Paper & Tea

ADVENT DAY 13

I have arrived home, awfully tired, picked up some Christmas gifts and some work stuff I have to do at home, because I had no mod to do it in the office. I have some neglected stuff there and I have to fix it ASAP. Oh dear. Tomrrow my probation period ends. It flies.
And I am supposed to have caffeine-free tea? And again some Ayurvedish? It can be good.

Error! It was good. I calmed down a wee bit. Tea relaxes. Soothes wild mind.

Enjoyable cup with lemongrass/gingery notes. Smooth and not fiery. I guess I have Ayurveda teas connected with Yogi teas. Gently citrusy. Mellow… but just not my cup of tea.

Off to work!

Adventaggedon Day 20: Tea 3/8

It was nice to revisit this tea today even though I got a lot of green tea again today and maybe would have preferred some other tea types in the mix. I liked the strawberry and basil flavour of this blend the first time around though and I kind of liked it even more today because I got my wish from the initial tasting. The basil came off much, much stronger today!

Adventaggedon Day 12: Tea 1/6

Holy shit y’all! We’ve officially hit the halfway mark of advent season!

I actually only had six teas today since my Kusmi advent was a little scoop and not an actual tea. Honestly, the little break was nice because tomorrow I’ll be adding in my 52Teas 12 Days of Tea countdown to the mix… for a total of eight teas!

This is what I started the day with! I wasn’t super thrilled to see the green tea base but the combination of strawberry and basil made me more than excited enough to make up for it! Overall the tea brewed up pretty soft and delicate with a nice greener leaning sweet strawberry note and a hint of the more herbaceous basil in the finish. It definitely didn’t taste like fresh basil, but the taste was still noticeably there.

Now, I am a fiend when it comes to the combination of fruit and herbs in tea I am usually very into it and I almost always want MORE of the herbs. That was kind of the case here because I would have been happy with like triple the amount of basil. I think the more light and playful hints of both strawberry and basil were ultimately appropriate though! For a blend inspired by fairies the gentle and ethereal qualities of the tea seemed well matched.

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHlB3jZBHEw&ab_channel=TheDailyDose

ADVENT DAY 12

I had this tea at 9 am. Now, it’s half past 2 pm and still haven’t wrote a tasting note, because, simply, I don’t know what to write!

It was so simply green tea, rather on seaweed spectrum. Naturally, it was grassy as well, but so simple and unoffensive nor offensive… it is just nothing to write home about.

Adventaggedon Day 11: Tea 5/7

Started my morning with a teacup of this tea, some biscotti, and a few chapters from a book – it was a nice and calm start to the weekend which is good because I could definitely use a little rest.

This is one of my favourite teas from Paper & Tea yet. I felt like their tasting notes from the overwrap were pretty damn spot on! Aromatic notes of freshly zested oranges, boozier syrupy Grand Marnier, buttery biscuits, vanilla, and just a hint of cocoa. More of the orange than anything else – but just lots of harmonious flavours all in all!

I paired it with a chocolate orange biscotti that I bought while I was last grocery shopping. I just figured that statistically it seemed pretty likely that I would be getting at least one chocolate/orange tea in one of the advents because that seems to be a flavour combination that always pops up each year. So I had it locked and loaded ready to be paired. More specifically dunked! It was delicious!

Adventaggedon Day 22: Tea 7/8

Cold Brew!

I wanted to do something different with this tea than how I steeped it the first time and it seemed like it was just begging to be cold brewed. Uh, well. It was not. The cold brew was pretty unpleasant compared to what my hot steeped experience was. The initial mint and hint of citrus is pleasant but quickly the licorice root takes over and the finish is so coating and cloying.

Big no thank you to this tea as a cold brew.

Adventaggedon Day 10: Tea 5/7

I know this is supposed to be inspired by a Julep but I took my first sips this afternoon and instantly I was getting a little bit more of a mojito vibe. I guess juleps and mojitos both utilize mint so it’s not too weird to see some similarities but there was a lemony citrus note that almost read lime like and that just pushed the mojito comparison over the edge. So, inspired by that I cut myself a little lime wedge to rim the mug with and garnish and just added a small squeeze of lime to the mug.

It was light to medium bodied with a brightness to the top of the sip from the mixed citrus that complimented the refreshing notes of mint. Not overly complex but just consistent and well balanced. There’s been better Paper & Tea blends included in the advent so far, but there have also been worse ones. So this is kind of somewhere in the middle.

ADVENT DAY 10

I came from work drained today. And with a bit of sore throat.

Took my advent calendar, took out this tea sachet. I have to say I really love the outer wrapping! It has got ivory color with purple details. And that detail, among the name of the tea, is dragonfly. Not much detailed, rather like a clip-art, but wonderful combination of colours.

