1445 Tasting Notes
Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 11
Now this is the good stuff. More drop-dead gorgeous floral teas like this in the advent please, Mariage Frères. The orchid note is so rich and lush. I’m a fan.
Steep Count: 4
Flavors: Floral, Fruit Tree Flowers, Honeysuckle, Malt, Nectar, Orchid, Smooth, Sweet, Vanilla
Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 10
The combination of banana, orange and strawberry once again happily remind me of Orange Julius (because apparently child-me always had half/half). Coconut isn’t too distinctive; just makes it a more convincing creamy smoothie thing. Also, a little bit of a grapefruit dimension to the citrus, but it’s the super sweet kind and not blatant (which, too bad because I love unabashedly grapefruit teas).
Flavors: Banana, Candy, Citrus, Coconut, Fruity, Grapefruit, Orange, Strawberry, Sweet, Tropical Fruit, Vegetal
I have a pretty good grapefruit tea in my office cupboard (with strawberry and it is a fruit tea), HMU if you want to try it.
Sorry, Martin! I thought I replied already. I’ll probably follow up with you after the holidays, when I’m not so out of it. Grapefruit is one of my absolute favourite flavours in tea :)
Okay, I will save a few bags for you :)
Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 11
I have a sore throat and sniffles (again, sigh). The citrus and honey-malt flavours of this tea are exactly what I crave atm. It’s so soothing, like a particularly fancy version of the “lemon slice and honey in black tea” treatment.
The choice to blend black tea with a few Silver Needle leaves is… interesting. But I think it actually works out alright. Not sure why. Makes me crave a dian hong though.
Flavors: Bergamot, Citrus, Floral, Hay, Honey, Malt, Muscatel, Smooth, Sugarcane, Sweet, Tannic
Harney and Sons has several blends of black tea and silver needles. I have enjoyed the ones I have tried but I wonder what the silver needles are bringing to the blend.
This is the first one I’ve tried and, yeah… I guess some silver needle can add or accentuate an element of sweetness and/or fruitiness/citrus? But I find both of those qualities vary greatly by plantation and harvest. Or maybe it’s purely ornamental (silver needle is pretty)! Someone who knows more about tea blending would have a clue, maybe :)
Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 9
We got our first snow of the season today. It was charming, but also kind of hilarious, because our area was seems to be one of the only parts of the lower mainland that saw serious snow accumulation and sticking. Vancouver was spared, but experienced the joys of sleet (everyone’s favourite form of precipitation).
It therefore seemed fitting to have an unflavoured snow-white tea to rally around this afternoon. I like this type of tea best when it hasn’t been flavoured.. or at least I’ve encountered very few flavourings that I like (maybe cantaloupe & cream?). Deceivingly full bodied.
Today was a good day for the advents.
Steep Count: 3
Flavors: Cucumber, Floral, Melon, Smooth
Preparation
White tea for first snow, sounds like a good idea! :)
And ooh, who makes a cantaloupe & cream white tea? I love cantaloupe but it is rare to see in tea!
Unfortunately, the only one I’ve ever come across is from Butiki. Lupicia has a few “melon” white and oolong teas, but it’s not cantaloupe.
I’m surprised there aren’t more around; many white teas have distinctive melon fruit notes that could be played with to create a specific kind of melon profile (ex- cantaloupe, watermelon, honeydew..).
Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 8
An example of hibiscus used well as a tisane base (and creatively). I’ve had this one before and still think it tastes like mulled wine spices. Or sangria punch. I want this in jelly form.
Flavors: Cardamom, Fruity, Hibiscus, Nutty, Peppercorn, Sweet, Tart, Vanilla
Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 8
It’s not every day you see a green oolong paired with chocolate, almond, fig, and plum flavours. I don’t know quite what to think of it but it’s definitely unique! The combined flavours are somehow both woodsy (like incense and spice) and silky (almond butter, chocolate ganache, and spicy fruit compote). That multifaceted richness is probably fitting given the tea’s namesake.
Subtle fig and plum pops for me in the finish. How often do you see a fig flavored tea? Neat. All the flavours are kind of… a lot. The collective muddiness makes my mind scream “anise” for some reason — even though I don’t believe that ingredient is present. Also, blue pea flower colour is maybe not the right aesthetic choice for this profile lol.
Fascinating though. Going to resteep it a few times to see where it goes.
Steep Count: 3 – actually, this latest steep the next day is pretty tasty and better balanced (the blue colour is a distant memory). I do like this now.
Flavors: Almond, Anise, Butter, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Fig, Floral, Fruity, Incense, Nutty, Orange Blossom, Plum, Sandalwood, Smooth, Spicy, Vegetal, Woody
Dammann Frères Advent Calendar – Day 7
While not what I consider to be the most exciting kind of tea, green mint blends are a classic for a reason. They’re perfect if you’re stuffed up or need something to settle your stomach after a heavy meal.
This particular blend looks like it employs spearmint and gunpowder (could be wrong on the mint). It also steeps up quieter than the dry leaf aroma implies and is quite smooth.
Flavors: Herbaceous, Mint, Smooth, Spearmint, Vegetal
Mariage Frères Advent Calendar – Day 7
Another repeat from 2021. Again, I wish the tea satchet didn’t use what appears to be broken silver needle (the loose leaf image looks promising though). I’ve also been forever spoiled by Butiki’s sublime “Champagne & Rose Cream” (Stacy used amaranth and vegan cream flavouring and it’s, hands down, one of my favourite teas to ever exist). This tea is not that. Not even close. However, it does deliver on its namesake – the rose and white tea. Resteeps nicely too.
Steep Count: 3
Flavors: Cucumber, Floral, Hay, Lemon, Rose, Vegetal
