1501 Tasting Notes
Steepster, I love you. I’m not sure why it isn’t mutual… I mean, I really love you. I send you new peeps all the time, I talk you up constantly, I support you wherever possible, I’m here for you…
… and you seem to consistently lose my tea ratings in thanks.
This is one of those reviews. I know I’ve reviewed it – I know where I was sitting when I reviewed it just a few weeks back when I bought this. And yet…
So, yes, I’ll get over it. Just please, tell me, how can I support you, to support me, oh lovely Steepster? :)
(BTW: this tea is quite lovely, I’m really enjoyed the aged and/or smoked whites, it’s surprisingly sweet and robust).
I think I love this tea’s name more than I do the actual tea. I always want it to taste like Twinning’s Buttermint… sigh… okay, stop ruminating about ole teas of yore there Miss B, you’ll get back to the UK to get more soon enough.
I know it’s just spices. I know I can add this to pretty much any tea and make it my own. I know I can. But I don’t. I just drink it before bed because there’s zero caffeine, it’s a bit unique in the chai department, and I love the spice combo. I also know it’s too pricey for just, well, spices, to replenish, so I’ll enjoy it as-is until I’m out.
I have very little tea in my cupboard right now that I completely, absolutely adore – and what I do, I seem to hoard (I’m looking at you, Laduree). This tea? This tea is my comfort tea. My, “I love myself so much, I’m definitely having some of you to feel even more love,” tea. It’s sweet and spicy, rich and flavorful, deep and full bodied. I will somehow have to figure out how to replace it when I’m out, but for now…. aaaaaaah.
Grabbed this in the bulk section at Whole Foods because it smelled divine and the description said, “notes of apricot”. Oh, yum. Was surprisingly expensive though; a few cups of tea for about $4. Usually bulk tea is cheaper, but whatever.
Oversteeped in lower-than-normal temperature water, it’s surprisingly good. I definitely get apricot, and also a roasty, toasty kind of smell and feel, with more of that flavor coming through than anything. I don’t LOVE it, but, it’s quite nice, and I’m really happy I didn’t ruin it.
Flavors: Apricot, Roasted, Toasty
Preparation
I haven’t a clue what I’m drinking.
Teaja, for whatever reason, only lists a handful of teas that they sell on their website. There’s a good 20+ more in-store, including their “award winners”. Coolio. Not sure how to buy, or even review the tea though, if I don’t know what it is or how to reference it.
So, this is a black tea… it won an award at the tea championships this year… it’s quite floral yet really robust… and super expensive. I, however, just grabbed a cup for $4.
I won’t bore you all with the conversation we had about their pricing; I’ve ranted about it elsewhere ad nauseum. It, literally, brought me to tears… but then again, I’m really struggling today, so take that with a grain of salt.
<3
I think this is what OMGsrsly gave me… It’s hard to tell. Either way, always, much love and thanks for sharing!
Rinsed twice for about 1 minute, then steeped for two. It’s quite dark, and, still not completely opened. Ugh. Not sure I’ll steep it again, as… This is weird. Wood, wet wood is what I get. Wet wood and an odd sweetness that I’m not fond of all. I can’t finish the cup. :(
Flavors: Sweet, Wet Wood
The smell. O. M. G. Just on the smell alone, I bought 50g. It’s like a creamy milk chocolate infused coconut. I don’t know how, or why, but that’s what it smells like to me. I just want to dance in it and cover my body with its deliciousness.
Um. So, yea.
Drinking it, I’m a bit perplexed. It’s really, really sweet for a supposedly unsweetened tea. It’s a toasty, warm, creamy, almost biting coconut. There’s an earthiness I love as well, it’s very… Unusual. I swear there are cacao nibs from the flavor… But it’s just tea and big chunks of coconut.
A win, for sure. Must drink more. Just, no sweetener next time.
Flavors: Chocolate, Coconut, Sweet, Thick, Toasty