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70
drank Caramel Vanilla Assam by Butiki Teas
303 tasting notes

This is one I really wanted to love a lot – it sounds like it’s made for me, and it smells like it’s made for me. There is no end to how luscious this tea smells in the bag. It’s not quite up there with Lupicia’s Cookie or Mariage Frères Mariage Impérial, but it’s seriously good, nonetheless. There’s caramel, vanilla and the lush, malty tea base.

It brews up rich and dark – most of the depth of the scent of the dry leaf is lost in the steep for me. Flavour wise, I do get most of the notes from the bag, but it’s just so subtle. If I’d tried this before any Mariage Frères or Lupicia teas with similar flavourings, such as the two mentioned above, I would have been completely sold. At this stage of my tea safari, though, there’s just no need for a tea this delicate.

This is beautifully put together, the base tea is silky smooth, and it’s definitely high up on the list of the Butiki must-tries. That much said, there’s no room for it in my permanent collection.

[From my Butiki order to Santa Clara, October 2013.]
Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec
9 comments
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Fjellrev
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I so hear you. I really wanted to love this one too but it’s not just doing it for me.

Anna
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Thank you for your support during this difficult time.

Fjellrev
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It truly is. I nearly cried real tears.

Ysaurella
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complicated after Wedding Impérial…sure I understand even if I liked this one too, but WI remains my “chouchou”

Anna
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Fjellrev: There’s a reason they’re called tea-rs, after all.

Ysaurella: Aww, right, WI is your special friend, I forgot about that. <3

Kamyria
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Hmmm… this is the one I’m waiting for Butiki to restock because I really want to try it.

Sil
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WI is amazing. That is all.

Dag Wedin
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What is WI? :)

Tea Pet
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WI is Wedding Impérial :)

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Comments

Fjellrev
Delete

I so hear you. I really wanted to love this one too but it’s not just doing it for me.

Anna
Delete

Thank you for your support during this difficult time.

Fjellrev
Delete

It truly is. I nearly cried real tears.

Ysaurella
Delete

complicated after Wedding Impérial…sure I understand even if I liked this one too, but WI remains my “chouchou”

Anna
Delete

Fjellrev: There’s a reason they’re called tea-rs, after all.

Ysaurella: Aww, right, WI is your special friend, I forgot about that. <3

Kamyria
Delete

Hmmm… this is the one I’m waiting for Butiki to restock because I really want to try it.

Sil
Delete

WI is amazing. That is all.

Dag Wedin
Delete

What is WI? :)

Tea Pet
Delete

WI is Wedding Impérial :)

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.

Location

Rome, Italy

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