4204 Tasting Notes

82

DIY Kyoto Obubu Advent Calendar – Day 11

Hojichaaaaaa! :D

The second of Obubu’s kuki-hojicha, this one has larger stems than Tsugumi, though they are both from the same harvest. Tsugumi seems more like the veins of the leaves and smaller auxiliary stems, while this one is the hardier ones.

Delicious and nutty, with quite a deep toasty flavor. There’s a touch of smokiness as well, though it’s not quite as strong as a campfire. More of a charcoal, mineral smoke than a savory one. There is a soft sweetness to it, and toasty coffee notes. In fact, it is reminding me quite a bit of coffee.

So cozy and nice for the cooler weather. Loving this DIY advent! :3

Flavors: Charcoal, Coffee, Dry Grass, Mineral, Nuts, Roasted, Smoke, Straw, Toasty, Wood

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 2 min, 0 sec 5 g 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Tea at the White House Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 11

Straight up orange oil. Even the description mentions “essential oil of fresh oranges” lol.

I like essential oils as fragrance, but I feel like the citrus ones in particular just make tea taste like a cleaning product to me. They’re too sharp and just… I don’t know how to describe it, but I don’t like it ha ha.

There’s a touch of chocolate flavor, but mostly this tastes like Goo Gone smells to me.

Flavors: Artificial, Chemical, Chocolate, Citrus, Citrus Zest, Orange, Orange Zest

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 6 OZ / 177 ML

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65

Compagnie & Co Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 11

Boring! XD

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a perfectly pleasant Darjeeling (second flush, seems like). But I just can’t get excited about an unflavored tea in an advent calendar from a company that mostly specializes in flavored teas. Personally, I tend to buy my unflavored teas from different companies than my flavored ones.

Anyway, it’s smooth and somewhat bready with a noticeable hay note to it. A bit of underlying grapeyness as well. Slightly astringent on the backend, but nothing major.

Flavors: Astringent, Bread, Dry Grass, Grain, Grape Skin, Hay, Smooth

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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78

Bird & Blend Matcha Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 11

Ooh, this is one of theirs that I really wanted to try! The crisp pear scent is very promising.

It’s definitely very crisp in flavor as well, perhaps a bit too much so. I feel like it makes it taste a bit artificial and also starts to lean into astringency. I might be crazy, but I taste banana here in addition to the pear? Or I should say, something is reminding me of banana.

It’s quite good overall, with a strong pear flavor and fairly smooth matcha base. It may have been my imagination, but I felt like the matcha here looked greener than some of the others? Maybe because it has no additional ground ingredients. I don’t think I would go order a whole tin of this, but I’m enjoying what I have of it.

Flavors: Artificial, Astringent, Banana, Crisp, Fruity, Grassy, Pear, Smooth, Sweet

Preparation
Iced 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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78

Tea at the White House Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 10

So I thought this was going to be your run-of-the-mill mulled wine sort of fruit tisane, because it has hibiscus and spices and apple.

However, it actually veers more toward the fresh and tangy side, as I mostly taste the apple, orange, and hibiscus, and very little of the spices. A pleasant surprise as I enjoyed this much more than the more spiced versions.

Flavors: Apple, Citrus, Hibiscus, Orange, Red Fruits, Tart

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 8 min or more 6 OZ / 177 ML

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Sipology Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 10

Oh, boy. Ha ha, so this is pretty much one of the worst tea combinations I could think of… At least there’s no stevia. XD

Thankfully, the almond here isn’t super strong. I’m still not a fan, just because the amaretto combined with the rooibos comes off very medicinal to me, similar to cherry and rooibos. But I am thankful that it’s restrained enough to be drinkable. :P

Flavors: Almond, Amaretto, Cherry, Marzipan, Medicinal, Rooibos, Sweet, Woody

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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85

DIY Kyoto Obubu Advent Calendar – Day 10

Not gonna lie, I ate some pickled okra right before this, and the briny taste is lingering at the back of my throat and making it difficult to taste this tea ha ha… ^^’

This is an unshaded spring sencha. I never remember which of Obubu’s sencha is which, as they have so many and for some of them, the only difference is the cultivar. This is saemidori apparently, not that that means anything to me in terms of the flavor ha ha.

Since it’s not shaded, the flavor remains somewhat light but still smooth and rich. It’s quite mineral (makes sense given the name) with notes of cruciferous vegetables, specifically kale and broccoli. The texture is silky but not heavy, and there’s an underlying umami note that lingers into the finish. Definitely on the savory side, without much sweetness to it at all. Tiny touch of balancing bitterness near the end of the sip.

Really a lovely everyday kind of sencha, with classic flavors but perhaps a touch more refined. I think this might be one of their more expensive ones? I always get my teas through their subscription, so I don’t have a good grasp on the shop pricing he he. :P

Flavors: Broccoli, Clean, Earthy, Freshly Cut Grass, Grassy, Kale, Mineral, Savory, Silky, Smooth, Spring Water, Umami, Vegetable Broth, Vegetal

Preparation
160 °F / 71 °C 0 min, 45 sec 5 g 7 OZ / 200 ML

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78
drank Cookie Cat by Thésaurus Tea
4204 tasting notes

Thésaurus Tea Fandom Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 10

Ooh, a Steven Universe tea! :D

This is quite nice – it’s mostly a chocolate and peppermint tea, but I almost feel like I’m getting a hint of some kind of fruit? The description is not informative, ha ha. As chocolate and peppermint go, it’s tasty. The chocolate flavor isn’t over-the-top artificial, and the peppermint is balanced and doesn’t take over the blend. The hint of strawberry (maybe?) makes it interesting as well.

I enjoyed it, though I don’t think I would rush out to order it. Also I remember the cookie cat being more of a vanilla/strawberry looking ice cream sandwich, so not sure where the peppermint came from? Not that it matters, just interesting. :P

Flavors: Artificial, Chocolate, Jam, Peppermint, Smooth, Strawberry, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 6 OZ / 177 ML

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Compagnie & Co Advent Calendar 2023 – Day 10

I think I may have use a bit too much water with this one, because it’s quite bland. These sachets have been consistently good with 8 ounces of water, but maybe this one had a bit less in it?

So a bit hard to review, but mostly getting watered down black tea with a bit of clove and a whisper of cinnamon.

Sorry, tea! :P

Flavors: Cinnamon, Clove, Thin, Watery

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 8 OZ / 236 ML

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Beach House Teas 12 Teas of Christmas 2023 – Day 10

An interesting one today! This looks to be a coffee alternative, with chicory root and cacao.

Oof, this is so strong on the chicory! It’s basically all I taste, with a bit of black tea in the background. Very strongly acidic with a bitter undertone. I wish I could taste the chocolate, but I don’t see how it could stand up to the overpowering chicory without adding flavoring.

So a bit disappointing, sadly.

Flavors: Acidic, Bitter, Chicory, Earthy, Roasted, Tannic, Woody

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Kaylee

I wish more coffee alternatives included dandelion root! I find it hefty without being acidic or bitter at all.

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Profile

Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- December sipdowns: 0
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 156

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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