DAVIDsTEA

I got a horrible stomach ache from drinking this. I think it might have stevia in it, but my package does not list stevia on the ingredients. I wonder if there could be blackberry leaf as a sweetener? It tastes very sweet, anyway. I get painful stomach aches every time I consume stevia, which is why I’m suspicious but I don’t think DT would make such a big labelling error.

Some nice herbs (basil and pepper) and vegetal notes. I taste the hibiscus but it is overwhelmed by the sweetness. There are some minor fruity notes from theh ibiscus and also something that tastes like berry and dried cranberries.

Grape seems a little odd for a tea but it wasn’t awful just wasn’t wonderful.

Just ok. The stevia aftertaste kills what would be a decent dessert tea.

It’s a bit sweet but good!

Sipdown/Backlog

I quite liked this one. What sold this for me was the addition of spinach; I thought that it was an odd addition to a blend, but it drove me to grab some. I think the time spent sitting in the bag/sipdown pile for the past year (or longer?), helped bring the lemongrass and orange forward! I was a bit surprised to not find white chocolate in the blend, but I noted that flavor a few times on my scrap paper.

This is quite earthy, but it also has a distinct root beer flavor. I’m enjoying it cold, though it’s far from the best root beer tea I’ve had. I taste a little too much licorice. It was also too caffeinated for my low caffeine tolerance. It made me feel bad enough that I’ll probably drink any of my other root beer teas instead of this one. The cold resteep tastes super similar to the first.

Last of the new teas is Clementine Cheer!

Obviously this is an orange blend, but it actually has the flavour of three different kints of orange/citrus in it: clementine (of course), your typical naval orange, and tangerine! The tangerines in it are these beautiful dried tangerine segments that come out of Georgia and visually they’re one of my all time favourite ingredients from DT. Plus, once you’ve steeped your mug of tea they’re really delicious to snack out out of the steeped leaf. Kind of like Midsummer Night’s Dream and the gooseberries in that blend.

The base we went with is oolong, and though you might assume a lighter oxidized oolong this is actually a more oxidized/roasted oolong. The leaves are beautiful and more wiry looking as opposed to ball rolled style. It’s not a strong flavour in the overall composition, but that hint of roast does create a really nice contrast pairing with the orange that makes it pop a little bit more while still adding some body.

Aside from being very bright, lively, and citrusy this blend also has a smooth, creamy undertone from inclusions like yogurt pieces and vanilla flavouring. Sometimes I think of it as a bit like Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait or Frozen Raspberry since those blends are also fruit and yogurt pairings, but I think this one is a bit less sweet and definitely not as tart since there’s no hibiscus in this tea. And speaking of comparisons, I’d say that compared to the two other core orange blends DT carries (Sunny C and Blood Orange Boost) that it’s also true this is less sweet and less tart comparatively. Also, obviously, creamier.

Even with that creamy component, there’s almost an effervescence to the citrus notes in this tea that I think work really well with the “cheer” part of the name. Like, yes it’s a nice cheerful tasting orange blend but it’s also kind of building in that idea of a orange mimosa or spritz that you might cheers with at a holiday or new year’s brunch, family get together, or party/celebration. It’s just lively, and celebratory and kind of happy feeling. To that point, it’s obviously good hot and predictably good iced but it’s VERY good as a tea pop. With a splash of champagne or prosecco if you want to go that cocktail kind of route.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Y’all. Making a gingerbread tea was so much harder than I expected it to be.

It took probably around three years to really perfect this blend to the point where we were ready to launch it. The ginger was maybe the easiest part, but getting the balance of the rest of the spices and that really distinct, borderline molasses tasting “sweet brown” flavour was tough. A lot of previous versions of this tea came out either fruity leaning or too bright and just not quite right. I love this one though. It’s my favourite of all the new holiday teas this year.

