has been limited to a Greek yogurt with a mangosteen add in, and I liked that.
The funny part was, I mentioned this to my daughter (19, tea lover) and she asked me what mangosteen tastes like, and I had no idea what to tell her. So I went to Google and typed in, “What does mangosteen taste like?” What I learned is that unless a person has eaten one in Asia, fresh, they have no idea. It seems that mangosteen flavoring doesn’t taste anything like the actual fruit, and mangosteens don’t travel well enough for anyone on this side of the world to have the actual experience. I saw a funny anecdote that Queen Victoria offered a large cash award to anyone who could get one to her in pristine condition, and no one ever collected the money.
So anyway, it’s a nice tea. A little fruity, definite black base. Worth trying but maybe not a reorder for me.
Having been to China during mangosteen season: they taste amazing. A fresh light sweet with a touch of floral and “tropical”. Almost like a really good high mountain oolong minus the “green” flavor! I ate them up!
I have found “fresh” mangosteen at an Asian market before. They were pretty good and were a juicy version of the freeze dried ones that Trader Joe’s once had. Interesting to find it in a tea!
