78
drank Spiced Apple Cider by Teavana
1737 tasting notes

My 2 ounce bronze foil zip lock envelope of Teavana Spiced Apple Cider came in the Holiday box (not the “12 Holidays of Tea” but the box of four larger envelopes). I understand the low ratings, because this is literally apple cider—but only if prepared correctly.

The way not to prepare this infusion is with a dinky 1.5 teaspoons of stuff for 8 ounces of water. The problem with that method is that the chunks of stuff in this mix are huge, so if one attempts to use 1.5 teaspoons, there is not going to be much flavor.

I took a different approach. Upon seeing that the chunks of apple and cinnamon were humongous, I ground a fair amount of the mixture in a spice grinder (it’s actually a coffee grinder, but I use it only for spices so as not to contaminate flavors), and then I used probably two whole tablespoons—maybe three!—in a Bodum. I added boiling water to just over half capacity (probably 16 ounces?), and let the ground food stuff soak in the water for about ten minutes.

It was delicious! But it was literally a liberally spiced (primarily cinnamon) apple cider, not tea. This brew is so foody that it should probably come with a nutritional breakdown table on its label. Or is everyone else really making this as a dilute, Vitamin Water-esque pseudo-apple cider? I wonder….

second infusion: since I put so much stuff in and there were lots of visible (now smaller) chunks in the bottom of the Bodum, I decided to try a second infusion. It was not as good, but more like a tea beverage than a juice, so this is probably closer to what it tastes like when the indicated instructions are followed.

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more

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I have fallen off the “tea log boat”, as I am now in New Zealand and was really flailing about for a while, having depleted all of my Chinese and Japanese green tea supply! Fortunately, my first order of 2015 has now arrived! I should begin writing very soon about tea at my new blog, sherapop’s tea leaves. Please stop by and contribute your ideas—all viewpoints are welcome!

A long-time tea and perfume lover, I have recently begun to explore the intersections between the two at my blog: http://salondeparfum-sherapop.blogspot.com//

The scent of tea can be just as appealing as—sometimes more than—its taste! Tea also offers boundless visual beauty in its various forms and states of preparation.

A few words about my ratings. In assessing both teas and perfumes, my evaluation is “all things considered.” Teas do not differ very much in price (relative to perfumes or any luxury items), so I do not usually consider the price when rating a tea.

What I do consider is how the particular tea compares to teas of its own type. So I might give a high rating to a fine herbal infusion even though I would never say that it is my favorite TEA. But if it’s good for what it is, then it deserves a high rating. There is no point in wishing that a chamomile blend was an Assam or a sencha tea!

Any rating below 50 means that I find the liquid less desirable to drink than plain water. I may or may not finish the cup, depending upon how thirsty I am and whether there is another hot beverage or (in summertime) a source of fresh water available.

From 50 to 60 indicates that, while potable, the tea is not one which I would buy or repurchase, if I already made the mistake (I have learned) of purchasing it.

From 60 to 70 means that the tea is drinkable but I have criticisms of some sort, and I probably would not purchase or repurchase the tea as I can think of obvious alternatives which would be better.

From 70 to 80 is a solid brew which I would purchase again.

From 80 to 90 is good stuff, and I probably need to have some ready at hand in my humble abode.

From 90 to 100 is a tea (or infusion) which I have come to depend on and look forward to imbibing again and again—if possible!

If you are interested in perfume, you might like my 2400+ perfume reviews, most of which have been archived at sherapop’s sillage (essentially my perfumelog):

http://sherapop.blogspot.com/

Finally, please note that after a great deal of debate with myself, I have decided to use the cupboard here at Steepster as a “museum” of sorts—to commemorate all of the various teas which I have purchased and truly enjoyed since December 2013.

I do not currently possess all of the teas listed in this cupboard, but am using the function as a way of recording how many times I drank every tea which I did own at some point and wish not to forget. Teas found both in my “cupboard” and on my “wishlist” are those which I did own and intend to restock. Teas best forgotten have been removed from the cupboard once depleted (in some cases tossed…).

I have also decided (beginning in 2015) to use the tasting note function to maintain a chronological record of the teas I’ve consumed since December 15, 2013. Most new reviews will now be posted directly at my blog, sherapop’s tea leaves.

Location

Curio Bay, South Island, New Zealand

Website

http://salondeparfum-sherapop...

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