250 Tasting Notes
Short review because I am exhausted, but I just HAD to post about this tea before bed.
I am not a straight rooibos fan, which is ironic considering I married a South African and when we’re around his family they basically breathe rooibos day-and-night. Me, can’t stand it straight, too sweet, not enough “ooumph” that real tea has. Maybe one has to be weaned on it from infanthood to truly appreciate it? Or maybe, as my in-laws always point out, the rooibos here in Canada just isn’t the same as the rooibos back home. Hmmm, okay then?
Wow, this post is getting waaaay longer than I intended! Alright, onto this tea! I can really add nothing new, merely reiterate what has already been stated. This tea is rooibos wrapped in an enigma enshrouded in amaretto-y goodness. I like my rooibos highly flavoured (ie: Cinnamon Chai Rooibos and Coco Chai Rooibos), with the rooibos barely detectable, but adding it’s signature sweetness, body, and red colour to the brew. This tea is a wonderfully flavoured rooibos, you can steep it for AGES and it never goes bitter or strong. Now let’s hope they make it permanent!
Preparation
It’s been a rough week thus far, and we’re only at monday! Whyyyyyy??
No, no, we’re not going to wish our days away, we’re going to savour each and every one we get. Right? I’m in a bit of a funk because in a month it’ll be Christmas and it’s not that I am sad about that. No, no… I’m sad because my baby girl will be turning a year old on Xmas Eve and it feels like time is just flying by too fast! One moment I’m holding a wrinkly newborn in my arms, the next she’s motoring around the apartment attempting to unpack the newly washed laundry!
When I’m feeling nostalgic I reach for good, old Strawberry White. Reminds me of a simpler time: newly married, no baby, life was less hectic, and even though I am happy with where things are now I drink this tea and it immediately relaxes me! Plus it tastes just as good cold, which is inevitable with a busy baby around to make one forget about the cup of tea they just steeped.
Preparation
I don’t know if you,ve heard about it, but Strawberry white is leaving the permanent collection soon! Bye bye, lovely strawberry white! But they say they’ll bring back somehting similar!
I was in-store today and asked about that, they said that it was being “reblended”… whatever that means?
Had a rough day yesterday at a local craft fair, in which I have a booth. The only sales I’m making so far are to friends and family… but I could do that without having to rent a booth! So, I’m barely covering my costs at the moment.
Let’s hope today goes better, and this time I’ll be bringing a large carafe of this tea to keep me going while everyone just passes me by…
Preparation
Don’t think that way – if you look like you have no hope, there’s even less chance of a potential client stopping by! Best of luck today, and have fun (or at least have a good tea).
PS All the serious big buyers go to craft fairs on Sundays ;)
Today wasn’t as busy, but I managed to sell a piece of artwork that put me at +$25 above the costs. Not bad… unfortunately the sale was only friday & saturday.
Congrats on the sell!
The stove exploded on me today, need something to calm my nerves… ah, kabusecha.
Preparation
Hmmmm… I’m having a hard time making a decision about this tea. Do I like it? Do I not like it?
Part of me is completely put off by the overly-floral smell. With every sip I have to hold my breath it’s that overwhelming! Once I get past that though the tea isn’t bad: a nice light black tea, not heavy or thick, but can come off as soapy if I smell it while drinking. The smell… ugh…
Preparation
Looking through my cupboard I realised something today, I haven’t reviewed this tea yet!
Here goes: Let me just say that I am an Earl Grey Snob. Capital ‘S’. I take my Earl Grey’s very seriously, which has led to the conclusion that Numi’s Aged Earl Grey is the closest to perfection I will ever get. I’ve tried them all: Twinnings (tastes like cardboard, it kills me when cafe’s try and charge me $5 for a London Fog made with it. Kills. Me.), Tazo (both the loose tea bags—meh—and the old school teabags—really good in London Fogs), Rishi (a bit too potent, but we will get to that in a second), Two Leaves & a Bud (not bad, but not great either, take it over Twinnings in a heartbeat!), Second Cup (orange flavouring?? Really?!)… but I digress.
My sister loves this tea. Loves it. Every time she comes over it is the tea she asks for, I should probably just breakdown and buy her some, but then I’d have to mail it to Halifax, yatta, yatta, yatta. Anyways, back to this tea: it’s alright on it’s own with a dash of sweetener, I usually use raw brown sugar.
In a latte though, holy shamoles! I tend to blend in a little, teensy bit of the Rishi Earl Grey, just to pump up the bergamot a bit. Otherwise, if you are like me and Enjoy a good London Fog then this is your tea! Capital ‘E’.
Preparation
Absolutely agree 100%!!!
I made the mistake of ordering a “Holiday London Fog” from second cup the other day… I guess it was my fault ordering something with such an elusive name – what could “Holiday” mean? Well, it meant they put cherry syrup in it instead of vanilla, or maybe it’s in the teabag itself, either way it tastes like someone dumped half a jar of maraschino cherry liquid into warm milk. So needless to say I don’t recommend it, but I don’t think you were in danger of ordering it in the first place haha.
Ironically enough, I worked at Second Cup a year ago, but could never have their London Fogs—regular or holiday. The regular Earl Grey has bergamot PLUS mandarin (I firmly believe it should only ever just be bergamot), while the holiday London Fog is made the same way, just the tea is different: Cherry and citrus black tea. I always brought my own teabags since I could never tolerate the tea there… that’s how much of a snob I am!
Okay good to know!! haha oh dear, well I’m still enamored with their hot chocolate’s, so I will stick to them from now on :)
Me too, nothing beats their white hot chocolate… mmmm…
