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Kelmishka drank Elf Help by DAVIDsTEA

390 tasting notes

Homemade Advent Calendar from Arby: Day 1

IT’S ADVENT SEASONNN! My life is severely overbooked and the obligation to drink + review too many teas will stress me out, so I’m keeping it conservative this year: I did the Steepster homemade calendar swap and got the 52Teas 12 Days of Christmas box. (Aaand then I was #teafluenced by CameronB to pick up the adorable Tea Thoughts stationery advent, so that will be arriving soon.) But I love reading advent reviews and seeing what everyone’s up to, so I’m excited!

Anyway, day 1! Arby’s teas aren’t numbered, so I decided to pick randomly. (Although I did let myself choose a second blend when the first pick was caffeine-free… morning tea requires caffeine!) So now I’m starting with this very seasonally appropriate green blend.

The taste is a bit weak compared to the citrusy sweet scent of the blend, but it’s not bad. I’m not really picking up fruitcake vibes — more like a creamy citrus? — but it’s pleasant enough. Interesting that the coconut doesn’t really come through in taste, though it does provide that sort of creamy backbone. Then there’s a slight zing from the cranberries, though I wouldn’t mind those being a bit stronger!

Flavors: Citrusy, Cranberry, Creamy

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Cameron B.
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Always happy to shill for Tea Thoughts! XD

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Cameron B.
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Always happy to shill for Tea Thoughts! XD

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Bio

(she/her)

I was an anxious child who didn’t like change, so when my parents flew across the country for my grandfather’s wedding and left us kids with my aunt and uncle, I was a nervous wreck. Our first night at their house was tough. I couldn’t sleep, so I got up and padded into the kitchen, where my aunt was puttering around. She could tell I was distressed and offered to make me a cup of tea. It was just Celestial Seasonings’ peppermint tea, but it was exactly what I needed. The tea itself, the comfort it represented, the ritual of making it… I was enchanted. I’ve loved tea ever since.

I’m partial to strong, intense flavors and prefer loose-leaf to bagged, but I also appreciate the convenience of bags and sachets. I mostly drink my tea straight but once in a blue moon I’ll add a little plant-based milk, generally oat.

I live in Maryland, USA, with my partner, three dogs, and one cat. I’ve actually been a Steepster reader for years and years, but only started posting in late 2021. :)

When I’m not drinking tea (or sometimes WHILE I’m drinking tea!) I’m reading, rewatching comfort shows, going for a run, knitting, embroidering, hiking, or puttering in the garden. You can find me on Instagram at @kelmishka. (My account is private, but feel free to send a request!)

Favorite ingredients, flavors, etc.

Maple (all-time fave flavor!), vanilla, caramel, and all things dessert-y

Jasmine, lavender, violet, and most floral flavors

Most spices, although I go through phases and sometimes get bored of generic-feeling winter spice blends

Most fruity flavors

Matcha and other vegetal flavors

Not-so-favorite ingredients, flavors, etc.

Bergamot (…although it’s been growing on me lately!)

Hibiscus

Overly artificial flavors (banana, coconut, mango)

Overly herbacious blends, although this varies!

Stevia, monkfruit, and other sugar-alternative sweeteners — blech

Chocolate — it’s hard to get it right in tea, though I love real chocolate!

Animal products, including honey (long-time vegan checking in!)

My ratings

90-100: The best! Will almost definitely repurchase.

75-90: Really good, and potentially worthy of a restock.

60-75: Decent, if not terribly memorable.

50-60: In the “meh” range, but possibly for personal taste reasons.

35-50: I’m not a fan, and this is not very good tea.

20-35: Varying degrees of bad.

1-20: Actively bad. Like really bad. I can’t imagine anyone disagreeing.

Location

Maryland, USA

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