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Sipdown (193/197)!

This is one of the many samples I received in the mail today from who other than VariaTEA – leave it to her to not only shower me with tea in general but with Nina’s Paris samples.

I wasn’t really sure how I’d react to this one: I’m not exactly the biggest fan of mangoes or mango flavoured things. However, the dry leaf of this smelled incredibly juicy and rich in a very appetizing way so I figured I’d give it a shot. It definitely has a flavour very true to a mango and it’s pretty solidly good, especially considering I don’t like mango a whole lot to begin with. Oddly, I thought it tasted better the more it cooled down though: maybe that’s because there was a faintly floral quality to the hot cup in the end sip that I found less present cold.

VariaTEA sent me two sachets but given my mango aversion I think I’m going to share the tea wealth and send the last one to 221Tea. While I thought this cup was surprisingly good for my own personal tastes I think the one cup was enough to satisfy my curiosity.

PS. I really like this one’s name.

Flavors: Fruit Tree Flowers

221tea

I’m not gonna lie…every time I see my name in one of your posts, I do a mental happy dance. Brian and I both like mangoes! This just gets better and better!

Roswell Strange

Package #2 which I’m currently compiling will be coming to you in a box instead of a bubble mailer so I’m just trying to fill it up as much as possible ;) Doesn’t make sense to not fill it since I definitely have enough tea to fill it. Hope you enjoy :)

VariaTEA

Confession time: despite our many swaps, I had no idea you didn’t like mangoes. I shall make a mental note.

VariaTEA

Also, 221tea, I hope you like this one. It is from their Japan store :)

Roswell Strange

@VariaTEA – no worries; it’s definitely no where near my dislike of ginger or raisins ;)

221tea

I finished packing up your swap batch today :) I tried to give you enough to do 2 or 3 cups when I could. :) Hopefully it’s a good mix of teas you haven’t tried, which I feel is a difficult thing to do since you seem to have a TON of tea!

@VariaTEA…I cook with lots of mango in the summer, and we use them for smoothies also, so I am hoping it’s a hit! crossing my fingers

Roswell Strange

@221Tea – I remember when I first started swapping with VariaTEA I was super nervous I’d send her something she had already tried. Now I’m kinda just like “fuck it – she can pass it along to someone else or try it a different way”. So no worries; I’m sure that whatever you send will be put to good use in some way :)

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Comments

221tea

I’m not gonna lie…every time I see my name in one of your posts, I do a mental happy dance. Brian and I both like mangoes! This just gets better and better!

Roswell Strange

Package #2 which I’m currently compiling will be coming to you in a box instead of a bubble mailer so I’m just trying to fill it up as much as possible ;) Doesn’t make sense to not fill it since I definitely have enough tea to fill it. Hope you enjoy :)

VariaTEA

Confession time: despite our many swaps, I had no idea you didn’t like mangoes. I shall make a mental note.

VariaTEA

Also, 221tea, I hope you like this one. It is from their Japan store :)

Roswell Strange

@VariaTEA – no worries; it’s definitely no where near my dislike of ginger or raisins ;)

221tea

I finished packing up your swap batch today :) I tried to give you enough to do 2 or 3 cups when I could. :) Hopefully it’s a good mix of teas you haven’t tried, which I feel is a difficult thing to do since you seem to have a TON of tea!

@VariaTEA…I cook with lots of mango in the summer, and we use them for smoothies also, so I am hoping it’s a hit! crossing my fingers

Roswell Strange

@221Tea – I remember when I first started swapping with VariaTEA I was super nervous I’d send her something she had already tried. Now I’m kinda just like “fuck it – she can pass it along to someone else or try it a different way”. So no worries; I’m sure that whatever you send will be put to good use in some way :)

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Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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