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This was something I stocked up a month or so ago, and forgot I had. I was rearranging my cabinet and found it, decided to make it since the dry leaf had a fresh sweet scent that I found comforting when I checked the tin. I was forced to make it hot, and while it was quite good, the lemongrass and citrus notes were more prominent than any sweetness. I think the water I used might have been too hot. I am getting an ice maker for Xmas, and looking forward to trying this iced, which I think will serve it better. Will adjust and add a tasting note for that preparation as soon as it happens. Very pleased with it though.

This is what I’d been waiting for all day! The last of my new teas from the Black Friday sale arrived, along with some glitter and gold tea tins to store everything in!

I have had some really awful luck with rooibos blends in the past, but I just had to try this. If you read my first tasting note about Honey Drop from DavidsTEA you’ll know how much I love and miss my grandmother, who died a few years ago but was a GIGANTIC part of my life. Well this tea is linked to another powerful memory for me. Whenever I did exceptionally well in school or she wanted to give me a truly special reward, she would buy me the biggest blueberry muffins I had ever seen, from a local bakery near her house. Thus, blueberry muffins are linked to some of my most special childhood memories.

The second I opened this tea (I bought 4 oz), the smell transported me back to those fresh baked muffins. I was concerned that the white chocolate might be too artificial against the rooibos base, as the blueberries were already extremely sweet, but I needn’t have worried.

Given the description of the blend on the DavidsTEA website, I felt this tea was just begging to be made as an iced latte. So I prepared the tea according to package directions (8 oz per a single Perfect Spoon), a little bit stronger than I typically brew tea. The resulting tea smelled heavenly, warm and sweet without any artificialness to the scent. I decanted the tea into a cold metal bottle I had waiting, added 4 oz of cold skim milk, and stirred gently.

OH MY GOODNESS… this latte is like heaven. The sugary fresh baked blueberry muffin taste is spot on, the skim milk accenting the vanilla and cream notes and adding a silky light mouthfeel that’s refreshingly cool. Will be trying the tea straight tonight, as a before bed cup, and will add another tasting note tomorrow.

A wonderful tea, well balanced and delicious. What wonderful memories it brings back as well!

Had a lovely cup of this tea this morning with my breakfast of pancakes! I didn’t realize it, but I accidentally cold brewed this tea overnight. I made a cup last night, started to make another, and put the steeper in the fridge on autopilot immediately after. The resulting tea smelled heavenly, so into a mug it went.

WOW. When this tea is cold, its like eating a delicious ice cream pop. The vanilla sweetness is there, but much lighter on the palate. Like the most expensive ice cream, homemade and decadent. And the lavender comes forward substantially, to balance the shift in the vanilla. The smokiness is toned down, and the floral note, with a lovely vibrance, is what comes through. The mouthfeel of the tea was silky and refreshing. Absolutely will prepare it in this fashion again!

I managed to pick up another 4 oz of this over the weekend, as DavidsTEA marked it down even more substantially. I just couldn’t resist. So glad I won’t run out of this anytime soon! My next test with this blend will be a tea latte. Will report back.

Lavender Buttercream was an impulse purchase for me, after absolutely falling in love with the Lavender Swirl blend from David’sTEA. The Lavender Swirl became my absolute favorite in a couple of days after receiving my order and I was afraid I would use it up too quickly. Having been told this was a similar tasting tea, I purchased 2 oz from Amazon to hopefully have another similar tea to enjoy.

Its only been a couple of days since I drank this but my memories of it are not very clear, aside from a distinct DISLIKE. I did not get lavender notes or vanilla from the dry blend, but I wondered if it was simply being overwhelmed by the rooibos base. I went with a teaspoon and a half, and hoped for the best.

While this is a sweet tea, I did not taste lavender, vanilla, frosting, or anything of the sort in the finished cup. It tasted overwhelmingly of the pineapple in the blend, and not in a good way. It was extremely artificial, and reminded me of the pineapple chunks in sweet and sour chicken from a Chinese restaurant. Add in an oily mouthfeel and I was turned off completely.

