4337 Tasting Notes
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #3 – A smoky tea
It’s in the name! There was an awkward amount of leaf left, and I’d rather have a too strong cup of chai rather than two steep sessions that are disappointingly weak. So into the infuser it all went. I do not regret it! I probably should have been using more leaf the entire lifetime of the tea. It’s much better stronger. It’s slightly smoky while having a sweet aspect to it. A decent amount of spices and then I can also tell there is some of the honeybush flavor peeking through. I just noticed there was also vanilla bean in this one and somehow I always miss tasting vanilla in all 52Teas blends. I think I will raise the rating from an 82 because this is a well balanced blend (and again, I bet the overleafing usually improves a tea IMO.) I am extremely behind on my sipdown goal, which is a given, as I’m still away from the majority of my tea collection.
2023 sipdowns: 93
Huh, I haven’t written a note for this one yet?? It’s a damn decent fruity herbal! Bolder with a many minute steep, syrupy. Many fruits here but the flavor that does mostly take center stage is “guava”. I like it! A deep fuchsia brew but NOT tart. Not hibiscus tart. I wouldn’t have even guessed there was hibiscus here. But… maybe the hibiscus has faded with age?!?! I would normally say all the other flavors fade with age and somehow hibiscus gets stronger, but not here. It’s good stuff! I only have a little remaining now…
This is from Cameron B this summer — THANKS as I finally get to try Lemon Loaf which so many of you are always raving about. It is quite a delicious Tazo blend. And looking at these ingredients, I have no idea how most of them are even resulting in this flavor. Ginger? Apple? Licorice? Rose? Chamomile? ALL of these ingredients should result in the opposite of what I’m tasting — which is a lovely lemony dessert, also with the perfect level of sweetness. It’s such a great balance of sweet lemon, with a touch of tart lemon rind, and cream. It’s lovely all around.
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #2 – Nov 4 – National Candy Day
I just happened to have a Crunch bar with this tea while waiting for my laptop to start up to post this note! It’s also a candy cane tea, so I get double points for this prompt. Still a solid peppermint, no caff blend. The stevia is acceptable here! (A sentence I never thought I would write.)
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #1 – Nov 1 – National Stress Awareness Day
A day late for this prompt again! I knew precisely which tea I would use for this prompt. A black tea! With bergamot! And chocolate flavoring! That is a definite remedy for stress relief right there. I love this blend. I feel even if I am not stressed, it’s like waiting around for an impending stress bomb anyway. ack. That is a terrible way to be, so this was a helpful prompt to remind me to breathe. (and a tea I would recommend for this.)
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2023 Tea #6 – October 31 – National Caramel Apple Day
A day late! I started steep sessions of Tiesta’s I Gotta Colada on October 30th, somehow forgetting that Oct 31st would happen. I spent Halloween with I Gotta Colada! Oops! Then had this today. The only way it could have been a more fitting tea is if it was the older version with the actual caramel cubes. This blend I realized today I was just mindlessly drinking. That’s too bad.
additional notes: The actual cereals are ridiculously priced at this point, but at least I have this still delicious tea. It’s still uncannily balanced in flavor of oats, strawberry, and marshmallow. How how how? I also had an Apple Jacks pop tart this morning. NOT AS GOOD. It’s a cereal inspired day, I guess.
I’ve been curious about those cereal-flavored Poptarts…
I wasn’t JUMPING at the chance to try Apple Jacks Poptarts… but I do like to try as many of them as I can. Interestingly, I keep thinking the texture of Apple Jacks cereal is somehow maintained in the Poptarts? It’s very odd and I’m probably not explaining it well.
There a Crisp Apple Pop-Tart that we really liked—had a nice Granny Smith vibe—but I think it was one those buy-it-before-it’s-gone seasonal things.
yeah, the sad sad seasonal Poptarts situation!
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2023 Tea #5 – A tea that relaxes you
… and why not also write a note for the relaxing tea, now that I’ve been buzzing about from the keemun today. This one is very relaxing! An old standby in all the variations of shops that happen to carry it. I remember having this one in my early tea days from a shop that has long since closed. So I’m glad Mastress Alita sent some along a few years ago. It never fails to be delicious!
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – October 2023 Tea #4 – A tea that gets you going
I was buzzing about today and I thought it must have been this tea. Then I remembered this prompt and that I had finished off this sample today. Keemun usually gets me buzzing about! This was okay, but Teavivre’s other keemuns are obviously much better. But I have also had much worse keemun!
2023 sipdowns: 89
