399 Tasting Notes
Backlog/Sipdown: April 10, 2025
Aroma: Took a little while to get anything since the tea was so tightly compressed! A little floral and perfume-y.
Tasting Notes: Thick & soupy mouthfeel. Floral, sweet, brown sugar, dates, & figs.
Additional Notes: This tea lasted a long time, and I didn’t manage to get it fully opened! I checked 14 infusions (on and off brewing within 4 hours) and when I discarded the tea, it was still compressed in the middle.
Flavors: Brown Sugar, Dates, Fig
I wish I had saved the club pamphlet and/or noted which club month I had received this tea…I wanted to make a note that it has been sipped down. I didn’t get to write down my notes, as I was driving into the office on Tuesday, when I was drinking the little bit leftover in my thermos. I will note that these offerings have been outstanding and the sheer amount of tea each month is a good change from other clubs I’ve purchased, that offer so little, for roughly the same value ($30-35 USD). Plus, the biggest win is that I get to try a variety of teas from India, which I’d’ve not explored on my own!
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: Soap – lemon soap on the nose and taste. I immediately thought about the line from A Christmas Story when Ralphie is comparing tasting notes with Lux and Palmolive soap bars! Lol.
*“Over the years I got to be quite a connoisseur of soap. My personal preference was for Lux, but I found Palmolive had a nice, piquant after-dinner flavor – heady, but with just a touch of mellow smoothness.”
I think I just found an excuse to stop at Aldi!
(Not that I am a soap fan, but I am intrigued…I’ve never seen anything but the most basic generic teas there. Would be nice to stumble on something different.)
I was happy to receive the teas, despite how odd they were! I hope you had found them at your store and were able to give them a try!
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: As the Aldi Reviewer said, “It’s a bit fake and odd.” That’s putting it lightly. Lol. On the nose, you’d think it’ll be bready, at least. Nope! I was at a loss for words for this one except for verbally saying, “I can’t finish this cup.”
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: I was hoping to like this one! There was a strong strawberry & vanilla heaviness on the nose. This immediately fell away after brewing and the mug only offered a bland, un-ripened artificial strawberry note.
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: Really tasting an almond sourness + the hibiscus is making it pop. Raspberry is an afterthought, but I can somewhat taste it in the lingering aftertaste.
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: There were notes of better and a hint of citrus. Adding sugar/sweetener could potentially increase the flavors.
Mrs. Mad Hatter grabbed a box of the Easter Collection from Benner during her visit to Aldi yesterday. I made 6 cups of each sample to find out whether I liked them AND to determine the best of the collection. I’m starting with the best to the worst.
Brewing Method: Single serving cup (6oz). 212 F for 5-minutes.
Tasting Notes: This was bursting with blueberry notes! It had a lot of the artificial blueberry, but it was backed with supporting flavors from the fennel.
There was only one bag/ serving offered during the December 2024 club (?) which was too bad. There was a hint of ginger-orange-chocolate. I brewed this bag in an 12oz mug, half full of water, 212F, & 5-minute steep time. Perhaps this one needed a heavier hand with the tea to bag ratio.
I acquired this sample from Tea Share during their second month of their tea club. I’ll have to review their club offerings in more detail (I thought about starting the ol’ YouTube channel up again, however, it requires a lot of motivation), but I’ll try my best to add the information here! The overall samples from the second month were good and have only improved since that month’s club; however, they have been solid with their monthly offerings.
Aroma: Oregano, seaweed, basil, & cooked mushrooms.
Tasting Notes: Grassy, nutty, smooth, & viscous
Flavors: Basil, Grassy, Mushrooms, Nutty, Oregano, Umami