Dumped the cup and haven’t touched it since. Yuck.

Miami Melon is the third of four teas that I ordered during DavidsTEA’s Black Friday/Holiday sale. I know this is more regarded as a summertime tea, but I honestly love drinking fruit infusions year round, and melon is one of my FAVORITE flavors. Had a tough time choosing between Miami Melon and Cherry Lucuma when ordering, but went with this.

Its important to note that this is a very fruit heavy blend, so two ounces of this might not last as long as you’re used to. However, don’t let that turn you away from it. I found that I got plenty of flavor out of one teaspoon of the dry blend, as opposed to 1.5. The aroma for the dry blend literally smells like dried fruits you might pick up and eat as a snack, though the herbs its paired with keep it from being overwhelming.

Steeped this longer than other infusions as well, at nearly seven minutes, to extract all the flavor I could. The liquid steeps a faint pinkish amber that is appealing to see and smell. I do notice that the melon smells less sugary and artificial after steeping too, so again, don’t be put off.

The taste of this is very fruit heavy and almost juice like. Warm, it’s almost like a cider or pressed juice. It will warm you through pleasantly without becoming either cloying or astringent. As it cools, its juice-like qualities enhance and its extremely refreshing.

Definitely another winner.

Lavender Swirl… where to begin?

This was the second of four teas I ordered during DavidsTEA’s Black Friday/Holiday Sale. I really enjoy lavender in baked goods and drinks, so this piqued my interest as soon as I saw the name. Additionally, I was intrigued by the description of this tea being decadent, and having heavy vanilla notes. It was by far the most expensive of the teas I decided to try, but I just couldn’t resist.

As soon as I opened the pouch, the texture of this blend’s dry components intrigued me. There’s a nice balance between tea leaf (oolong and white) and spices/fruits at least in the mix I was sent. The scent of the dry blend is STRONGLY vanilla, almost like a fresh baked cupcake.

I ended up using more dry leaf in my Perfect Steeper than I typically do, opting for one and a half Perfect Spoons of tea. Much of that was so that I could ensure a well rounded cup containing all components of the blend. I also tend to brew white teas a touch stronger than others, thanks to their delicate flavor.

The resulting cup of tea was pleasantly amber in color, and the cupcake scent had carried over in the brewing. I could now smell the lavender too, mellowing out the bold vanilla. It added a gentle floral note I hadn’t known I was looking for.

But the taste…. oh my goddess the TASTE. This is by far the most indulgent and decadent tea I have ever had. It’s very sweet, but not in such a way that it overwhelms your palette. It reminds me of a cupcake still, but with a whipped frosting. Creamy and decadent without being overly artificial or cloying as buttercream might be. The lavender gives a soft earthiness or smokiness to the undertones of the cup, further supported by the oolong in the blend. Definitely complex, but utterly incredible.

One “portion” of tea leaves lasted me four full steepings with no degradation in flavor at all. This is a tea that makes a perfect nightcap on a frigid winter night, as a hot cuppa. I find it tremendously soothing, and something I crave in place of sodas or sugary desserts.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Ordered this recently on Black Friday as an Xmas gift for myself. Due to my chronic illnesses, I tend to struggle with sickness in the winter and felt this would be a nice comforting option to have on hand. When I was very little and would get sick, my grandmother would make me tea and flavor it with orange blossom honey. She passed in 2017 and I miss her dearly, so I was hoping this tea might bring back some pleasant memories.

Two separate brewings in and its one of the best decisions I have ever made. The dry leaf smells highly medicinal, with peppermint and some vegetal notes being most prominent. Once brewed, the resulting tea is nicely sweet, with the honeybush and citrus taking center stage in a warm and comforting taste experience. The peppermint is noticeable, but takes a supporting role. The longer the leaves are steeped, the stronger the citrus will be, as well.

I am completely unashamed to say that the moment I tasted this, I was transported back in time to my grandmother’s warm kitchen, where she always waited for me with a hug. This tea will be a mainstay in my cabinet for as long as I can get it.