Dammann Frères

Does it count as a sipdown if I only had one bag to begin with? A friend grabbed this for me from some nice hotel she stayed at. I consider myself very lucky to have people in my life who know about my slightly odd hobbies and find little ways to support them rather than make me feel bad about it! I don’t take that for granted at all.

The tea itself is very floral and fragrant to me! Clear jasmine scent and flavor on a somewhat heartier base than I was expecting. I would happily drink this again, though I have other good jasmines that are probably easier to get and more affordable.

I´ve just returned from a 4000+km road trip to my parents in Belgium. On my way back I managed to meet up with good friends I hadn´t seen in 12 years, so we spent many an hour chatting over a cup of tea, a glass of beer or wine :-) One morning, I drank this tea. Similar to a standard Earl Grey with less prominence of bergamot, soft on the whole with orange lending a sweet touch. Not bad at all, although I tend to like stronger teas in the morning.

Thanks very much, Cameron B!  I had this one a few days ago, so… here comes a short note.  I always thought this one sounded interesting and unique.  An odd mix of ingredients to represent ‘cereal’.  There is only a hint of sweetness in the first steep and then the second steep gets really REALLY medicinal tasting, or like something way too strongly plant-like.  A plant in a field.  Mustard? Something very yellow. hmm… It’s VERY odd the difference between the two steeps.  But either one, I wouldn’t call caramel cereal flavored.

August Sipdown Prompt – a calming tea

A gift from Superanna after her recent trip to Marseilles

One would expect a chamomile for this prompt, wouldn’t one? And of all things, what was I thinking drinking caffeine so close to bedtime? I was thinking that I doubt anything will keep me up tonight and maybe a small cup won’t bother me and I really, really have wanted to try this ever since I read about it. I hadn’t tried it yet because Ashman is home drinking tea with me and he doesn’t like florals other than jasmine usually, so I make tea that he will enjoy, too.

So…was it calming? You’re dang skippy, it was. As soon as I opened the pouch and smelled that familiar violet scent I was enamored. I made one cup of tea and poured it in my Lady Carlyle tea cup (gmathis: cue Hyacinth Bucket) and took it to the carport rockers to sit and watch a rain storm.

The base is STRONG. AS I rocked and sniffed the tea in my cup, I was not struck by the smell of violets so much as by the aroma of good, hefty black tea. This puppy could take milk and sugar if you want, for sure.

The aftertaste lingers and is pretty much indistinguishable from the aftertaste of violet candies. This is only my second violet tea, the first one being a Bird and Blend one that Martin sent me. This is my sign that I need to always have a violet tea on shelf.

I am tea-satisfied and ready to go to bed, quite peaceful in spite of the caffeine.

This is another tea that Superanna brought me from the trip to Marseille, and is the first one we tried because Superanna prefers green and white teas over black teas and all the rest were black.

The aroma of the dry leaves was vanilla and caramel. I keep it light when I steep and this was sencha so 175F and three minutes tops.

I liked it a lot more than other reviewers here. I thought the green tea was present but not harsh, and the primary taste was creamy vanilla and caramel for me.

I sent a sample to my best friend because it seemed like a tea she would really love. I did advise steeping it at 165 instead of 175 in case the green might be a bit much for her, but she texted me that afternoon and said that I was right that she would like it – she really loved it. I think I really had her in mind when I put it on my wish list, because I thought it would be a wonderful tea for the two of us to share on those precious occasions when we can get together for tea time.

August Sipdown Prompt – your poshest tea

I am not even going to pretend I know what defines posh tea or which of mine is the most fulfilling of that definition. I will, however, say that I feel super spoiled by this tea. Superanna bought it for me in Marseilles recently. The staff at the Dammann Freres shop there went above and beyond, even printing and attaching the labels in such a way that I could use them to label my tins at home instead of just sticking the label to the bags. She says the French may have been even nicer than the Canadians, and the Canadians “seemed about to burst into song” when she visited there.

This was so exactly what I hoped. Good black tea with a nice berry flavor, not red fruits or red berries masquerading as blackberry. Yes, it has some blackcuurant vibe and I love blackcurrant tea so that’s fine and I really rarely eat blackberries anyway so I wouldn’t be sure what they taste like in tea.

This resteeped more brilliantly than I would have imagined, so Ashman is getting it for breakfast tomorrow as well.

I had originally intended to buy the rooibos Pecan Pie but oh well, I don’t mind having another nutty black tea.

It does present a delightful aroma, though it leans more towards almond extract than the pecan pie I had anticipated. The red flowers, however, add a charming touch of visual elegance to the blend.

While it does evoke the essence of a nutty baked confection, the presence of pecans is rather scant. Instead, a distinct marzipan quality predominates, overshadowing the anticipated pecan pie notes. The subtle hint of honey graced the blend, which serves to beautifully balance the overall profile.

