From the Bird & Blend October subscription box.
I admit, I find myself not loving smoky teas lately, and I also didn’t really enjoy the other Lapsang blend from this month. But I love elderberry, and gin is one of my favorite spirits, so this sounded very interesting to me. I had never heard of sloe gin before (which I suppose makes sense given it’s a British thing), but now I definitely need to try it! I love the taste of gin and the added plummy notes sound amazing.
Hmm, I actually quite like this one! The smoke is light and very pleasant, with a soft savory yet earthy flavor. The ginger goes very well here, and it is also well-balanced and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. I taste the elderberry in two ways – as a light tartness that lingers at the back of my palate throughout the sip, and also as a dark syrupy berry note that’s quite subtle and supports the other flavors well. I’m also getting a bit of pine, especially at the end of the sip, which really does remind me perfectly of the juniper in gin. Not sure if that’s an added flavor here, or just coming from the Lapsang, but it’s yummy.
Gin? Check. Elderberry? Check. Going on the wishlist? Check! :D
Flavors: Berry, Earth, Ginger, Jam, Pine, Smoke, Smooth, Tart, Wood
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I know lots of about alcohol, but this is first time I saw something about sloe gin and want to try it since then as well!
I know, it sounds so good! I definitely need to look for it at the liquor store… :D
Someone posted about sloe gin a few months ago-tea related. Sloe gin fizzes are wonderful, refreshing and highly intoxicating. My first hangover (and dear heavens it was horrendous) as a young teen was after drinking a lot of sloe gin fizzes. You can also drink it straight. In the U.K., it was considered ‘poor man’s port.’ Sloe berries are used to make it in Europe. In the U.S.A., beach plums are generally substituted. Since you are basically drinking flavored gin, it packs a punch. A good sloe gin has a scent of almonds and sometimes cinnamon sticks are added during distilling. And Cameron B. gin is often floavored with juniper so I bet that is exactly what you are tasting as the pine note.
Sloe gin fizz is definitely a drink I want to try. I’d sip this tea, too.
Don’t tell that twice derk, or I will include it to your, new, envelope :)
I know lots of about alcohol, but this is first time I saw something about sloe gin and want to try it since then as well!
I know, it sounds so good! I definitely need to look for it at the liquor store… :D
Someone posted about sloe gin a few months ago-tea related. Sloe gin fizzes are wonderful, refreshing and highly intoxicating. My first hangover (and dear heavens it was horrendous) as a young teen was after drinking a lot of sloe gin fizzes. You can also drink it straight. In the U.K., it was considered ‘poor man’s port.’ Sloe berries are used to make it in Europe. In the U.S.A., beach plums are generally substituted. Since you are basically drinking flavored gin, it packs a punch. A good sloe gin has a scent of almonds and sometimes cinnamon sticks are added during distilling. And Cameron B. gin is often floavored with juniper so I bet that is exactly what you are tasting as the pine note.
Sloe gin fizz is definitely a drink I want to try. I’d sip this tea, too.
Don’t tell that twice derk, or I will include it to your, new, envelope :)