675 Tasting Notes
You know your tea habit is out of control when most of the gifts you get are tea related! My partner’s parents got me a Tea Forte gift set for Hannukah, which includes two mugs and a sampler set. This blend smells so good that I felt the need to post about it immediately. It just smells beautifully of ginger and apricot. As it cools, the apricot changes to pear. The taste is sweet pear with a hint of ginger. However, this takes on a weird and off-putting stevia aftertaste when it cools. The good news with a sampler is that I only have two pyramids of each blend! I’m disappointed with this one because it starts off so good but ends on a bad note that really lingers.
Sipdown number 14! I’m sad to see this one go. The spicy cinnamon complements the juicy apricot flavor. I want to eat this in delicate pastry form. As a macaron maybe? This blend just makes me feel light and happy.
Sipdown number 13! I am fond of this tea, but I think I like the original version better. The green tea doesn’t add a whole lot of flavor complexity, so I’d rather skip the caffeine. The herbal base is beautifully grassy on its own. I’m hoping to restock the original soon.
Sipdown number 12 is a 2014 Eight Immortals Wulong courtesy of Phi. It’s rocky but also weirdly sweet and honeyed. Basically it tastes like an Oriental Beauty oolong with strong mineral overtones. Pretty different from any other rock oolongs I’ve tried. It’s intriguing.
Sipdown number 11!
This is an indulgent blend. The cream and brandy notes hit up front while the base tea adds a slight driness. The apple flavor comes to the fore as the tea cools. This actually reminds me of AQTT’s Caramel Baked Apple Oolong, which I also like a lot. The apple note was prominent in the second steep here. I added manuka honey for sweetness in the second steep but overdid it a bit so the tea also tasted like manuka, which played nicely with the apple and brandy and worked out well.
Sipdown number 10! Thanks to Phi for sharing this with me.
I have no idea what dragonfruit tastes like, so this tea tastes like a berry medley to me. The flavor is tart and sweet, the rooibos is woodsy, and the overall effect is cheerful. It’s a solid evening cuppa. I wouldn’t turn it down but I’m not in love with it either.
Sipdown! I believe this came to me by way of MissB. Thanks!
This is really interesting. As soon as hot water hits the teabag, the water turns neon yellow. After a few seconds, tendrils of red start to trail out of the bag. It’s pretty fun to watch! The flavor is hard to place. It’s savory and saffrony. As it cools, a licorice note comes out. This would be an awesome base for a broth or to cook rice in.
