70
drank Vanilla Rooibos Parfait by Tazo
1737 tasting notes

So my friend was late, presenting me with the opportunity for a second refill at Starbucks this afternoon. I decided to venture out of my Refresh comfort zone and try Vanilla Rooibos Parfait once again.

The last time I tried this tea, I had very low expectations—as in: fully prepared to toss the contents of my cup. Honestly, the name just sounded repulsive to me. Would it be some horrible foodish atrocity? No, it was not. Far from it, in fact.

I would love to know how many tries it took the folks at Tazo to come up with this blend. The various components harmonize well together and definitely were not thrown together hastily.

Today, too, I was happy with the brew, even though my evaluation no longer was skewed by my negative expectations. I remembered that I had really enjoyed the cup last time (also while in a Starbucks), and so I was expecting to once again, and I did.

This might even be my favorite rooibos tea. Of course, it’s important to bear in mind that I’m not the biggest fan of rooibos infusions, being one of those who prefers blends in which the taste of rooibos is camouflaged by something more appealing. In Vanilla Rooibos Parfait, it’s partly the vanilla, but the brew is also sweet because of licorice root and dried fruits, and spicy because of cinnamon. Chamomile also adds some extra interest. Again, I realize that it sounds like a mess, but somehow it works!

I add no adulterants to this infusion, and it tastes sweet and creamy anyway!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 7 min, 0 sec

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I have fallen off the “tea log boat”, as I am now in New Zealand and was really flailing about for a while, having depleted all of my Chinese and Japanese green tea supply! Fortunately, my first order of 2015 has now arrived! I should begin writing very soon about tea at my new blog, sherapop’s tea leaves. Please stop by and contribute your ideas—all viewpoints are welcome!

A long-time tea and perfume lover, I have recently begun to explore the intersections between the two at my blog: http://salondeparfum-sherapop.blogspot.com//

The scent of tea can be just as appealing as—sometimes more than—its taste! Tea also offers boundless visual beauty in its various forms and states of preparation.

A few words about my ratings. In assessing both teas and perfumes, my evaluation is “all things considered.” Teas do not differ very much in price (relative to perfumes or any luxury items), so I do not usually consider the price when rating a tea.

What I do consider is how the particular tea compares to teas of its own type. So I might give a high rating to a fine herbal infusion even though I would never say that it is my favorite TEA. But if it’s good for what it is, then it deserves a high rating. There is no point in wishing that a chamomile blend was an Assam or a sencha tea!

Any rating below 50 means that I find the liquid less desirable to drink than plain water. I may or may not finish the cup, depending upon how thirsty I am and whether there is another hot beverage or (in summertime) a source of fresh water available.

From 50 to 60 indicates that, while potable, the tea is not one which I would buy or repurchase, if I already made the mistake (I have learned) of purchasing it.

From 60 to 70 means that the tea is drinkable but I have criticisms of some sort, and I probably would not purchase or repurchase the tea as I can think of obvious alternatives which would be better.

From 70 to 80 is a solid brew which I would purchase again.

From 80 to 90 is good stuff, and I probably need to have some ready at hand in my humble abode.

From 90 to 100 is a tea (or infusion) which I have come to depend on and look forward to imbibing again and again—if possible!

If you are interested in perfume, you might like my 2400+ perfume reviews, most of which have been archived at sherapop’s sillage (essentially my perfumelog):

http://sherapop.blogspot.com/

Finally, please note that after a great deal of debate with myself, I have decided to use the cupboard here at Steepster as a “museum” of sorts—to commemorate all of the various teas which I have purchased and truly enjoyed since December 2013.

I do not currently possess all of the teas listed in this cupboard, but am using the function as a way of recording how many times I drank every tea which I did own at some point and wish not to forget. Teas found both in my “cupboard” and on my “wishlist” are those which I did own and intend to restock. Teas best forgotten have been removed from the cupboard once depleted (in some cases tossed…).

I have also decided (beginning in 2015) to use the tasting note function to maintain a chronological record of the teas I’ve consumed since December 15, 2013. Most new reviews will now be posted directly at my blog, sherapop’s tea leaves.

Location

Curio Bay, South Island, New Zealand

Website

http://salondeparfum-sherapop...

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