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Holiday tea 2023 #2

Well, this holiday favorite went along in the suitcase, and since I have a headache today, it’s the perfect time to steep it up. It’s always so good. Candy cane perfection + black tea = YUM.

Holiday tea 2023 #1
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – December 2023 Tea #2 – A holiday tea

Finished the amount I brought with me while I’m helping my grandmother, but haven’t finished the whole box!  Which is a good thing, as I would miss this comforting tea too too much.  Sadly, I’m missing most of my holiday tea stash while I’m away, so I’m not working on those at the moment.  Including my Angry Tea Room advent, which I thought would be the last year I would post on it!  I will be back home soon, but not before missing most of December.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – December 2023 Tea #1 – December 4 – National Cookie Day

I almost forgot it was cookie tea prompt day!  But this is the closest to the prompt I have.  It sure tastes like sweet almond type cookies.  All of my cookie teas are home.  I actually MADE some chocolate chip peanut butter cookies today.  I never do that.  haha.  Well… maybe once in a great while.  They turned out pretty good! 

additional notes: Old tea bag alert.  I think I found a couple bags of this YEARS ago in a teabox.  Numi is usually my favorite teabag company!  As far as I can remember.  This isn’t bad.  Though I think I just realized today that this is ripe puerh WITH magnolia flavored green tea.  Then I was trying quite hard to taste any green tea, but I don’t think I could…. unless its inclusion is only making the puerh weaker.  Or maybe it’s hojicha.  But I don’t think it’s very weak for a teabag with a smallish amount of leaves.  I don’t think it was worth it to add “magnolia” green, as I can’t really taste magnolia either.  Checking my 10 year old note, I didn’t notice magnolia then either. A straight puerh here would have been fine.  The second steep was weak but I probably let the first steep go a little long.  Again… I like Numi!  Nice to revisit this one.  Now if only they would make their vanilla black again.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #9 -A nutty tea

I thought I didn’t have a tea suiting this prompt around here at the moment — BUT IT’S IN THE NAME.  I think I treat these prompts too literal most of the time.  I don’t really think of this tea as “nutty” anyway.  But it’s always a solid steep.  And not like any other blend I have tried in my tea life.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #8 -An herbal tisane

I’d like to think this is one of the more unique tasting blends from 52Teas!  Not many of these ingredients are used very often, as far as I know.  It’s on odd sendoff as this last bit somehow tastes different, and it has been one of the blends I have focused on lately, so have had a couple of times recently (and is fresh in my memory!).  Just the shuffle of the ingredients, I guess.  This time it’s more spring time meadow than heavy on the licorice. 
2023 sipdowns: 97

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #7 – An oolong tea

Getting VERY few and far between on these sipdowns.  Almost only one month to go to catch up!  I’m enjoying what I drink anyway, and that is what is important.  This was such a classy, CLASSIC oolong.  Going strong after probably eight years.  Was delicious then, still delicious now.  I’m sure the flavors are more muted by now.  But I’m glad it isn’t a great oolong that will sit around waiting to be steeped up any longer. Also, I managed to not buy ANY teas for black friday this year! YEAH. Also, still 34 pages behind on reading tasting notes. I was hoping to get caught up by the time you guys had the avalanche of advents!
2023 sipdowns: 96

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #6 -Nov 21 – National Gingerbread Cookie Day

I had this one a day late, as it was the closest thing I had to this prompt.  But then, I slapped my forehead as I am at this very moment drinking B&B’s Gingerbread Chai and didn’t realize it fit the prompt much better!  doh.  Anyway, Mince Pie will be fitting tomorrow for a second steep.   I like BOTH teas. I hope all who celebrate have a lovely Thanksgiving tomorrow.

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #5 – A bold tea

This was certainly one of Zen’s “finest” teas, not like that is what the name actually means, and also most of Zen’s teas were teas I wanted to keep steeping!  I’d say I was a repeat buyer of most of the teas I tried from Zen. The crew at Zen had good tea tastes, which is why I’m extra sad they stopped selling tea.  I have never bought any teaware from them, as I don’t really buy any teaware at all.  The tea leaves are vast around here but the teaware is few. haha.  Though I do admire when some of you have the perfect vessels for teas or occasions for drinking them!  Anyway, this is certainly a very flavorful tea, even after all these years, I’m impressed.  Rich with that classic CLASSIC Keemun flavor I can never describe — maybe like lychee mixed with bittersweet/dark chocolate?    Definitely a classic keemun.  I will miss this tea.  No back up pouches!
2023 sipdowns: 95

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #4 – A tea that makes you feel cozy

A sipdown of a sampler size and yet I’m already panicking as updating my stock list, I see that I’m already down to only SIX sample pouches left! Oh no.  I consider this a cupboard staple as it really does make me feel cozy, especially in summer.  It’s also a very consistently brewed blend.  Tiesta’s current teas really don’t inspire me to buy at this point.  I wish they still had this one available.  It’s a genius blend.  But I’m GRATEFUL I was able to try this blend at all (because of Steepster of course — a swap with Ost) and then doubly grateful when I noticed it was being discontinued soon enough to buy it.
2023 sipdowns: 94