273 Tasting Notes
David’s Tea Advent Day 1. I knew with three advents I was going to get behind quickly!
I genuinely didn’t know this was a green tea until I read the profile. I think there’s just too much going on here in addition to the tea. With one perfect spoon in 8 oz, it makes a rather weak brew that still somehow manages to be extremely sweet. I definitely get the white chocolate/custard vibe up front, with just the barest hint of spice that I can’t quite discern. This was fun to taste and I wouldn’t turn down a cup, but it’s not for me.
Flavors: Custard, White Chocolate
When I pulled this out of the sipsby advent calendar I was so pleased, because after all, this is my favorite holiday tea – I thought. Turns out my favorite is actually called Herbal Seasons and is slightly different. Ah well.
This one really brings the cinnamon, making the rooibos more of a background flavor. But I mean it REALLY brings cinnamon (though clove is not far behind). It almost felt like a bag of mulling spices mixed in with some tea. Feels very festive to me. Could easily be overwhelming for others.
Flavors: Cinnamon, Clove
David’s Matcha Advent Day 2.
I’m still learning to froth the matcha. Last time too much water. This time it was getting closer to froth, a little around the edges?
The two words I’d associate with it while drinking were fresh and smooth, but the aftertaste was much more bitter. I felt compelled almost immediately to add milk and found I liked it much better, almost as if it balanced out better (and I don’t normally drink any milk in tea).
Flavors: Bitter, Grass
A lovely hot tea for winter. Made the room smell nice but was subtle with the spice. The cinnamon is most prominent and lingers a while after your sip (maybe my favorite part, as I love cinnamon). I drank three cups and finished the packet easily, if a little sadly – I’d buy this again.
This was my Sipsby advent day 1, but since I placed them all randomly throughout the calendar who knows what others will have!
Flavors: Cinnamon, Spices
David’s Tea Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 1
(I bought this one and was gifted two other tea advent calendars, so there will be a lot of tea!)
I’m learning to make matcha and don’t generally care for pumpkin spice flavored things except pumpkin pie, so take this with a grain of salt, but I don’t think this tea is for me. It had an overpowering sweetness that didn’t remind me of pumpkin pie at all, but more like the artificial pumpkin spices that aren’t my thing. Every so often I’d detect some freshness behind it, but the cloying sweetness kept masking it. I think I also used too much water; not sure if that would have made the balance worse than it was meant to be?
Flavors: Sweet
A light tea with strong fruity scent and flavor, this was a pleasant afternoon pick-me-up but not memorable enough for a purchase of more in bulk. It was decent hot, but I can see this better as an iced summer tea and perhaps wasn’t the best choice for my fall afternoon. I’ll revisit the rating if I get to taste it again cold!
Flavors: Fruity, Tart
I’m starting to think I might not be a fan of rooibos, so take this with a grain of salt, but I didn’t much care for the earthy taste of something I thought would be light and fruity. Thankfully my partner finished it for me because I probably would have just let it go bad.
Preparation
You certainly wouldn’t be alone, there are a lot of people who don’t like red rooibos. It tends to have a rather woody flavor, and sometimes depending on the quality can also come off as medicinal.
Don’t let it deter you from trying green rooibos though, which is much milder and more universally liked.
Refreshing and light fruit mint tea. Tried brewed hot and then poured on ice, as well as cold brewed. The cold brewed brought out the melon that was almost hidden in the hot brew; the mint was stronger in the hot brew. A lovely summer choice.
Flavors: Fruity, Spearmint