The pu’erh tea base is so essential to getting the profile right. It’s full-bodied, very rich and also grounding and earthy which created the perfect framework to layer the spices and more decadent notes overtop. In addition to ginger this blend has all the spices that are traditionally used in gingerbread. It’s really the use of allspice that gives it that especially cozy and festive sort of spice note and feeling. I just said it in another tasting note, but it’s sort of crazy how in North America we have this Pavlovian response to allspice where we just associate that taste with the holidays. I think it REALLY captures that dense, darkly spice and sweet gingerbread flavour so well though!

And of course the toffee! Y’all know I love a good caramel or toffee blend, and I think the toffee note in this tea is pretty close to perfect. It’s thick and not too bright at all so it really emulates that deeply golden, densely rich sweetness very well. There’s a hint of cocoa in the blend and though I personally prefer my toffee/caramel teas without chocolate I do think that inclusion really helps give it some depth and extra decadence.

And so good as a latte. Hot, but also iced. I drink it as an iced latte very, very often. It was one of my go to iced latte blends this summer while I was waiting for it to launch. Haven’t done it as an eggnog latte yet, but I can only imagine the sublime level of indulgence that would be.

I think this blend will really appeal to fans of teas like Salted Caramel Oolong, Cardamom French Toast, Brown Sugar Bourbon, English Toffee (IMO it’s way better than English Toffee), Burnt Sugar Boba, S’mores Chai, Jack Frosted Mocha, and Hazelnut Chocolate. Y’know. The decadent, sweet, and brown tasting teas. Like, I don’t want to call it prematurely but I can see this becoming on of those big returning holiday teas. But maybe that’s me projecting a little bit.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Last week we had another holiday tea drop and, with it, some returning blends. However, there were also three new teas for this winter/holiday season!

Snowball Fight is, in my opinion, just such fun. The key flavours of this blend are coconut and white chocolate, though heavier on the coconut. It’s very, very creamy and decadent and makes a really smooth, silky latte.

We don’t actually have a lot of teas in the collection that are coconut focused. Probably the two closest would be Chocolate Macaroon (but that’s more of a chocolate blend) and Valerian Nights – which is caramel/coconut. However, Valerian Nights isn’t really the kind of tea you’d want to drink at any time of day because of the chamomile/valerian root. So, in a lot of ways, this was meant to kind of be a coconut blend to answer that interest in something more overtly coconut forward.

However, that said, I definitely 100% started with the name idea of this tea and worked backwards finding a flavour that I felt really suited the name and visual idea I had in mind. Basically, I wanted the dry leaf of this blend to look like the embodiments of a snowstorm or blizzard. Just super playful with a flurry of white from the coconut, white chocolate, and snowflake sprinkles. I think I achieved that really well, and I’m happy that the flavour matches that aesthetic!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

This is a tasty sweet latte when made with vanilla soy milk. I’ve had it plain, in cold milk, and in hot milk. All of them are very tasty. I like the sweetness, the spices are nice (generic chai), and there is a creamy vanilla note too.

Backlog/Sipdown

I’m too sad writing this review for this is one tea that I really really really loved. Truly. It was my last bag and it took me way too long to drink it down. If I’ve mentioned my love of cinnamon before, I’m sorry, but this packed that cinnamon candy spice and sweetness with every cup. The worst part is that this is no longer available; if it were to find itself on DT’s virtual shelves again, I’m buying an insane amount.

Pretty good for a white tea. Has a definite lemon and meringue flavor

The other new tea from DT this week!

If I’m going to be really, really candid I was hesitant to work on a pear matcha for DT. I actually thought it would be a flavour we could do really well, but I’ve had so many pear matchas from other tea companies and it’s always a sort of uncomfortable place working on teas that I know exist elsewhere. Usually you can do a different interpretation of the profile to give it your own stamp/spin, but that’s much harder to do with matchas…

But honestly, in the end, it just made sense to give it a try. We’ve never really launched a fruity matcha flavour in Fall/Winter – the focus is always on spiced or decadent profiles. However, I think there is an interest in having some other seasonal offerings and not just bunching all our fruity matcha releases in the summer – and pear is a GREAT flavour for Fall transitioning into winter.

