DAVIDsTEA

Cold Brew!

I’m closer to a sipdown of this tea than I’m comfortable with, so now I get to start thinking about finding the tricky balance between stretching out the rest of my tin and not hoarding it to the point where it’s not enjoyed anymore…

This cold brew is fire, though. Really bright, punchy and tart cranberry and hibiscus top notes with a finish that’s equal part coating sweetness (which reminds me of soda) and subtle ginger heat. Very refreshing!

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.

Cold Brew!

Now, don’t get me wrong – I love a good Cranberry Gingerale year round. Both the tea and the soda. However, this is definitely a profile that just screams winter to me. Call that the inner Prairie Girl that likes to poke her head out every now and then if you will, but this is just a classic Canadian cold weather profile to me.

I actually did pick up my yearly twelve pack of Canada Dry cranberry gingerale earlier in the month (it was hard to find this year!), but can I tell you a secret? I think I like this better. Is that bias? Yeah, probably. However I find the cranberry flavour more intense in both its sweetness and tartness, though equally crisp and clean in the finish with the perfect balance of ginger.

Yeah, this is a favourite.

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.

Okay. Okay. Okay. Let me just say… I am excited!

This brand new Yaupon blend just released last week and I am so incredibly thrilled and delighted that it’s out and about in the world now! Here’s a fun behind the scenes fact for you all… way back three years ago when I first came to DAVIDsTEA’s head office as a data assistant in the R&D department this was the very first profile I suggested that the R&D team worked on. Now, it’s not my first development – at the time I wasn’t actively working on new teas so Pumpkin Earl Grey still has the honor of being my first concept that I got to work on. However, it still kind of feels like my first tea in that sort of “I knew this could work/be a thing” sort of way!

So lets stop a think about that for a moment. That means that for almost three years now I’ve been very patiently waiting for this tea to launch. I’ve gone through probably close to a kilo of it just on my own in that time frame because not only is it special to me in terms of my own tea story/R&D journey but it’s also just really good! I know I totally have a bit of a bias for cranberry teas, but I also generally don’t like ginger so I feel those two biases must cancel each other out leaving the stone cold truth that this tea is just damn good. Or, at least, that’s what I’ll be continuing to tell myself.

What I really love most about it is how well balanced all the flavours are. The top notes are really tart and bring that lovely crisp cranberry quality to the blend while the body has a lovely and almost effervescent sweetness that really makes this taste like a cranberry gingerale and not just a cranberry ginger tea – and speaking of that ginger, it’s aromatic it’s just a little spicy and it brings such depth to the blend while also making the sweetness more sweet and the tartness more tart.

I drink this tea hot, iced, cold brewed – it’s one of my regular cupboard staples now after the last few years and I’m actually so relieved that it’s out because I was getting close to running out and I’ve REALLY needed a top up.

Plus! It’s DT’s first yaupon tea in years – and it’s no secret that I wasn’t really a fan of our last one so I think this is a dramatic improvement. Yaupon is a very cool ingredient native to North America (Texas specifically), and with the cranberry in the blend – which is also from North America – it’s unintentionally become this nice sort of homage to North America as well, which is maybe appropriate because I think actual Cranberry Gingerale is most popular around Autumn/Winter in the USA and Canada’s prairies.

So yes… Cranberry Gingerale. I love it. A lot.

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.

Sipdown (2794)!

I should probably be digging into all the teas I bought from Toronto Tea Festival this weekend, but I woke up craving a cozy cup of matcha and that’s actually one of the few things I didn’t pick up this year. Plus, it’s probably a good thing that I’m finishing teas off given how many I just brought into my tea stash and this particular flavour is one I’d rather enjoy now while it’s still so cold and snowy outside. It’s one of those teas that near instantly warms you up from the inside out with really snuggly and aromatic notes of cinnamon and a darker, more “cooked” sort of orange – a little like a mulled wine sort of vibe but with citrus.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DFqs3cVS7Cb/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3lWm8QNGcc&ab_channel=ChloeQisha

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 past Monday I whisked this up to enjoy outdoors! This ended up being one of my favourite matchas this past fall for when I wanted something cozy, and to be honest I thought I would stop craving it when it got sunnier and more summery outside. However, the warming notes of cinnamon and clove notes with the perfect balance of dark, zesty orange has continued to be something I’m reaching for. Since a sipdown is inevitable, now I get to begin that fine dance of making sure I don’t hoard the rest of my bag, but also don’t enjoy it too quickly either!!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CtZ354mupu0/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2Xz-SB-DU

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.

