1379 Tasting Notes

90
I love the fact it’s organic, I love green tea, I love orange, i love almond and I love pink peppercorns. Basically most of the ingredients that make this blend, everything about it is what I look for in a blend. While chocolate tea is nice I’m a savoury person and find myself wanting orange and pine teas for comfort.

The blend looks nice; some very small green tea parts of leaves that have broken and almost become a dust, aside from that it’s as you expect. I can see the peppercorns and lots of chopped safflower, also at quick glance the almonds too. No orange that I notice though.

In smell this is divine. Sweet almond with a touch of refreshing orange in the background. I gave this to my husband to sniff without saying which tea it was and he picked out the almond. I had to wrestle it back off him because it smells that nice. He said it’s like almond cake. The orange behind adds a refreshing tone, similar to that of mint, it lifts the almond and adds depth. I could sniff it all day!

Once steeped a golden liquid is produced that bares a sweet almond, somewhat marzipan like scent.

The first few sips reveal orange and almond with a sweet yet slightly sour after taste with some dryness. Reminds me a little of pine flavoured tea, it bares the same refreshing quality. The orange is also slightly wax like, but there is a creamy quality to help it stay smooth and sweet.

It’s so easy to drink, I devoured my cup of this in very short time. It leaves a beautiful after taste that lingers for a while.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

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70
drank Chococo Black by Bruu Tea
1379 tasting notes

Personally I don’t think you can go very wrong with chocolate and coconut, bounty was always one of my favourite chocolate bars growing up. The blend looks nice, lots of assorted chunks and pieces, plus it bares a dark chocolate scent with a touch of coconut. Like a dark Bounty bar but with added wood from the tea base.

Once steeped the resulting tea carries the same chocolate and coconut scent as it’s raw state.

The blend is sweet and creamy with chocolate, nut, wood and coconut tones. The base is not too rich nor the chocolate sour, which aids the blend. Instead the chocolate is a right level against the wooden base and the naturally sweet coconut lightens it into a pleasant cup of tea. I imagine the drop of milk also helps keep this non bitter and creamy, plus it helps with the dry nut like after taste.

A nice blend, not too strong or sweet and flavours taste natural. I feel it’s probably better with milk and sugar which I don’t mind as it’s to taste. Like a chocolate tea, it’s not chocolatey enough to be hot chocolate but the combination of two means you get both chocolate and tea for the price of one. What’s not to like?

https://kittylovestea.com/2017/01/07/bruu-tea-december-2016-tea-club/

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp

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73

Opening the tin revealed the blend which was decorated with a large star anise piece on the top. It’s so beautiful! The blend itself is a little festive as it has red safflower petals decorating a dark brown blend. It bares a soft yet spicy scent, like cinnamon and clove.

Brewing Parameters: 1.5 tsp in a large mug with boiling water for 3-4 minutes.

Once steeped a dark brown liquid with a red hue sits in my glass that bares the same generic spice scent as it’s raw form.

The first few sips reveal a dark base, wooden and thick with some bitterness with a delicate spicy after taste. Specifically clove, cinnamon and cocoa nib which is probably where the bitterness comes from. I imagine it would be reduced with a bit of sweetener.

The spice is not actually as strong as I expected, it’s more subtle against the black tea base. In a way it’s nice, sometimes ‘in your face’ flavoured teas are too much. There is also some dryness in the after taste though the spice lingers a while.

I would say while this was more of a subtle spice it was Christmas-esque and suited for all day drinking. I imagine a pot of this on Christmas morning would go down a treat! It’s subtlety may even win over some plain tea drinkers.

http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/12/14/christmas-spiced-tea-by-fortnum-mason/

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Ingredients: Chinese pu’erh tea, Chinese oolong tea, ginger, orange, ginseng, fennel.

The combination of Puer and Oolong sounds strange but ginger and orange is winning me over. It sounds so complex that I have no idea what it’s going to be like.

Steeping: 1 bag in boiling water for 3-4 minutes

Once steeped the tea bares a dry and very Puer scent. If you haven’t had the pleasure it’s an earthy and dry scent.

The first few sips reveal a dry, dark and somewhat refreshing blend. It’s almost minty, or mint like anyway. I imagine the fennel and ginseng is giving the refreshing tones. The Oolong is not really noticeable but the Puer is the most dominant. It’s mild really in flavour.

A few sips more reveal the mint like taste is more licorice like now, much darker and deeper than it was at first. I really dislike licorice though and am having to try and ignore it.

For the most part it’s like a mild orange and Puer tea. It’s not juicy orange or very noticeable because of the refreshing aniseed after taste.

It might be a unique blend that excites some people but it’s just not for me. Anything aniseed makes me screw my face up.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/16/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-16/

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70

Once steeped the resulting tea bares a strong cinnamon scent with a touch of clove.

The first few sips reveal a cinnamon and black tea base with a touch of orange in the after taste. It’s not as strong as expected though that isn’t always a bad thing. Slight bitterness but mostly it’s a cinnamon and black tea with a touch of dryness. Perhaps the fruit helps to keep it light?

While the cinnamon is strong with this one I do wish the orange was stronger. I can’t taste any almond, apple or vanilla and would not have even guessed they were in the blend by taste alone.

Despite that it’s cinnamon and that is very Christmasy so who am I to complain?

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/12/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-12/

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88

The resulting tea bares a sweet toasted Rooibos scent with spicy ginger and cinnamon undertones. It sort of does resemble a ginger biscuit (and those are my favourite!).

