American Tea Room

Just got this in from American Tea Room. It tastes like a very nice apple cinnamon cake to me. I like it, but I’m not picking up on the almond notes I expected from a tea filled with slivered almonds. Oh well, still good.

Oh, I will always love the way ATR presents their samples. Great packaging and very generous sizes. I wish all companies sold samples like this.

Lemon Drop is a great name for this one because it smells and tastes like an ultra lemony hard candy. Emphasis on ultra. By far the most lemony tea I’ve ever had in my life. I don’t taste the other citrus fruits in here, however, the base is smooth, and the second steep yields quite a bit of lemon flavour, as well, so it’s a good one to try if you’re a fan of lemon.

I’m sure with milk and sugar it would taste like lemon pie. But straight, I can see drinking this when I’m sick.

Sipdown! Good stuff, this tea is. Tasty nutty and cherry flavours right here, right now. Repurchase-worthy to the twelfth power.

Yesterday evening was a double-edged sword because I was planning to go to the gym since I had an early shift and thus was coming home earlier, and as a side note, I feel disgusting because I haven’t been going as often. Even on my days off last week, I spent them running around getting stuff done and consequently ran out of time. Anyway, a job I really want that I applied for in the past opened up again and the deadline is today, so I thought I’d reapply, plus fix up my resume since I got suggestions back from the government career site. That took a hell of a lot longer than anticipated, mostly due to stupid formatting issues. Why a double-edged sword? While I had to forgo my gym time yet again, at least spending two hours on job applications meant having the time to enjoy tea.

I opted for this because I wanted something warm and desserty. Those raisin nut notes are smooth and it’s great that the nutty notes aren’t oily or rancid like they sometimes can be in some teas. The base is also smooth, so overall, the flavour profile makes for a very-easy-to-drink mug that’s gone in no time.

First BF parcel has landed, and this appears to be a new tea from ATR. Dates, figs, raisins, almonds, vanilla, and sesame? Automatically sold. My dry leaf wasn’t nearly as chunky as the picture, unfortunately, but it smells like fruitcake.

I created a new placement for this one even though I’m pretty sure this is Sultan’s Delight renamed. It has the same ingredients and smells similar, although I swear I remember Sultan’s Delight to smell distinctively like cherry almond despite there being no cherries in there. This one doesn’t?

This one also seems quite a bit nuttier in flavour than Sultan’s Delight. And when I got my mom to try this last night, she oddly enough got a honeydew note from this. As soon as she said that, the next sip I took, there it was, but only initially. First, it’s creamy honeydew, then the dried fruit and nuts take over.

So either ATR slightly tweaked this tea and renamed it, or it is the same tea but there’s a batch difference. Either way, it’s delicious and I would consider upgrading from a sample to a full size.

One of the few teas that thankfully tastes different than it smells. It smells like coconut and swamp.

Smooth and earthy with slightly honey figgy notes. Has almost a spicy feeling finish, like when capsaicin tickles the back of your throat.

I still prefer my pu-erh unflavored.

This is from a swap awhile back but I never got to it. I’m fairly certain this is the first time I’ve had lychee. It’s definitely a different flavor profile than what I’m used to with flavored blacks. It’s very floral, but sweet, kind of like strawberries.

This is ok, but not my favorite. Even at a low temp, it is a bit bitter but also fruity. Glad to get to try, but won’t be purchasing.

Okay, seriously, you need to cold brew this bad boy. The tartness of the blend is so much more palatable, and it comes off as fruity instead of just plain sour. I find it to be less overtly floral than ATR’s Nirvana, so it’s my preferred blend of the two, even if it tends more toward bitterness when left to its own devices. Having eaten dragonfruit before, I can detect it in here. Dragonfruit is kind of like exotic kiwi, in that it doesn’t have much flavor on its own, but is very distinctly itself all the same. Not quite citrus, not quite sweet: it lends itself to the honeysuckle notes in this cup well enough. I’m not sure I found even a single pomegranate aril in my tea, though, which is sort of odd in retrospect. Then again, pomegranates aren’t cheap, and this blend is fairly inexpensive.

