6444 Tasting Notes
DAVIDsTEA Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 6
I did something really stupid and actually deleted my tasting note for this tea from the other day. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!
Anyways, throwing a note quickly back in here to say I used and enjoyed my matcha maker bottle for it and I also made it plain using the whole package and I recall enjoying the flavor. I don’t remember specifics. And I am sad because for once, I am pretty sure that was a fairly detailed note.
Latte Sipdown (257)
I was actually planning to make a honeybush tea as a latte but didn’t have enough leaf for it. So, I explored in my focus area and this caught my eye. It is one of the blends from last year’s advent calendar. It is also one of the Earl Greys that makes me think I like Earl Greys because I really like this.
I made it as a latte because that’s what I was feeling. I intended to use a mix of milk and eggnog but there was just enough milk in the bag for a latte and if I left some behind to have eggnog as well, it would have been a dumb amount left behind in the milk. I do miss the eggnog a little since the fat in it certainly gives the lattes more body. As a result, this seems thinner than my recent lattes but not thin in flavour, which is important.
It’s also important that I share I downed this in like 3 gulps because it is that good. Creamy. Cakey. The nicest earl grey flavor which is present but not overpowering or brisk. I just like it so much. Hoping I see it again soon…
Kenneth Ave Advent Calendar – Day 7
I opened my DIY advent and saw Pistachio Praline. Then I opened this advent and found this nut tea. Then my Dollar Tea Club package arrived for the month and the first tea I pulled out is Forever Nuts. I am not too happy about this tea profile popping up everywhere.
I loved the DAVIDsTEA version of Forever Nuts the first time I had it. The second time I had it, it was like a switch was flipped and even the smell was off putting. Speaking of which, I also received a Forever Nuts tea sample in my DAVIDsTEA order that arrived this weekend. Why is this tea everywhere?
This is nutty but also has hibiscus and cacao. I actually think this is the best take on it and it is because it is predominantly hibiscus and cacao. The nuttiness comes through in the middle of the sip but its not as overwhelming as Forever Nuts or Pistachio Praline was. Also, something about this profile is making me think of Caramel Corn from DAVIDsTEA, which again I loved at first but quickly fell out of love with. It’s just got a popcorn vibe to it in the middle with tart hibiscus at the front of the sip and an end note of chocolate. Not a tea I want again but better than the others.
Matcha Latte Sipdown (255)
Today’s treat from the DAVIDsTEA matcha advent was matcha honey. Not my thing but it meant I could have a different matcha today. I was more than happy to pick a random matcha burst from the box of them Roswell Strange sent me for the holidays. Thank you!!
I made this up as a latte, because that seemed like the best call for this flavor, and it was pretty good. Each 15 gram matcha burst is one serving so it’s similar to the DAVIDsTEA flavoured matchas in that they recommend using a lot of the powder because it has other ingredients like sugar. That obviously made this sweet and also makes the powder heavy so there was a fair bit of settling in my glass that required swirling before each sip to get rid of. Also, there were a couple times where this came off a bit chalky to me but overall it was pretty good, texture wise.
As for taste? It was like the DAVIDsTEA flavoured matchas in that it is on the sweeter side. There also wasn’t a lot of matcha flavour. That’s my preference but I know others feel differently so figured I should mention it. This also was distinctly spiced with typical chai spices. I got cinnamon mostly, which played off the chocolate note well. I would say this was a touch more chai than chocolate but overall it was an enjoyable start to my Matcha Bursts exploration.
CuppaGeek Advent Calendar – Day 7
I really liked this one. I didn’t get any bitterness like Sil did. It was just sweet cranberry flavor that is reminding me of the Cranberry Pear tea by DAVIDsTEA. It made me happy and went down real fast.
DIY Advent Calendar – Day 6
Latte Sipdown (240)
I used the randomizer on my excel spreadsheet to select the teas for my DIY advent and it seemed to pick a lot of the Dollar Tea Club teas. Not complaining but it was weird. However, it is helping me get through a lot of them.
This particular tea I thought about making a latte a lot but there was always a different tea that was older so it should be finished first or I didn’t feel like chamomile or some reason to look at it, consider it, and move on. That’s why when I pulled it out today, it seemed to only make sense to have this as a latte.
It’s an interesting latte. It’s definitely honey. Obviously honey. No mistaking that. But its not like honey from a bottle. It’s a very distinct and very familiar honey flavoring that is almost sickly sweet but not quite. I wish I could place it because it is so familiar and there is something very specific that it reminds me of and I just can’t say what. When I get past that, you get some honey from the rooibos as well and a touch of fruitiness.
It was a good latte but not one I think I need again. If this tea showed up again, that’s how I would go about drinking it but I am also alright with the idea of it not showing up again. Also, I think this would not have been good plain, which makes me less inclined to view it as a good tea. I think the rooibos and chamomile would come through more strongly and without the creaminess of the milk, the honey could come off sweeter and thus cloying.
CuppaGeek Advent Calendar – Day 6
I steeped this up and enjoyed it while procrastinating my studies and wrapping a few presents that recently arrived. We have a literal present mountain with presents sitting on top of other presents and more just keep arriving. It’s my nephew’s first Chanukah and between my sister and brother-in-law, he has 7 grandparents. He will be three months old when Chanukah starts and will basically be surrounded by endless gifts. And who is wrapping all these endless gifts? Me. It’s fun though.
Anyways, the dry leaf of this tea has a great vanilla smell, which made me excited to actually drink it. The vanilla flavor in the steeped tea is nice. It’s smooth and fresh and really good vanilla. Alas, being just a vanilla tea, I am getting more of the black base. The base can be a touch astringent/coppery in the end of the sip at times.
For me, 52 Teas is the company for vanilla teas and while this is a great attempt, it doesn’t quite beat the 52 Teas vanilla blends for me.
Sipdown (232)
This has cooled slightly and the elderberry is coming out a bit more. While I really enjoy the juicy and ripe apricot notes in this, the elderberry is a darker flavor that I find to be a bit distracting. It delivers on what is promised but for me, I wish it delivered less elderberry and was just all apricot, with a touch of honey from the base.
Sipdown (233)
This was from last year’s advent teas and apparently I just didn’t get enough advent teas today so I pulled it out.
As far as mint teas go, its really quite nice. The oolong works really well with the mint flavor. It has a minty gum sort of vibe without being too harshly menthol tasting. It’s also really creamy and almost vanilla-like in sweetness.
When I was a kid, my siblings and I really liked Winterfresh gum but we used to only be able to get when we went to Florida. I remember stocking up and bringing it back home with us to Toronto. This reminds me of that, except the flavor doesn’t disappear after two seconds so I am left happy.
