961 Tasting Notes

70

Strange VariaTEA TTB #37

This was another tea that had just a spoonful left, so I snagged it to take to work. The description of “juicy peach twisted with a hint of sage” was enticing…but my experience was the exact opposite! It’s more of a sage green tea with a hint of peach. Pleasant enough, but not quite what I was hoping for.

Flavors: Peach, Sage

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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95

I love a mildly smoky tea. Most Lapsang Souchong is too aggressive for my tastes (makes me feel like I steeped straight-up charcoal!) but blends that have Lapsang in them are often some of my favorite teas (e.g. Churchill from The London Tea Room). So, long story short, I took a gamble and ordered 4oz of this one from Market Spice without ever sampling it first. Thankfully, the gamble paid off! This is the perfect balance of malty Assam and smoke with a nice smooth finish. I foresee this being one of my go-tos this winter!

Flavors: Malt, Smoke, Smooth

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
gmathis

I’m with you. My novice experiences with lapsang scared me away for a very long time, but with caution, I discovered that blends with a pinch (rather than a fistful) are pleasant, especially when it’s bleak outside.

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80
drank Melbourne Breakfast by T2
961 tasting notes

Not sure what vanilla has to do with Melbourne, but this is a very nice vanilla black tea! It’s more of a natural vanilla bean type flavor than the more common extra-sweet artificial vanilla. The base tea is also rich and malty and brings a bit of cocoa flavor to the table. Unlike most breakfast blends, I find it smooth enough to drink straight…though honestly, I still prefer it with a splash of milk to really bring out that creamy vanilla flavor. I have found that this one, like many of T2’s black tea blends, can over-steep very easily! Sticking to a 3-minute steep for Western-style seems to give it to me at its best.

Flavors: Cocoa, Vanilla

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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55
drank Pomegranate Green by Allegro Tea
961 tasting notes

Strange VariaTEA TTB #36

I pulled a bag of this out of the TTB to sample later and finally got around to it at work this week. I don’t have a temperature-controlled kettle at the office, so the water may have been too hot (though I did let it cool for at least 20 minutes after boiling). Not sure I would have loved this even if I’d brewed it with more care, though. It didn’t have much of a scent and the flavor was also fairly nondescript…a little grassy, a little fruity, but nothing that specifically screams “pomegranate”. Drinkable but forgettable!

Flavors: Fruity, Grass

Preparation
3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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60
drank Thanksgiving Blend by Plum Deluxe
961 tasting notes

Strange VariaTEA TTB #35

There was just a cup or two left of this one, so I grabbed it out of the TTB to sample later. Honestly not sure what this has to do with Thanksgiving, but it mostly tastes of vanilla and maybe a bit of red fruit flavor. I’m finding it a bit astringent and thinking I’d try it with milk next time.

Flavors: Astringent, Red Fruits, Vanilla

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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80

Fava offers a LOT of different “breakfast” blends and I’ve slowly been sampling all of them. In my personal opinion, this would would have been better labeled as an Earl Grey, as the bergamot flavor and aroma is quite strong. But the vanilla and currant flavors come through as well, elevating the blend to something a bit more special than a standard Earl Grey. I find it a bit too brisk and assertive black, but quite enjoyable with a splash of milk!

Flavors: Bergamot, Black Currant, Brisk, Vanilla

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Martin Bednář

Into wishlist it goes.

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90
drank Jaffalicious by T2
961 tasting notes

I was skeptical of this one, as chocolate teas tend to be pretty hit and miss for me. But this blend hits the spot! The orange flavor is juicy and natural and the chocolate is a rich, dark, dark bittersweet chocolate that balances the fruitiness perfectly. I like it straight and also with a bit of milk. It was also a huge hit with friends we invited over a few weeks ago, who were very disappointed to learn it’s no longer readily available in the USA. Wishing I’d gotten around to trying T2 before they closed down their American website!

Flavors: Chocolate, Dark Bittersweet, Juicy, Orange

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Martin Bednář

You liked it and I disliked it. Well, it is amazing how different opinions we have :)

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70
drank Banana Bake by T2
961 tasting notes

This tea has been on my wish list for literally years and was the main reason I felt compelled to order from T2’s closeout sale. Unfortunately, the flavor was a bit of a letdown for me. I definitely get banana – actually, quite a nice, natural banana flavor with none of the artificial Laffy Taffy vibes I often get from banana teas. But the “bake” aspect is totally absent…it’s just a brisk black tea with a fresh banana flavor and none of vanilla, nut, or bakery notes I was hoping for to bring it more into banana bread territory.

Flavors: Banana, Brisk

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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100
drank Singapore Breakfast by T2
961 tasting notes

Of the 20+ teas I ordered during T2’s closing sale, this one was my favorite! Unexpected, since the inclusion of both puerh and genmaicha in the same blend made me dubious of the result. But the blend turned out to be very creamy, rich, and coconut-forward with a nice richness coming from the genmaicha. The mouthfeel was smooth and buttery like an oolong and overall it gave off STRONG popcorn vibes…my husband always refers to it as “that popcorn tea”. Both of us love it and are hoping we can still find a way to order it from Australia in the future!

Flavors: Butter, Coconut, Creamy, Popcorn, Smooth, Toasted Rice

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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60
drank New York Breakfast by T2
961 tasting notes

This blend smells lovely, but the flavor doesn’t live up to the aroma for me. I get hints of vanilla, maple, and cinnamon, but all the flavors are on the lighter side and the base tea is a bit smoother and less full-bodied than I expect with a breakfast tea. Adding milk mutes the flavors even more, leaving me with nothing but a milky black tea with a a hint of cinnamon. Disappointing overall, but the tin sure is cute!

Flavors: Cinnamon, Maple Syrup, Smooth, Vanilla

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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Profile

Bio

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis

I was introduced to loose leaf tea by a roommate in 2012, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon Steepster in 2014 that I discovered a world of tea that went beyond Teavana and the grocery store.

My tastes continue to evolve, but black tea is currently my favorite. I am especially drawn to strong, malty breakfast blends to wake me up in the morning and flavored dessert teas to sip throughout the day.

Just about everything in my cupboard is available to swap, so feel free to ask!

Location

Milwaukee, WI

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