It’s globally quite good, though I must say, I’m not certain I’ll buy some more afterwards.

This black tea boasts a delightfully gourmand aroma, swirling with enticing notes I can’t quite place. The website says marron, cookie and caramel, with whispers of orange and apricot. Ever so subtle floral notes emerge after steeping. While pleasant, the overall impression leans generic, the promised complexity doesn’t quite translate in the cup.

This rooibos boasts a comforting warmth with subtle spice notes of caramel and cinnamon, reminiscent of Davidstea’s Alpine Punch rooibos blend. This herbal tea will be good for relaxing caffeine-free evenings

As we open the sachet, there is a nice scent of cocoa. The cup is very good. Not too strong a chocolate flavour as I expected.

I can’t really taste the pastry flavour, mostly just the red fruit at first and then a hint of flowers afterwards. It’s well balanced, I was afraid it would taste too much like potpourri, like “Bali”, but no, it’s very good.

Flavoured green tea isn’t really my cup of tea (hihi) but that’s OK. From the very first sip, a tangy sensation of ginger invades the taste buds. This spicy flavour is then counterbalanced by a sutble lemony freshness that lingers pleasantly in the aftertaste. A subtle fruity note completes the experience, adding a touch of sweetness without dominating the palate. It is particularly suited to those who enjoy spicy, lemony notes.

Un bon thé vert d’origine

What a delight to have a connection in Paris and be able to visit a Dammann Frères boutique in person. Their “Quatre Fruits Rouges” blend, marrying black tea with notes of strawberries, cherries, and raspberries, conjures the essence of a fine red fruit jam. Its profound, rich flavour envelops the palate, making each sip a delicious morning ritual.

Sipdown 3 – 2025

Super tasty. Great banana flavor. The ‘pancake’ flavor always came across as more pastry, which worked for me.

Another acquisition from Paris.

This definitely benefits from a shorter steep time, as it starts to get bitter right around the 2 minute mark. Not quite pancake, but definitely banana and maple. But not gross, cloying maple that is so often found in maple flavoring. This is quite pleasant- more of a brown sugar, caramelized flavor. The banana flavor is quite mild.
This would probably be really nice with some sweetener and milk.

Bought this is Paris and just now getting around to trying it. I don’t know if I’d describe the flavor as pecan pie necessarily, but it’s definitely some kind of nutty baked good. Maybe more almond/marzipan in a pastry crust. I like it, but I got a touch of a medicinal aftertaste that wasn’t great.

I hesitate to even leave a tasting note for this one because I don’t think I am adding much to the conversation. I have to agree with everyone else, this tea is spot on :) It tastes just like you hope it would taste: buttery and very light. It’s lovely and it makes me think of Christmas.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 18

Serviceable, but I can’t help but compare it unfavourably to my favourite chocolate mint tisane (that one contained anise and vanilla and I miss it dearly). This kind of of tea makes an enjoyable evening aperitif; I appreciate how it’s not sweet too.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 23

I’ve never heard of this dessert but this flavoured rooibos makes me want to try it! This caffeine-free beverage tastes like nougat or a marzipan candy – with bits of melon and orange. It’s unique, round, and works surprisingly well enough with the base that it almost tempts me to give rooibos blends another shot at life in my stash. I can actually envision myself drinking this in the evening…

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 22

I tend to side-eye coffee teas but I ended up enjoying this one! The coffee is light, fluffy, chocolate-y and dusted with cinnamon. It’s the brunt of a profile that’s cake-like, topped with a boozy-sweet maraschino. It’s tasty and I essentially inhaled it.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 20

The dominant note for me is the peach. It’s a juicy, dynamic peach though – with citrusy elements from the strawberry, passion fruit, and pineapple. Dammann Frères does fruit flavours well but this isn’t my favourite by them.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 19

I steeped this directly in hot, frothy milk. It’s not as bold as my favourite chai (should’ve steeped it a little longer), but its still velvety, rich, and warming. I wasn’t paying enough attention to determine which spice was dominant; none of the spices really popped, and it generally tasted well balanced.

September Sipdown Prompt – a tea Miss Piggy would drink

It had to be French. I wasn’t sure if she would drink this or Jardin Bleu because I can really hear her voice saying Jardin so so high pitched and sweetly and following it up with her classic guttural tone for BLEU. Bit this was foofy and floral and Miss Piggy would love that.

“Oh, Kermie, could you pass me another macaron?”, she would simper. Then “It’s soooo GOOD!” A full octave lower.

I had the jelly first, and knew I wanted to try the tea. So many flowers on a light green oolong? Yes, please. Full and rich floral flavor, this is not for the faint of heart when it comes to floral tea. Lighter than Evening In Missoula but I still don’t know that Ashman would enjoy it. He likes jasmine, so maybe he would like it.