Cameron B. select Send Message

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Cameron B. drank Tangerine Dream (formerly Arabesque) by August Uncommon Tea

4321 tasting notes

Sipdown! (2 | 349)

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge (November) – “A tea the flavor of a favorite cake”

Okay, so it’s not really a normal cake flavor, but I looooove orange cake! Little Debbie used to make orange-flavored zebra cakes, and I miss them so much. The sweet orange just goes so well with vanilla frosting for those yummy creamsicle vibes.

Anyway, this is a nice enough lovely orange-vanilla tea. The orange is sweet, like those jelly orange slices. A little more zestiness or tartness would be nice, actually. The vanilla is decadent and creamy, while simultaneously reminding me of a marshmallow. I definitely get the aromatic woodiness that I guess is from the jatoba, and it does remind me somewhat of sandalwood (as the description promises).

I think my only issue with this tea is the base is a Chinese sencha, and it just tastes like slightly grassy nothing. It’s not offensive per se, it just makes the flavoring overall taste too strong because it lacks the flavor to support it. So I probably won’t reorder it, but enjoyed my pouch! Also, I could see this making a lovely perfume…

Flavors: Candy, Creamy, Floral, Grass, Marshmallow, Orange, Perfume, Sandalwood, Smooth, Sweet, Vanilla, Woody

Preparation

175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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3 comments

Kelmishka
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I agree re: the sencha! I was just drinking this one the other day and wishing the base were a little stronger.

tea-sipper
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I am a real bad sucker for Little Debbie snacks. Never tried the orange zebras though!

Cameron B.
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I wish they were still around! I think Hostess made an orange cupcake at one point, but it wasn’t nearly as good. :(

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Comments

Kelmishka
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I agree re: the sencha! I was just drinking this one the other day and wishing the base were a little stronger.

tea-sipper
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I am a real bad sucker for Little Debbie snacks. Never tried the orange zebras though!

Cameron B.
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I wish they were still around! I think Hostess made an orange cupcake at one point, but it wasn’t nearly as good. :(

Profile

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! ~
- January sipdowns: 34
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 34

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