16967 Tasting Notes
So, I don’t usually include the teas Tre drinks as individual tasting notes unless I also drink part of them – and tonight I didn’t have any of this one, which I made for him.
I had actually asked if he wanted tea rather arbitrarily, because I didn’t expect him to say yes. When he did say yes I was a little shocked; but maybe that was the point?
He decided he wanted to try one of my two rootbeer teas; and after smelling the DT version (which apparently smells like ass), this is what he wanted. I’m including it in its own tasting note though because he actually did, rather uncharacteristically, review it.
The review went as follows:
“It reminds me of Earl Grey. Is there Earl Grey in this?”
“No.”
“Not even a little?”
“No.”
“I want to add sugar, is it ok if I add sugar?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mean that… Also, how about bubble gum? Does it remind you of bubble gum? It tastes like bubble gum to me.”
So there you have it; Earl Grey and Bubblegum…
At least he liked it, though.
Sipdown (175/177)!
I let Tre choose my matcha tonight because I was struggling with picking something, and this is what he selected. It just so happened it was also an unexpected sipdown!
Obviously it was whisked up in cold milk; that’s typically how I do my matcha unless it’s in club soda; and this one didn’t scream “tea soda” to me tonight. It was really good, though! I definitely got that extra creaminess/borderline caramel flavour from it. However, it wasn’t good enough to make me rethink the decision to not restock this one.
A very nice way to go out, though.
Cold Brewed, and just… Ick.
It was like I was drinking Mango and Grass scented perfume, and the little bit I drank before dumping it all out did not sit well with me, either.
It’s hard to believe this used to be my go to flavoured green that I could actually tolerate; now I can’t wait to be rid of it. Just further proof tastes change, I guess…
I must have been in a RiverTea/Cherry mood today, because I didn’t notice I’d made two cherry flavoured RiverTea blends for work today until I had actually gotten to work.
This was made hot in a timolino, and slightly overleaf; and it was, simply put, awesome. I did feel that the cherry was a little buried and more flavorful notes of orange/strawberry, but it was there and it created a nice mix of fruit. The little spiciness at the end was welcomed today too, I felt like it added a little alertness that helped me get through the work day.
Speaking of work; it went mostly really well today but there was some sadness. In the last of the round of staff fired/let go, a favourite employee of the Keyholders (Hazel, Morningstar, Bobbi, and I) was let go. His name is Abdul and he’s such a sweet, funny guy! I’m so heartbroken to see people leave – and they’re all my favourite people too! Damnit; this is why I can’t have nice things, like friends…
(Morningstar is convinced we would be a good couple, which is a little awkward… He’s like, 16? Maybe 17? And super nice, but a little dumb/naive…)
Also, I had to write someone up today for having money missing in her till, and that felt pretty awful too because I know it likely is going to give my manager more of an excuse to add her to the last group of people being fired…
It took me forever to find this one to log it; I couldn’t for the life of me remember what it was called and I was typing in all sorts of weird “Cherry -” names into the search bar trying to get it to come up. I tried Cherry Potion, Cherry Love, Cherry Romance, Cherry Bliss…
Finally I had to get up, go to the kitchen and look at the label on the sample from Cavocorax. Cherry Dream; Why couldn’t I think of that!?
Anyway, I had halved my sample of this so I could do half hot and half cold brewed, but after cold brewing this I’m not sure if I feel the need to “be adventurous” and hot brew the rest – I had it cold brewed and just really, really liked it that way so I’m probably fine with finishing it that way too.
Basically; there were only good points to my cold brew. The grapefruit, which I think is hard to do in tea, especially because grapefruit is a fruit that can be bitter on it’s own, was very present and well executed; it felt real, and juicy, and refreshing. It especially came across in the smell of the cold brew – though in taste it was pretty 50/50 with the cherry. And speaking of the cherry, that’s a flavour that can also turn into a whole mess of “nope” because it can be medicinal; but this wasn’t medicinal! It was plump and juicy and sweet. Mmm!
As far as the green base goes, it was present but in a way which added character to the fruit and didn’t come off as grassy. I was really impressed with this one; and I’d maybe consider buying it again. At the very least, I’ll happily drink it again, and I look forward to the sipdown.
Thank you, Cavo!
Slight backlog from last night.
This was my final tea of the day which, admittedly, didn’t really get in a ton of tea drinking. Oh well, I feel like I made the teas I did get in really count. Though this one was picked out of convenience more than anything else; I wanted a bagged tea for simplicity’s sake, and this was one I hadn’t had for a while.
The coconut was a bonus.
