4311 Tasting Notes
Adagio Advent Calendar – Day 15
I’m surprised to see another dessert-y honeybush blend after yesterday’s banana bread version. Not that I’m complaining, I loved that one and this sounds yummy too!
It’s fairly tasty, but it came out a little weak. The honeybush combined with the maple does give a good approximation of pancakes, and there’s a lovely soft blueberry note that strengthens toward the end of the sip. I get a lovely oat flavor as well, so maybe it’s more like blueberry maple oatmeal for me?
I like it! But I don’t think I like it quite enough to order it.
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI0x3pugvaO/)
Flavors: Blueberry, Cake, Cookie, Jam, Maple, Oats, Sweet
Preparation
Plum Deluxe Advent Calendar – Day 15
Rose and chocolate essence? (makes face)
Yeah, no. This is very rosy. To its credit, it’s not horribly perfumey or anything.
But it’s definitely not for me. And the chocolate flavor isn’t helping either… :P
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI0x3pugvaO/)
Flavors: Artificial, Chocolate, Floral, Rose, Sweet
Vahdam Advent Calendar – Day 15
Back to masala chai! But this is a green version, which sounds interesting enough. Apparently it has saffron and almond, but mostly I just smell the cardamom.
Hmm. It’s actually a little bland? I do taste cardamom for sure, and cinnamon, and perhaps a little saffron? But it’s slightly bitter and I feel like I can taste the minerality of the water underneath. I’m not getting much from the base, and I had a similar issue with yesterday’s green tea. There’s a subtle honeyed aftertaste that is pleasant.
It’s not bad, but it’s a little underwhelming. I’ll have to play with the steeping parameters to see if I can get a more satisfying result next time…
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI0x3pugvaO/)
Flavors: Bitter, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Earth, Floral, Honey, Mineral, Saffron, Sweet
Preparation
Palais des Thés Advent Calendar – Day 15 (from November backlog)
It’s always nice when there’s a straight black tea in one of my advents, so I can enjoy it as my first tea of the morning. That being said, it’s really a waste because I’m not likely to ever order a straight tea from a primarily flavored company, as there are usually much better and cheaper sources… But I digress.
This is just okay. It’s very heavy on the earthy, minerally notes which sort of overpower any more subtle flavors that might have been here. There’s a strong woodiness as well, and a bit of malt. And that’s it, really, I don’t get any fruit or honey or any of the other lovely things I generally find in a nice Yunnan tea.
Oh well! It’s not bad, just meh, especially when compared to other Yunnan teas in my cupboard.
Flavors: Earth, Malt, Mineral, Wood
Preparation
DAVIDsTEA Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 15
Ugh, I’m having a hard time this morning… I really just wanted to stay in bed, and so did the puglets. They always look at me with such offense when I interrupt their snuggles and get up. XD Definitely my spirit animals…
Well, this is certainly an interesting flavor – wildflower honey? It doesn’t smell overly floral, thank goodness. I’m preparing it with 12 ounces of warm water and 4 ounces of warm milk as I just need some comfort this morning.
It’s quite mild in flavor, maybe I shouldn’t have added milk… Oh well, too late now! I’m not really sure whether I get a sense of honey, it’s difficult to tell with the sugar involved. I do get a bit of a floral lilt at the end of the sip, and I think it reminds me of fresh rose among other flowers. I’m no flower expert, so I have a hard time describing floral notes…
Even after taking a bite of toast with jam to cut the sweetness, I don’t think I taste honey. It’s more of a light, nectarous floral flavor. Honestly, I rather like it, which is surprising given I’m rather particular about floral flavors.
Speaking of jam, today’s is Fig-Cardamom Spread. I admit, I was very excited when I saw it, as I love figs and fig jam, and have a growing appreciation for cardamom lately. But to me, these two don’t work together… It comes out tasting a bit like menthol? Or dark molasses with menthol? Odd, and not very pleasant hah!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI00RckApdR/
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CI0x3pugvaO/)
Flavors: Bitter, Floral, Flowers, Grass, Nectar, Rose, Sugar, Sweet, Vegetal
Preparation
Hmm…
I think this one is just not for me. This is my second time trying it, and it still tastes like blandly spiced genmaicha to me. I don’t get pumpkin or marshmallow tastiness.
It seems we’re just not meant to be, I think I’ll set it aside for a swap or tea box where someone will enjoy it more.
Flavors: Clove, Dry Grass, Ginger, Pine, Rice, Spices
Preparation
Adagio Advent Calendar – Day 14
Wow, this smells amazeballs! It smells just like banana bread to me, and I love banana teas so it’s totally making my mouth water…
The taste isn’t quite as good as the smell, but still really good. It has a lovely mix of banana and spice cakey flavors with creamy nuts as well. The banana veers a little Runt-y at times, but overall this tastes buttery and cakey and banana-y with roasted nuts and light, warm spicing. As Rachael would say, Yum-o!
Definitely going on the order list, and the first winner for me from Adagio!
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIyI3bGAi3z/)
Flavors: Banana, Butter, Cake, Candy, Cinnamon, Creamy, Nuts, Roasted Nuts, Spices, Sweet
Preparation
Plum Deluxe Advent Calendar – Day 14
Well, I like the idea of berries and green tea. But I take pause whenever I see berry-flavored things because they almost always taste chalky and weird to me. Hopefully that’s not the case here…
Yeah, this is pretty much mixed berry Tums. It has a powdery chalkiness to it that I don’t enjoy. I think I can taste both blueberry and raspberry, but they’re a bit overpowered by the artificial powdery taste. I can’t really taste much of the green tea? Maybe just a little bit of toasted seaweed-like umami. I probably should have steeped it longer.
Also, how is a blueberry and raspberry green tea “holiday”?!
https://www.instagram.com/p/CIzSbDag6dV/
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIyI3bGAi3z/)
Flavors: Artificial, Berry, Blueberry, Cotton Candy, Powdered Sugar, Seaweed, Strawberry, Toasted, Umami
Preparation
Vahdam Advent Calendar – Day 14
Ooh, I was excited to see this one this morning. Something very different from the other teas in the calendar! It has a delicious sweet lemon scent that makes my mouth water. I was surprised at how sweet the smell is, given there’s no stevia and no licorice root here…
To be honest though, it came out a bit bland? I used my usual 2 teaspoons for 12 ounces of water, which I think is more leaf than most people would use. I get a mild earthy ginger flavor with a soft lemon sweetness in the background. I’m not sure how much I taste the green tea? There’s a mild mineral smokiness that must be coming from it, though.
I admit, I’m a bit disappointed with it compared to the lovely dry aroma… Maybe next time I’ll try more leaf to see if I can get some more of that lemony sweetness?
(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIyI3bGAi3z/)
Flavors: Ginger, Lemon, Mineral, Smoke, Sweet
Preparation
Palais des Thés Advent Calendar – Day 14 (from November backlog)
This is an okay jasmine green tea.
I wouldn’t call it great or even good though. The base is a tad bitter with the recommended steeping parameters, but otherwise doesn’t have much flavor. The jasmine is fine but doesn’t have that fresh creamy sweetness that good jasmine-scented tea has. But it does at least taste natural and not like the weird jasmine flavoring that some cheaper teas have.
Nevertheless, I am content to sip on this and relax this evening, after a day of yard work. :)
Flavors: Bitter, Dry Grass, Floral, Jasmine
I recently ordered a sample of this one and am excited to try it since I enjoy their other desserty rooibos blends.