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Mmm, mmm, mmm. I have written previously about my dislike for banana-flavored things and bananas more generally (THE TEXTURE!), but tea seems to be one place where I can handle mild banana flavor. And the flavor here is indeed mild! I get much more maple than banana, but like that kind of fenugreek-y, maple flavoring rather than real maple (which is totally fine here). I do get a hit of banana on the back of a sip, and it works really nicely with the buttery, pancake-y vibes. I think I could handle even more banana flavor, which is wild to say!

I dig this one quite a lot. And I’ve neverrr liked real banana pancakes — the way those little coins of banana get melty and mushy and SLIMY?! Ugh, god, no. I will stick to banana pancakes in tea form from here on out!

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge
September 2022: A tea with a strong aroma

Well, lots of my teas fit the “strong aroma” category, but this one is the only one ready for a sipdown! :D I’d been saving the dregs of my 20g bag and finally made a small cup this afternoon.

I’d originally rated it very highly, but I’m bumping it down just a smidge. My taste has evolved in the past yearish, to the point where I think I’ve raised my standards a bit. Which isn’t to say I don’t really like this tea! It’s so evocative of a raspberry cake, with pleasant vanilla notes. I’d like a more assertive base, though, and maybe a little more creaminess.

If I ever order from B&B again, I’ll definitely restock this one. For now, though, it’s goodbye.

Cold-brewed this one last night and am sipping on it now. Dang, it’s tasty! When it’s super cold right out of the fridge, I get major watermelon notes. Now that it’s warmed up just a smidge, I’m getting a hit of raspberry and some nice floral notes from the green tea base.

This is so refreshing. I could see myself using it as a post-run rehydration drink, because plain water never really appeals to me but I don’t like sugary sports drinks.

Mastress Alita’s Sipdown Challenge
September 2022: A tea from a tea swap/traveling tea box

Pulled this one from the TTB a few months back and took advantage of a cool (well, relatively cool…) morning to steep it up.

I’m relatively new to oolongs but have liked what I’ve tasted so far! I think I got four steeps out of this one. I enjoyed watching the color change the longer I steeped it, from a pale yellow to a much deeper, earthier shade. As for flavors, I probably should have paid a little more attention, but I was reading outdoors and just enjoying the moment. I didn’t notice any particularly strong floral notes like other oolongs I’ve tasted; it had more of a mellow, toasty, roasty herbal earthiness. All in all, a pleasant — if not terribly memorable — sipper for a morning of reading outdoors.

(It strikes me as almost funny that I’m not using this for the “A tea with a strong aroma” prompt, given the name, but I’ve got plenty more sipdown contenders for that one!)

I ordered a sample-sized bag of this one a while back, tried it once, and promptly forgot about it. So I’m going into it somewhat fresh tonight!

Dry, I’m mostly getting anise with a tiny hint of cocoa. But my brewed cup smells… kinda funky and murky. There’s a smell that some fruity baked goods (blueberry muffins, banana bread) get when they’ve been sitting at room temp for too long and are just about to turn, and the scent here aaalmost reminds me of that smell. But it’s really mild and not enough to put me off.

The taste is actually kind of weak! There’s a hint of anise behind a thin, bready flavor, but not too much more. The mouthfeel is really nice and silky, but I want a little more flavor behind it.

A dash of oat milk bulks up the body, but does nothing for the flavor. Meh. Not a repurchase for me. :(

Yum! The dry leaf has such a bright, fruity, citrusy punch — it smells amazing. Brewed, I’m getting more of a peachy scent. The taste is just delightful — a sort of creamy citrus-peach, with just a tiiiny hint of coconut. Perfect for a cool late-summer day.

Fresh outta my July subscription box! I’m hoping this tea will wake me up on a sleepy Tuesday afternoon. (Why am I sleepy? I have no idea, but it’s 2 p.m. and I can barely keep my eyes open. Maybe because I’ve been staring at an Excel spreadsheet all morning. I’m a writer, not a data scientist!)

Anyway, this tea reminds me of Coconut Eggnog — the tea that introduced me to 52Teas! It’s got a nice, rich base and notes of clove and star anise, with just a hint of coconut to provide a creaminess. I’m drinking it hot and enjoying it quite a bit, but I’ll have to try the brew ‘n’ cool method to make a true iced tea.

Well… back to the ol’ spreadsheet.

My summer tea-drinking has officially picked up again now that I’ve realized I can point a fan at myself to cool off while I work… thus allowing me to enjoy hot tea. :D

I’m currently taking a wee break from a busy work day and made myself a cup of this extremely fruity blend to drink alongside a little afternoon snack plate. This blend is CHOCK FREAKING FULL of ingredients, primarily dried fruit. Dry, it smells really lovely, like POG juice or some other multi-fruit juice blend. It’s visually quite busy, with giant pieces of freeze-dried starfruit, pink peppercorns, bright cornflower petals, and much more. As you might expect, the brewed tea is similarly busy. I can’t really identify any single flavor above the general cacophony, but maybe that’s a good thing. Instead, I get a mild, lightly fruity liquor with just a tiiiny hint of peppercorn at the end and a gentle creaminess, maybe from one of the flowers.

It’s pretty nice! I might try it cold brewed next, but the hot version is very pleasant.

Another winner from my first 52Teas subscription box! This is absolutely evocative of chocolate cake batter: It’s creamy and rich, and the cacao nibs and shells add a really lovely, mild chocolate flavor. The coconut flavor is juuust there, but not at all overpowering — instead it adds a full-bodied creaminess I’ve come to associate with 52Teas’ coconut blends.

I find myself wishing the black tea base were a littttle bit stronger, but that would probably mess with the delicate alchemy of these flavors.

This is a sophisticated dessert tea that I plan to savor. :)

This tea is delightful in all senses—appearance, scent, taste—and it reminds me why I was so excited when I first discovered 52Teas (y’know, like eight months ago… yes, I’m a latecomer). It’s flavorful without tasting artificial, and it just makes me smile. Yum!