We had some returning matchas added to the site for fall last week, as well as this one brand new flavour! I’ll be honest, I usually associate spiced orange profiles with late Autumn and Winter when it’s super cold and chilly outside. Thankfully that isn’t quite the case yet here in Montreal; but I’ve been craving this matcha regardless! What I love is that, though it does have distinct orange and cinnamon notes, the flavours aren’t as intense as other teas with this profile – and that makes the taste feel a lot less seasonally locked in for me! Plus, you can always just add more if that intensity is something you’re looking for!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/ChSJl4uOy4-/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1T_hZMEJMQ

The actual song I paired with this tea was called BEES but I couldn’t find it on Youtube so here’s another equally good song by the same band.

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.

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #34

The last tea I’m trying from the TTB! \o/

There was honestly a shocking amount of leaf in this single sachet, like enough for a whole 16-ounce teapot. Odd because the other DT sachets I had weren’t like that, maybe they’re portioned by weight?

Anyway, this is a tasty herbal tisane. Soft and floral with a mellow citrus note and a hint of tartness. There’s an effervescence to it that makes me think of elderflower, which isn’t in the ingredients here. I guess it must be some combination of the chamomile with one of the lemony herbs? Anyway, it’s very nice, and thankfully I don’t taste the fennel or the licorice root.

Would actually consider ordering some of this one, but it doesn’t seem to be offered anymore. Oh well!

Result: Finished Off

This is pretty light, fresh-tasting, and refreshing cold. It’s a little peachy, and the fruit is blended nicely with a really pleasant ginger. There’s no tartness, just nice fruitiness. The resteep was mild and delicious. Even when I oversteep this, it doesn’t get tart or weird. This is a blend I’d totally get again on sale. It’s quite heavy, so my 2 oz only made a few cups.

Sipdown! (18 | 234)

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge (September) – “A tea from a tea swap/traveling tea box”

I picked this one up from a TTB last month, so I figured I would sip it down for this prompt. I’m not usually a huge fan of fruit tisanes (which this basically is, despite containing maté) but I find this one to be well-balanced. The hibiscus is just the right amount and it complements the fruity flavors well, and the wildberry flavor is juicy and refreshing. I don’t really taste much maté, but I’ve just been treating this as a fruit tisane and enjoying it that way.

I’m not sure I would order it, but it was nice to sip through for the summer!

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #24

There is a huge unopened bag of this one in the TTB, I think from one of those pre-filled tins. Well, it’s opened now! :P This is listed as a maté but let’s be real, it’s basically a fruit tisane ha ha. There are some little flecks of green in there but they’re few and far between compared to the apple and other dried fruit. Smells delicious though, very berry-forward.

I quite like it, really. It has a nice juicy and full red fruits plus berries sort of flavor. The hibiscus is there but it’s well-balanced and adds the right amount of tartness. I do actually taste a hint of green maté earthiness at the very end of the sip, which is nice. Not really tasting beet, not that I’m upset about that. Derk said strawberry Jell-O, yep that’s about right.

I think I might just keep this one, hmm… Or at least part of it, 100g is a lot.

Result: Kept!

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #22

This sounds like such a yummy concept, and it smells very strong but yummy. The oolong looks quite oxidized, which I like the idea of with these flavors.

So. I do like the flavors here. The banana is very Runts-esque, but I’m okay with that. It tastes like a very rich banana bread with extra cinnamon. I do get a touch of toasty autumn leaves from the oolong as well.