I first tried the Arya Pearl from Canton Tea Co. I’ve fallen in love with it, and it’s become a cupboard staple, something I never want to be without. Sometimes I think I prefer this tea after it’s aged and mellowed out a bit, but it’s definitely very nice when it’s young too. I don’t really like the way it’s described on the American Tea Room website. This tea tastes to me like flowers after a rain, and fresh, ripe green saturn peaches, and maybe only a touch of pepper. Other years, it has had notes of vanilla ice cream. The best part of this tea, and what many of my favorite teas share in common, is the long-lasting aftertaste (or “finish”, as we’d say in the wine business). My mouth is full of flowers and fruit for a long time after I drink this tea.

Even though it’s not the Christmas season (September) I got this from the Here’s Hoping TTB so I thought I’d try it. It doesn’t seem particularly Christmas-y. Fruity with a bit of vanilla, a bit of star anise. Quite pleasant but I’m really not getting the Christmas part of it.

Oooo. I like it. It smells like vanilla, tastes like vanilla, but has a boozy quality to it that I didn’t expect. I really like this. I think I’ll like it even more in the winter.

I had to order this tea as soon as I heard about it. It just sounded too perfect for me! And it is! Thank goodness seeing as I ordered a lot of it counting on exactly that.

First sip though I was terrified and thinking I’d made a terrible mistake. I tasted nothing. So I left it for a bit and after it cooled a bit it had improved exponentially. Maybe not as much almond as I’d hoped for, but it’s like sipping on a yummy little nutty pastry.

Anyway I’m pleased with this and can see myself cozying up with this in the evening! The sample I got with this order seems well chosen too, so I’m quite excited to give it a try later (Vanilla Noir, smells yum!)

I know I got this in a swap too, though I forget who sent it to me. Whoever it was, thank you! I’d been wanting to try this for ages but was never able to justify an ATR order, so it was great to be able to try a sample. And I’m glad I did do it this way, because in the end I didn’t like this tea as much as I expected to. I know it’s unreasonable to expect any tea to truly taste like briocke, but what I can I say? My expectations were set pretty high based on some of the rave reviews I’ve read. While I did get sweetness and some cinnamon, I didn’t pick up on anything pastry (let alone brioche)—this is a problem I have with most pastry teas. Anyway, this was alright, but it certainly didn’t live up to its name.

If you want a super chocolate-y chocolate tea then try this one!
I feel any any chocolate lover would LOVE it.
It’s not half bad.
But like I’ve mentioned before, I’m not a huge chocolate fan. Was a free sample that I got from their store. So didn’t have to waste money or anything! But glad I’m realizing chocolate flavored teas aren’t really for me unless they naturally taste that way. But yeah, anyway, if you love chocolate you’ll love this one! Plus it’s super smooth, surprisingly smooth. So that’s a bonus!

Finally broke into this one and YUM! What I love is that it is butter and almonds without being too sweet. Tastes like walking into my favorite French bakery. So happy!

So this was a sample I got from ATR when I went there last.
They always seem to be promoting this tea, so I was curious about it. But I wouldn’t have ever bought a sample of it.
I could taste the cocoa and chocolate the most, but also there was a weird flavor that I can’t put my finger on…think it might have been the licorice root and coconut that just made it taste funky. It’s a very odd tea, definitely not going to drink again. And it definitely doesn’t remind me of a macaroon…like at all.
But I guess I’m glad I got to try it over all. I’m gonna have to find another home for this one too…onto the list it goes. xD

Backlog

Okay…Read this description:
“As much a tribute to the classic rose as well as the award winning movie, American Beauty is a beguiling and intoxicating organic melange of premium white tea, roses, peppermint, and jasmine. The organic white tea makes an ideal base allowing the mint and the rose to take center stage complimenting each others heady notes that are heightened by the light sweet fragrance of jasmine. A new American Classic.”

