DAVIDsTEA

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Recent Tasting Notes

75

Sipdown
After a long day at the hospital visiting a precious baby and their parents, having to drive the most chaotic way home – thanks to the highway constantly being shutdown for construction (welcome to Ohio) – and the snow (making a loud and brief return to the land), I needed a big mug of tea. I reached into the sipdown pile blindly and grabbed this tea. I really love the play that DT has with their Earl Grey blends. This was one of the special EG blends remaining from a couple of years ago, when I discovered DT, after had been given a sample of their Coffee Puerh through an online tea swap. I knew of their existence, of course, they are one of the bigger tea distributors, but the Columbus, Ohio location had closed well before the time I had learned of their existence in our state (I always assumed they were solely Canada based).

Anyway, I had 4tsp of this sitting in the bag. I had the intention of making this as an iced cup. I was video gaming while making the cup, thus, in my hurry, made it a hot cup of tea. Let me note that this, in no way will sway my opinion of this blend, since the final dregs of the highly over brewed and overly bitter mug was the error of my multitasking. One must admit the fault of their hand, if there’s the knowing that the tea usually makes a lovely cuppa. However, before I close on this review, if you’re ever curious what this will taste like, with the intention of it being enough leaf to be watered down by ice and not as a hot cuppa, imagine yourself drinking a very, very bitter hot mug of IPA beer.

Flavors: Citrus, Citrus Zest

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Latte! …kinda.

So, this Superfood Latte powder actually released a few months ago, but I’ve been putting off writing the tasting note for it because it’s one of the handful of teas that have come out that I’m allergic to (the chaga – I’m allergic to mushrooms). It’s so incredibly hard and frustrating doing the research and development on teas that I can’t drink…

But, as I do every time we launch a tea I’m allergic to, I will drink a few sips of it once. Don’t worry, I do it in a controlled way. It’s just important to me to have more than a conceptual idea of the taste once we begin selling a tea so that I can take that into account when we start receiving feedback, seeing sales, etc.

Like all these Superfood Powders, this was developed with a specific function in mind. In this case, we were looking at more of a “mood boost” kind of vibe from the combination of the theobromine in the cocoa, the adaptogenic chaga, and chili which can cause the release of endorphins.

Honestly, it’s close to what I was picturing taste wise. Fairly rich hot cocoa kind of profile, though not too sweet at all. I think that’s kind of nice with a hot chocolate sort of blend because you get a little more control there with how you want the final cup to taste. Definitely can’t taste the mushrooms at all, though I do get maybe just a bit of the earthier undertone of the beets in the blend. I think it adds depth of flavour. The chili is the interesting part to me. It’s lighter than I expected, and without having more than just my few baby sips it’s hard for me to gauge whether it’s one of those kind of heats that stays a whisper or if it slowly builds in intensity on the palate over the coarse of a full mug. I’ve heard both from different coworkers.

So, anyway, this is officially in the flavour memory bank now!

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

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We recently just brought back a few fan favourite Garden To Cup teas for the Spring season, and with them we’re introducing this new Darjeeling that will be a part of the core assortment. It’s a blend of First Flush Darjeeling teas that produce an overall medium bodied cup with crisp, mineral notes and a pleasantly soft and sweet floral quality. Makes me think of Spring rain and florals, or fresh mountain air. Very, very smooth without as much as astringency as Darjeeling blends can often have – this is meant to make it a little more approachable for someone possibly less familiar with this tea type while also having the benefit of meaning you can steep it for a long time in a method like a giant Western teapot (for high tea, perhaps) without it becoming harsh for quite some time.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

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87
drank Latke Love by DAVIDsTEA
2279 tasting notes

You know, this one is quite starchy/potato-y. I also would have guessed apple? With milk and sugar, it was actually pretty enjoyable. The rooibos was a great choice, and I could picture there being applesauce on top, though I don’t prefer my latkes served like that. I really appreciate what this blend was trying to do, and I think it did a good job. It tastes best at room temperature or cold, and I find myself craving this one pretty frequently!

