3986 Tasting Notes

68
drank #48 The Spiced Apple by Tea Revv
3986 tasting notes

Tea Revv Advent Calendar – Day 3

(originally written November 3rd)

I love the cute, modern artwork on these Tea Revv advent packets. This one has a polar bear on it! ❤

I accidentally used more water than I meant to for this tea. Since I’m doing this advent and the Simpson & Vail version at the same time (and they have different amounts of tea in them), I forgot that I was only steeping 12 ounces of tea with these packets. Oh well!

It didn’t come out terribly weak, which is good. I would say this is a fairly good spiced apple tea. There’s a bit more spice than apple, and it’s quite sweet overall. Definitely a good dusting of cinnamon along with a bit of apple. It also does taste a bit pastry-ish, maybe with some almond? The base tea mostly tastes of dried leaves and is a tad astringent. Definitely not a quality green tea.

It’s almost good, but not quite there with the light apple flavoring and less-than-flavorful base.

Flavors: Almond, Apple, Astringent, Autumn Leaf Pile, Cinnamon, Pastries, Spices

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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78

Bird & Blend Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 3

Does anyone else find it weird that they feel the need to scramble up the positions of the doors for advent calendars? I don’t really see the point in it, it’d make just as much sense to just put the doors in order… But I digress.

This matcha is in a single-serve stick format. I really wish they had just done all tins, especially for the price I paid for this calendar. Plus these “single-serve” packs are really only a half-size serving for me, so I make a mini 4-ounce matcha milk.

Ooh, it’s very pretty. With the milk added, it’s a lovely teal color that matches my chawan perfectly. It doesn’t really say what the flavor is (other than the carob), but to me it’s a bit like birthday cake or vanilla cake batter. Fairly tasty, and not overpoweringly flavored like yesterday’s matcha. The creaminess of the soy milk goes well with it.

I will say, I’m just not a fan of this matcha base that Bird & Blend uses. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s partially white tea or if it’s just weak in flavor, but it’s like wuss matcha in my opinion. Once the flavoring is added on top of it, I can’t taste it at all other than a vague sweetness with maybe a hint of grass depending on the strength of the flavoring.

I think tomorrow I’ll start trying these with water. I just didn’t really want to do that today once I saw that this was only a single serving.

From Bonne Maman today, I have Blueberry-Blackcurrant (Myrtille-Cassis) spread. I bought a loaf of crusty bread from the store yesterday, specifically to use for these jams. One of my fondest food memories of France is a nice crusty length of baguette split lengthwise, served with butter and a mini jar of strawberry Bonne Maman. I’m not doing the butter here, as I want to be able to taste the jam more, but the concept is the same!

Wow, this is super delicious. I can definitely very clearly taste both the blueberry and the more syrupy blackcurrant, both flavors that I love. I will say it’s very sweet, I think they should put a little more lemon juice in this one to counteract that a bit. But I’m loving it anyway!

Flavors: Artificial, Cake, Creamy, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation
Iced 4 OZ / 118 ML
Frolic

I think I need that jam calendar next year!

Last year my husband and I spent two weeks in Paris for our 11th anniversary. We stayed in an AirBnB on Ile St Louis and everyone morning I’d walk to our closest bakery and pick up a demi baguette to bring back to our flat and we’d eat it with butter and fresh raspberry jam while lounging around in no rush to start our day.

Cameron B.

You definitely do! I’ve been happy with it so far.

The bread in France is no joke – definitely not overrated. So cheap, too! There were multiple nights where my boyfriend and I just ate baguettes for dinner… ❤

Nattie

Haha, I like the doors being out of order because I like to search for it :‘) makes me feel like I’ve earned my treat, lol. I always close the doors back up when I’m done to make it harder to find the next day, too.

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78

Home – 11:00 PM

Squeezing in one last “tea” for the day… This one is from my recent Bird & Blend order. I haven’t historically been the biggest fan of red rooibos, but I really love Bird & Blend’s Rhubarb & Custard rooibos blend so I ordered a couple others to try. It’s encouraging to see pieces of dried carrot in the packet.

