1711 Tasting Notes

drank Black Cherry by DAVIDsTEA
1711 tasting notes

I don’t know what to make of this tea. Hot steeped and poured over ice. It has an artificial cherry taste that I’m not opposed to, but there is this underlying tang causing me to search the ingredients for hibiscus. It is much better with a little cream added, which tones down that tang! I’ll have to come back to this one and visit again.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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drank Vanilla Chai by Ovation Teas
1711 tasting notes

Cold steeped some of this overnight and added a little cream to my cup. Although it is good, it’s missing something it had yesterday when I had it the same way. Maybe it needs a little more time? It’s just missing a little of the umph (for a technical term) that it had in my last cup.

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drank Cha Yen Thai Black Tea by Teavana
1711 tasting notes

This tea used to be one of my favorites. Now it is more of a background tea. I found an unopened pouch of it in the back of the cupboard last night and cold steeped it overnight. The coconut in the tea I had in a tin had the coconut go bad in that soapy sort of way, so I was surprised to find this pouch still in decent shape. This tea seems a little weaker than I remember, but maybe that is the difference between a hot and cold steep. It is still pretty good and I get a bit of almond cardamon flavor with a creaminess to it. Maybe I’ll cold steep a pitcher of it and kill the rest of this bag before the coconut turns on this one too!

It really tastes nothing like Thai iced tea, btw.

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I am still loving this tea! Today I steeped it concentrated, then poured it over ice with a little sugar and cream. It reminds me a little of several other chocolate malty type teas like MF’s wedding imperial and american breakfast. I feel like I should have a face off with those three tea, choose my favorite and restock the winner when I’m done with the others. I’m trying so hard to narrow down my favorites and get my cupboard in order!

Preparation
Iced

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When my brother announced he was going to Paris, I immediately put in vague request for tea! He came home with four pouches full of Marriage Freres teas for my sister and I to split! I’m so jealous that he got to go into an MF store and grateful that he brought some home to me! American Breakfast was one that he chose. When he requested something almond/chocolatey, this was what was recommended. I do get a little chocolate malt, but no almond. Today I steeped this for three minutes at 205, my go to for blacks, but it tastes a little weak at the moment. I’ll have to try adjusting things. When I add a little soy creamer, it makes it much richer, but I’d like to find a good setting so it tastes great on it’s own. I do get a little of that maltiness that I associate with breakfast teas and it reminds me like a lighter version of Wedding Imperial. I’d like to try it cold steeped. So far, I prefer MF’s French Breakfast.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec
TeaBrat

French breakfast is awesome. Paris Breakfast, not so much. Still haven’t tried the American :)

Dustin

I didn’t know there was a Paris Breakfast! Guess I’m not missing much!

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I’m not a big fan of oolong, but the description of this and knowing that I wouldn’t be able to buy any more Butiki teas spurred this purchase. I cold steeped this in the fridge at a concentrated level, expecting to drink it over ice. It is a little bitter in it’s concentrated form, but when I add soy creamer, deliciousness pops out! I get creamy cashew first, followed quickly by raspberry and then they blend at the end of the sip. There is a touch of something bitter in there, almost like rose petals, but it isn’t overwhelming. Overall it feels very rich and decadent! I’m enjoying this, but I’m happy to say I won’t likely be longing for it once I polish off the rest.

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drank Tiramisu Oolong by 52teas
1711 tasting notes

I freakin loved this tea when it first came out! Like adored it. Now that it has been sitting around for a while, it has lost it’s umph. There is a little something bitter in the front part of the sip, followed by some flatness and ending with more bitter. I might be getting a little flat chocolate in the end. This is a prime example of my tea hoarding nature gone wrong. I wanted to save this tea so I could savor it over time and revisit it when I missed it, but it was better fresh and I should have guzzled it down when it was fresh. So sad!

Nichole/CuppaGeek

I think a lot of us feel that the flavor dwindles with time on the old 52Teas.

Dustin

I wonder why that is. Different brands of flavoring? Less preservatives? I have some teas that have held up wonderfully over the years, some that even did better with age. I’m glad I don’t have a ton of 52teas left and I’ll hopefully go through what I have left this summer.

TeaBrat

most teas are better when you drink them within a year I think. The exception being puerh, some straight black teas and roasted oolongs like da hong pao. Flavored teas just lose their flavoring after a while. I don’t know what would account for the bitterness though.

Dustin

Maybe the bitterness was there before, but worked with the other flavors that masked it or hid it in the background?
There have been flavored teas that did better after sitting for six months or so, letting the flavors mingle nicely, but in general I think you are right about the year rule. I have been so good about not buying much tea and still my stash is out of control.

TeaBrat

so is mine, lol…

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Ooooo, this is kinda tasty! I’m getting juicy melon on the sip which transitions to espresso at the end. Well rounded and smooth on a light base. Is that a touch of cinnamon at the finish? This is pretty cool!

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 3 min, 0 sec
Stephanie

This is a really unique and yummy tea!

Dustin

It is! I’m kinda bummed to have tried it so late in the game, as in after the game was over. :/

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drank Estate Black Tea by Volcano Winery
1711 tasting notes

Finally getting around to having some of this tea that I picked up last summer. I bought a lot of tea during my travels, so it has taken a while to get to all of it.

We visited the Volcano Winery in Hawaii last summer. I really wanted to check out a tea farm and this was the only one that I was able to reach and get answers from about tours. It is also a winery, which is the perfect combo for my husband and I, him being the wine enthusiast and me being tea enthusiast. The tour was small, just us and a couple other people. The growing area was small since they are just starting out in the tea business, but it was really neat to see tea plants growing. The Volcano Winery folks were really nice and enjoyed our visit. My husband went home with some wine and I went home with some tea!

This tea is really light for a black! It has a little bit of malt to it on the sip and a slight sweetness as well. There is almost a touch of grass. It seems really well rounded and smooth. I’m liking it!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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drank Chocolate Macaroon by DAVIDsTEA
1711 tasting notes

With the weather heating up, I have been cold steeping this and drinking it by the pitcher full! It’s actually a carafe full, bur for some reason carafe full sounds a bit too pompous to my ear. :P With a little bit of cream, this tea is gone way too fast as I keep gulping down the tasty brew. It’s the perfect combo of nuts, coconut and chocolate. I’m going to have to restock on it this summer on my once yearly trip to a David’s retail location. Still loving it!

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Profile

Bio

My name is Dustin and I like tea.

I’m an added flavor kind of tea fan, but have had a growing appreciation for plain. I want my tea to remind me of cookies and cakes with coconut and almond slices with a hint of chocolate drizzled on top. I want dancing ponies and flying monkeys shooting off fireworks! And no hibiscus. Hibiscus is the devil.

Location

BA, CA, US

Website

https://www.instagram.com/dre...

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