Cameron B. select Send Message

345 Followers / 341 Following

Recommended

Cameron B. drank Sansia Black by Butiki Teas

4117 tasting notes

I bought this from Ost in her stash sale, thanks dear! I can’t help myself when it comes to Taiwanese black teas, or Butiki teas in general. The leaves of this tea are much smaller than the other Taiwanese teas I’ve had from Stacy, I imagine because this one is a different varietal (not Assam?). They do have a similar look – jet black and twisty. Dry scent is sweet and fruity, maybe plums along with other dried fruits.

Whoa, when brewed this tea smells very dark and fruity with a touch of molasses. The taste is also mostly fruit to me, but in a dark and syrupy concentrated way. I can definitely taste plums/prunes along with some other dried fruits. The fruit is accented by a mixture of deep, rich molasses and a bit of lighter honey with a little bit of a floral note. I can taste a slight yeasty tang that reminds me of sourdough bread, and it definitely adds a bit of interest.

Overall, this is a nice enough tea, but I think it’s my least favorite of Stacy’s Taiwanese blacks so far.

Flavors: Bread, Dried Fruit, Floral, Honey, Molasses, Plum

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

I Like This

16 likes

0 comments

People who liked this

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! ~
- September sipdowns: 9
- Total 2024 sipdowns: 128

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