This is a nice, mellow rooibos blend. The spicing is quite light, which I think makes sense for a carrot-cake-inspired tea. There’s cinnamon and just a hint of nutmeg. I do taste the carrot, which is lovely, though it is very mild. There’s also some sweetness – I’m not sure if it’s from the caramelized nuts or the carrot itself. Either way, it’s light enough that it accents the overall flavor instead of becoming sickly.

Quite yummy. I will say that next time I may overleaf this one a little and steep it longer, as it is very light overall.

Flavors: Carrot, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Sweet, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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75

Home – 9:30 PM

Another one from VariaTEA! I don’t drink many honeybush blends, mostly because they’re not super common. This has cute wee marshmallows in it!

I dig it. The banana flavor is admittedly very much like banana Runts, but I’m okay with that. I do get a lovely fluffy creamy flavor as well. I’m not sure I would specifically call it marshmallow, but the effect is similar. The honeybush base is woody and smooth, and I suppose sort of gives a suggestion of peanut butter. But only because I know this is supposed to have peanut butter!

It’s tasty. The flavor is quite light overall, but I’m okay with that for a caffeine-free evening blend.

Flavors: Banana, Candy, Cream, Smooth, Sweet, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
VariaTEA

This one was always missing something for me. It’s a nice caffeine free option but I always wanted banana fluffernutter and it always fell short :(

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80

Home – 8:30 PM

Trying this one from VariaTEA again, with a shorter steep as last time it came out quite bitter.

Hmm. To me, this tastes like coconut. There is some lemon and cream as well, but the coconut is the strongest flavor. It’s a little bit soapy tasting as well. There is a cakey element to it, but it’s more coconut cake with a touch of lemon.

Not bitter this time though! But otherwise the same.

Clearly I’m quite insane, as no one else mentioned tasting coconut in this. Oh well, we’re all mad here! XP

Flavors: Bitter, Cake, Coconut, Cream, Lemon, Soap, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
VariaTEA

I will have to try this soon. I am wondering if there is maybe cross-contamination from another tea…

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60
drank #94 Ruby Amaretto by Tea Revv
3986 tasting notes

Tea Revv Advent Calendar – Day 2

(originally written November 2nd)

Aww, a red rooibos blend… Red rooibos and I are not often friends, though there have been some blends I’ve quite enjoyed lately. Bird & Blend’s Rhubarb + Custard, for example. So I’m trying to give it more of a chance, even though in the past I’d largely written it off.

Hmm… Well the cardamom in this is quite strong, which is not what I expected. The beginning and middle of the sip are almost all cardamom with a little bit of woodiness. I do get the amaretto flavor near the end, and then it finishes off with a stronger medicinal woody flavor and end up tasting a bit like root beer in the aftertaste.

I mean, it’s not terrible. I just didn’t expect it to taste so strongly of cardamom when the name doesn’t even mention spice… And the medicinal notes plus the cherry-like amaretto kind of makes it taste like cherry cough syrup.

Flavors: Almond, Cardamom, Cherry, Ginger, Marzipan, Medicinal, Root Beer, Wood

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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72

Palais des Thés Advent Calendar – Day 2

Yay, a Detox blend! These are some of the teas I most wanted to try from Palais des Thés – not because of the detox aspect, but because the flavors sounded interesting and nice. This one is a green and maté blend with açaí and passion fruit. It sounds quite similar to Kusmi’s detox line.

I am enjoying it. The base is grassy, herbaceous, and somewhat earthy. It definitely has a spa-like feel to it. I can taste the passion fruit, it’s sweet and tropical but quite soft and not at all tart. I’m not sure about the açaí, as I don’t know what it tastes like really.

Overall, it’s a nice relaxing fruity spa blend. My issue with this sort of tea is that it tastes herbal, but in fact is quite high in caffeine. So I would be tempted to drink it in the evening, but that would be unwise. :P

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Dry Grass, Earth, Hay, Herbaceous, Passion Fruit, Sweet, Tropical

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 12 OZ / 354 ML

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70

Bird & Blend Tea Advent Calendar – Day 2

Ugh, I’m exhausted after going to Target and the grocery store… x.x

Time for a tea!

I’ve tried this one previously – it was in the November subscription box. I found it good but not memorable. Maybe this little sachet will change my mind!

To me, this tea is nothing like mincemeat. It’s not different in England, is it? The mincemeat pies I’ve had were somewhat like a much spicier apple pie with raisins and other dried fruits.

Whereas this tea has a strong marzipan/amaretto flavor to it, which throws me off. There is a little hint of spice and perhaps some apple. But mostly it’s amaretto bubblegum to me… Or maybe maraschino cherry.

It’s not bad, it’s just not what I would expect from a mince pie tea. And to me, amaretto teas seem very common so it’s not memorable either.

But I do feel so much better after sipping my tea quietly on the couch with my feet up and my laptop. So thank you, tea!

Flavors: Almond, Apple, Candy, Cherry, Cinnamon, Marzipan, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 12 OZ / 354 ML
Lexie Aleah

I went to Target and the grocery store today too! :P

Nattie

Mince pies over here are similar, but I would say with less spice and more booze. Usually heavily brandy-soaked.

Cameron B.

@Nattie, hmm maybe it’s the booziness that reminds me of amaretto.

Nattie

Could be!

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45

Simpson & Vail Advent Calendar – Day 2

(originally written November 2nd)

The way they put together the Simpson & Vail advent box is really interesting. The tea pouches are just layered in the box with some craft paper crimped filling stuff. But the way they’ve layered them makes it so that you can only see the topmost pouch well enough to read it, so you don’t spoil the surprise for future days when you open the box. I do make sure not to look as I pull the sample out, otherwise I would know what tomorrow’s blend is. It’s quite a nice idea and I really like their cute little pouches with bows printed on them. Plus they are conveniently the perfect size for my 16-ounce teapot.

Hmm… I was hoping for more from this tea. Baklava is generally very honey and nut-heavy, with some spices as well. This… I’m not even sure how to describe what it tastes like. I guess there is some light spicing, mostly clove. But otherwise it just tastes “flavored”. No like any specific flavor, but like there has been flavoring added… I don’t know how else to describe it. Artificial?

Definitely doesn’t taste at all like baklava to me. Just a mildly clove-y tea with a weak and slightly musty base and some form of flavoring added. Ah, well, you can’t win them all…

Flavors: Artificial, Cloves, Musty

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
ashmanra

Gee thanks. Now I want baklava…

Bluegreen

This tea deserved to be tried for its name alone.

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80

Bird & Blend Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 2

Morning matcha milk time! Prepared with 1 teaspoon of matcha for 8 ounces of soy milk. There were some little dark lumps that didn’t want to dissolve – I think maybe it’s the acai powder?

Hmm. For me, the flavoring is too strong here. I say that because with my usual ratio for a matcha milk, the added flavor is too strong, which makes it seem artificial, and the matcha is too weak at the same time. I get a big wallop of dried blueberry and almost nothing from the matcha itself. There’s also some bitterness at the end of the sip, either from the matcha or the added flavoring.

I’m not saying it’s terrible, I can easily just use less matcha for the amount of milk and not have the overwhelming blueberry flavor. But then it wouldn’t taste like matcha at all. Maybe I’ll try this one with water to see if the matcha flavor stands up better that way.

Today’s Bonne Maman advent jam is Mango-Peach (Mangue-Pêche) spread. To me, it’s a peach jam with just a little bit of mango as an accent. In fact, I’m not sure I would notice that the mango was there. If you told me this was peach jam, I’d likely believe you. Tasty though!

Flavors: Artificial, Bitter, Blueberry, Sweet, Umami

Preparation
Iced 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Mastress Alita

I love this matcha. But I make it latte-style with vanilla almond milk, and it tastes just like blueberry muffins.

Cameron B.

Yeah, I guess my issue is I want my matcha to taste like matcha. Maybe that shouldn’t be a requirement for flavored matchas, I dunno. :P

tea-sipper

1 teaspoon of matcha for 8 ounces sounds way too much?

Cameron B.

@tea-sipper – That’s the ratio I always use for matcha.

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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

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

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

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