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70
drank Monk's Blend by DAVIDsTEA
50 tasting notes

The creaminess is very mild but present. while the floral notes are much stronger. A little bit grassy/woody.
Has a creamy mouth-feel as well, but is still very light and refreshing.

Flavors: Cream, Floral, Green, Jasmine

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 2 min, 45 sec 2 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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78
drank Headache Halo by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 3 Davids Tea 2023 Advent Calendar

I have a pretty decent stress headache at the moment. Probably related to a meeting I need to run this evening. I remembered that this tea was hanging out on my “make sure to note this” stack and decided that relaxing with it would be a good idea. Either the tea or the Advil (or both) are helping!

Unsurprisingly, this blend of medicinal tea reminds me of other herbal teas I have used in the past. Like most of them, I don’t love or hate the taste. It’s creamy with minty cool of the mint lingering after each sip. I could see this being a staple in my “wellness” tea tool box.

Flavors: Herbal, Lemongrass, Rooibos, Spearmint

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 15 sec
gmathis

Hope the meeting went well!

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85

This is a lovely creamy dessert tea. Although a bit cloying, I like how thick and fullbodied it is and I like the vanilla and cream flavours. It is less citrus/bergamot than some other EGs but I actually like that better. Stronger bergamot can make tea bitter or medicinal. This is good with a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar + a dash of vanilla soy milk. I’ve also tried Silk brand coffee creamer and it was very sweet and delicious.

Flavors: Creamy, Nutty, Sweet, Tannin, Thick, Vanilla

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 30 sec

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23
drank Peanut Butter Brownie by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 21 Davids Tea 2023 Advent Calendar

I’ve been avoiding this one because it doesn’t appeal to my ideas of AM or PM tea, when I usually have a mug. I got out of bed rather late today, so thought I’d give it a whirl. I don’t taste peanut butter but I do get brownie. It is nutty but there’s a medicinal taste for my palate. Maybe it’s the apple? Not sure. This one bordered on a do not finish and “maybe it will get better on the next sip.”

Flavors: Apple, Chocolate, Hazelnut, Medicinal, Nutty

Preparation
4 min, 15 sec

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74
drank Tinsel Toddy by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 22 Davids Tea Advent Calendar 2023

This one I used the entire tin. There was quite a bit of candied fruit in the blend which is surprising when you don’t read the ingredient list. It steeped up with a nice scent of ginger to it. It’s sweet with a bit of spice and a rooibos base. I do detect a bit of floral in the background as well. While I don’t generally favor sweet teas, this was nice.

Flavors: Candied Fruit, Ginger, Honey, Peppercorn

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 0 sec

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77
drank Candy Corn Chai by DAVIDsTEA
2279 tasting notes

I got this in a sampler, and I removed the candy corn before steeping. I wouldn’t call this a chai. The spices were quite mild, but I do enjoy the desserty rooibos vibe. I’d consider buying some if it were available outside the sampler I bought it in. It’s interesting!

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55

Ooo, that’s a nice aroma. Sweet and chai spicy. Also using this one for apple chips beyond what I am drinking.
Oh man, that licorice root is out to get you and it does. It’s a big can of whoopie. I really think they should either tone down the licorice root by at least half or take it out altogether. It is an interesting flavor addition but way too overpowering. It is soft on the palate with hints of spices and bits of black tea but that licorice root is just a bully.

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70
drank Brown Sugar Bourbon by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 19 Davids Tea Advent Calendar 2023

I’m drinking this for a lunch time Zoom call. I don’t taste bourbon which is not a bad thing for me. It’s definitely brown sugary, sweet, and creamy. I like the maltiness of the mug. Hazelnut is strong in my mug and that’s fine with me. A nice dessert tea.

Flavors: Brown Sugar, Hazelnut, Sweet

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85
drank Sugar Pear Fairy by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 24 Davids Tea Advent Calendar 2023

I definitely steeped this a bit too long. I became distracted while planning for summer vacation. Despite the extended steeping, I would definitely try this again. The pear, fig, and fennel works for me. It is definitely sweet but light. I nice way to round out our winter school break.

