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I thought I would let myself crack open a new tea this evening since I sipped down the sample from Deb that I had opened a few days ago. This is a company that I found through Sips By. I haven’t actually had one of their teas in my box, but I saw them on the page where all of the partner companies are listed. And on their site, I was drawn to the three holiday blends they offer, so I ended up ordering a 1-ounce pouch of each.

So this is the first to be tried. It’s a blend of cacao nibs, peppermint, and marshmallow root and leaf. The combination sounded lovely to me, especially with the cacao listed first in the list. The leaf is also nicely ground, which I appreciate since it makes it easier to measure and get a good mix of all ingredients.

I’m quite happy with this so far. The peppermint is the strongest flavor, which is to be expected. It has a nice bright flavor and doesn’t taste like a wet rag, which can be an issue for me with peppermint. I do taste the cacao nibs as well, or maybe the combination of cacao and marshmallow, and it comes across as more of a milk chocolaty flavor for me. It has a light and creamy chocolate flavor and there’s also a little note of roasted nuts that rounds it out. There’s an overall mellow sweetness.

A very pleasant mint chocolate herbal for the evening. I would like perhaps a little more of the marshmallow flavor to come out, but I am quite happy with the flavor of the cacao. This is a bit expensive at about $9 per ounce, but it’s also a very lightweight mix, so there’s more volume in that ounce than I would get with a heavier tea. I’ll have to see how I feel about it after a few more cups!

Flavors: Chocolate, Herbaceous, Mint, Nuts, Peppermint, Roasted, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Mastress Alita

The tea sounds lovely. The price not so much.

Courtney

This reminds me of the New Moon blend, minus the marshmallow root and leaf. But I have a bag of marshmallow root I’ve yet to open… maybe I’ll mix some in to see how it goes!

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Comments

Mastress Alita

The tea sounds lovely. The price not so much.

Courtney

This reminds me of the New Moon blend, minus the marshmallow root and leaf. But I have a bag of marshmallow root I’ve yet to open… maybe I’ll mix some in to see how it goes!

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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

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

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

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