513 Tasting Notes
Due to some other beverages that I consumed post-tea, this note may not be very articulate. Just sayin’
I do wonder what miracles might take place if I were to add a touch of milk and sugar to this tea. I already like it just fine as it is, although it’s still novel enough to me at this point that I am always conscious of the fact that there’s nothing added to it, which just feels weird. But it also tastes good and comforting. Still though, the milk and sugar addre always wonders.
It needs to be said here that VariaTea took a look at my shopping list, and then proceeded to put pretty much the whole thing into a package and mailed it to me. Our dear Anna in Italy did likewise, and this has resulted in an incredibly spoiled keychange indeed. You guys are so lovely. As my friend read out name after name of teas I’d coveted for so long, I just kept gasping and nearly teared up.
“So you guys just all send each other tea? Like, from around the world?”
“Yup, we sure do.” I said proudly.
“Wow. So isn’t coming home to your mail box and packaging off tea to send so much fun?”
“Oh, you have no idea.”
And man is it ever true.
So this tea was one I’d read really good reviews about, and a little while ago, i went through a phase where i wanted to try a lot of mint teas, especially vanilla mint teas, because I don’t typically like chocolate flavouring in my tea. But I’ve also come to realize that it sounded so much better in my head than it was in the cup, and this goes for pretty much any mint tea I’ve had: mint to be, Santa’s secret, the various dellaterra offerings. I think the only exception is Stacy’s peppermint patty, but I can’t remember that one nearly as well since I had it a while ago.
There’s a distinct smell to all dellaterra teas, I think, and this one was no exception. It did smell of vanilla or chocolate though, and I set to brewing it for four minutes. The mint is a bit muted here, covered by that vague dellaterra cake/vanilla/sweet combination of stuff, and the cup was definitely easy to drink, although I am grateful to know that I now won’t have to charge out and buy an oz of it (which I couldn’t do anyway LOL—the site is out).
Thanks so so much, VariaTea! Your package goes out Tuesday!
VariaTea is amazing! She’s done the same for me where she just goes through my shopping list (for a while I was keeping it very small so that she wouldn’t send me more stuff) for stuff to send, or takes notice of companies I really like, finds things for comparison with what I already have… Best tea swap partner ever!
She’s incredible! and of course I only have like three things on her shopping list, so I’m like scrambling around to find stuff, because that kind of generosity can’t go unchecked! LOL
Haha, bombard her with ALL THE TEA because before you know it she’ll be under 100 again…
I got some of the Queen in the EU swap box yesterday – it’ll be like we traded places on the dash!
Anna, you must let me know what you think of the Queen! she’s exquisite! and roswell, I’m going to see if I can’t find a few extras to pad things up a bit. No way I’m going to let her keep her cupboard down while the rest of ours skyrocket out of control! haha
Hehe, yeah – but don’t get your hopes up, it’s exactly the kind of tea I tend to avoid. You know, black and very tea-y. But I must try it!
Thanks guys. And I am just very happy to share. So many people have been so generous to me that I am happy when I can do the same for others.
You know, my tasting notes are going to get really boring because I keep drinking the same tea. I haven’t had this one in a while though, and wanted something easy to prepare with breakfast. I still like it very much, but must admit that it is indeed very French in its composition, as it is definitely flavoured but still with a bit of a thin mouth feel. Which is fine-I don’t think Paris ever aspired to be a “hearty” tea. If you like vanilla with a faint hint of bergamot and with some other stone fruits thrown in, I’d give this tea a go. I think I’ll keep sachets of this handy, but might order a loose-leaf version next time around to see if there’s a noticeable difference.
Haha, I actually find myself looking forward to seeing your morning tasting note. Even if it is the same tea. :)
i wouldn’t knock any format of this wonderful tea, but you simply must try it in loose leaf! the aroma jumps out at you! i was pleasantly barraged by a rich, creamy tangy blueberry-bergamot lemon chiffon, blackcurrant extravaganza with the semblance of vanilla pudding. omg. for an experience like that, i’d say a $2.00 sample is surely worth it. after my sample, i now plan to purchase a full pound!
