1368 Tasting Notes
2025 TTB.
Um, no. This is not working for me. It’s just so so tart. There’s a blueberry flavor and a sort of hay note that I assume comes from the base. But mostly it’s just a very intense lemon tartness. I tried adding some seltzer once it cooled, but that blueberry-lemon tartness doesn’t even translate to a nice tea soda for me. Glad I got to try a new-to-me company but this blend isn’t giving a great first impression.
TTB 2025. Made per package instructions, no add-ins. I don’t think this really needs any. It’s quite flavorful all on its own. I do find it a little odd that the description (and name) suggest that there’s white raspberries (or at least white raspberry flavor) in this, but white raspberries are nowhere to be found on the ingredients list. At best, that’s sloppiness; at worst, it’s an intentional mislead.
However, this actually is an enjoyable blend! Tart, almost jammy red berry with a very slightly creamy edge from the vanilla and a bit of heft that I assume comes from the base. Feels like this would be good hot or iced. Points for flavor, negative points for the disconnect between the name/description and the ingredients list.
TTB 2025. I made this and Deb’s Earl Grey Caramel Canelé at the same time to compare them. Unfortunately, thanks to a household miscommunication, we ran out of oat milk without me realizing it! I added honey instead, in an effort to help the flavors pop, but it’s not really the same. So no rating for this one unless/until I can make it as intended. I don’t see a listing for the Earl Grey Caramel Canelé. It’s not on Deb’s site anymore, either. This tasting note will be for both teas.
As expected, they seem to have the same base and bergamot flavor – brisk and citrusy, respectively. I’m not a huge fan of earl greys in general, but this is a tolerable take. The glazed donut is pretty good! I’m getting a bit of almond flavor and specifically the sugary glaze on a donut. I bet this would be great as a latte, unsurprisingly. The caramel canelé flavor doesn’t pop the same way. I’m just getting a bit of sweetness, and it’s hard to tell whether that’s from the flavoring or the honey. I think this one probably needs milk to be judged properly.
The real takeaway here is to always check your add-in supply before making the tea.
TTB 2025. Y’all. This is great. I think mostly because I enjoy the sencha base tea. It’s umami and a bit marine. I can’t really make out the persimmon, though perhaps it would be more prominent with different steeping parameters? It did prompt me to get out some dried persimmon and gouda to pair with this blend. Excellent pairing. Hoping to play around with this one some more.
TTB 2025. This has lemon and mint notes up front. It’s surprisingly peppery at the tail end and in the aftertaste. I don’t really get the ginger as a distinct note but it might be blurring with the pepper. The flavors just don’t seem particularly harmonized somehow.
To get through sampling more teas from the 2025 TTB, I made a small cup of each one rather than a full-sized mug. Since I still have a bit of Cookie, I thought it would be fun to do a comparison with the Deb Cookie Butter in the TTB. Surprisingly, I think I prefer the Cookie Butter! Lupicia’s base tea is very brisk, which isn’t bad, it’s just how a lot of Lupicia black teas seem to be. The base on the Cookie Butter blends in with the flavoring more, which means that the creamy, sweet, cookie-ness can take center stage.
(cross-posted on both teas’ pages)
