drank 2018 Hot Brandy by white2tea
4161 tasting notes

Sipdown! (63 | 337)

This was one of a few teas I still have from a white2tea order in early 2019. They were in my backstock bin of unopened teas, where things tend to get forgotten about, so I pulled a couple of black teas out to work through as my first tea of the day.

This one… I kind of felt like I was missing something? At least based on the other tasting notes for it. I steeped it western, as gong fu just isn’t really my jam at the current moment. And don’t get me wrong, it’s pleasant and enjoyable and all that, I just don’t find it all that special? It’s a combination of black and white teas, so I get some flavors from both, but somehow I would rather have either one of those on its own. It has some pleasant barnyard, musty hay sort of notes from the white tea along with the breadier, woodier black tea with hints of stonefruit in there.

Anyway, enjoyed it but not something I would repurchase. It is also four years old at this point so I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the nuances have faded.

Flavors: Apricot, Bread, Dried Fruit, Earth, Fruity, Hay, Mineral, Musty, Stonefruit, Straw, Sweet, Tart, Wood

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 5 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Mateusz

I tried the 2021 pressing and also thought I was missing something.

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Mateusz

I tried the 2021 pressing and also thought I was missing something.

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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… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- November sipdowns: 13
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 156

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.

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

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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