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Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 22

I hate chamomile almost as much as I hate hibiscus, so its inclusion pretty much ruins this blend for me, unfortunately. It did have a pleasant apple flavor and the cinnamon wasn’t overwhelming, which I appreciate. But the chamomile came through strongly in the aftertaste and just ruined the whole experience for me.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 21

It was a busy weekend around here, so I have some catching up to do on tasting notes! From what I remember, this was a pretty classic jasmine green tea, which didn’t really stand out in a good or a bad way.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 20

Crazy to see the stash of little tea packets dwindling down…HOW is it only 5 days until Christmas already??? At least it is starting to look like Christmas here in Wisconsin; we had our first real snowstorm of the season last night!

Anyway, the tea. :) Apparently this is supposed to taste like chocolate-covered strawberries? Can’t say I really picked up on any strawberry flavor in my cup. I did get a whiff of (unfortunately very artificial) chocolate in the aroma, but the flavor was mostly the brisk Ceylon base tea with floral notes coming through from the rose petals. Oh well! At least the mug kept my hands nice and warm for a bit this morning.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 19

Labeled: Emerson’s Berry Blend

More hibiscus! :( Not sure of the full ingredients list on this one, but I think there are rosehips in here as well. The resulting brew is a very festive red color, but that’s about the only positive thing I can find to say about it. It’s tart and acidic and whatever berry flavors are present have been completely buried by the other ingredients. Hard pass on this one.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 18

Labeled: Adagio Earl Grey’s Anatomy

I’m not sure what else has been added to this blend, but to me it just tastes like Adagio’s Earl Grey Moonlight…which I happen to be a huge fan of, so no complaints! Sipping this at my desk with a bit of half and half and very much enjoying it.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 17

I’m not much of a puerh drinker , so this was an interesting change of pace for me today! It definitely has that deep earthiness that I associate with puerh, but thankfully none of that funky “fishy” flavor that I dislike! Perhaps it’s my palate that’s to blame, but I find this a bit flat and one-note. Not unpleasant, but just a bit boring.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 16

Oh dear, another promising blend ruined by hibiscus. :( Teavana used to have a blood orange oolong which I absolutely adored. I think it did have some hibiscus in it, but it was subtle enough to add a bit of citrus acidity without taking over. Here (as is too often the case) it completely dominates whatever other ingredients are meant to be in the blend. Hard pass for me.

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 15

Purple is my favorite color, so I’ve ordered a number of purple teas from different companies over the years. I was excited to see this one in the advent calendar! The leaves were a deep brown color and were tightly twisted and curly, looking more like a black tea. But it steeped up to a pale honey color and sips more like an oolong…super smooth with a nice buttery mouthfeel. The flavor is also oolong-esque: a nice balance of vegetal and mineral. Not my personal favorite profile, but it was definitely fun to try!

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 14

I haven’t had many white tea cakes, so I wasn’t sure what to expect from this one. I steeped it Western-style and got distracted, so steeped it longer than planned. But it’s still smooth and sweet without the slightest hint of bitterness or astringency! It’s definitely more full-bodied than other white teas I’ve tried with a rich, creamy mouthfeel. The flavor is quite sweet and cake-like with notes of vanilla. Really enjoying this one and hoping I can get another steep out of it!

Devon Bartholomew Advent Day 13

I’m really enjoying this stretch of straight black teas! Surprised I haven’t tried this one before; but if I did, I clearly never logged it in Steepster. This is much smoother than many of the Assams I’ve tried; I detect no bitterness or astringency even after a 4-mintue steep. However, it is intensely flavorful and malty and I think it would hold up well to milk. I feel like I’m detecting a bit of smokiness as well…not sure if that native to the tea or cross-contamination? Either way, I’m quite enjoying this cup!