75

311/365

Another of the Store Blends collection, this one (obviously!) for Bristol. It’s a green tea with apple and blackberry flavouring, and is pitched as an homage to cider. I can definitely taste apple – green, a little sharp, but also with an undertone of sweetness. I’m reminded of cider apples, so I guess that’s a positive! There’s not much in the way of blackberry, which is a little sad. It’s almost there in the background sweetness, but it doesn’t really manifest particularly well, or come across as clearly as I’d like it to. It’s an almost-but-not-quite kind of flavour, and that bugs me a bit.

The green base is smooth, maybe a little grassy but that works well with the apple. I feel like there’s some very light spicing going on; just a hint of cinnamon, perhaps? It all feels a bit ephemeral, if I’m honest – there are ghosts of flavours, but after the initial hit of apple (which is strong and clear) nothing really makes much of an impression.

You might get the impression from my comments so far that I don’t like this one, but I actually really do. I’d say it could be a potential favourite among those I’ve tried so far, but it’s hard to pinpoint why. There are things about it that irritate me, and I do wish that the blackberry was more prominent, but I love the apple, and the overall cider-esque flavour. It appeals to me as a fresh, crisp, autumnal blend and that’s pretty perfect for this time of year, fruitiness aside.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 45 sec 1 tsp
Cameron B.

I enjoyed this one as well, and I agree – very autumnal! ❤

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Cameron B.

I enjoyed this one as well, and I agree – very autumnal! ❤

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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