Flavors: Fennel, Fig, Pear, Raisins

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35

I like this tea but don’t love it.

Received through the around the world discounted 2023 advent calendar.

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This is the last of the new teas from the most recent Citrus Collection!

To share some fun behind the scenes for this blend… it was actually inspired quite a lot by palomas, which are a Mexican cocktail with tequila, lime, and pink grapefruit. Definitely we leaned in the most to the grapefruit element, and I think we achieved something really lovely! DT definitely has a history of grapefruit blends, some of which I personally really love. I feel like every time we release one we are then able to take a bunch of learnings in order to improve upon the next iteration…

So, with that in mind, we tried to capture as authentically as possible a realistic pink grapefruit taste – something fresh, bright, and just a little bit tart but also without that unpleasant pithy bitterness that past grapefruit blends like Grapefruit Granita have had. We also didn’t want to go too sweet and candy-like either as that and end of the “grapefruit spectrum” that we’ve maybe been guilty of swinging too hard into in the past as well. Personally, I feel like Ruby Grapefruit does a great job of finding that middle ground!! I also love the white tea base – it just adds to this overall fresh sort of feeling and because the fruit notes aren’t too saturated or sweet you can actually taste the tea itself too. It adds a beautiful soft floral character that I find really complimentary.

Though nice hot, I’ve been really enjoying this tea either iced or cold brewed. Not only is the soft pink colour it steeps really pretty, but the overall citrus notes (and very tiny hint of pineapple) is light and refreshing with a brightness and a crispness to the finish. It’s also very good sparkling! Kind of like a grapefruit spritz or mimosa.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

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81
drank Silent Night by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 18 Davids Tea Advent Calendar 2023

I didn’t realize it was it was a rooibos tea until I opened the tin but the minute I took the lid off, it was evident. I have not had great experiences with rooibos in the past but generally find them tolerable. This was a pleasant mug with orange and spices. I’m glad I didn’t finish the tin because it is a good one for these late winter evenings.

Flavors: Clove, Orange, Spices

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28

Not my favorite. I love the idea of chai but never seem to love the chai blends.

Received through the around the world discounted 2023 advent calendar.

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60

Sipdown/Advent Backlog

Maybe I over steeped it, but this tastes strongly of honey and fennel. Not feeling it today.

Flavors: Fennel, Honey

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28

Don’t think I like this one. Sweet and fruity I guess.

Received through the around the world discounted 2023 advent calendar.

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41

The vanilla flavoring was a bit strong and I preferred it a bit better in a fog rather than by itself. That said it was okay.

Received through the around the world discounted 2023 advent calendar.

Flavors: Vanilla

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 6 g 32 OZ / 946 ML

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87
drank Santa's Secret by DAVIDsTEA
229 tasting notes

Day 23 Davids Tea Advent Calendar 2023

Another good one! I definitely missed this one in December. It had adorable tiny candy cane sprinkles in it and smelled rather fruity/sweet when I opened the tin. I steeped while gathering my breakfast and then let it cool a smidge. It’s creamy with a light peppermint taste. Per reviews on Davids Tea website, there has been a recipe change adding rice flour to the blend.

Flavors: Chocolate, Creamy, Peppermint

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66

Good. Wouldn’t say no to more. But wouldn’t go out and buy more unless there was a deal. Received through the around the world discounted 2023 advent calendar.

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 32 OZ / 946 ML

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100

Absolutely loved this tea and miss it. Would love if it came back.

And if it does over steeping made it ugh lol I drank it before I paid much attention to steep times.

Flavors: Cinnamon

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drank Sleepy Lychee by DAVIDsTEA
1228 tasting notes

According to my daughter, “That’s really good!” She is gulping it down. I don’t mind it but not my favorite. I love lychee but something about this blend is too appley for me. IT really coats the tongue.

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