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Steepster was being fussy when I tried to post the review of this, so this is from memory. I will be more comprehensive when I am sipping it next time.

I’d heard a lot about Eight Candles and the primary reason I wanted to order from Della Terra was to try this out. While it is a nice dessert tea, it reminds me vaguely of David’s Salted Caramel in that I wasn’t able to coax as much flavor out as I would like. Faintly caramel and sweet overall, it isn’t anything I would write home about so far. I will play around with the parameters and see what I can come up with next time around. :)

200th tasting note! And another reluctant sipdown, lol. I really enjoyed this tea- it wasn’t ice cream, but it was green, smooth, nutty, vanilla goodness. I would have repurchased for sure- it was one of the few flavored greens I truly liked. Goodbye PIC! :)

I’ve reviewed this at least 5 other times with top marks and I love it. Today is unique though because it is a (GASP) sipdown of Butiki’s famous Caramel Vanilla Assam. I will miss this flavorful joy of a brew. Farewell lovely tea!

This tea smells amazing. Like buttery batter, creamy frosting, and all manner of sweet and cakey things. I liked it right from first sniff out of the bag. It is easy on the eyes with the tightly curled cut black leaf, dried pineapple pieces, and flower petals. I remember this tea had quite a reputation for being one of the must-try Della Terra teas and I can see why people enjoy it.

The steeped tea also smells like a moist and buttery cake and the liquor is clear and dark brown. The taste is very pleasant and sweet. Smooth and faintly malty black tea blend with sugar, vanilla, and a flavor I can only describe as yellow cake. I’m not really getting any pineapple or fruitiness, but that is just as well because I am a vanilla buttercream cake addict. This is a very nice way to treat the sweet tooth without stuffing my face with cake. I’m really glad I bought 2oz of this. I just brewed a second pot and the hubby is enjoying it as well. Most Della dessert teas I’ve tried have gone over well in this household. Without being overly cloying or artificial, they have a good flavor to my palate and I think the base is a decent black.

I think there are maybe 2 teas that I’ve given a rating of 100 to. And this is one of them. Before I fell asleep last night I thought about Laoshan Black and this morning it met all of my expectations. Dark chocolate, malt, baked bread drizzled in honey.. it is my perfect breakfast black. I am so glad I purchased 4oz this time, though I am already wishing I just went ahead and grabbed half a pound or more. I know as I whittle away at some of my less stellar teas that eventually I will have more room for my favorites. And this is definitely one of them that will need to stay forever. I am on my 3rd steep after 30/45/60 and it is still delicious without ever having even the faintest hint of bitterness. Happy Sunday all!

This is my first time ever trying the exalted Golden Fleece I’ve heard so much about. First of all, the dry leaf! It might be the most beautiful that I’ve ever seen. With hues of bronze, orange, and gold, there pekoe all over each long, twisty, unbroken piece. The smell from the bag is heavenly- spicy sweet malty goodness.

I must say the liquor is totally different from most teas also- it looks almost earthy olive-brown in my white cup. There is the slightest film at the top in the teapot because I didn’t rinse the leaves, but the tea itself is clear. It smells of honey and spice. Maybe cinnamon and pepper- but as odd as it sounds, it works.

And now for the taste. I’ve never had a tea before that is both so sweet and savory. It is a contradiction across the palate. At first I get a burst of sweet honey maltiness that is notably smooth on the tongue. There is a hint of sweet potato, but not that brown sugar cooked version- more like the raw potato that is starchy and vaguely sweet when you cut it. This is followed by (and I kid you not) a strong and savory taste of mushrooms that may have been cooked on a cedar plank or something similar and woody. The mouthfeel is very thick and almost like it coats my teeth when I swirl it in my mouth. I’ve never had a tea like this before and has truly been a one-of-a-kind experience this morning! It tastes like the winter woods. I don’t think a wild mushroom wood honey tea would normally be my thing, but it is so different that I find myself surprised with every sip. As far as I know, this is the Autumn harvest- sound right? Now I want to try the Spring harvest next- or whichever one was totally different from this harvest as compared to previous reviews. TGIF!

Oh this is a sipdown I’ve been dreading and putting off again and again. My very last teapot of Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black. You can’t see it, but I may need to wail and gnash my teeth at the horror of it all. Fortunately, these final sips of goodness do not disappoint. Honeyed pastries meet smooth malt with a hint of baked sweet potato and raisins. Good to the last drop, literally. Now someone just needs to convince Stacy to share her vendor with another seller so this tea can live on once Butiki is closed. Or at least hang onto the contact info so if Butiki resurrects in the future then I can order ALL OF THE TEA. Happy Thursday everyone!

Backlog as I couldn’t get the page to load when I had it yesterday. This is really tasty s’mores tea and is currently my favorite one of this type of nommy dessert! I will review more thoroughly when I have it again, but it was straight up smooth and malty black tea with notes of cocoa, gooey marshmallow, sugar, and graham. What’s not to like? I’m glad I bought 2oz.. kinda wishing I got more of this and Choco Pumpkin Pie so far because I could easily kill it. Della Terra has dessert teas down pretty darn good! :)

I have been craving sweet foods now that the pies are vanishing around here until Christmas. I don’t even normally eat breakfast and it has been pretty much constant food with family visiting since Thanksgiving. So they are home and I am taking a break from stuffing my face with food and am going to enjoy lots of tea instead. This morning I went with a no-fail sweet pastry tea. This is nothing if not strawberry (maybe with a little rhubarb?), sweet and tart both, all wrapped up in graham cookie goodness. Just a lovely fruity dessert blend all around.

What a nice treat! I had wanted to try this for a while after hearing some people liked it better than the “standard” pumpkin pie teas. I am somewhat obsessed with David’s Pumpkin Chai as many of you know, but was still curious about what I was missing. The dry leaf is very attractive with shorter dark tea leaves, orange pumpkin candies, chunks of what appears to be dried squash/pumpkin, and even whole cloves.

The steeped tea is a dark brown clear liquor and I didn’t notice an oil slick inside my cup, but the candies and other goodies do melt a bit into the infuser. The smell is heavenly! My whole kitchen smells like a fresh-baked pumpkin pie with hot chocolate to serve with it.

The taste of this tea is quite a pleasant surprise. Not too sweet, not too mild- it carries with it the actual taste of smooth black tea along with the pumpkin pie spices and a hint of chocolate at the end of the sip. The chocolate is more fragrant than in your face for the taste- it is there, but far from overwhelming the pumpkin pie.

The verdict? Truly, I am still mad about Pumpkin Chai, but this is my favorite closest second so far to any of the seasonal pumpkin-y teas I’ve tried over the years. I really like it and am glad I have more to play with. Next time I might make a milk or eggnog latte and see how it comes out. :)