Though this is not a semi-sweet formulation like Banana or Pina Colada, I do think this matcha does naturally come off as less sweet than a lot of our fruity matchas usually are. It’s more of a dewy Bartlett pear flavour with some floral undertones. Not a candy-like flavour like, say, the Jelly Belly Juicy Pear flavoured jelly beans, but still juicy and fresh in its own way. The notes of the matcha definitely don’t get lost in this one.

Definitely this time of year a lot of people are drinking their teas hot, but mostly I’ve been drinking this matcha iced or as a tea pop. I’m particularly a fan of it as a tea pop because I feel like it gives off this refreshing, sophisticated “tea spritz” kind of vibe. I also think it would be great with some champagne or prosecco for a tea infused cocktail vibe – especially at holiday parties or even once we’re closer to New Years. Latte? Yeah, you can do it but I think it’s a litttttllleee strange with this flavour. But you do you!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

The first of DT’s holiday drops has officially landed and, with that, come A LOT of returning/voted back holiday blends including (but not limited to): Orange Spice, Alpine Punch, Cardamom French Toast, Hazelnut Chocolate, White Cranberry Bark, and Brown Sugar Bourbon. Of course it’s not a holiday drop without some newness, right??

This playfully sweet and nutty blend is one of two new teas, but if I’m being honest it’s the one that I’m more excited about. I spent a really long time tweaking the ingredients and ratios of this blend to get it just right. For a long, looooonnnggggg time I’ve wanted to have a more holiday-style nutty blend with “Nutcracker” in the name. We’ve definitely had nutty teas during Winter/Holiday before (Nutty & Spice being maybe the most iconic) but it’s a little crazy to me that we’ve never explored something Nutcracker inspired in loose leaf tea when we have had some pretty cool Nutcracker teaware in the past…

So, what does Nutcracker Brittle taste like? I feel like it wouldn’t be out of pocket to assume peanuts, but you definitely won’t find any in this tea. Instead this is a rich maple walnut flavoured blend! Basically, the idea is if you made an indulgent and nutty brittle with the peanuts swapped for maple glazed walnuts. It’s just a little toasty with a distinct walnut flavour and a sweet maple syrup note.

…and here’s a secret for just y’all on Steepster: one of the alternative names we considered was Nutcracker Pancakes! There were actually a few different routes we thought the blend might end up, and one was a little more overtly maple flavoured with salt. Sort of like a more Canadian twist on a “Salted Caramel” profile. Salted maple. We dialed back the maple to make room for that cozy brittle element, but I still really liked how that salt amplified both the maple and nut notes so we did keep a bit in the blend. I wouldn’t describe it as a salty tea though. It just gives those flavours a bit of a boost! We love a good flavour carrier.

Honestly, I think this blend is gonna appeal to a lot of people. Someone described it as the love child of Maple Syrup Oolong and Caramel Shortbread, which I think is actually pretty dang spot on. But also if you like teas like Forever Nuts, Gingerbread Blondie, Cardamom French Toast, Toasted Walnut, Simply Maple Breakfast… then I wouldn’t at all be surprised if you enjoy this one too!

Hot is really my favourite way to make it, though a bit of milk is nice as well. Just be careful because, like Caramel Shortbread, sometimes there is enough acid in this blend to curdle milk (especially cow’s milk – alt milks are a bit better). Especially if you give it a long steep time.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

This tastes quite similar to Teeccino blends, but with more bitterness. It definitely does better with a shorter steep. You really get the coffee vibe. It’s best with almond milk, lots of sugar, and even some whipped cream on top. I prefer the fun herbal coffee flavors Teeccino carries though. This one is a little straightforward for me, but it certainly is what it says!

Sipdown! I fully ordered the whole sampler last year just to get this blend and another store exclusive blend. I thought I had previously written a tasting note about this but apparently not. It’s been long enough that I forgot what it was actually supposed to taste like. For some reason, I decided that the red and white sprinkles meant that I should expect the tea to be minty. It is not! I totally made that up! The dry leaf doesn’t smell minty, the brewed tea doesn’t smell or taste minty, it’s not designed to be minty, I fully made it up because of the sprinkle color and then wondered why it didn’t taste like the flavor profile I wrongly imagined for it! Here’s what it actually tastes like: creamy chocolate, a hint of vanilla, on a mildly roasty hojicha base. Which is really tasty! I wish they would sell it online individually.

