4330 Tasting Notes
Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 8
This one was, unfortunately, just okay. I love chocolate and orange together, and I always have to get a dark chocolate Terry’s orange during the holidays he he. But this mostly tasted like honeybush. I get it, there are no flavorings, so the only added flavor is coming from orange peel and cacao nibs. But there just wasn’t enough of it for me, especially the chocolate. I could taste a light orange note, especially toward the beginning of the sip, but no cacao at all.
Oh well, good thing I like honeybush! :P
Flavors: Biscuit, Citrus, Orange, Smooth, Sweet, Tart, Woody
Preparation
Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 8
Quite possibly the most boring strawberry green tea ever, lol! The green tea itself doesn’t taste fresh, more of a dry grass / leafy vibe. And then the strawberry is super mellow and definitely candylike. Maybe a hint of cocoa?
So yeah, it’s a slightly strawberry-flavored subpar green tea. Not great ha ha. Plus I feel like the name is a bit misleading since it appears to be a chocolate strawberry green tea? No crème in sight. XD
Luckily, the jam is lovely today! It’s Lemon-Elderflower Spread and it’s just so fresh and bright. I was afraid it would be bitter, but it’s not at all. Fresh lemon juice with the effervescence of elderflower!
Flavors: Artificial, Candy, Cocoa, Dry Grass, Dry Leaves, Hay, Musty, Strawberry
Preparation
DIY Herbal Infusion Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 7
Name: Bouquet d’Or
Ingredients: chrysanthemum, chamomile, osmanthus, elderflower
Movie: Arthur Christmas
Really enjoyed this one last night. Such a soft and relaxing blend of yellow florals. Osmanthus was actually the strongest for me, with its honey-sweet apricot notes. Then chamomile and chrysanthemum in equal measure, giving mellow pollen and a touch of peppery earthiness. I’m not sure I noticed the elderflower, but since I was watching a movie I wasn’t paying the closest attention lol. A nice one, would make this again!
Flavors: Apricot, Chamomile, Chrysanthemum, Earthy, Floral, Honey, Light, Nectar, Osmanthus, Pepper, Pollen, Smooth, Soft, Sweet, Wildflowers
Preparation
Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 7
A turmeric infusion, how exciting… XD
Yep, it’s turmeric. The ginger comes in with a bite at the end of the sip, but otherwise I don’t taste any cinnamon or lemongrass. Just earthy turmeric with a spicy finish. Best thing I can say about it is that I’m happy to have it out of the way. XD
Flavors: Earthy, Ginger, Roots, Spicy, Turmeric
Preparation
knittingopera Swap Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 7 (my pick)
Theme: Sugar & Spice
Her pick: Hot Cinnamon Spice from Harney & Sons
Totally different from Marjorie’s pick today, ha ha! But they do both have cinnamon.
This is a fave for me, it’s just such a nice mellow and lightly sweet cinnamon/anise combo with that subtle earthiness of the green chile, all on a smooth green base. I’ve never really tasted the cacao, but it’s not needed. I feel like every time I drink this, I like it even more! :P
Flavors: Anise, Chili, Cinnamon, Earthy, Savory, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
knittingopera Swap Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 7
Theme: Sugar & Spice
My pick: Green Chile Biscochito from Old Barrel Tea Co.
An absolute classic today from Harney! Liquid Red Hots ha ha. Normally I don’t even like sweet teas, yet for some reason this one is an exception. It’s so sweet ha ha, and yet it’s like a guilty pleasure tea for me. I have a tin in my cupboard right now!
I usually have it with milk, but today I decided to try it with oat nog. No regrets, LOL! It didn’t really make it much sweeter (because it’s already so sweet) but I love the addition of the nutmeg with the cinnamon. Just cozy and warm and all the holiday feels. :3
Flavors: Candy, Cinnamon, Sugar, Sweet
Preparation
Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 7
I enjoy black currant, but for some reason I’m never enthused by the idea of it as a standalone tea flavor. I don’t know why, because I do really enjoy it. I guess I find single-flavor teas sort of boring? Unless it’s a really unique flavor.
This is lovely though. I think it’s the right amount of flavoring, and it’s the classic black currant with a balance of rich, syrupy, and deep berry with a side of tang. To be clear, the flavor itself isn’t tangy, as in tart, but I guess I find black currant to have a tangy element. If that makes any sense at all, lol! The base is pretty boring, smooth and a bit earthy.
On to Bonne Maman! I was really excited when I saw today’s Wild Blueberry-Maple Syrup Spread. Tasting it plain, I could definitely detect the sweet mineral quality of the (true) maple syrup, and a pleasant woodiness. However, when I ate it on my toast, I would’ve thought it was plain blueberry jam. Tasty though! It was a bit too sweet plain, but I think the bit of salted butter on the toast brought out some nice tart notes.
Flavors: Berry, Black Currant, Earthy, Rich, Smooth, Sweet, Syrupy
Preparation
DIY Herbal Infusion Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 6
Name: Banana Caramel
Ingredients: honeybush, banana, genmai, fenugreek seed
Movie: Home Alone
It’s honestly crazy how much I could taste the ripe banana in this, just from the freeze-dried pieces. It was almost too much banana ha ha, as it added a lot of sweetness. So cozy and delicious though, with the nutty toasted rice and the maple-like fenugreek seed giving the sensation of caramel. I usually prefer underripe bananas (and hate eating super ripe ones), but I thought the riper banana vibe was perfect for this, and had a nice creaminess. A little pinch of cinnamon might be nice here too… Ooh, now I’m thinking banana stroopwafel blend!
Flavors: Banana, Caramel, Creamy, Maple, Maple Syrup, Rich, Smooth, Sweet, Toasted Rice, Toasty
Preparation
Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 6
Oh boy… I was dreading this one after cutting open the packet and it smelling so strongly of bubblegum, ha ha.
But it’s not actually that horrible steeped up. The hibiscus helps to tame the bubblegum a little bit, and it’s a bit weak (with 8 ounces of water for ~2 teaspoons? how?!) so there’s not that strong of a bubblegum flavor to begin with.
I wouldn’t go out and buy it, but I did finish the mug, and that’s more than I expected. XD
Flavors: Artificial, Bubblegum, Candy, Hibiscus, Sweet, Tart, Thin, Watery