Thanks, Courtney! and pyarkaloo, it’s funny you should mention blueberry—my fiance has always wondered if I was brewing a blueberry tea when I prepare Paris. You have me convinced to try it in loose-leaf!
So this tea is still in its probationary phase with me. And I’ve liked it, but I’m already pretty certain i won’t be restocking it. I’m also pretty certain that I’ll be doling out a lot of it to you guys, so if anyone would like some, speak up. I don’t dislike it, but I also don’t like it enough to think I need to horde it or anything. I should have known better because I don’t tend to like things that are described as “roasty”, and that descriptor has come up in pretty much everyone’s tasting note. But then I heard that people were adding milk and sugar, and you know that’s my jam, so I was willing to give it a try. And I like it better than Genmaicha, which seems to be far more savoury.
So yes, probation continues, but the sharing also starts now.
I also followed that tea up with a lot of cotton candy and a south park episode. Mmm.
Oh no. I am sorry you did not enjoy this all that much.
Happy to trade with you for some if you like darling! :) but not until I get back haha
LOL variaTea, it’s ok—I think I’m sending you some to try, right? Hopefully you like it better than i do. and sil, sure thing. It’s all yours.
I would be willing to take as much of this away from you as you want :) I LOVE this tea. If you want to swap send me a PM.
Keychange, I think your plan was to send me some in the swap which I am quite excited about as I do really enjoy this tea!
Trust me guys, I have like four oz of this to send out, so there’s a lot of love to be had, soba-style. VariaTea, you’re getting some for sure, don’t worry :). between you, lala, and sil, it’ll all be gone :D. If I’m sending it out to three people, you’ll all have plenty…and then I can buy more tea! LOL
Now I am afraid.
Be very afraid. There’s going to be soba cha buckwheat everywhere you look! This is what happens when I order like four oz of a tea that I’m pretty much guaranteed not to like. Yup. I’m smart. But yeah, get your soba-swim suit on!
Hahaha. That would be a very interesting experience, swimming through soba :P
I had this tea with my dinner, which consisted of blueberry waffles drizzled with butter and real maple syrup that I got when at the cottage resort up north last weekend. I couldn’t have had a better dinner. I haven’t had dellaterra’s blueberry crumble in a while, and so perhaps I’m not doing it justice in my memory, but I dare say I would probably restock this one over that one. It could also be because I’m starting to feel a bit disenchanted with tea in travel mugs, because try as I might, I think it’s just an inevitable reality that consuming tea is a holistic experience, and to drink it out of a travel mug will necessarily mean that it’s different from having it out of an ordinary cup. And some people can cope with that better than I can, I think. I just hate the feeling of putting one of my favourite teas in my travel mug only to like it less and wonder if it’s me, the tea, or the mug.
But whatever. It’s Friday and fuck yeah Canada!! Our boss went out this afternoon, got everyone at the office burritos and beer, and we holed up in her office and just watched the game all afternoon. That’s what I call a great boss!
That dinner sounds amazing! And that is a great boss haha.
Sending my resume ASAP…
Haha we were very lucky indeed!
Ha ha ha! Awesome boss!
I slacked off and went to work late today, because the people there had been watching hockey since 9am. I knew there was no point – I wouldn’t have gotten anything done! (Although, yay Canada!)
Haha good call on your part. To be honest, I don’t even understand how hockey is played, nor do I watch it. But this was an exception. Besides, understanding it or otherwise, it’s a fast and exciting game to watch.