When I took my first sip of this one, I had to interrupt my conversation with my coworker just to mention how good this tea is. The world had to know! I drank it cold, and it tastes like honeydew candy! It’s so smooth and delicious. I only have a small bag, but I need more. There’s way more fruit than tea in the leaf, which is a fine ratio for me. The resteep is floral, but otherwise similar. So good.

Yet another from Cameron B!  Thanks so much!  I had always been intrigued by this one, so I am glad I am able to try it.  I have had it QUITE a few times now and haven’t written a note yet.  I mean, if it says anything, this is the tea I have been drinking more often than any other tea, so I think I’m REALLY trying to figure this tea out.  On all of my steepings, I think two teaspoons for a mug really works the best, as less than two teaspoons, it’s just too light in flavor for me. Despite the fierce looking leaves, so tangled together they cling to the teaspoon, it’s another lighter black tea.  It’s in the name: honey.   Sweet, but also slightly squashy, and a bit starchy.  On the first steep, it looks like the leaves are different colors in the basket, which I don’t normally see.  However, this one is slightly more nuanced than other teas that I have had similar to it lately, but is also still a bit of a flavor puzzle, which is why I keep steeping it up but not writing a note.  It’s tasty, but a mystery!  Reading Cameron’s note… I REALLY wish I had gotten more of Cameron’s flavor notes out of this one!
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // 1-2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 3 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep

Trying to get back into writing tasting notes because otherwise it’s impossible to remember what I already tried and how I felt about it.

I like the idea of this tea, but I’m finding this cup rather odd. The chocolate is hiding while the bergamot/stevia combo is more forward and leaves an aftertaste I’m not enjoying. I believe I have another sampler hiding somewhere, so I’ll be giving it another go, but it’s a no for now.

Like Candy Cane Matcha… Gingerbread Matcha is back for the winter, and now newly organic!

This is super similar to the non-organic gingerbread matcha with that darker and more molasses-y spice note. I’ve always found it to be almost more clove heavy, and that holds true now. I will say, if anything, it’s maybe a smidge less sweet? Without having the two side by side I think it’s a darn good match. As super delicious as a latte, of course.

I’m excited to have it back, but to be totally honest my current obsession is definitely Candy Cane. Still plenty of time for me to flip back and forth between the two, though!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Candy Cane Matcha is back for the year… but organic!

Generally speaking the organic reformulations of DT’s different matchas are pretty identical, but this one actually is just a smidge more different. To start, it’s vegan now! The previous version had milk powder in it which helped with creaminess, but that was a struggle for us to do in the same way as an organic blend so to still get that rich creamy flavour we dropped the milk powder and added in a white chocolate flavouring.

Honestly, I love the new organic version. More than the non-organic. In fact I have been on a serious Candy Cane Matcha kick the last week or so. Seriously. I think I’ve had a bowl of it in the morning or at work pretty much every day for the last week, usually as an iced latte. I almost never repeat the teas I’m drinking in the same week; sometimes not even in the same month or months. Plural! But I’m finding this year’s release, especially creamy and cooling, and it’s I guess tickling this deep, dark subconscious part of my brain that is ready for the holidays…

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DBg4P59JRQt/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4Uj6QahC-8

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Sip Down

This is one of the better apple teas out there. It reminds me of those caramel apple lollipops that are perfect, but will stick to your teeth, forcing one to feel as if they have lockjaw, but are worth the struggle. sigh Anyway, I enjoyed this one!

Sip Down

Opening the bag, I immediately thought of Captain Crunch’s Crunch Berry cereal! Thankfully, there isn’t the same type of waxy coating on the roof of one’s mouth, as with the cereal. I marked a few food items that this tea reminded me of, aside from the strawberry jelly donut, which include, Fruity Pebbles, Crunch Berry cereal, strawberry milk, strawberry milkshake, and strawberry ice cream. It’s safe to say this is a far better option over the actual jelly donut.