Noël à Pékin

#adventageddon Day Seven – 3/5

Another interesting case where I don’t remember having tried this tea previously but not only have I reviewed it here on Steepster but I’ve also ranked it really highly…

Today I’m enjoying the cup but I don’t find anything particularly special about it and I think it’s somewhat average in terms of flavour and quality. It’s very forward in it’s jasmine notes, but there’s a sweetness to the jasmine that stops it from dipping into an area that could be considered perfumey and unpleasant. It’s interesting to me that there’s bergamot oil in this blend; I don’t taste it at all. What I do taste is the tropical undertone beneath the stronger jasmine note – it’s loosely passion fruit tasting to me, but not particularly distinct. I think it partners well with the jasmine; and I can appreciate a tropical element that is more sweet and mellow than tangy and acidic.

I don’t always know how to get the best out of black-green blends. I think I didn’t quite do it here, as it feels at once sort of too astringent but also understeeped? So that’s weird.

But in my quest to think of things to do with pineapple in anticipation of my husband’s birthday and his pineapple upside-down cake request, I remembered I had a little sachet of this lingering in my desk at work, and voila!

Apart from my steeping miscalculation, I really do like the flavours of this one, and I’m getting nice notes of floral pineapple and a bit of a citrus lift. I’ll just have to brew it more carefully next time – though to be honest, it’s just hard to make a good cup of tea in the office kitchen, regardless.

This tea smells like jasmine, passionfruit and peach – very much reminds me of summer.

Sipping… this has such a nice fruit flavor. I love the passionfruit paired with the jasmine. The jasmine isn’t too strong, but sits in the background. It gives off just enough flavor so you know it’s there, but not enough to overwhelm the cup. While this tea is light and refreshing, I’m not sure if I’m in the mood to drink such a summery blend. It would be perfect for the warmer months, but not for the winter.

December 13 – Advent 2014

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 7 (from November backlog)

Ooh, another Christmas tea that I haven’t tried yet! I’m glad that some of the teas in the advent have changed in the past couple of years, it would be boring for them all to be the same! This smells heavenly in the sachet, very bright and juicy passionfruit and mango flavors with a nice bit of jasmine. I don’t generally approve of black & green tea blends, but I suppose I’ll let it slide…

Wow, I love this one… Such a lovely combination of tropical fruits, jasmine, and bergamot. Passionfruit is definitely the strongest of the fruits, backed by mango and a touch of tart pineapple. The jasmine is quite sweet, and really comes out in the middle of the sip. It is fairly strong, but I love jasmine so I’m fine with that. There’s a tinge of bitterness to this cup that makes it difficult to distinguish the bergamot from the jasmine, but I think I get a citrusy hit from it.

Yummy, definitely going on the list to order… ❤