The last time I followed hockey was in 1994. Canucks riot. :)
How exactly do you know when something has become a staple in your permanent collection? and by that I don’t mean a “tea like this one”, but this particular one? I’m on my second tin of this and my love is still running strong, so I’d definitely consider this among mine, but am just curious as to how you guys feel. Because it’s so easy to love a tea oh so much when you first get it, but somehow over time the novelty can ware off some, and, well, you know how the rest goes.
This tea was paired with a croissant on this very sleepy Friday morning. I got a little less smoke and a touch more astringency than I’m used to getting, but the grace of the queen is such that there’s never really anything unpleasant about her.
Sorry I can’t be more eloquent. I really ought to still be sleeping, and am awake against my will.
I love that you are still loving this and it has never disappointed you and that you don’t look back and think it used to be better.
I hate when you look back at a tea you loved and wonder where the love went.
I know. Honestly, that’s such a disappointment. Those brief but oh so intense affairs.
I still feel relatively new to tea, having only really started my loose-leaf journey about a year ago. There are a few teas though that every time I run out I definitely get more.
Yeah, for me it’s the old reliables. A number of them are Harneys! Teas I can come back to after not having drank for months and I still love the flavor. Teas I will never get tired of drinking if I’m traveling at they are all I have to drink day after day.
Well, the good news is that despite waking up exhausted, I don’t feel nearly as compelled to pack my bags and move to rageville this morning. Even still, I thought a good, angry Russian tea might fit the bill perfectly. This actually ended up being a sample sip down, despite the fact that there was more in the sample bag than for only two servings, but unbeknownst to me, a tiny hole somehow got into the bottom of the package yesterday, and so of course there I was, standing there last night, bag unzipped and inhaling the smell of a campfire, when all of a sudden a river of tea just cascades the hell down my top, and sticks to my recently lotioned skin! uggh. But it was also kind of funny.
Anyway, I had this with my cupcake this morning. It’s a bit of a thinner tea, not in flavour, but in consistency, and I must say I prefer the relative heft of the Queen (obv), but still-I like smoky teas now enough to say that I’d want one on hand, especially in the fall and winter.
And now to sit at my office while it rains, rains, rains. And then I’ll have to swim home.
Ok so I’ve seriously been extremely ragey, pretty much all week, and for absolutely no good reason. But I’m talking like, rage that’s so big and disproportionate. I feel like one of those people in an anger management movie: panting, nostrils flaring, nearly foaming at the mouth at the most minor indiscretion. Like someone could be a bit too chatty at work today, and although I’d ordinarily happily participate, I was wanting to yell and throw things and tell everyone to eff off immediately, and then to go perform very vulgar acts to top it all off just because it feels good to say those kinds of things when you’re mad.
So anyway, I got this tea because of some promotion on Valentine’s day, and decided to drink it straight tonight. rage doesn’t allow for additions, so it was just a six minute steep and me. And it was actually pretty decent, given there was nothing added. Many a steepsterite before me have described this tea with careful attention to detail and nuance, so I won’t bore you, but I’ll just say that it does taste vaguely of apple crisp with almonds, and while i don’t know that I’ll rush out to restock, I’d say I’m happy enough to keep a small supply on hand because it’s a caffeine free option that I actually don’t hate.
Ok, off to get needlessly mad about more things. It’s actually kind of hilarious, because i’m typically very calm and even-tempered, so it’s kind of fascinating in a messed up way. The solution is to drink more tea.
Is there any particular tea you guys like to drink when you’re angry?
Umm, good luck? Tea can be really meditative, especially those that take many short steeps. Would that work for you?
OMG I almost fell out of my chair laughing. “Rage doesn’t allow for additons”. I totally have those days! I have an extreme low tolerance for stupidity and some days I’m ready to fly right off the handle. I always go for my most comforting teas. Or an Ativan. :P
Yes! you get it! all week I’ve been wanting to yell “Why the f*ck are you guys all such incompetent effing fools?!?!!?!?!!?!?! You’re stupid, and so are you, and you, and you…aaahhhh!”. LOL. And yes, I’m keenly aware of how ridiculous this all sounds, because I’m no uniquely intelligent specemine myself, but you know rage…it has no logic sometimes. And omgsrsly, I don’t think I can do multiple steeps of anything. If there’s even the slightest chance I’ll lose potency, I don’t bother. I’m one of those weird people who enjoys one cup of tea every few hours haha. Also, I promise my rage is mostly contained within me. And we don’t have guns in Canada…only caribou and hockey.
