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Cameron B. drank Winter Cabin by Old Barrel Tea Co

4320 tasting notes

More Old Barrel teas!

So this one was another one that Stacey from As The Tea Brews was raving about. Generally I’m not the biggest fan of chocolate-mint teas, or chocolate teas in general. But this has so many other interesting things going on – puerh base, coffee, oak chips?! – that I had to order it anyway. Plus it has cacao shells, which always help give a more natural chocolaty note.

I gotta say, I’m so glad I ordered this. It tastes like a wonderful combination of Andes mints and chocolate-covered coffee beans. Everything is so well-balanced and I taste the chocolate, coffee, and mint pretty much equally. The puerh base is a perfect choice, and it really helps the chocolate to taste rich and dark. I’m not sure whether I’m tasting the oak chips, since the puerh already has that earthy-woody thing going on. Maybe a little bit in the finish?

Anyway, this is a wonderful tea. I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes chocolate-mint or mocha and is okay with having coffee in their tea. And again, I’m sure it would be wonderful as a latte! So far, these puerh blends from Old Barrel are knocking it out of the park for me.

Flavors: Chocolate, Cocoa, Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Earthy, Mint, Peppermint, Roasted, Smooth, Sweet, Toasty, Woody

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

I Like This

18 likes

2 comments

Kelmishka
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I am so tempted to order this one…!

Cameron B.
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It’s so good! I’m a shameless enabler ha ha… I do wish Old Barrel offered smaller sample-ish sizes though, it’s a bit of a leap for me to order a 75g tin of something sight un…tasted.

People who liked this

Comments

Kelmishka
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I am so tempted to order this one…!

Cameron B.
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It’s so good! I’m a shameless enabler ha ha… I do wish Old Barrel offered smaller sample-ish sizes though, it’s a bit of a leap for me to order a 75g tin of something sight un…tasted.

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