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Cameron B. drank Birthday Tea by Adagio Custom Blends

4125 tasting notes

This is the first tea I’m trying from my swap with Arshness. The dry leaf looks like generic little black tea leaves with sprinkles mixed in. I had to pour a little bit out of the zippy bag to smell it – that darn Foxtrot made everything smell minty! :P It smells like vanilla and sugar and frosting, which bodes well. I actually brewed this one twice.

The first time, I did a heaping teaspoon for 3 minutes, which turned out to be too long. It basically came out bitter and I didn’t taste much of anything else. Drank it with lots of sugar and milk.

The second time, I did 2 minutes instead of 3 and it was much better. The brewed tea smells like a medium-bodied black tea with strong vanilla and frosting notes. I must admit, I’m a little bit disappointed that the flavors in this one don’t taste quite as strong as they smell. The tea is slightly bitter even with the short brew time, but it’s not a super unpleasant bitterness. I do taste vanilla and frosting, and I added some sugar to help coax them out some more. Overall, this tea is tasty but I would like it better with stronger flavors. Thanks for the sample, Arshness. :)

Flavors: Bitter, Frosting, Vanilla

Preparation

205 °F / 96 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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2 comments

Arshness
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I will say I’ve had that tea a long time so it may not be quite as strong as a fresh batch. I would say try again with water that is JUST before boiling and go for 2 minutes. Sugar and MILK make it REALLY good. The Milk brings out the caramel in the cuppa. :)
Either way, glad you got to try it and sorry it wasn’t as good to you as it is to me. I love the sprinkles haha

Ost
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:O Sounds really good!

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Arshness
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Ost
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:O Sounds really good!

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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! ~
- October sipdowns: 2
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 131

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.

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