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Cameron B. drank Elderberry White Tea by The Whistling Kettle

4330 tasting notes

Still working through these samples from The Whistling Kettle. I really need to go back there, the food was divine… Anyway! I’m not entirely sure why I bought this one, I guess maybe because the flavors are unusual. It looks to be a shou mei (aka cheapo white tea) base and there are dried elderberries and white and pink flower petals mixed in. It smells very candylike and oddly effervescent, like champagne candy. I’m unsure whether that’s a thing or not, but it’s what the scent makes me think of.

The steeped tea smells much better, I can actually smell the hay-like white tea base and there’s a slight effervescent berry accent. This is an odd one. To be fair, I don’t have any idea what arionaberry tastes like. This is going to sound weird, but to me, this tastes like dill-flavored white tea. And it comes off as a bit effervescent, so it’s almost like dill-flavored champagne in a way? Very strange. Not horrible, but not great either.

Flavors: Dill, Hay, Herbs

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing