91

The aroma of this guayusa is quite lovely- like toasty vanilla with a dash of mint. A hot cup of this makes me think of Pistachio Ice Cream (it’s the creamy vanilla), but instead of green tea and pistachios there is that earthy tone that guayusa is known for.

The spearmint seemed stronger in my cooled down cup than in the piping hot one; the vanilla tasted more subdued. I think I may like this better when the vanilla takes the more dominant role, but the cup is still consistently creamy, floral, and earthy enough for me. The lavender is on the periphery of my senses most of the time, although, like the mint, that seems to be more prevalent in the cooler cup.

On a few other, somewhat related, notes.. I love the name of this blend a lot. It’s also a decent substitute for those who loved Teaopia’s now defunct Mate Vanilla Mint.

It’s not something I see myself drinking all the time, however that’s likely due to some unfortunate conditioning with guayusa, all-nighters, and hopeless papers. I see this getting rotation with David’s Jungle Ju Ju, as a deceptively smoother alternative, around school deadlines.

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec

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Bio

I started my Steepster loose leaf adventure back in 2012. I can’t say I’m completely new anymore, but I still view oolong as a magical, extraterrestrial creature that unfurls in water.

My favourites are teas like Milk Oolong, Silver Needle,and Japanese Sencha/Gyokuro, or fruity and floral flavoured ones. However, I generally enjoy ALL the teas, including a good old cup of Earl Grey or Breakfast blend.

FAVOURITE INGREDIENTS/NOTES:

DESSERT FLAVOURS
Vanilla, Maple, Caramel, Butterscotch, Cream, Toffee, Nougat, Marzipan, Butter

FRUIT & BERRIES
Citrus Fruits, Passionfruit, Banana, Pineapple, Melons, Blackberry, Raspberry, Currants, Elderberry, Persimmon, Rhubarb..

SPICES
Ginger, Turmeric, Clove-forward chai, Cardamom

AROMATIC & HERBACEOUS NOTES
Sandalwood, Frankincense, Juniper, Eucalyptus, Mints

FLORALS
Lavender, Jasmine, Rose, Lilac, Violet, etc.

VEGGIE/GRAIN NOTES
Spinach, Grass, Hay, Cucumber, Rice, Sweet Potato

Less Preferred Flavours/Ingredients:
Stevia, Apple, Cocoa Nib, Almond, Licorice, Cinnamon-forward blends, Chinese Sencha

Subjective Rating System:
I don’t give a lot of low ratings out, since a) I tend to grab tea I know will appeal to me, and b) I don’t have a lot of strong dislikes.

90-100: Favourites. The Desert Island Teas.
80-89: Loved teas. Possibly staple-worthy.
70-79: Good teas, but I’m less likely to repurchase. Minor quibbles.
60-69: Ok teas. Likely a few preference and/or quality issues.
50-59: Cup of meh. Will do in a pinch.
11-49: Varying levels of undrinkable tea.
1-10: Nightmare tea from the chaos realms. This tea is the embodiment of the primordial swamp, an unholy abomination. It’s very gross and I’m almost positive it doesn’t exist.

Location

BC, Canada

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