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Sipdown!

I hoarded this so well that I may qualify as an honorary dragon now (or a squirrel. That seems more likely, especially since I often forget where I’ve “buried” some of my teas). All things must come to an end eventually though. Farewell, delectable creamy lime goodness.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge, August 2022: A melon tea
(backlog, technically finished this off two weeks ago)

This was so perfect for the season. Something about sticky watermelon green tea for a cold brew is deeply satisfying to me as well. It invokes the bestest, ripest watermelon – so refreshing! The raspberry is a complimentary secondary note too.

This tea is so fancy – probably too fancy for how often it became a side for Japanese takeout in the last two years. To taste it’s like matcha but without the prep (and the additional caffeine) and that makes it golden in my books.

It contains notes of bright verdant grass, creamy nut milk, sweet snowpeas, powdery flower pollen, and a hint of melon – all things I barely register when I’m chowing down on toro nigiri. I’m glad I’m taking the time to savour this “farewell” cup though. It’s a gem.

Steep Count: 3

On paper, pairing spicy-sweet cardamom with a green tea sounds like a tragedy of flavoured thin tea in the making. This is AU we are talking about though, and the green tea they’ve chosen is distinctive enough to hold its own: grassy, kind of nutty, and vaguely smoky (I almost want to say gunpowder? kind of looks like gunpowder. AU loves the smoke).

The result is a surprisingly full dessert tea that pairs well with the summer-fall transition. Cozy dessert lawn.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge, August 2022: A raspberry tea

Ok, I actually finished this off a couple of weeks ago. I stretched it out as long as possible (made easy by how a little of this tea goes a long way to make a great cold brew jug) – but eventually going through at least one cold brew jug a day took its toll. It was so good while it lasted (I possibly ordered more).

This tea appeals to the child in me to such a degree that I can’t be rational about it. It tastes like rainbow sherbet. The CTC black tea base somehow sells that “this is sherbet” harder (it’s surprisingly smooth), which impresses me further. I can tastes all the sweet citrusy, acidic fruits and berries essential to making a good sherbet, as well as decadent vanilla. It’s the best.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge, August 2022: A tea that reminds you of a family member – Thanks for the Christmas present, Mom :)

Darn, this was supposed to last until the Christmas order.

Steep Count: 3

Sipdown!

Although I like it every now and then, Keemun Mao Feng isn’t my favourite fancy tea. However, its smoky, stonefruit, and pinenut notes make for a satisfying twist on the 52Teas’ vanilla staple (and I love that staple in every iteration so very much. Vanilla for life). The addition of amaranth petals is also aesthetically pleasing.

Steep Count: 4 over the course of two days because I’m desperate to draw out my remaining vanilla teas. Even the last steep was surprisingly rich and thick; I’m not sure how I managed that.

I don’t know what is worse: not being able to order more of this incredibly delicious tea because it’s out of stock or hoarding it knowing that I can never replenish it because it’s limited addition. The possible moral of the story is that “sometimes it’s better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all,” or whatever.. (Nope, I hate the moral).

I don’t normally even like strawberry flavoured things all that much, but the juxtaposition of a bold assam and a rich buttery cookie flavours is sublime. Now, if you’ll excuse me I’m going to cry over my empty pouch.

Steep Count: I usually managed 3

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge, August 2022: A tea you’ve never tried before

Sipdown! From two weeks ago.

Tannic builder’s tea with a dollop of sweetened peaches (possibly fuzzy peaches) is apparently a winning combo for me. I found myself reaching for this whenever I couldn’t decide between a dessert tea and a brisk breakfast tea (this happens surprisingly often). Would possibly order more.

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge, August 2022: A marshmallow tea

I sadly finished off this one earlier this week too. Still an all-time favourite flavoured green tea. Yun Wu is always a favourite casual green, and I particularly love the presence of soft, citrusy-mint lemon balm.