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Cameron B. drank Tourbillon by Dammann Frères

3986 tasting notes

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – December 3rd

Yay it’s time for advent tea again! I must admit, this is quickly becoming my favorite part of my day. I’ve been pretty impressed with almost every DF tea I’ve tried, and I’m very glad that I chose this calendar to try.

This sachet doesn’t have any ingredients on the packaging. I must admit, I took one whiff and had to come check the intended flavors to see what I was getting myself into, because it smelled quite floral. I can definitely smell the orange blossom very strongly, and there are also slight fruity and sweet scents. I can see little pieces of something mixed with the black tea, but I can’t really tell what they are.

The steeped tea still has a rather strong orange blossom aroma. I can also smell the apricot and possibly some maple/toffee. Hmm… I must say, I wish this blend wasn’t so heavy on the orange blossom flavor. It pretty much takes over and it’s hard to taste anything else. I can taste a bit of the candied apricot and possibly the apple/papaya, but I’m not really getting much of the biscuit, toffee, or maple syrup flavors, which are the ones I was most excited about! I added a bit of raw sugar to the second half of my cup to see if that would help bring out more of the dessert flavors, but I don’t think it was very successful. Oh, I forgot about the chestnut! Yes, I suppose I can taste that flavor a wee bit. Overall, obviously floral is not my favorite note, but I am thankful that it’s orange blossom (which I find somewhat similar to jasmine, more of a sweet floral) and not something like rose or lavender. It’s a good tea, it’s just not meant for me! :P

Flavors: Apple, Apricot, Nuts, Orange Blossom, Sweet

Preparation

8 OZ / 236 ML

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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, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

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. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

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 also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

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

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

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