Given the various shuffling around DTs has done with its Frequent Steeper program, I wasn’t sure whether the birthday cups of tea were still offered. I have not been patronizing DTs much since their boom of imitation flavours and massive sweetener additions to the dry leaf itself. Not to mention the dramatic price hikes—ouf! The overhaul of the FS/ loyalty point program was the nail in the coffin for me, so to speak. I was done.
I still go in to try samples of what is steeping because I remain open to being convinced that they are offering something for someone like me and because generally speaking, I like a lot of their staff, but as a blender/company, what they are doing is not something I am interested in supporting.Nonetheless, I popped in to see if there was still the FS birthday free cup of tea for me as I am still celebrating my birthday month. And yay, there was.
I chose this one because frankly, it is the only one of theirs that am curious about. And a tea fren was kind enough to send me a What-Cha sample of the same which I look forward to exploring this week.
My lovely DTs server was kind enough to pop my teaspoon of tea into a teabag and into an empty cup for me so that I could steep it up at proper temperature and enjoy it at home rather fight my way through rush hour traffic on public transit with a dripping teabag hanging out of a paper to go cup. Good choice that was.
This tea truly is intoxicating in both scent and flavour. I am on my fifth steep. The sweet sticky rice and the floral oolong flow into a lovely balance of flavours. I predict that I can still get three more flavourful steeps out of this. Let us see.
edit—Yup, still flavourful at eight steeps. Very much enjoyed this one.
I’d like to have this in my cupboard and would if the price were not so prohibitive. Still, it was nice to have the opportunity to spend my day with this.
I would rate this between 90 and 100 based on taste and sipping experience, but based on price, I am lowering that rating.
Just went on their website to check prices and this tea is no longer listed, so I guess they are phasing it out, but based on their other oolongs, 100 grams of this tea would be between 20 and 22 dollars plus tax, so something along the lines of 25 dollars (which for Americans, is approximately 3.5 ounces).
Oh, and it’s a sip down!
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I’ve been wanting to order this tea from them for quite sometime now. I definitely need to just do it and not think about. It looks like it’s not available anymore I could have sworn that it was there on Friday.
I haven’t tried this oolong, but have been meaning to order What-Cha’s version for a while now. Maybe next year when my stash is under control (if that ever happens)!
Argh, David’s Tea, you break my heart! I was going to take advantage of their Black Friday sales but it looks like my old staple favourites were axed at some point. This sounded like a winner too!
I know, right? If you were to pop into a store near you, I’m sure they would still have some on hand.
And someday, when my stash is under control, ha! yeah. A familiar refrain.
I actually liked this sticky rice oolong more than What-chas. Crow Kettle, I haven’t sent your samples to you yet, so I’ll add in a sample of this. I got a bag of it as my free tea for using my reward points.
That sounds wonderful! I heard this one is lighter/actually has the herb leaves too.
And I will check if they have any left if I’m near a store. They still have the nostalgia factor; I’ll probably end up with another mug XD
The stash self-perpetuating.
I think everyone who’s commented in this thread knows this already, but just in case I’m just popping in a disclaimer that I currently work for DAVIDsTEA. That said:
Sadly, this one was only released as a limited edition tea and stores are no longer being supplied with it – but some stores, like mine, do still have some; it depends on how popular it was at their respective stores.
I totally hear you on the price thing; with staff discount this one was a better deal for me to stock up on than the What-Cha version but if you don’t get a killer discount like I do than the What-Cha version is actually much more affordable apart from the fact you’re paying shipping. But I mean, if there’s other stuff you’re ordering from What-Cha than it’s totally worth it, imo. Or if you’re not near a DT and would have to order online anyway. Plus, What-Cha carries their’s year round…
Main differences between the two blends are that DT’s has the “stick rice leaf” mixed into the tea as well (which is why we don’t class it as a scented/straight tea) which in theory should mean that it has a stronger rice flavour than What-Cha’s, which is only scented. Personally, I actually thought that What-Cha’s version was more rice heavy in flavour though. So I mean, depending on how strong a rice taste you actually want from the tea that could end up being a good or a bad thing for you.
Out of curiosity, CrowKettle which teas do you think were discontinued that were favourites? I can tell you definitively one way or the other!
