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This evening I’m enjoying a mug of this side to side with DT’s Pistachio Cream – and just doing a sort of comparison between the two. I thought it’d be really fun and interesting because they’re similar blends but also really different. It also puts me closer to a sipdown for each of the blends (I have about two cups of this left, and one of Pistachio Cream).

So for this mug, I get a light creaminess and sense of vanilla; but mostly a borderline vegetal (but mostly in a buttery way) roasted pistachio flavour. I’ve written several notes on this blend before and have likely summarized the flavour experience of this one before in a more eloquent way.

The big thing that I find with this blend is that it’s very consistent and always yields similar, practically identical cups. It also takes milk very well and that helps to enhance the creaminess of it while mellowing the roasted aspect of the pistachio; however today I’m enjoying it straight.

As for the Pistachio Cream from DAVIDsTEA, I’ve only had it once prior to now – and it was sloppily prepared and just a disaster overall – though I didn’t think it tasted too bad despite all that. Preparing it now under my own conditions, I think it’s definitely a more “low maintenance” blend compared to the Pistachio Ice Cream so that’s something in its favour.

Taste wise, this one is MUCH more creamy and it has a naturally thicker mouthfeel to it that exaggerates that quality of it. The pistachio still shines through; but in a sweeter and just slightly less natural way; like “Pistachio Pudding” as opposed to actual pistachios. Does that make sense? I’ve never tried this with milk, so I’m not sure how that would add or detract from this blend.

Also, a major downside to this one is that’s it’s discontinued so if you really fall in love with it then you’re SOL because it’s not that easy to get a hold of anymore.

My personal feelings; I like Pistachio Cream because of it’s thick mouthfeel and creaminess but I have a slightly higher appreciation for Pistachio Ice Cream because it captures a more realistic pistachio, is a green tea I can actually get behind, I know it’s consistent, and I can recreate that creaminess by adding milk.

However, both are good.

My first Cornelia Bean experience!

Dexter3657 (I really hope I’m getting those numbers in the right order) was very thoughtful when sending her package to me, and went through my wishlist – sending teas I had on there and teas that were similar to what I had on there, like this one which is pretty similar to the Dragonfruit blend from Cuppa’T that I have included there.

Since the Cuppa’T blend is on the list as something I enjoyed thoroughly/wish to acquire again for cold brewing, that’s how I decided to prepare this one! In total this steeped overnight and briefly this morning for somewhere around 15 hours. Now that it’s strained and I’m drinking it, I think it’s absolutely delicious!

Mostly, I just taste the dragonfruit and it reminds me of pink dragonfruit vitamin water in the same way that Cuppa’T Specialty Teas’ Dragon Fruit Cranberry blend did. Which is a good thing. A really good thing. However, if I really pick this apart I can separate some of the flavours and in doing so am able to notice the dragon fruit, kiwi, chokeberries, cranberries, and to some extent the pineapple individually. However, I think I would much rather prefer to not focus on that and instead experience the tea all together as a whole.

Overall, I think I like Cuppa’T’s take better – but only slightly. I would be more than content to have either that blend or this blend stocked in quantity! Mmm! So thank you a bundle Dexter3657 for the incredibly thoughtful add in! This was a fantastic first introduction to Cornelia Bean, and I’m very excited to have enough of this left for a second cold brew. Mmm!

My tea went cold before I got to it (I was distracted by my bowl of popcorn, and TwitchPlaysPokemon: Emerald), but this is still really good regardless.

I’m noticing a thickness in the mouthfeel that I’m not sure if I’ve observed/made note of before, and there’s a very rich vanilla creaminess to this cup: I must have hit a “perfect” steep time too (I wasn’t actually timing it so I’m not sure how long it steeped) because I can taste a distinct blackberry flavour in the end sip/lingering aftertaste. I’m sure this is how it’s supposed to taste/the flavoues Cara intended: not just a ‘subtle fruitiness’ like is most often observed.

Yummy!

I think this is the last blend to try from the 52Teas blends I received in January from Lala; putting this one off for last wasn’t a super conscious decision, but I think that primarily it boiled down my already having a Butter Rum tea in stock and not being as inclined to try this immediately just because of that fact.

Dry, this sadly doesn’t smell anything like Buttered Rum; mostly it just smells like Frank’s black base. Now that it’s steeping, there is a little more flavour and aroma to the liquor, but nothing terribly distinct or “wowing”.