The tea itself is wonderful too. Although caffeine-free tea, it’s tasty and somehow complex. Peppermint is very fresh and the menthol covered my mouth very well. Then hibiscus takes it’s note and it was lightly tart. Rose petals? Yes, when hot! I have noticed it while it was hot and it has got that rosey-peppery note and somehow I have to confess I loved it. As it was cooling down, the hibiscus was somehow stronger and I was thinking of fruit notes… maybe because I have associated hibiscus with fruit teas I suppose.

Interesting blend!

Adventaggedon Day 21: Tea 4/8

This was very pleasant! I sipped on it nearing the end of my work day and found that it was a really approachable and not all that astringent/tannic Darjeeling while still having all the classic second flush notes that I would want – namely the beautiful sweet muscatel grape note! I remember I found my first tasting of it in the first half of the advent to be a little biscuit-y and that wasn’t true this time around but I still thought the cup was equally good!

Adventaggedon Day 9: Tea 6/7

Darjeelings are a little hit or miss for me but I really enjoyed this one! It was pleasant with an almost biscuit like malty first impression before plunging into more of a traditional deep and complex mix of muscatel grape, citrus rind, and other fruity notes. Also just the perfect amount of pleasant astringency in the cup as well.

I think this was my favourite of the day.

ADVENT DAY 9
It snows all day. What a fun to ride a car in this weather (irony). But it was necessary. I have a crown instead my tooth. Hurray!

And this tea waited for me in the afternoon at home. I did only single steep, as I had my two years old niece around and we were baking Christmas cookies, so not much time for tea.

I am grateful for tea from derk that I have finally received and now I have to find some time to put it into virtual cupboard. I don’t think I will do it today, although there are some nice ones for sure.

But for this tea. It should have fig, honey and leather notes and I can say I noticed all three? The base was very rich and leathery, but not in offensive way; smooth and enjoyable as well. Honey — I dare to say dark one. Very mouthcoating. Great base! ANd finally, the fig. I haven’t got much figs lately, to be honest. But it has got some quite nice fruitiness, a bit tropical for me — so I hope it is a fig.

Overall very enjoyable afternoon cuppa. I think I am getting used to their “not hitting in nose” notes and I can notice those fruits, herbs, whatever is in.

Has this hot as an afternoon cuppa yesterday and I enjoyed it. It reminds me a lot of DT’s Buddha’s Blend even though the flavours aren’t totally the same. Both are light to medium bodied white tea blends with a fresh, and just a bit bright stonefruit note and a floral finish, though. In this case I think the apricot in this blend is ever so slightly jammier and the floral of the elderflower a little tamer. Still a similar relaxing and slightly ethereal vibe, though!

Adventaggedon Day 24: Tea 4/8

I’m a bit bummed out the last day wasn’t either the chocolate orange or the smoky fig teas because those were the only others that had not yet repeated, and both were probably my favourites in this advent overall.

However I get it because even though the flavour itself of this tea doesn’t really feel anywhere near as festive as the other advents… the name itself seems deliberately timed for Christmas Eve. Like, a ‘perfect day’ to finish off the advent and to celebrate the season. I kind of rebuke that notion though!? Not the tea; the tea was fine. I just think people put so much pressure on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be so special and for some people it’s just not. Not everyone can see their family or has family to go see and some people just don’t want to spend time with their family either. Like, the holidays are not always the most wonderful time of the year for people and that’s okay.

But yeah – it was a fine tea. Light and smooth and just a bit more stonefruit heavy in taste this time around which was appreciated.

Adventaggedon Day 8: Tea 6/7

This was a really interesting blend and, I think, also the most “out there” one that’s been included in the P&T advent so far!? It’s delicate with soft floral notes of elderflower and a light but playful stonefruit finish. I love the clean and subdued sweetness of the white tea and and the slight cucumber pulp taste it had. I could go for more apricot, but what I’ve been present with is gentle and fresh which is lovely.

I think I wanted to like this more than I did but I feel like that’s more a problem on my end because my expectations for an apricot white tea were so high and not because there was actually anything wrong with the tea itself.

ADVENT DAY 8

In the Mood for Love and jasmine tea? I would expect rather rose than jasmine. But let’s try it!

It is indeed delicate green tea, naturally scented as they write on the outer wrapping. The scent was very natural and pleasant and green tea base was delicate and flavorful as well. Slightly hay and grassy. The jasmine was wonderful and not overpowering; even I say, like Roswell Strange, even a bit of fruity notes. I wouldn’t call it grape, but not sure what is it — maybe rather hints of muscatel to me.