That tea sounds pretty great, right? Well least for me. I like roses, peppermint, and jasmine. The guy let me smell the tea a couple different times because at first I didn’t know what to think but holy shanghai! I ended up so intrigued by the mix of those flavors. And it did smell quite light and delicious. Something I’d like.
But later when I opened the bag at home I was hit by a wave of flowers. Strong flowers. Overpowering flowers. Not the nice kind.
But I ignored the dry leaf smell and brewed up a cup of this one.
Much to my surprise I didn’t taste any peppermint or roses, or even really flowers.
All I tasted was lavender, which is pretty much my nemesis when it comes to floral flavors. It had a very very faint hint of jasmine, but not enough to make up for that lavender. Ohhh I drank half a cup. Can’t believe I got that far. But I really wanted to see if I could taste any more flavors at all. I couldn’t though. :( Not at all. It was just awful.
I was gonna put the other samples I don’t like on my sale list for like 25 cents each, but I just threw this one away. I can’t handle it being in my room, it was just overpowering. Wow.
I do not recommend this one unless you are a huge lavender fan! This one was even more disappointing than the lemon one actually :( I don’t think I’ll be getting more of their teas any time soon..other than Oh Canada. :S

So picked up a sample size of this tea-which was half an ounce. This was the first sample of the 4 samples I got from this store. The guy acted like it was a really nice creamy lemon, and even when whoever runs their IG account told me that it was a really nice creamy lemon tea like DTT’s Lemon Chiffon. So I gave in and got some with high hopes.
But man did they dash them.
This just tasted like a sour lemon. Hot water and a sour lemon. Couldn’t taste anything else-it was just awful. Oy. Not a fan of this one at all! Kinda feel betrayed :/
And it got such high ratings here.. :(
Bummer…I might need a replacement for Lemon Chiffon one day. :(

There is so much I should be doing today but instead I find myself struggling to get off the couch and get moving… The hubby is out rock climbing in Yosemite and I have the house to myself… which means tea and books and maybe (if I get motivated) a little bit of housework in there somewhere between cups and chapters.

Notting Hill is a decent breakfast offering but it doesn’t stand out to me as something so special I would need to run out and get more once this sample size is gone… Its good with milk and sugar and has the usual maltiness I associate with English Breakfast but theres so many other breakfast teas out there I enjoy more…

i am on here too rarely… from feast a year ago to famine now!

i got a notification from ATR that they had a new website up and running, that if i wanted to sign up all over again there were discounts to be had. i have my favourites with ATR, i made a list and my package arrived today.

sitting on top of my items was THIS sample. i usually try samples first… suspicious nature maybe, or perhaps adventurous spirit? i don’t know know if this classes as a gift or a torment. it’s fantastic— like home run fantastic. like add milk and it’s a grown up creamsicle with way more layers and perfectly balanced flavour… …… ….. but. (of course there’s a but) IT ARRIVED WITH THE ORDER I ALREADY PLACED!!!!!!!!!

pretty funny when you think about it. it’s as though ATR has been taking lessons from stacy lim.

awesome blend on the heels of a great honour at school that will look fantastic on a resume. not a bad day… maybe i’ll behave badly and order more of this blend. maybe. =0D

I couldn’t help myself last week when American Tea Room announced free US shipping on any order and so I bit on some teas I’ve been eyeing off for a while now (sample packs only I swear!!) and have been desperate to try. First out of the package was Brioche and let me tell you, scent wise, this tea is intoxicating!! Both the dry leaf and brewed liquor smell heavily of almond croissant however the taste doesn’t quite live up to the promise in my opinion… Although the almond and pastry notes are present they’re a little too weak and all this tea has done is make me crave real almond croissants!! Tasty but a little disappointing…maybe i’ll try more leaf in my next cup to see if this solves the problem and so I’m holding off on rating for now….