Cameron B. select Send Message

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3986 tasting notes

So after browsing the Lupicia site earlier (for no good reason, I might add), I figured I would steep up a cup of this, one of my favorites of theirs. It’s a seasonal tea and it’s available right now, so I thought it would be a good idea to see how it’s aged so I can restock it if needed.

Luckily, this is still perfectly scrumptious. I love this tea, it has such a bright and crisp apple flavor, which is a nice contrast to the usual sweet apple & cinnamon combination that is much more common. There’s such a lovely zing to the apple here, yet it doesn’t quite reach Jolly Rancher candy status. It’s more like a tart hard apple cider. The apricot is very subtle, although this could be because the tea is older. I do taste little hints of stonefruit, and there’s a bit of a floral note, especially in the aftertaste.

The base tea is their usual somewhat brisk offering, but I like its slight sharpness next to the apple, I think they complement each other well. There’s also a dry autumn leaf flavor that gives a nice earthy base to the bright flavors.

I couldn’t ask for a more autumnal tea. Now, please excuse me while I sigh contentedly…

Flavors: Apple, Astringent, Autumn Leaf Pile, Earth, Floral, Green Apple, Stonefruit, Tart, Wood

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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6 comments

Mastress Alita
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I’ve always wanted this one, but just can’t justify the outrageous shipping charges from Hawaii now to get it.

Cameron B.
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I noticed the high shipping, though I have no experience shipping to/from Hawaii so I don’t know if that’s standard.

If you don’t mind it being slightly old, I can send you some of mine! :D

LuckyMe
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I love Lupicia’a flavored teas but the high shipping put me off too. Maybe we can organize a group buy in the future if enough people are interested?

Cameron B.
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I would definitely be up for it! I can always find something to order from Lupicia… ;)

Mastress Alita
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I might be down for a group buy, though I don’t need oodles of tea (I’m still in a mostly no-buy with a pretty tight yearly budget to keep my sipdown goals moving appropriately). There are probably a few I’m interested in, though! (I’m also a little sad it seems their variety has gone down since moving to the Hawaii site, too… Cassis and Blueberry and Kotobuki are now gone? I always thought those were staples).

Cameron B.
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I also noticed Cassis & Blueberry is gone now, which is a pity. And of course, Golden Honeydew (sob).

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Comments

Mastress Alita
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I’ve always wanted this one, but just can’t justify the outrageous shipping charges from Hawaii now to get it.

Cameron B.
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I noticed the high shipping, though I have no experience shipping to/from Hawaii so I don’t know if that’s standard.

If you don’t mind it being slightly old, I can send you some of mine! :D

LuckyMe
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I love Lupicia’a flavored teas but the high shipping put me off too. Maybe we can organize a group buy in the future if enough people are interested?

Cameron B.
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I would definitely be up for it! I can always find something to order from Lupicia… ;)

Mastress Alita
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Cameron B.
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I also noticed Cassis & Blueberry is gone now, which is a pity. And of course, Golden Honeydew (sob).

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, 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