What about the moose? ;) (I totally get the rage, AND the tea thing. :) Some teas though… I like seeing how they change, like puerh or oolongs.)
Haha! Don’t worry I completely understand. I have those days all the time. All the time. I actually found an e-card just the other day that said “I live in fear that today will be the day I accidentally scream SHUT THE F*CK UP out loud, rather than say it in my head”. It could maybe apply here. I do hope you’re able to find a tea that helps. I really do spoil myself on the worst of those days. My favourite teas and my favourite shows. And my onesie.
I am with you 100% on the rage front. I’m having one of those weeks too. I hope that we shall be heading into calm and happy times.
aw man, i had a similar vibe a week or so ago and it felt awful, like even though i behaved just fine inside i felt so out of control! i hope you feel better soon. it’s the worst, impotent rage.
I know how you feel, and when it is over I wonder what the heck happened. I guess it is hormones? And life. Jasmine from Teavivre is my peaceful, centering tea.
+1 with ashmanra on Teavivre Jasmine (and hormones!!)
(Your description of anger management is pretty darn accurate and hilarious, lol!)
I hear ya on the unexplainable rage-monster moods. Most of the time when I’m like that, it usually demands to be fed EVERYTHING, and then there is the crying at everything, and then I realize I’m pms-ing, lol. oops.
but omg Courtney! I’ve seen that e-card, and today was one of those days lol (ahh, the joys of working retail)
Whatever the reason keychange, hang in there!
That’s totally been my week too! I just get so pissed at the littlest things! (Of course, all that for me is due to PMS so…yeah. I hate when hormones turn me into a complete mean old troll.) I usually drink raspberry leaf tea during this horrible time of the month, as it supposedly helps balance hormones and help the female system (sorry if this is TMI!) and it doesn’t contain caffeine, which is probably helpful when I’m in an angry mood. Otherwise, I did have my lovely, soothing Cherry Blossom green tea (a Japanese sencha with dried cherries)one afternoon on s particularly bad day (my son was teething and cranky, and I was about ready to lose it he was driving me absolutely nuts)so I gave myself a tea “time out”, steeped the cherry blossom, took a hot shower, and immediately came out calmer and more refreshed. Thank you tea for coming to the rescue and saving my sanity! :-) Anyway, good luck, I hope you get back to feeling your old self soon!
And yes, I was drinking tea IN the shower. Is that weird?
It is never, ever weird to drink tea, as far as I’m concerned. Whatever your state: showering, dying, giving birth—all good reasons to drink tea. And I’m glad so many of you can relate to this needless rage. Courtney, that greeting card sounds like it should be our life mantra! also, I had a onesie once, but then I woke up in the middle of the night having to pee, and I sat there, pretty much completely naked and peeing while my onesie lay in a pile on the floor around my feet. They need to come up with better peeing mechanisms! and raspberry tea sounds divine!
And yes, my rage does make me feel so out of control on the inside, despite being able to at least keep it together for the sake of appearances/not getting fired/deported.
In my job I have to put up with a lot of people and very frequently feel rage like yours. I just have no patience for idiots. Grrrrrr.
Hope you found a tea to soothe your rage!
Oh rage!…glad it afflicts everyone, I guess. LOL.
I seem to really enjoy this tea in a real mug but not so much in a travel mug. i was actually going to take hot cinnamon spice to work this morning, but remembered that I haven’t had this one in a while. Perhaps it’s the delicate nature of the coconut flavour, or maybe it’s the fact that the creaminess I get in a real cup is somehow diminished by all the trapped heat-who knows. Either way, still a great tea, but definitely doesn’t shine its brightest in a travel mug.