A few sips and I’m unsure what to write about first. While I can taste the sweetness from the Rooibos it’s also warming and fiery from the ginger. It’s almost deceiving at first, just as you think ‘Oohh it’s just another sweet Rooibos blend’ it grabs hold of you and intensifies in the back of the throat. All of this while mellowing into a ginger biscuit after taste with a hint of cardamom and cinnamon.Power and complexity is certain and this is not a blend for the faint-hearted.

As it cools slightly the sweetness relaxes and the spices come forward a little more. The balance of ginger, cardamom and cinnamon make it exotic and chai aromatic but the unmistakable ginger biscuit likeness lingers in my mind.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/01/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-1/

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75

Once steeped the tea took on a deep brown colour (before milk was added) and it bares a rich, sweet malt scent.

First few sips reveal a dark, dry, malt and wood base with a soft hint of smoke. Slightly bitter and stronger than I initially expected.

The strength continues to impress on a British standard though I would like a little more flavour and depth in it. Though It’s easy to drink and warming on this cold eve.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/02/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-2/

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80

I haven’t actually tried any Matcha from Bluebird Tea so I am excited to finally cross that box. I also like the little tin, I plan on re-using it to make a Matcha lipgloss for it in the near future. I may even do a tutorial for it.

Bluebird describe this tea as “Highest quality Japanese matcha powder shaded two weeks prior to harvest. “

The Matcha is a beautiful bright green colour and quite fine in powder. It produced a beautiful foam.

Flavour is light and smooth with sweet grass and soft vegetal notes that linger in the after taste. This is very easy to drink, it slips down with ease. Perhaps one of the smoothest Matcha I have tried, though I found it perhaps too easy for my every day needs. A little more flavour would have been preferential for me but still it was a nice Matcha. Also a note to say the foam was great, the last few Matcha samples I had from other companies didn’t whisk too well but this foamed beautifully.

Given that it was a higher quality than I expected I may try a few others from them. They do a few flavours that sound interesting.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/04/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-4/

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61

Once steeped it bares a mint and chamomile scent with no licorice to speak of.

The first few sip reveal a sweet and refreshing peppermint flavour that fills my mouth and softens into a mild (and I stress mild) yet very refreshing licorice flavour. In fact there is more refreshing factor of the licorice than actual licorice flavour. Like when someone walks down the hall and you didn’t see them but you can smell their perfume lingering near by. It’s actually a sigh of relief for me that it’s not too licorice thick or heavy, more of an after taste.

It sort of tastes like I’m chewing gum and sipping chamomile tea. I can’t say if that is good or bad really, just unusual, but that is what it reminds me of.

As it cools the mint becomes a little stronger and the refreshing aftertaste slightly weaker, or well at least my mouth has adapted for it so it’s not as noticeable. So really after a while it’s a creamy peppermint with a slight herbal finish. Now it’s minty enough to be like candy cane.

I could finish this cup but I don’t think this blend is for me. It was nicer than I expected being only mild on the licorice side but it was refreshing enough to be a little off putting. Again I stress that’s because I hate licorice. If you happen to love chamomile, peppermint and licorice then this is probably something you should look up.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/07/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-7/

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83

Bluebird state that this is just pure peppermint leaves, though it is not up for sale on the website at the moment.

It’s a simple ‘herbal tisane’ but I’m a fan of peppermint so I don’t mind. It’s actually very good for the digestive system and stomach upsets. If I’m feeling unwell I usually go straight to the mint tea.

Flavour is strong and sweet with pure peppermint flavour. It’s very refreshing, reminds me of candy cane. It’s delicious! Pure tasting and natural, plus it wasn’t too dry and herbal so it’s rather fresh. The refreshing peppermint lingers in the after taste.

When you sip it’s slightly dry and herbal but then straight away the peppermint grows, the sweetness increases and the refreshing tone packs a flavour punch that fills the mouth.

https://kittylovestea.com/2016/12/09/bluebird-tea-co-advent-calendar-of-tea-day-9/

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Profile

Bio

I’m 34 years old from Leicester, England named Kayleigh.

I started off many years ago drinking herbal and fruit teas which over time peaked my interest in trying new types. Eventually I began to import and sample many different teas and cultures which I still do today. My life goal is to try as many teas and ways of having tea as possible.

Tea wise my cravings change constantly from pu erh one month to jasmine green to the next and so on.

I also enjoy watching Japanese Anime and horror films.

I am always up for tea swaps so if you see anything in my virtual cupboard then please contact me.

A short list to help swapping with me easier though honestly I am not fussy and am willing to try anything. Plus the notes below are usually, sometimes I love a tea that has an ingredient I tend to dislike and other times I hate a tea that I thought I would love.

Likes: Any fruit but especially melon and orange, vanilla, all tea types (black, green, white etc), nuts (any), flowers, ginger, chai.

Dislikes: Licorice, aniseed, clove, eucalyptus, lavender.

My rating system
I have my own way of rating teas that makes each one personal. I have different categories, I rate each tea depending on what it is made of. For example: I rate green teas in a different way to black teas or herbal teas. So black, white, green, Pu Erh, Rooibos, Oolong, blends and tisanes all have their own rating system. That way I can compare them with other teas of the same or similar type before for an adequate rating. And when I do give top marks which is very rare I am actually saying that I would love to drink that tea all day, every day if possible. It’s a tea that I would never turn down or not be in the mood for. So while I agree that no tea is 100% perfect (as nothing is) I am saying that it’s as close as it comes to it. After all, in my book the perfect teas (or close to perfect anyway) are ones that I could drink all the time. That is why you will find a high quality black or Oolong will not have as high a score as a cheap flavoured blend, they are simply not being compared in the same category.

Location

Leicester, England, United Kingdom

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