Cameron B. select Send Message

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Cameron B. drank Coffee Pu'erh by DAVIDsTEA

4330 tasting notes

Sipdown! (40 | 76)

Picked this one up with a reward, as I always have DT rewards lying around from teaware purchases. And I do like coffee teas, and this one came highly recommended from several tea people I follow, most notably Tea with Jann.

So I tried it plain first, and I’m just not a fan. It tastes overly artificial to me, in a cloying way, even though it’s not sweetened. I think it might be the almond flavoring that’s giving me that impression? So I sipped through the rest of the bag as a latte, and even that’s not my favorite either. The milk definitely helps to smooth out some of that artificial taste, or maybe it just makes more sense in a latte format.

Anyway, definitely not one I would reorder. I just don’t seem to mesh well with DT’s blending/flavoring style, so I think I’ll stick to their Garden to Cup collection when using my rewards from now on. I have a bag of Butterfly Jasmine that I’m excited to try now that I’ve finished this off!

Flavors: Amaretto, Artificial, Coffee, Earthy, Smooth, Sweet, Thick, Vanilla

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 5 tsp 12 OZ / 354 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