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__Morgana__ drank Champagne Raspberry by Todd & Holland

2037 tasting notes

One of the last couple of heretofore unopened Todd & Holland white tea samples.

In the packet, it has a strong fruity smell. More cherry than raspberry to my nose. I don’t smell champagne, but there’s something in there that suggests it. A sort of sharp high note that weirdly, gives the impression of effervescence.

The aroma after steeping is very similar to the aroma in the packet, only more diffuse. The tea is light yellow and clear.

I’m usually the first or only note-writer for Todd & Holland for whatever reason, but this tea already has a couple. My thoughts are somewhere in between the rave and the pan. Kitty tasted lipgloss — I don’t, but I get more berry blend than straight raspberry so to that extent I understand her mishmash comment. Also, I don’t taste champagne to the point of seeing this as a substitute for the real stuff like LefTea did. I do get a hint, and I agree that the taste is festive and pleasant.

It’s a nice flavor combo, but in my opinion Lupicia’s Champagne Rose does the champagne/berry combo better, and Todd & Holland’s own Rooibos Raspberry Delight does raspberry better.

I’ll enjoy the rest of this, and I wouldn’t turn it down in the future, but I don’t love it enough to make it a staple.

Flavors: Berries, Champagne

Preparation

185 °F / 85 °C 2 min, 0 sec 5 g 17 OZ / 500 ML

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I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes