Aesthete Tea

Steeped this one up today with a hearty splash of milk. Not quite a proper latte, but definitely leaning in that direction – which just felt appropriate for this Golden Milk inspired blend…

As a coworker pointed out, the brewed tea looked a lot like fresh squeezed orange juice. It was just such a beautifully vibrant yellow with a hint of an orange undertone. Definitely didn’t taste like orange juice though. Instead it was a very straight forward turmeric flavour with equal parts earthiness and heat. One of the least “muddy” tasting turmeric blends I’ve had in a lot time, though perhaps a bit savory in a way that made me think a bit of soup. The coconut helped with the savory quality though, bring some natural sweetness and creaminess to support the spice.

Only real criticism is that the mouthfeel was quite thin, even with the addition of milk. Also, without the milk, all the natural fats from the coconut rasps would have really, really made this an oily cup which isn’t my favourite thing. Lovely spice composition, though! Maybe the best option would just be to go full blown latte next time I make it.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/Co5i-hJOlqS/ (2nd Pic)

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr0ISpy4Hg4

Shae Advent Day 8

This tastes somewhat like pink lemonade and somewhat like a spiced fruit cider. It’s a little tart, and the spices don’t necessarily have one solid direction, but it tastes okay cold. I can definitely taste the orange peel and the cinnamon. Maybe I should try it warm to try to emphasize that cider feeling.

This is the only tea I have from a black-owned company for National Freedom Day/Black History Month, which I picked up at the company’s booth at the Portland Tea Fes back in 2019 (feels so long ago now…) I can’t remember if this tea was one of the tasters they had at the booth, but I do know the ingredient list is what drew me to picking up a bag: tulsi, rose, caraway, and fennel. I’m not familiar with caraway, but the other three ingredients are all favorites of mine, so it was easy to draw the conclusion I’d enjoy it. Like most of my teas, I picked it up and then the still-sealed bag has been sitting in my cupboard ever since! So, it’s time to change that.

The dry leaf smells so nice — a somewhat herbaceous soft mintiness from the tulsi, bright garden rose, and a peppery anise aroma from the fennel seeds. The aromas smooth a bit and start to meld together as the leaf steeps, with the rose smelling sweeter, and the fennel in particular popping.

A soothing tea, the sort of thing I’d expect at a spa. The tulsi base provides a minty sort of note while lacking the cooling menthol, as well as a slight lemongrass note. I think the slight peppery flavor I usually get in tulsi is combining with the fennel, which really fills out the end of the sip with a strong warming spiciness, slightly peppery, slightly licoricey. Despite being called “La Vie en Rose” I’d say the rose is actually the most subtle flavor here; I have to really focus to notice it in the blend. It is there, coming off with an almost wine-like quality, a little crisp/effervescent, in the mid-sip, but it is quickly drowned out by the fennel. I do get it lingering on my tongue in the aftertaste, though, after the spice has waned from my tongue.

I’m enjoying how these simple flavors are coming together. It’s a nice evening cuppa.

Sipdown (kind of). I was surprised to see what I thought to be coconut in the blend, as there is no coconut on the ingredient list. It smelled funny…like slightly rancid coconut and cinnamon. Still took my chance and brewed it. Yup, rancid coconut. Dumped. So confused about the ingredient list.