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Sipdown! (9 | 370)

Got this as a part of a fall trio, because I couldn’t resist the pretty tins… XP

It’s an okay tea, but not great. The black tea is fairly thin, even with 3 teabags, and there’s a hint of soapy floral that’s a bit odd. Otherwise, mostly tasting the ginger and allspice with a bit of clove in there as well. At least it doesn’t have that “spice” flavoring that I’ve had in some other pumpkin spice teas lately. :P

Last one from the iced tea box.

This was pretty good. It’s meant to be a black currant Earl Grey with caramel, vanilla, and honey. But I mostly just taste the currant, with a gentle lemony citrus note that I wouldn’t identify as bergamot, and a touch of honey. Definitely don’t get caramel or vanilla, but honestly I’m okay with that since all of those flavors together sounds a bit busy to me anyway. The honey goes nicely with the citrus, which in turn brightens the deeper black currant flavor up a bit.

Nice enough tea, but not a reorder for me.

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This one was just okay, and I never really got much chocolate from it. Tasted a bit similar to the Fireside Chai, which is mostly like cinnamon and “spice” flavoring on a rooibos base.

Not bad per se, just meh, especially for the price point.

Had to restock this favorite for fall!

Definitely my favorite pear tea, this really captures the flavor of crisp, fresh raw pears. I don’t think I’ve eaten them enough to recognize bartlett specifically, especially since, given the option, I generally buy Asian pears.

The crisp pear flavor paired with the soft, mellow white base is just lovely, and perfect for those cool fall days. We’ve had a couple of cooler days here in Austin lately, and I’m loving it. Looks like it’s back up into the 80s next week though… :|

Got this as a freebie with my last order, Deb always has a few codes and this time I spent enough for a free 75g bag of tea. I remembered really liking this one so here we are! She actually sent a 100g bag because she’s a sweetheart.

As remembered, this is so yummy. I don’t always love Deb’s teas, and often they don’t quite fit their names to be, but this one certainly does. It tastes very much like speculoos to me, minus a touch of the molasses. And I adore speculoos and buy them often, so I also really like this tea. It’s a bit sweet, but not overly so, and it just helps sell the illusion. Also happy to not taste the coconut.

Haven’t tried it as a latte, but I’m sure it would be lovely that way as well. Really happy to have this in my cupboard, just in time for the fall and winter season! :)

From the iced tea box.

This doesn’t read very “mojito” to me, since the mint is a bit more soft and herbaceous, and I don’t taste the lime at all.

That being said, I love yerba maté, so I’m happy to be able to taste it here, and the peppermint brightens it up a bit while melding in well with the overall herbaceous vibes. Overall mellow and just a bit sweet on that lovely, somewhat grassy green maté base.

From the brunch box.

At first I wasn’t excited to try this one, because my mind went straight to lavender London fog. But this is actually a coffee and lavender black tea, which sounded infinitely more interesting.

And it is an interesting combination. I would say the coffee is the main flavor, and it has a dark and roasty vibe. But then I also get a prominent citrusy lavender note, and it just makes for an unusual and welcome pairing with the coffee. There isn’t really much creaminess going on, so I’m not sure I would call this a latte-flavored tea, but I almost like that since it results in a bit more contrast between the coffee and the lavender without the milk to smooth it out.

Anyway, fun to try but not something I need in my cupboard.

Had to make an order to pick this one up, as the flavors sounded too good to miss. Of course, a few other teas tagged along… :P

To be honest though, I’m not loving it? Mostly I’m getting a little bit of cinnamon candy and a lot of earthy ginger flavor. Nothing here tastes like pumpkin or maple or vanilla to me, and it’s making me sad. I like ginger, but I was more excited for the sweeter/dessertier flavors listed in the description.

Harrumph. We’ll see if my opinion changes after I try it a few more times…

From the iced tea box.

I do like this, but I don’t think it has nearly enough lemon to be called “limoncello”. It mostly tastes like lemongrass with subtle lavender notes and a hint of dry-grassy green tea in the background. And I love lemongrass, so I’m finding it very enjoyable, but it definitely seems more like an herbal tisane that one would drink before bed than a limoncello green tea.

Oh well, still enjoying my cuppa he he. Just seems like a bit of a miss on the name for me.

Sipdown! (6 | 367)

One of the last of the teas I bought in Japan in 2019. The Ippodo storefront in Kyoto was so lovely, with kind and knowledgeable staff, plenty of tasty tea, and even a cute tearoom where we had tea and wagashi. I miss Japan, time to go back! :P

Anyway, I digress. This is a yummy hojicha, with a roast that’s a bit on the darker side. There’s just a whisper of woodsmoke in the background – not enough to make it taste like a smoked tea, just the right amount to give it optimal cozy, autumnal vibes. Predominantly woody with mineral and fallen leaf notes, perhaps a touch of roasted walnut as well.

Honestly, I don’t have a strong preference among different hojicha (aside from my favorite Kyobancha), so I don’t know that I would buy this specific one again. It’s more of a general toasty vibe to me, and I always have a plethora of Obubu options on hand from my subscription anyway. So farewell, tea with fond memories! :)