90 Tasting Notes

85
drank Raspberry Truffle by Butiki Teas
90 tasting notes

When I tried this hot, I enjoyed it but it wasn’t something I’d see myself craving very often. But I had a hunch that it would make the best raspberry iced tea ever. So I cold brewed the rest of my sample from TastyBrew and yep…best raspberry iced tea ever!

Ok I must confess that I haven’t actually compared it to others, so I’m probably being presumptuous, but I think we can agree that Butiki sets the bar pretty high, right? So even if it’s not THE best ever, it’s pretty damn delicious! The black base is perfectly balanced with sweet but natural raspberry flavor.

Now I’m wondering what I could spike this with to make the best raspberry iced tea cocktail ever. Ooh, maybe I could infuse the liquor with this tea and then add it in. Double the pleasure, double the fun? This experiment is calling my name. I need more asap!

TheTeaFairy

Haha! I’m just like you, whatever I feel is great at the time I have it becomes «the best of…ever»! I get it, it just means you really like it :-) YOu remind me I have a bit left of this, I will cold brew to test your «experiment»!

Alysha

Haha totally! I figure Butiki carries some of the best teas I’ve tried so far, so best ever can’t be that much of a stretch!

Nxtdoor

Yep, I have 1 oz of this cause I just got my order this past week. I will cold steep a couple of cups to see, because hot was not as raspberry as I expected.

Alysha

I found the raspberry to be more subtle in the cold brew, which I liked, so you might not be as wowed as I was. Maybe you could sweeten it to make the flavor come out more? Or ooh add some frozen raspberries…that could be good…maybe I’ll do that next time!

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79
drank Read My Lips by DAVIDsTEA
90 tasting notes

I think I may be the last to try this, and if I hadn’t tried Santa’s Secret first, I probably would have enjoyed it much more. But I have to disagree with the description on the website; the world’s best chocolate tea it is not (nor is it better than an actual dessert. Unless we’re talking about a mediocre dessert). It’s a sweet minty black, but I’m not getting much chocolate or any hint of peppercorns.

I enjoyed my rendez-vous with it, but I just don’t see a future together. Santa has a creamier flavor and a certain je ne sais quoi that still has my heart when it comes to minty blacks (and now that I’m moving away from highly flavored teas, I only want to keep the super awesome ones in my permanent stash). Thanks whatshesaid for the chance to finally try it!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 30 sec

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85
drank Tropicalia by DAVIDsTEA
90 tasting notes

I made cocktails with this on the weekend, with a splash of club soda and some coconut rum. They turned out so yummy! The pina colada flavor was spot on, with just the right level of sweetness. It is heavy though; I used my entire 20g in the cold brew so I am still curious to try this hot (and also iced minus the booze!) I may pick up some more if I find myself craving it. Thanks sarai for the sample!

Preparation
Iced 8 min or more

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95
drank Creamy Eggnog by Butiki Teas
90 tasting notes

A cold and rainy day + frustrated with the report I’m working on = Time to put it aside and sipdown some tea! (because I’ll be more productive after a break, right?)

This is rich and custardy, yet light and refreshing. Basically the delicious enigma that is Butiki. This was a good buddy to me, but since the summer is (supposedly) coming I’ll wait a few months to order this again. It’s totally drinkable year round; it’s just that there are a bunch of summer teas that I want to try in the meantime! Goodbye for now pal; I’ll see you again before you know it!

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89

Previously my evening dessert teas of choice were anything cake or cookie-flavored (ok, I still love those) and the thought of citrus tea didn’t exactly get my taste buds excited. But Della Terra has changed the game! First with their awesome Lemon Chiffon and now with this one, which is basically its orange equivalent. If it wasn’t for the surprise sample from Kaylee, I may never have tried this.

It’s sweet, creamy and delicious, with the rooibos taking a backseat. I think I prefer the lemon slightly, but I would buy a smaller amount of this for a change. And now that lemon and orange have been conquered, it’s time to try their lime blends!

