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Cameron B. drank Random Steepings by Various Artists

4330 tasting notes

DIY Herbal Infusion Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 2
Name: Elements: Water
Ingredients: Labrador tea, blueberry, lavender, wintergreen, hibiscus
Movie: Trading Places

Apparently I forgot to write a tasting note again, lol! I guess I must’ve gotten distracted because I wrote an Instagram post for this blend. Anyway…

I really like Labrador tea as a more mellow alternative to stronger evergreen ingredients like pine, cedar, or juniper. Really well-suited to a nighttime cuppa, where the others might be a bit much before bed. Enjoyed it with the juicy blueberry, with a touch of hibiscus added to give a bit of dimension and bring out the tangier notes of the berries. Wintergreen adds sweetness and a refreshing quality, along with a nice cooling finish. And then lavender, for some reason I just felt like adding it LOL. To shake it up a bit, I guess ha ha.

As for how it’s related to water, I guess the combination of the woodsy, sweet, and refreshing notes was inspired by a cool, wild mountain stream. I would say, I think the final version had a touch too much wintergreen, and it made it a bit more difficult to taste the Labrador tea and lavender. But still a lovely cuppa, and my sister liked it too!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDGdtGMOsjI/

Flavors: Blueberry, Cooling, Earthy, Evergreen, Fresh, Juicy, Lavender, Menthol, Spring Water, Sweet, Tart, Wintergreen, Woodsy

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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2 comments

whosbradpitt
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I’m quite curious about a tea named Labrador, since I’m sure it’s not supposed to invoke imagery of wet dog and yet that’s where my mind goes.

Cameron B.
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Ha ha, yeah here in the States, the mind definitely goes straight to Labrador Retriever LMAO! Thankfully it does not taste doggy in the slightest. :P

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whosbradpitt
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I’m quite curious about a tea named Labrador, since I’m sure it’s not supposed to invoke imagery of wet dog and yet that’s where my mind goes.

Cameron B.
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Ha ha, yeah here in the States, the mind definitely goes straight to Labrador Retriever LMAO! Thankfully it does not taste doggy in the slightest. :P

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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