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Tea of the morning……

And tea 24 of 24! This one is from Dinosara, and I am in love. I don’t know what it is about this one. Usually I am not a fan when there are many flavors going on, but I am thoroughly impressed with the way Dammann Freres blends their tea into such a perfect cup. There are not ever any standouts…they are are blended together seamlessly. I can’t really say what exactly it is I am tasting, but it is delish! This company is definitely on my future order wish list!

Usual Mug method.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate. Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever brings your family and loved ones together this season, even if it is only to spend time with each other. May your travels be safe and uneventful, and your time blessed. And Happy New Year, too!

Tea of the afternoon…..

And tea 23 of 24. First of all, I have to say this has been a great way to encourage me to really tackle my sample stash. I also love that these samples were all basically gifted/swapped to me. It really makes me so thankful for this community where we all understand each other’s tea obsession. And that however you choose to drink it, it should make you happy. I have to admit in real life, there are only a few who get it. So, I would like to thank you all for sharing your tea, as well as your impressions of the tea you are drinking. The reviews have been invaluable in my tea journey. And this community has helped it along so much. Thank you!

This sample comes to me from ashmanra. She was generous enough to share her Harney greens with me. I really appreciate that, because it is a place I order often, and I am trying to drink more green tea. This particular tea is a lovely green with a light citrus and a light floral taste. It makes me think of Spring, even though there is a light dusting of snow on the ground today. I am enjoying this, but I think floral and green tea is not a combo that I would drink regularly. I still prefer the Tropical Green from Harney. (I have a sample of Bankok to try in the new year! I am so excited!)

Mug method, about 185 water, about 2 tsp tea, 3 minutes. Tasted without additions, then added a super light amount of sweetener just to bring out the flavors a little.

Tea of the afternoon…..

And tea 22 of 24. This one was sent by QuiltGuppy. Of course it has taken me way too long to try it.

It is my first darker oolong in a while. I am not sure I got enough leaf in my mug. I did get out the scale for prep and did 1 gram per cup, but I think I could have done iwth double the leaf for a stronger flavor. I did get fruity and nutty notes, but will have to try again to look for more nuances of this tea. It is definitely complex.

Mug method, about 190 water, 2 grams leaf, 3 minutes.

Tea of the morning….

EDIT TO ADD: Their delivery service is appalling. I cannot in good conscience give this tea a good rating. Service = 0, the tea was about an 80.

And likely my last pot for a while as it is gone and my refill is stuck in a warehouse somewhere. I was so fortunate to be able to make an order at their online store for some tea for myself as well as a gift for a friend. I thought I ordered in plenty of time Nov. 23. My invoice showed a delivery day of Dec. 8. I was pretty confident that would give me time to get the gift in the mail and off to where it was going in plenty of time for Christmas. The 8th came and went….and after a few emails with Customer Service at F&M, I found out that my order has not shipped out (on Dec.22) because they are having warehouse issues. Wow. It is a good thing I emailed, because there was no offer of this information. I know it is bad to review a place based upon one experience, but I am very disappointed. It will probably be my only order from them ever, and I will just have to enjoy other teas. For those considering an order, my suggestion is to plan way ahead. And maybe avoid the holidays all together. I would cancel my order, but the allure of orange marmalade with gold leaf in it celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee for my friend is just too cool…along with a commemorative tin of Jubilee Tea. Maybe by Valentine’s?

Tea of the completely wrong time of the day…..I don’t usually drink tea in the evening, so lets hope I can go to sleep later…..

Tea 21 of 24……..This is from Dinosara from her world travels, and I feel so lucky to have a chance to sample the teas she brought back from Paris. Thank you! I usually find blood orange to be overpowering, but in this tea it is perfectly balanced with the chocolate and the tea base. I could not detect the hazelnut as a standout flavor, but I do think it was kind of the flavor that smoothed all the other flavors together, rather than being able to taste each on its own. I am definitely much more impressed with the flavored teas from Dammann Freres than the flavored ones from Marriage Freres.

Tea of the morning…..

And tea 20 of 24. This one came from Batrachoid. Thank you!

I know I am always hesitant to try a bagged tea anymore, but really, I should just get over that. This is good. It kind of reminds me of the English Breakfast from Trader Joe’s. Good basic black tea that is still miles away from Lipton. It will never replace my Keemun for breakfast tea, but this travels so much better. The teabags look normal. (I always get a little self-conscious about the tea bags that you fill on your own. People are usually not used to seeing such an oddly shaped bag.)

I do like that there is a little more tea in them than a standard tea bag as I usually drink tea by the mug rather than the cup. It really helps that I know how to brew tea, too. In my pre-loose leaf days I did not brew correctly, so it is a wonder I ever had an enjoyable cup of tea back then.

Mug with 1 teabag, boiling water, about 3 minutes. Lightly sweetened.

Tea of the afternoon….

And tea 19 of 24. Man, the numbers are getting bigger and that means there is sooooo much to do! This sample is from DaisyChubb. Thank you very much!

I really like this. I do get the peach and a hint of almond. It is almost the perfect flavoring for this tea base. The flavor is light so that it does not overpower the base, and really does not need any additions. Would I buy more? Yes. The next time I order from David’s, this will be in my cart!

Mug method at 190 for 5 minutes.

Tea of the late afternoon…..

And day #18 of 24. Thank you Dinosara for sharing this one with me!

The tea itself does have a nutty essence. I mostly get almond, some pecan, and I thought hazelnut. However, upon reading Dinosara’s review, she found the last nut to be walnut in her research. Usually I can taste walnut a mile away because it never sits well with me (sensitivity/allergy to raw walnuts and hazelnuts so I always notice the taste of them to avoid them), but it is definitely not present in the tea as far as I can tell. (Luckily, an infusion of the nuts I cannot eat raw does not affect me too badly, and if they are roasted or cooked, I am fine.) All that being said, the almond in this blend is nice. I don’t think it is the end all be all for almond tea, but I am very thankful to have had the opportunity to try it. One day, I will find an almond one that I love. One thing I do find interesting is that the tea base Marriage uses in their flavored teas is good, but I guess I just expected more.

Usual teapot method.

Second tea of the morning….

And tea 17 of 24. This is an interesting flavor combination. I did not look at what was in the blend until coming on here to write this tasting note….I was getting fruit, even though I thought apples, along with cinnamon. It looks like I was pretty close. I should have guessed something more citrusy based upon the smell of the tea. It is a light green base, and pleasant enough. I am not sure the cinnamon and green tea is a good combo, but the cinnamon is also light. I am very thankful to have had the chance to try it, QuiltGuppy!

Mug method with 185 water and 3 minute steep.

Tea of the evening…..

And tea 16 of 24. This one was from swapping with aisling of tea. (Thank you!) I was hesitant to try it when I got it because David’s was out of stock at the time, and I hate trying something, liking it, and then being unable to get more. I am getting over that, now, and know each cup is meant to be savored in the moment, but it took me a little bit in my tea journey to get here. And I do think this one might be coming back? (Yes, it did!)

Anyway, the infusion is light, sweet and somewhat nutty. I am amazed at how good it is for something that seems so simple. I have enough for a few more cups, so it might be something I will try in larger amounts. The jury is still out, but if it does what David’s suggests it does ("Health freaks say they stabilize your blood sugar, curbing carb cravings and mood swings. ") I definitely would like some of that!

1 tsp in a cup, boiling water for 6 minutes. Straight up!