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec

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99
drank Laoshan Black by Verdant Tea
90 tasting notes

Iced! I came home from a stressful day and found a jar of this in my fridge that I had cold steeped with my leftover leaves probably two weeks ago. I was a little iffy, but I poured it into a tall beer glass, and what d’ya know; it tasted just like a dark beer, with the same malty, chocolatey, coffee-esque notes! Yum yum. And guilt-free yum.

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82

This came as part of my sampler and for some reason I was a little afraid of it. For some reason I thought it would have a strong, funky flavor (I knew from others’ notes that this was not the case but my brain was refusing to believe it).

But my brain was wrong and Steepsterites were right. It’s like a more mellow genmaicha; less green tea-ness and more roasty-toastyness. But not in a ricey way; this roastiness has another layer of flavor, almost a creaminess. I’m quite enjoying this and can see myself purchasing it as a relaxing tea after a meal or in the evening. I’m glad I finally put my reservations aside and gave it a try. But now I’m also sad that there’s no more!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 1 min, 0 sec

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70
drank Weeping Angel Tea by 52teas
90 tasting notes

I have a job interview later today; it’s my first one in 5 years and I’m super nervous. So I’m sitting at my desk at my current job trying to get a tea buzz going so I’ll be more talkative!

This reminds me of Pancake Breakfast in that the dry leaf looks the same and I’m getting a similar slightly fruity taste, but not much flavor beyond that. There is no way I would guess this is caramel popcorn. There is a very slight buttery note that I can pick up if I really concentrate on it. Overall it’s a slightly sweet, pleasant black tea but doesn’t have a distinguishable flavor beyond that. Thanks TastyBrew for letting me try it (I read your review and I totally agree!)

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec

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90
drank Vanilla Orchid by DAVIDsTEA
90 tasting notes

My cousin hosted a tea party yesterday, and I was in charge of bringing the teas! It’s always exciting when you get an opportunity to share the tea love and hey, if sipdowns happen, then that’s just a bonus, right?

It was the first sunny day in weeks, so at the last minute we decided to pack up the food and head to the park for a picnic, with some Pimm’s and lemonade instead. It was a great idea, but I suggested we leave the scones at home and come back afterwards for a cup. After all, my cousin had set such a lovely table and I couldn’t let a tea-less tea party happen if I could help it! It was a tough crowd (die-hard coffee drinkers, “I only drink tea when I’m sick” types), but luckily the teas were a hit and everyone enjoyed them!

This was one of the teas I brought, as I thought it would be a fun intro to oolong for those that had never tried it. It was one of my first ever purchases that got neglected as my stash grew, so I hadn’t had it in a while and wasn’t sure if I would still enjoy it. But I was reminded of its sweet and creamy vanilla flavor balanced with a light bodied oolong. It was the perfect refreshing treat after a day of indulging in yummy food and sunshine; a delicious end to an amazing day!

Stephanie

Tea party! How fun! :D

Alysha

It was fun, and my first one! Now I need to host my own!

TheTeaFairy

I love when coffee drinkers give to tea their best «I don’t think so» look, but end up liking it! Good on ya sister!

Alysha

Thanks! Yeah that was definitely a victorious feeling! People often have the impression that all tea has to offer are those grocery store teabags, and are amazed when they find out how much better it can be!

canadianadia

A tea party – what a great way to share the tea love!

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85

Friday afternoon cake break!

Thanks TastyBrew for the sample, as I’ve been dying to try this. It reminds me of DavidsTea Red Velvet Cake, but without the sprinkles and junk that give it that suspicious oily sheen, and a stronger cakey flavor. It tastes like a golden vanilla cake; no pineapple flavor detected but that’s just fine with me. Cake trumps fruit any day.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
TastyBrew

I agree with every bit of this review! I’m glad you like it!!!

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Profile

Bio

I recently discovered loose leaf after a long and uninspiring relationship with teabags. I’ve been in love ever since (sorry bags, I just don’t feel that spark anymore).

Food is a passion for me and my love of scents and flavors has translated into an excitement for trying new teas. I’m trying to expand my palate with all different types, and currently my favorites are oolongs and greens.

Location

Vancouver, Canada

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