I ended up falling asleep last night while building carts on Red Leaf Tea and Redbubble; the latter of which isn’t a “tea” site but a “t-shirt” site (primarily, anyway). I struggled with narrowing things down, but I’m thinking of some combination of these ones:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/eyesblau/works/11176134-i-pineapples?body_color=heather_grey&p=t-shirt&print_location=front&size=xxxl&style=mens
(With the Heather Grey shirt base)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/prisma-colored/works/11277423-equius-acquire-lactose-beverage?body_color=navy&p=t-shirt&print_location=front&size=xxxl&style=mens
(With the Navy Blue shirt base)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/roromakesmegogo/works/9715817-the-great-gatsby
http://www.redbubble.com/people/shaunieb/works/9125028-robin-sparkles-mall-tour-1993
(With a Black Shirt Base)
http://www.redbubble.com/people/scythelliot/works/10558910-pizza
Thoughts and opinions of people here on Steepster would be much appreciated! I’m definitely in need of new shirts; most of the ones I own are way too old/worn out to be worn for work, so I thought this would be a fun way to kind of “customize” my own clothing, and still keep things fun/work appropriate. Although, a few of those are references I’m not sure everyone here on Steepster will get…
And lastly, I was heart broken to wake up to the news that DT is discontinuing four more blends; three of which I really enjoy/wanted to stock up on! So it looks like I’m going to have to make a DT trip sooner, rather than later, to buy 100g (well, 98g because I have tins for them, they’re just not empty yet – so I don’t want new tins) of Superberry and Bamboozled, plus the 50g of Cool Cucumber I wanted anyway. I think I’m ok with not going crazy and restocking Big Apple too; I still have a fair bit of it.
But shame on you, DAVIDsTEA for discontinuing yet. another. fucking. white. blend! Really? First Sweet Strawberry (which was so perfect), then your straight whites, and the Jasmine Silver Needle, and now this one too? You have next to no white teas left! Ugh. Get rid of some of the nasty greens…
Haven’t had this in a while and I thought it’d be a nice choice to pull out for the evening. I must say, it was good but it struggled to shine when paired up with Ice Princess, which just has such a unique and commanding presence.
I really got a sense of rum from this cup though, and that was the most “stand out” flavour; the baked bread, plum, and some spice were all there too but definitely in the far back of the crowd.
It was a good reminder that it’s not something I want to restock so there’s really no need to hoard it, especially considering that despite it being something I don’t plan on restocking it’s not so bad either.
Apologies for the TMI, but I just felt the need to share that I just made hot, sloppy, passionate love with the Ice Princess, and now we’re going for round two. Keychange might have her love affair with The Queen, and VariaTEA might have her thing with Japon, but I think what the Ice Princess and I have is pretty real too!
But no, in all seriousness; this tea is AMAZING. It’s the best vanilla/melon/mint/whatever is actually in this tea I’ve ever had and every cup is pretty damn spectacular. I still have probably around 30g of this one left, but already I’m feeling that sense of impending panic that it’s not going to be enough and that I’m going to run out and not be able to restock.
That last part might be kind of true; you can’t really order online from Cuppa’T, and I’m not sure when I’ll be back in Regina next to pick more up. But you can be sure that I will when I do make it back there again, whenever it is.
You know what though? It feels silly, but if I had to describe this tea in one word (I mean, it’s pretty hard to describe using as many words as you want; the flavour is just so damn unique) it’d probably be melancholy.
But yeah; can’t wait for my next love making session with my princess.
Flavors: Green Melons, Melon, Vanilla
I NEED MORE OF THIS ONE TOO!!! It is soooo amazing!!!
You should try Lupicia’s Melon Oolong. You would be a fan.
why not just call them and order? you’ll have to give them a CC number, but if you’re enamoured a well placed call will bring you your princess in all likelihood… 1.306.352.4411 =0)
Holy shit I need to try this!
@James, it’s easier to just wait until I’m in town next. It’s bound to happen eventually, all my family lives there and I don’t think I can escape them forever. Jules (the woman who owns Cuppa’T) is pretty fantastic, but I think she only does large orders through calls/online – and I just want the one tea (or two, if she has Dragonfruit Cranberry back in stock).
@Keychange, remind me to add some to our next swap, whenever that happens to be.
it does quite awesome……
ew family…. sorry, that’s me and mine.
most of my family live on the island together-ish….. we avoid each other like the plague but use the excuse ‘sorry, i’ve been busy,’
it does SOUND quite awesome. sigh. semester’s almost over….
Yeah, I feel your sentiments. The “ew family” ones, not the school ones – I’m not in Uni so I can’t relate to those ones.
Sipdown (176/178)!
Well, this final cup was the best one I’ve made thus far but it looks like the final tallies are in and, well, this just isn’t the blend for me.
I seriously do get the flavour notes I see others messaging, and in this cup in particular I really did get the sweet breadiness of it – but that amazing “Wow Factor” doesn’t translate and this falls short of the expectations I had built up for it.
On the somewhat “plus” side of things, I think I’ve figured out what it reminds me of, though; Candied Almond from Cuppa’T Specialty Teas (which I have an unopened 50g bag of in my closet). The main difference though (and why I recall liking Candied Almond more) is that CA is sweeter, and more marzipan like. I think that, all in all, makes it seem more ‘full’, flavour wise.
But so much thanks to Courtney for the sample; trying a Steepster favourite was a worthwhile experience, even if I didn’t love it.
Sipdown impending; it’ll be the next cold brew (which a huge part of me wants to go and make right now…).
I love this cold brew. It’s refreshing, and delightful, and perfectly captures the essence of Spring (which it finally feels like, here in Saskatoon), and the coconut is intense and lovely and true.
Sigh.
I guess perfect love wasn’t made to last.
Flavors: Coconut
Earl Grey and Bubblegum sounds delicious to me.
Earl Grey and bubblegum actually sounds a lot like the flavours I think of when I think of root beer, to be fair. And sometimes, depending on the brewer, a hint of toothpaste.
(And I do like a nice, creamy root beer)
Hint of toothpaste = either wintergreen, or sweet birch. Root beer brewing is fascinating.