However, the stevia… It’s so sweet, I can’t handle it. And it makes me so sad, because whyyyyyyy?! T.T So obviously, not a keeper for me.

Result: Tried

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #16

This was was in a cute little tiny baggy, I assume a remnant of a past DT advent calendar. I could see mostly lemongrass and a bit of chamomile, and I enjoy most herbal tisanes so I figured I would give it a try.

I was surprised when it steeped up a pretty deep coral color! I didn’t notice the hibiscus in the leaf he he. Happily, it’s not too much hibiscus – it adds a pleasant fruity tartness but I can still taste the other flavors. Mint is the most prominent, and it’s a combination of herbaceous and more refreshing menthol notes. I do taste the lemongrass, but surprisingly not much chamomile. There’s a touch of mustiness at the end of the sip.

Very pleasant combination, but not something I would feel the need to rush out and buy. Very content to finish up my potful though! :)

Result: Finished Off

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #12

So there’s a whole unopened (well, previously unopened) 50g pouch of this in the TTB. I remember seeing this type of tea at What-cha before, but I’ve never tried it, or any Malawi tea that I can recall. So here we are!

I used 5 “pearls” for a 16-ounce pot. I’m really bad about overestimating the amount of tea to use when it’s compressed or rolled, so I probably could’ve used less. They didn’t actually unfurl much during the 3-minute steep, so they could probably take quite a few steeps.

Anyway, on to the tea. It’s very flavorful for a white tea, with a combination of green, black, and white tea flavors. The texture is smooth and slightly thick, and there’s a black-tea-like malty note and body. But it also reminds me of a nutty green tea, such as Long Jing. Smooth and buttery with a pronounced nutty flavor, reminiscent of cashews, and also a light vegetal note. Also picking up on the hay and oats flavors I usually find in white teas, and a lovely natural sweetness. There’s an interesting astringency that sort of tickles the back of my throat.

I’m a bit torn on whether to keep this one, as I’m not a resteeper and that seems wasteful for a tea that barely unfurls on the first steep. Plus this tea is extremely pricey…

Result: Tried?

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #9

Okay, last one for the night. Another tisane with chamomile!

I actually like this one. The front of the sip is mostly tart raspberry and hibiscus, and then the end is mostly the chamomile. The chamomile isn’t the best, it’s a little musty, but it’s still pleasant. The raspberry tastes like fresh raspberries because of the tart quality it has.

However… I’m slightly concerned that all of the other notes for this are from six years ago. The package was unopened, but I’m wary of drinking a tisane with so much fruit that’s that old… I can’t imagine adding a six-year-old tea to a TTB, but that doesn’t mean someone else wouldn’t do it.

Result: Tried

Sipdown, sadly. I so enjoyed this blend. It’s obvious that the coconut was starting to fade/turn, though, so I’m glad to be finishing it off while it’s still pretty good. There’s just an oh-so-slightly acrid and soapy note that I know wasn’t there when I first got this. Still not terrible, just not as utterly delightful as it first was. I wish Davids would bring this one back.

It’s my mom’s yarzheit and I have a pretty bad migraine, so I just needed something easy and caffeinated and comfy. Almost out of this, so very glad I got another coconut oolong from the TTB. Apparently “good coconut oolong” is a tea type I just need to keep in regular stock now.

This is another strongly flavored oolong that I chose because my sense of smell isn’t fully recovered and I miss oolong. Thankfully the coconut is strong enough that I was able to pick up some of the smell. Plus the coconut taste and creamy texture still came across well. I got three good steeps out of it in a purple mug I brought back from Taiwan. We went ceramics shopping on Yingge Street and I got loads of great stuff – a cute mini tea set for display, chopstick rests, ceramic rice scoops, a gaiwan, a black jade teacup, a few mugs and teacups… I’m sure I’m forgetting something but the point is that it was awesome and I only regret not getting a certain purple gaiwan that I really liked. Most of what we bought wasn’t exceptionally fancy or expensive but it is all very pretty and legitimately useful, which is what we prioritized. The mug I steeped up this oolong in is glazed on the inside and painted shades of purple on the outside. It even has a cute lid with a curlicue handle! It helped me get the most possible enjoyment out of this tea today.

Leaving the rating where it was.

Migraine day, ugh! I needed caffeine, wanted something that I really enjoy, but not something complex that would require a lot of focus that I wouldn’t be able to give. I ended up going with this coconut oolong from the TTB. It stayed creamy and coconut-y for three very enjoyable western-style steeps. Didn’t cure the migraine, which I didn’t expect it to, but it did make my day a little nicer.

Another one from the TTB. I wasn’t expecting much when I picked it out, yet it turned out to be the sleeper hit of the day. It was refreshing, true to flavor, and truly enjoyable both hot and iced. I slightly preferred it hot because of the creaminess of the coconut. Not sure how many steeps it can take – I only made two because I was capping out my caffeine intake for the day.

Strange VariaTEA TTB – Tea #3

There were two lonely little sachets of this in the box, and I like mate and ginger so I figured I would give it a try!

I quite like it, actually. The ginger is definitely the strongest ingredient, but it doesn’t burn my throat or anything extreme. Then I taste a gentle lemon note and the earthiness from the mate and/or guarana. I would guess there was turmeric here as well, which there doesn’t appear to be. I don’t really get matcha, though I didn’t see evidence of that when it was steeping either, and thankfully I don’t taste much licorice root. Ginseng… maybe a hint?

Anyway, I found it rather pleasant, and am surprised by how extreme a reaction some other steepers had ha ha. Maybe these sachets were older and had calmed down a bit! I would consider having some of this on hand, especially for sore throats, upset stomachs, or sickness in general. But it seems DT doesn’t offer this tea anymore anyway.

Result: Finished Off

I really didn’t enjoy DT’s chai matcha, so I was a little worried when I opened my 2 oz bag of this one. Luckily, the flavor profile seems to go in a totally different direction. Whereas the other one was red hot cinnamon, this one is more difficult to describe. I taste mostly matcha with a bit of flavoring, but I really can’t tell what it’s supposed to be. Maybe it’s a bit cookie-ish? It’s not a favorite, but there’s nothing bad or too weird here either. The flavoring is quite mild.

I love love love this tea, especially for congestion or sore throats, I always keep myself stocked up on this one because I have to have it anytime I’m sick. Lovely without honey or with, especially good with lots of honey on a sore throat.

For the sipdown prompt, “a raspberry tea.” Prepared cold brew.

I was surprised to find that this is blue raspberry flavored, but as that is a flavor I enjoy and one I don’t think I’ve encountered in tea before, I’m fine with it. It steeps a deep hibi red but there is so much sweetness here there is only a vague hint of fruity tartness… Mostly I get a strong fruit punch flavor followed by sweet blue raspberry. It’s a very thirst-quenching cold tea, which is how I plan to finish this… I’m not sure how I’d feel about the flavor warm, though.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – July Tea #8 -A tea you’ve forgotten about

BUT how do I KNOW if I have forgotten about a tea unless I haven’t actually forgotten a tea?  I’d have to randomly stumble upon it while looking for another tea.  I think I’m just very aware of my tea collection at this point, regardless of its vast ridiculousness… so I don’t think I forget about a tea TOO often.  But this is a sipdown and I haven’t written a first note for it yet, so I’ll go with this one. I “forgot” to write a note for it?  It’s a good idea for a prompt anyway…  I only had a bit of this in one of the David’s samplers I bought a while ago. Let’s just say this tea was not the reason I bought the sampler.  This is one of those David’s blends that SAYS there is white tea in it, but it’s probably a very small amount because it looks like mostly other goodies.  I have never had fresh pom before, so to me this blend just tastes like tartness. And probably pom flavoring if I’m stretching my imagination.  Not bad, but more white tea would have kept it interesting and not tart overload, where I feel like hibiscus is doing most of the job for the pom.   There is a syrupy quality that keeps it pleasant enough for a couple cups, but grateful when it’s a sipdown.
2022 sipdowns:  88