I was one of the oddballs that liked Jesse’s Tea and Dulce Banana (that last one was ages ago). Also, Gold Rush and Coco-Lemon Thai. But I probably spoke to hastily; there’s a few that would get me back in store- and if Santa’s Secret was available on the web for Black Friday Sunday sales I probably would’ve placed an order! <.<
I have a brand new bag of unopened Jessie’s Tea if you’d like to trade. I accidentally bought it again when I did not like that tea.
Crowkettle – ah, yeah – sadly those ones have definitely all bit the dust. Gold Rush is one that personally I was really, really choked about. Santa’s Secret is back for the winter; I think we just sold out of it scary fast online for BF/CM – but if we do something sale wise for boxing day this year it should still be around at that time!
I was a big fan of Gold rush, Coco-lemon thai, Jesse’s tea, Rooibos de province, Mullberry magic, Yellow dragon, spearmint, Movie night, and Countess of Seville. All my staples have been discontinued except alpine punch and coco chai rooibos.
I was really hoping DT’s Eggnog tea would come back this year.
yeah, Gold Rush….
Thank you for chiming in, Ms. Strange. Very informative and helpful.
I’ve been wanting to order this tea from them for quite sometime now. I definitely need to just do it and not think about. It looks like it’s not available anymore I could have sworn that it was there on Friday.
I haven’t tried this oolong, but have been meaning to order What-Cha’s version for a while now. Maybe next year when my stash is under control (if that ever happens)!
Argh, David’s Tea, you break my heart! I was going to take advantage of their Black Friday sales but it looks like my old staple favourites were axed at some point. This sounded like a winner too!
I know, right? If you were to pop into a store near you, I’m sure they would still have some on hand.
And someday, when my stash is under control, ha! yeah. A familiar refrain.
I actually liked this sticky rice oolong more than What-chas. Crow Kettle, I haven’t sent your samples to you yet, so I’ll add in a sample of this. I got a bag of it as my free tea for using my reward points.
That sounds wonderful! I heard this one is lighter/actually has the herb leaves too.
And I will check if they have any left if I’m near a store. They still have the nostalgia factor; I’ll probably end up with another mug XD
The stash self-perpetuating.
I think everyone who’s commented in this thread knows this already, but just in case I’m just popping in a disclaimer that I currently work for DAVIDsTEA. That said:
Sadly, this one was only released as a limited edition tea and stores are no longer being supplied with it – but some stores, like mine, do still have some; it depends on how popular it was at their respective stores.
I totally hear you on the price thing; with staff discount this one was a better deal for me to stock up on than the What-Cha version but if you don’t get a killer discount like I do than the What-Cha version is actually much more affordable apart from the fact you’re paying shipping. But I mean, if there’s other stuff you’re ordering from What-Cha than it’s totally worth it, imo. Or if you’re not near a DT and would have to order online anyway. Plus, What-Cha carries their’s year round…
Main differences between the two blends are that DT’s has the “stick rice leaf” mixed into the tea as well (which is why we don’t class it as a scented/straight tea) which in theory should mean that it has a stronger rice flavour than What-Cha’s, which is only scented. Personally, I actually thought that What-Cha’s version was more rice heavy in flavour though. So I mean, depending on how strong a rice taste you actually want from the tea that could end up being a good or a bad thing for you.
Out of curiosity, CrowKettle which teas do you think were discontinued that were favourites? I can tell you definitively one way or the other!
I was one of the oddballs that liked Jesse’s Tea and Dulce Banana (that last one was ages ago). Also, Gold Rush and Coco-Lemon Thai. But I probably spoke to hastily; there’s a few that would get me back in store- and if Santa’s Secret was available on the web for Black Friday Sunday sales I probably would’ve placed an order! <.<
I have a brand new bag of unopened Jessie’s Tea if you’d like to trade. I accidentally bought it again when I did not like that tea.
Crowkettle – ah, yeah – sadly those ones have definitely all bit the dust. Gold Rush is one that personally I was really, really choked about. Santa’s Secret is back for the winter; I think we just sold out of it scary fast online for BF/CM – but if we do something sale wise for boxing day this year it should still be around at that time!
I was a big fan of Gold rush, Coco-lemon thai, Jesse’s tea, Rooibos de province, Mullberry magic, Yellow dragon, spearmint, Movie night, and Countess of Seville. All my staples have been discontinued except alpine punch and coco chai rooibos.
I was really hoping DT’s Eggnog tea would come back this year.
yeah, Gold Rush….
Thank you for chiming in, Ms. Strange. Very informative and helpful.