Cool Cucumber

Ever since this blend came out and people started writing about it, I have wanted to try it. The sample from the awesome VariaTea made it possible! Yay!

First, I was very pleasantly surprised at how refreshing it was. It tasted more like a melon to me than a cucumber… And perhaps that’s good? I also knew there would be mint here that I am not fond of, but it wasn’t up in my face, it was just there to highlight the “melon” freshness.

Then, however, I began having problems with the base that was WAY too weak. Of course it could have been my fault, as I might have not added enough leaf. Either way, the combination of a weak black base and the melon taste combined into something I can only call “sweaty notes”, especially as it cooled down. Which makes me wonder if this would be better or worse as a cold brew?

Overall, I liked it, but it is not something I definitely need to have in my cupboard. Thank you, VariaTEA, for letting me try it and make up my own mind about it. I still have a serving left to decide how I feel about it!

1.5 tbsp

Flavourful brew. I am definitely sensing some cucumber tones. Blends well with the mint flavour and nice slight black tea in the background.

hmmmm…. Cavocorax sent this my way so that i could try out another of david’s spring teas. I’m not sure about this one. It sort of tastes like cucumber water that they serve at spas but a little sweeter. Overall, not my thing since i’d rather just drink cucumber water lol still glad to have tried it though :)

It was a relatively warm day for us here today, so in addition to my Coco-Lemon Thai iced tea to go, I added 12g of this tea.

It smells and tastes pretty much the same, so it is pretty good. I am getting more melon than cucumber, I think, but that’s ok. I am getting mint.

It’s pleasant enough, and I may repurchase later when it is warmer for some cold steeping, but right now, I don’t have a super need for more of it yet.

I just tried some of this in the store. It’s tasty! The honeydew flavor is stronger than the cucumber, but the cucumber is definitely there. I did not pick up on the mint at all. The flavors did not taste fake or chemical-y. Overall, a pretty refreshing cup. Possibly more of a summer than a fall tea – I can see this being great iced.

This is a tasty, tasty tea. The mint is present but mellow and provides a freshness that really compliments the refreshing cucumber and sweet melon. So far I think this is my favorite of the spring line…by far.

This is what I chose to get (which I picked in advance so I wasn’t freaking out over options and I, too, came off as a “Cool Cucumber”). It’s the blend I personally was MOST interested in out of the Spring Collection so I seized the opportunity to try it last night.

Lets just say that I was not disappointed! What I found to be really neat about this one was that I could simultaneously taste and pick apart all the contributing ingredients/flavour notes (cucumber, black tea, spearmint, melon) while also tasting the entire tea as a whole flavour. It was almost a sensory overload!

Honestly, the black base was maybe a bit drowned out by the mint – but it didn’t bother me; at least it wasn’t even anywhere CLOSE to being bitter/astringent. Spearmint is my mint of choice, so I loved the mint touch that added such a “cool” and highly refreshing quality to the tea: it also seemed to make both the flavourful and juicy melon and cucumber notes REALLY “pop!”. I can see how people who don’t like mint would maybe want to avoid this blend, though.

I WILL get more of this before it’s gone though; it’s just so fun and unique and I need more (I’m thinking 50g though, not the full 100g).

And hey, also definitely have to point this out; it’s not like I planned this or anything like that at all this is tasting note 1000! Woot!

I’m… not sure what to make of this one. On the one hand, it smells really, really good. Can both smell and taste spearmint in it, so I’m wondering if its a cucumber thing, or if they neglected to put spearmint on the label. We were fortunate to try it as a sample, and while Mama Owlie is loving this one, Owlie, not so much.

Like…its good, its a good flavourful tea, but I can’t get into it too much hot. Maybe once the weather warms up and iced tea is more of an option, then it’ll shine more. For now, its just a curiously intriguing tea.

Hmmmm, I must be doing something wrong. I brewed this up with boiling water, which maybe was too hot because this was super bitter. Maybe I should shorten the steep time as well.
No rating for now

LOL. Since I knew the Spring Collection box was going to be delivered today, I ended up putting off of running my errands till after the mail comes in the afternoon. Just when I’m starting to think “Ok, I need to consider running at least 1-2 errands and then come back to the house, because this is taking to long.” so I make the decision to leave and of course the mail came. I couldn’t make myself leave until I opened the box, looked at the samples I received (Buddha’s Blend, which I’ve really wanted to try for a while. Genmaicha, I doubt I’ll like it more then Verdant’s Laoshan Genmaicha. But willing to give it a shot. And Glitter & Gold, which I have and liked at 1st but been having trouble finishing the bag.)

I opened the bags to have a sniff and decided it wasn’t to late in the afternoon to have some black tea and plus it said it was medium caffeine anyways…so I brewed some Cool Cucumber in a steeper cup, then poured it into my travel cup when it was done steeping. Tested it…meh. put more sugar in…tested it again, put more sugar in it….Ahh. Much better.

When it comes to mint in teas, I can really take it or leave it. I usually like it well enough to at least finish the cup, but usually don’t go out of my way to buy more especially if it tastes anything like Mint Medley from Bigelow’s which I still like even though it comes in a tea bag, I figure with that readily available, what’s the point in buying it online? But when the taste is distinctly different but tasty…like Teavana’s Watermelon Mint Chiller was one that really grew on me. Like a sneak attack.

After the 1st few sips, I thought “Ohh crap! I just might have to buy more of this for this summer.” I’m considering compiling a list of teas that I’d like to have around for iced tea on the weekends. During the week I’ll put up with the cheap crap and my flavored MIO stuff, and save the good stuff for the weekend so I don’t run out so quickly.

SMH. With planning a Verdant order soon (With hopefully Eight Treasures Yabao coming in.) half planning a Della Terra order (Because of Pineapple Upside Down Cake.) The order I just got from David’s Tea and the one I ordered this weekend from Butiki. Not to mention the almost week to week temptation of 52 Teas. (Which I’ve managed to successfully hold off because the majority of Frank’s Teas I’ve tried, I have not liked.

Anyways….if you like weird teas, this is definitely the one to try!