Ah I’m posting this note hours after consuming this tea, which feels a bit wrong because I want to do it justice. I do remember, however, my first experience with a smoky black tea-it was the keemun hao ya a (which is somehow different from a keemun hao ya b, etc…?), and it was from art of Tea. I remember the distinct impression that the tea smelled of barn yard, and unfortunately that association persisted until I finished the sample. I posted about it to you fine folk, and one of you implored me not to give up on smoky teas, and so I did my best to soldier on. I loved the Queen, and she’s got a smoky element to her, and this one also came highly recommended from ifjuly whom I like a great deal.
This tea did smell predictably smoky as soon as I opened the package, although I can’t say I immediately envisioned a barn, which I suppose is a good thing. Once brewed, it retained its smoky smell, but I was also getting hints of burnt chocolate, along with…another smell that I can’t really place. It sort of smelled as though a house was burning-you know that smell that will drift about a most unfortunate neighborhood when a house is burning down? sort of that salty smell that, if not for being born to you on crisp fall or winter air, might actually be more upsetting? I mean, of course it’s upsetting-the thought of anyone’s home burning down is very tragic…oh my god, how the hell did my tasting note feature a burning family home? aaahhh. But basically, there’s an almost salty aspect to the burning chocolate smoke smell of this tea. That particular facet of the smell doesn’t translate into the taste, however. The tea tastes lovely, with hints of dark chocolate, malt, and campfire, and I loved it. I don’t actually know what’s Russian about smoke, but hey, I’ll take it. I also realized that for me (and others, I imagine), enjoying a good smoky tea is a bit of an acquired taste. Mr. Keychange took a sip of my tea this morning and said that it seemed weird but that he could get used to it. I pretty much inhaled the cup alongside my double vanilla buttercream cupcake, and would be happy to have a tea like this in my collection. There’s probably enough left in the sample for another cup.
Hahaha omg I know I shouldn’t have laughed at the “oh my god, how the hell did my tasting note feature a burning family home…” but I did. And good for you for soldiering on into the territory of smoky teas.
I’m glad I soldiered on also! and yeah…I was like, trying to describe a burning home for the sake of the tea, but then I was like am I really using a tragedy to describe how this tea smells? and then I was tripping all over myself and aaahh!
Ahahaha. This made my day. :P
Haha I’m glad!
Yeah, I felt bad laughing, but this note cracked me up…!
Well, if it makes you guys feel any better, I felt awful comparing my tea to a burning house, too…but that really is what it smelled like! ha
I think the Russian element comes from the common name for smoke tea blends, Russian Caravan, which was a reference to the way lapsang souchong, keemun, and other Chinese teas used to be transported (in Russian caravans) for the long journey to the West by land (which took ferfarkingever of course, so associated only with teas processed to withstand such long routes, like smoky ones). But like most tea trivia and lore, that might not be accurate—just a common explanation though (IIRC I learned it from an Upton catalog).
I enjoy your notes. (:
Hey, that explanation souns as good as any! :D
Oh goodness your note made me laugh. :)
LMFAO kechange… this was so random and hilarious at the same time.
hahahaha!!
Good job on the other beverage consumption haha. I haven’t tried this with additives either, I don’t think. But I’ve been wondering what it would be like with half and half.
Yeah, the other beverages definitely gave me a hug on the inside. And yes, a bit of cream might really bring the pie/crisp/crumble element of this tea to life.
Lol, you are tea impaired tonight then, your judgement on this tea is unreliable. But I still want to know about those other beverages, wine or funky cocktails??
Two glasses of wine made by my fiancé’s sister’s husband….a bit astringent (in that way that works wonderfully with a sharp cheese), and I swear I got hints of coconut. Delish!