618 Tasting Notes
Still finishing up some of these teabags since I’ve been sipping on other teas. I am excited that this is another rooibos blend – always a nice caffeine treat to have at the end of the day. This one smells very much like strong, tangy orange and cinnamon. A little concerning.. but I’ll give it a try!
Sipping… I’m surprised that the flavor is a bit weak considering how strong the scent is. I taste something similar to Fruit Stripe gum in the sip and then regular bubblegum in the aftertaste. I do detect some orange, but everything else that is included in the blend is lost for me. It’s not a bad blend and it’s reasonably tasty, but the flavor combination is weird and a little confusing.
December 18 – Advent 2014
I enjoy a creamy vanilla rooibos, but I am very particular. Vanilla and rooibos, to me, need to be of really nice quality especially if there aren’t other flavors/ingredients involved. I thought this tea was decent, but not my favorite vanilla rooibos. The vanilla was sweet and actually rather strong. There was something about it that I didn’t really enjoy, though. Perhaps it was the aftertaste that ended up being a little too funky. The rooibos was also equally as strong, quite woody and a tad medicinal (I think as a result of the funky vanilla). I am very happy to have tried this one, but wouldn’t purchase more in the future.
When I saw this pop up on DavidsTea’s website, I knew that I had to buy some! I love eggnog and I love rooibos blends. Eggnog isn’t something I feel good about drinking once I’ve finished a glass, but it is a seasonal treat that I do like to have each year.
This tea smelled very much like eggnog right out of the bag. I was pleased to see all of the little white chocolate chips, too! Once water has been added, this tea smells much more like nutmeg and rooibos. It’s a little concerning for me as I’m not a big fan of eggnog with nutmeg or nutmeg in general. Sipping… well, this is a bit disappointing. It’s seems like this is very watery despite how much of the blend I actually added. It’s mostly a watery and sweet rooibos with a bit of nutmeg on top. I wish I could get more of that creamy, rich eggnog flavor, but this tea just doesn’t have it.
Next time I make a cup, I think I might add more leaf and add a few more minutes onto the steep time. I haven’t given up on this blend yet!
I can’t really believe that it’s the last tea of the calendar. I still have quite a few to drink still.. But it’s hard to believe that Christmas is tomorrow!
I smell mostly cherry and the black tea base. I can’t smell the pineapple or orange… Maybe they’ll be more evident in flavor.
Sipping… First I taste the cherry, then the black tea, followed by a very light pineapple note. It’s nice, but doesn’t really make me think Christmas. I suppose it faintly reminds me of a fruit cake.. But the flavors aren’t all that festive in my mind.
Here’s to a safe and happy Christmas Eve!
December 24 – Advent 2014
This blend smells a little funky. It’s quite heavy on the fruit and light on the spices. Certainly not a bad thing as I prefer my spices to be in the background.
Sipping… I taste juicy fruit gum and that strange “doughy” thing that I get in some of Dammann’s other blends. It’s not bad, but it’s sort of a fruity and strange blob that sits on my tongue. I can’t pick anything out, unfortunately. I think this blend reminds me of a cup of juice in that it tastes decent, but lacks any sort of dimension.
December 23 – Advent 2014
I am drinking this cup of tea while wrapping my Christmas gifts; one of my favorite things… :)
I was excited to try this tea because it sounded like it was a most delicious combination of fruits. Now that I’m sipping it, it’s perhaps a bit too subtle. I don’t taste individual fruits, but more of a medley, similar to fruit leather. It is tasty, but perhaps not a re-purchase for me. As always, happy to have tried this one!
December 16 – Advent 2014
This tea smells very sweet – hints of apple and cherry…? There is something in this that reminds my nose of a past memory and I can’t put my finger on it. Nevertheless, I’m excited to try this one since it’s such a unique blend.
Sipping… I taste the apple first followed by the smooth black tea. I taste something that reminds me of cinnamon in the background. It almost reminds me of an apple drink I’d have during the fall, but it’s not quite there. I’m not sure if I dislike apple teas or if the ones I’ve had haven’t been that great. Maybe apple is just a difficult flavor to work with in the tea world. The apple flavor is too fake for me, but I do appreciate how unique this blend is.
December 20 – Advent 2014
Eh.. still so far behind with the calendar, but I’m trying! This one doesn’t smell like much out of the bag and it’s just as subtle in the cup, in my opinion.
Eh.. still so far behind with the calendar, but I’m trying! This one doesn’t smell like much out of the bag and it’s just as subtle in the cup, in my opinion.It reminds me very much of Charlotte au Chocolat with a stronger nut note. It’s strange, but I’m not picking up on the apricot, pineapple or orange rinds. It’s a bit more drying in the mouth than some of the other black teas I’ve had from Dammann. Not a favorite, but a decent cup for this evening.
Eh.. still so far behind with the calendar, but I’m trying! This one doesn’t smell like much out of the bag and it’s just as subtle in the cup, in my opinion.It reminds me very much of Charlotte au Chocolat with a stronger nut note. It’s strange, but I’m not picking up on the apricot, pineapple or orange rinds. It’s a bit more drying in the mouth than some of the other black teas I’ve had from Dammann. Not a favorite, but a decent cup for this evening.December 19 – Advent 2014
A special tea for my birthday today!
I was a little nervous to be trying this tea only because it has spruce needles in it and it smells like Christmas potpourri… definitely something you wouldn’t want to drink. I love the little snowflake sprinkles, though. They add such a nice touch! Once the tea has steeped, it smells sweeter, softer and mostly like orange peel.
Sipping… I first taste a very sweet almond flavor that reminds me of.. surprise… cake! The finish is where the orange peel comes out. It’s not an orange flavor, but really the bitter orange peel. I don’t taste much of the spruce needles, but perhaps they are lending something to the cup that I am not aware of.
I’m very glad to have tried this tea and it will be a nice companion this December. It’s certainly a very festive blend! I don’t know if I love it enough to repurchase, but I’ll enjoy it this year.
The scent of this tea reminds me of Fruit Stripe gum. I also get this weird mint that pops through occasionally. I love the pretty white and pink/red flowers that are mixed in with the white tea. Very festive!
Sipping… this tea actually tastes a little bit like Fruit Stripe gum to me, but with the addition of a white tea base. There is something a little tingly in the tail end of the sip, that makes me think of spices.. but it’s so faint that I don’t really notice it. While this tea has lovely flavors, it’s very delicate. I do wish that it had a little more strength.
December 14 – Advent 2014