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Cameron B. drank Earl Grey by Simpson & Vail

4330 tasting notes

Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 1

Happy December, tea friends! As usual, so excited to get going on these advent calendars.

This is a bit of a boring pick IMO, but I’m also not generally a plain Earl lover so that might contribute to my lack of enthusiasm. Also, happy to get the boring ones out of the way early on, heh heh…

It’s a nice enough tea, the base is flavorful but it’s not bitter or terribly astringent. Definitely tasting the Chinese black tea, and perhaps some acidic Ceylon and a touch of haylike Darjeeling. The bergamot toes the line between citrus and floral, and doesn’t taste perfumey or fake. A pleasant Earl, but obviously just not suited to my personal tastes.

Alongside, I had the Quince Spread from Day 1 of the Bonne Maman advent on some leftover Thanksgiving rolls, and it was lovely. Definitely a bit sweet for my tastes, but loved the rich honeyed flavor it had.

Flavors: Acidic, Bergamot, Citrus, Citrus Zest, Earthy, Floral, Hay, Malty, Metallic, Savory, Smooth, Thick

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 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