Adventaggedon Day 19: Tea 3/8

This was one of my favourites from the first half of the Paper and Tea advent so I was thrilled to just jump right back into a teacup of it. Their black teas have honestly all been so good but this essentially a “Honey Nut Cheerios” type of breakfast blend which feels familiar and quite complimentary to the bold black tea base and honestly just appropriate for a breakfast tea. With a splash of cream that just strengthened the comparison for me and overall it was a very good revisit of this blend I was introduced to earlier this month!

Adventaggedon Day 7: Tea 4/7

I know the overwrap of the sachet isn’t the most important part of the tea but I just found that I kept smiling when I looked at it today. It was a bright yellow colour with blue dots and white swirly lines… and a chicken wearing a suit! That imagery combined with a name like “Hunky Dory Breakfast” just felt so fun and whimsical to me!

It was kind of just the cherry on top that the tea itself tasted very good too. Really similar black tea base style to the previous breakfast blend from Paper and Tea – Tip of The Morning. The different was a very subtle and mild addition of toasty sweet almond, golden honey, and a lovely fresh baked bread/grain note. Definitely all those cozy vibes and the “honey nut” combination with the black tea base which was so malty and rich was just delightful! I could very easily see this being someone’s very gentle twist on your classic breakfast tea. It’s fun and flavourful but not too out there or intense to be the type of tea you’d ‘burn out’ on after having it ritualistically from day to day to day.

A sipdown! (M: 3 Y: 80)
Yesterday office sipdown and sad one because
a) last bagged P&T tea I had there
b) it’s a wonderful tea

This blend combines elderflower and linden as florals, very spring-like and aromatic. The apples are refreshing and strong in their flavour, as expected; and together it works just right.
I still wait for the moment when I buy a tin.

ADVENT DAY 23

Another repetition. But today I actually don’t mind it, because it is a cup I highly enjoyed. And it is somehow relaxing.

My impressions of this tea won’t change much since day 7. It is very cozy floral cup, honey-ish of linden, not medicinal in any way. It is naturally sweet.

Don’t be sceptical and get it :D It’s pleasant. Very.

ADVENT DAY 7

Won’t lie, Linden tea is welcomed today. Although, this tea would be lovely with cold symptoms.

It’s a very tasty tea, with notes of linden and elderflowers, which both are my favourite in taste as well as in aroma. Obviously it’s indeed floral, and both those ingredients were quite fresh. Of course, the flowers were crushed, which is shame espicially for linden, but ces’t la vie and not all teas can be like http://steepster.com/teas/aalia/95296-lipovy-kvet-ze-svojetic.

The apple pieces added some depth of flavour and added sweetness for those who don’t like those flower notes that much. I should notice… it’s written on the backside of the outer wrapping… sunflowers. Nah, I wasn’t able to. Not sure if it just hid under the others, or it is not so distinctive (I think rather the latter), or what was wrong.

A good tea, indeed.

Adventaggedon Day 14: Tea 2/8

I jinxed myself yesterday by saying I needed a break from green tea because I ended up not only getting so many fucking green teas today but another plain sencha on top of it! Looks like we’re officially at the part of the Paper & Tea advent where the teas are repeating again.

My other tasting note for this tea is better – more descriptive. I just wanted to log that I steeped it again the same way and I still didn’t really enjoy this. Not my thing in the best of circumstances and today was not the best of circumstances so big groan from me…

Aventaggedon Day 6: Tea 5/7

Ah, yes. The dreaded sencha.

I thought this was a little bit herby and a little bit nutty, but ultimately just far too grassy and marine to work for me. I appreciate that it does work for others, but my mindset was very much “ah shit, better get this one out of the way early so I can focus on the others teas” while I was drinking it.

Adventaggedon Day 17: Tea 4/8

Second time around and I’m loving this one just as much as the first time! I did have it naked this time around which allowed for a more brisk and intense kind of cup, but I paired with a nice buttery almond scone topped with a fig infused cream cheese and then a handful of actual halved figs which was delicious as well and a really great pairing/compliment to the more baked bread/grain and malty notes of the black tea and it drew out a few of the raisin-like fruity undertones that were hiding in between that bold tannic body.

Adventaggedon Day 5: Tea 4/7

This was nice and classic! I added a splash of cream to my mug and it made for just the most delightful and cozy full bodied cup of breakfast tea. Malty with plenty of rich freshly baked bread notes, and just a bit of a floral undertone.

I’m still kind of waiting for something a bit more ‘fun’ or unique from the Paper & Tea advent because so far the tea choices have felt fairly safe to me. Though, this was still my favourite so far and it was a very excellent cup!