Sipdown no. 55 for the year 2014. A sample; another in the “not sure, try again” category after my massive Golden Moon order.
I see in my previous note that I wanted to try this one next to the Moroccan Mint to see how they compared. Which probably explains why I also have a sample of the Moroccan Mint.
I’m going to steep them right after each other and taste them side by side. I’m going to try this one at 185 for 3 minutes since my previous note indicated that hotter water worked better.
I should caution you that sniffing the sample packet is risky because it’s amazingly reminiscent of Andes mints, or Girl Scout thin mint cookies. I see I said that in my original note as well, so I’m not crazy. See, there’s that chocolate/vanilla continuum thing again! There’s really no reason this should smell like chocolate mint since it’s vanilla mint. But that’s what I smell—chocolate mint!
I’m having a very similar experience this time around compared with what I documented in my first note. One thing I’ll add to the steeped aroma—there’s a spicy note I didn’t mention the first time, kind of a peppery kick to the aroma.
The flavor is a soft mint, with a creaminess to it from the vanilla. Its a somewhat heartier, full bodied flavor overall than the Moroccan Mint, because of the addition of black tea and vanilla. But standing on its own, this is a lighter, medium bodied tea.
It’s quite nice and I’d drink it again. Would I buy a full size tin? Hard to say. Probably not now as I have too many other mints and if I were to feel like mint I’d likely go for the straight mint of Tazo Refresh, the green mint of Samovar Moorish mint, or perhaps one of my various chocolate mint combos.
And gee, I’d tag the flavors, but there’s no mint among them?
Sounds decent! I saw a few missing options for flavor tags, too. No muscatel either. :)
Heh, and that’s a key one, too!