This tea has one of my favourite kind of tea names – something conceptual/creative that conveys more of a feeling than a specific flavour or recreation of a food. Is that the most commercial approach to naming your tea? Arguably not – but I find those blends are typically less disappointing on average because you’re not comparing the flavour mentally against an actual thing…

I’ll give you an example…

This tea is very bright, tart and flavourful with really punchy notes of cranberry that remind me of a mix of tart cranberry juice and sweet and tangy cranberry jelly. It’s very autumnal, good hot but clearly would also ice super well. Leans into the natural sweetness of the apple, and the hibiscus boosts those puckering notes and adds body while blending pretty natural to the red fruit vibes. It definitely conveys that feeling of a crisp autumnal day thanks to my mental association with cranberry and Thanksgiving but also the crisp and tart/clean flavour of the cranberry.

Now… What if you called this tea Cranberry Cider?

Well, I wouldn’t be upset at that because cranberry and apple are the main flavours and prominent ingredients – so it makes sense on that level. However, there’s more freedom in how you would interpret that. Is a Cranberry Cider sweet or tart? Both? What is the balance there. Should I get more apple or should I get more cranberry? Is it boozy? Spiced? I’m definitely not saying it wouldn’t work under that name and I think, arguably, it’s a more commercial name – but there’s also just a higher potential for it to not match my mental idea of what that tea should taste like.

Anyway – all that to say that I did really enjoy this one and the name is cool. It’s possibly my favourite so far other than maybe Strawberry Fondue. The flavour is simple but well executed and it reminds me a lot of Cranberry Purifier – which is another cranberry tea I adore a lot from Tea Squared. In general, I think, I just have a strong preference for cranberry teas.

Silent Kettle

You’re so right! The name of this tea really caught my attention. And I agree, sometimes when I order tea and it has a name comparing it to a food, I always expect it to taste like a blended up version of that food, instead of like a tea, lol!

And this actually sounds like something I would like! I will look into getting it!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Comments

Silent Kettle

You’re so right! The name of this tea really caught my attention. And I agree, sometimes when I order tea and it has a name comparing it to a food, I always expect it to taste like a blended up version of that food, instead of like a tea, lol!

And this actually sounds like something I would like! I will look into getting it!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

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...

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer