1409 Tasting Notes
2023 sipdown no. 68
I adore this company and they don’t ship to Canada — I’ll have to stock up when we make it back to CPH ❤.
This is a strong Earl Grey with a very crisp, ‘clean’ taste. There are hints of astringency that never fully materialise. This one does best just under boiling and with a short steep or it can become astringent. It’s also best drunk when it’s cooled just enough to be drinkable. Really, really enjoy this one and can’t wait to pick up more!
Preparation
At first sip, there is a candy-esque flavour here, but not one that’s too overwhelming. There’s also a slight edge of bitterness, but again, not too bad. As the tea cools, there is a jamminess that comes forward and it’s really quite nice. I could only find this available in a sachet, but that makes it easy to take a few in to work!
Preparation
2023 sipdown no. 66
This was from the only tea production in Bhutan, and from an all-women cooperative.
There’s a definite seaweed-esque smell once steeped. However, this fades away in the taste, which has a vegetal flavour, with very subtle hints of sweetness and an edge of bitterness. The second steep is also tasty, with perhaps an edge more bitterness, but also more sweetness at the end of the sip.
Preparation
This one has an immediate waffle-honey sweetness against a medium body. There’s a naturally a smooth maltiness. I really love that this comes from a female tea master as well.
I hope they keep stocking this one because it’s a winner!
1st steep: 1 minute
2nd steep: 2 minutes, 30 seconds
Preparation
2023 sipdown no. 65
This tea is light, bordering on medium-bodied, with hints of malt hidden amongst subtle, sweet red fruit flavours (a mix of strawberry, cherry, and red currant). A really lovely tea and one I would order more of.
1st steep: 1 minute
2nd steep: 2 minutes, 30 seconds
Harvest: late spring 2022
Preparation
2023 sipdown no. 64
This tea is really beautiful to look at — rolled leaves with a unique shine and purple-blue in colour. The maltiness of this tea is heavenly. It’s light-medium bodied with an incredible natural honey sweetness that cuts through the malt. I would re-order this one.
Preparation
The dry scent is quite dark chocolate-y and the steeped scent of this really gives the absolute best parts of Laoshan Black (that I remember) — dark chocolate with hints of light maltiness cut through. The first sip of this tea is so smooth it’s like drinking silk. The taste is medium-bodied with a light maltiness and that dark chocolate flavour mid-late in the sip. This tea has a matching name, scent, and taste.
The second steep is nearly as flavourful and still delightful.
Preparation
A few more sipdowns! I’ve really been trying to sipdown as much as possible because I’m planning a large tea order later in the year. Since I also received teas this past week teas from Mountain Stream and Camellia Sinensis, I’m quite thrilled I managed to make some space!
2023 sipdown no. 58 Teavivre Fengqing Dragon Pearl Black Tea
2023 sipdown no. 59 Mountain Stream The Converter
2023 sipdown no. 60 Steam Tea Peach Apricot
2023 sipdown no. 61 Dammann Frères Maté Cacao Amande
2023 sipdown no. 62 Teavivre Bailin
