259 Tasting Notes
This is a classic winter blend!
It shares similarities to many winter teas I’ve tasted before. The first note is the earthy, musky flavour of hibiscus, which moves into spices, sour apple and a general fruitiness. The experience is super warming and a little comforting. These types of blends are a great alternative to mulled wine and make a great flask companion on cold hikes.Flavors: Apple, Fruity, Hibiscus
This is a hibiscus first tea, with quick notes that changes into a finish of lemon and light raspberry. The finish is dry, with a mouth-watering, tangy sourness that I loved! The fore notes are fairly plain; it’s all about the end of the cup!
Flavors: Earth, Fruity, Hibiscus, Lemon, Musty, Sour, Tangy
As soon as the packet is opened the scent is wonderfully overpowering. Just like sitting in front of a fire… The spiced aroma seems to wrap its warming arms around you instantly! The brewed tea is tannic, but the cardamom is so strong that it helps to eradicates those bitter notes. It’s punchy and unmistakably spiced.
Enjoyed: With friends on boxing day.
Flavors: Cardamom, Spices
I made a cup… and in an act of pure disaster managed to spill the whole thing over my desk… What a cluts… After wiping up the spill, which took many paper towels, I settled down with a second cuppa. I’ve had a couple of different types of Darjeeling recently and they’ve all been so different! What surprised me most is that the classic muscatel notes of Darjeeling were really weak. Instead, this tea adopted a light tobacco flavour. It’s a nice brew but, despite it’s Great Taste award, it’s an unremarkable Darjeeling.
Enjoyed: As a post-lunch pick me up at the office.
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Flavors: Bitter, Muscatel
A strong, robust tea! Perfect for a morning wake-up. Without milk, it’s a little bitter, especially when steeped for the recommended time of 4.5 minutes. I went for just a minute and it was already punchy and brisk! With milk, this tea is a perfect British breakfast tea; strong, with an added creaminess to tone it down.
Enjoyed: As a first work cuppa on a super wet morning. I was running late and hadn’t managed to neck a cup at home before leaving!
Although this is my nightmare tea; a super grassy green tea, it’s easy to recognise that this is a quality tea.
Enjoyed: Quickly.
Flavors: Citrus, Grass, Lemon Zest, Sweet
Ali Shan is one of my favourite types of oolong. Those floral-lily type flavours get me! They are so. damn. good. I always have some form of this oolong stored for a rainy day.
Enjoyed: During a downpour, when I want to remember sunshine.
Flavors: Floral, Mineral, Sweet
Sweet, creamy flavours follow citrus, spices and a lasting dry hit of rose. It’s like taking a bite of a multi-layered, multi-flavoured cake! It’s everything I could want in a tea right now since I’m going through a rose-obsessed phase.
Enjoyed: On a freezing cold, snowy Vancouver morning.
Flavors: Citrus, Cream, Drying, Floral, Powdered Sugar, Rose, Spices
Although I love a classic masala chai, I still get over excited when I see a unique blend with ingredients I love. Rose notes have been on the increase in my repertoire of teas I find myself going back to. Much like a gulab jamun, this blend has a significant rose flavour. The dry, powdery, notes combine with the long cooling finish of lavender, to make this blend strangely exotic.
Flavors: Lavender, Menthol, Rose, Spices
One sip… that’s all it took for me to know that me and this chai would not be getting along. Unfortunately, my tender little tongue is incompatible with chili, and the kick of zingy heat in this blend was too much for me to handle. My one sip pushed me way out of my comfort zone and forced me to pass my cup off to my chili-loving, heat-seeking husband. Although not a tea fan, he gulped down the cup and then, in an Oliver-esque fashion, asked for more. Needless to say, the packet is gone! He seems to think this provides “just a tickle” of heat, but I choked, spluttered and fanned my mouth. Take note of our vastly different opinions before you decide to try this.
Deffo not for me, but would recommend it to any chilli lover :)
Flavors: Spicy