And now that I’m trying it I have to say that really all I’m getting is the black base and maybe just the teeniest hint of rum in the end sip/aftertaste. Whah, whah, whaaaah…

That’s alright; you can’t love ’em all. I guess I had my 52Teas “Fireworks moment” for the week last night with the Pineapple Bacon Rooibos I made.

EDIT: Now that it’s cooled significantly I am getting slightly more rum taste in the aftertaste – though it’s still milk, and it reminds me of artificial rum extract you use in baking. Meh.

Now that we finally have milk in the house again, I can get back to trying my matcha samples from aisling of tea, and then decide how much of everything I’m willing to send Keychange! Yay!

I chose this one for a first thing in the morning type tea – whisked into cold milk, obviously. It’s good! I’m actually little surprised by how strong the coffee/chocolate flavouring is because I really thought the dry matcha didn’t smell like too much. But this is creamy and rich, and I think something I would MAYBE include in a Red Leaf order if I was getting larger quantities of things (along with Banana & Cream, and Cheesecake – maybe Pineapple/Watermelon).

I wish I had whipped cream; this feels like it should have whipped cream on top, and one of those bright red maraschino cherries. I just spelled maraschino correctly on the first try; I’m very impressed with myself.

This also blended really well, and frothed up for me super nicely! Woot, and also yum!

This sample from VariaTEA is from ages ago, and I’ve really been putting off trying it since I didn’t care for the Maple Bacon from 52Teas a whole lot; however tonight something inside me just went “well, just FUCK IT – we’re pulling this out and you’re trying it; personal taste be damned”. So, that’s what I did.

Dry, I smell mostly a fain bacon/savory smell and not much else – and then sort of right up until the last thirty second or so of steeping this, the aroma was this mostly savory and sort of unappealing bacon sent and I was sure I was going to hate this. Those last 30 seconds, though? Suddenly this full, vibrant and INTENSE pineapple smell emerged and I instantly went “Oh!” – in the best way possible.

Drinking it now? I have to say, this tea is giving me the fireworks that I’ve been looking for all day. It’s a flavour explosion in my mouth and I’m getting the most well balanced and delicious pineapple/bacon flavour EVER. It honestly reminds me a little bit of A) the pineapple flavour in Butiki blends, which I adore and B) my favourite Pineapple and Cheese pizza from Boston Pizza.

The sweet/savory just works SO FUCKING WELL! I’m surprised in the most brilliant way, and now I’m both sad I waited so long to try it and sad that I only have a few more cups worth left. I want a full pouch of this! Seriously; it’s pineapple (my favourite fruit) done in a way that no other pineapple tea in my cupboard can compare to.

Yum! What a delightful, shocking surprise!

Now this… This is wow. Hot cereal, indeed!

Thank you so much Dexter3657 for sending me some of this! It’s been on my wishlist for so long that I could not resist trying it tonight, and thank God that it didn’t disappoint. Really, this captures all my favourite parts of Genmaicha; but in a different enough way that it’s not a replacement for a good Genmaicha.

But yes, hello Soba-Cha(n): Welcome to the family! You’re going to fit in here just fine.

Last of the work teas I made (and forgot about while I was at work).

When I went to make this in the morning I was shocked by how little was left in the tin. In fact, I almost considered not making it because I have so little left and (while I might not ADORE this one) I’m not ready for this to be a sipdown.

It’s my peaches & cream oatmeal tea, and so consistent! Like this cup for example; maybe not the most earth shattering thing, but solidly good and tasty. Plus it’s one of the few teas I can consistently get Tre to drink and enjoy; that’s probably a fair part of WHY there’s so little left, actually.

Cold brewed this while I was at work, and when I got home i immediately strained it and started to drink it. I’m trying really hard to remember what I wrote last time, but I know I had some difficulties finishing it and something was bugging me. Some sort of weird taste…

Whatever was bugging me isn’t anymore though; a shorter cold steep time must have been the solution.

This tastes flavourful and refreshing with sweet peach, apricot, and… pear(!?) notes. It’s pretty decent overall – and better from what I’m remembering it being. So that’s a pretty good thing. I still don’t have the “fireworks” I’ve been wanting all day, though! I think, once I finish this any my other timolino tea, I’m going to break out the stuff from Dexter and see if I have some success…

Still; this has improved and that gives me hope!

EDIT: I realize this is all over the place. It took me like 40 minute to write it; I kept getting very distracted by loads of different things and my thoughts weren’t coherent.