310 Tasting Notes
So confused about how this tea tastes like it does. Blindfolded, I would have told you that this is cinnamon snickerdoodle. But the ingredients to get that are bizarre… there is not even cinnamon in it. I mean seriously, it has: candied pineapple (w/sugar), candied mango (w/sugar), candied papaya (w/sugar)… and a bunch of nuts. But it does kind of sort of taste like a cookie. Weirdness.
From the packaging it looks like this started out being called Harvest Fest and got renamed. My package is labeled Harvest Fest but I ordered Nuts for Cookies sample. The bin number and the ingredients are the same. I’m guessing someone tasted it and renamed it.
It’s ok. I’ll drink it. Not sure I’d order it again. It is actually tasting a lot like the Sweet Heart but a little more subtle (perhaps because they both have almond and candy).
Preparation
This is my last cup of this sample. The free sample TG put in my last order made 2 cups. I really like this tea. I could see myself drinking this all the time as my evening tea. I will probably have to order some of this.
Preparation
Thanks for sending some considering you like it this much _
I didn’t send any of this one. I only had a 2 cup sample. You must be thinking of something else. (or sarcasm?)
Oh no. you’ll be disappointed. I sent you this one: http://steepster.com/teas/teas-etc/5518-summer-berries
Sorry! The one that I liked in that last bunch was the coconut custard… and I liked the cherry one a little bit.
Oh no, no sarcasm :) I just oopsed because I thought this was the one you sent. I like the coconut custard a fair bit myself, but I haven’t tried the summer berries yet!
More comfort tea. This cup had a bunch of cardamom pods in the leaves so it is spicier. I went back to 2 tsp/11 oz and got the weak butterscotchy flavor back. :)
Preparation
I’m seriously cranky today. It’s snowing. And I mean SNOWING. There is at least 6" on the back porch and the snow plows are out. I’ve been out scooping heavy wet snow off the baby vegetable sprouts in the garden that I covered last night.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/snowboardbunny/4635099565/
(this pic was taken a few inches ago)
So, I need something decadent and homey. Yep, this calls for maple syrup and since I don’t have time to make pancakes, this will have to do. I steeped it for only 3 minutes this time and used less tea. This did get rid of the bitterness, but it’s definitely weaker. Sweetened it with maple syrup this time.
Preparation
It seeing stuff like that that I don’t miss living in the Colorado Rockies at all ::shudders:: Stay safe and warm! Glad you have a yummy tea to warm up with :)
Yeah, it’s great living here in the winter for skiing, and in the summer when it doesn’t get above 85 F… but spring really irritates me.
Wow, it looks like the dead of winter! Poor baby veggie sprouts.
I wouldn’t be worried about the veggies for temperatures – they are mostly cold-hearty things that are growing now (beets, arugula, kale)… but the weight of the snow is a real problem.
oh my!
Exactly – Got about 8" today. Hoping we don’t get more tonight.
This tea was pretty good. Definitely tastes like blueberry. I had to add a fair amount of agave nectar to it to get it to taste like sweet ripe blueberries. Without sweetener it tasted like unripe berries.
Preparation
I did something to this today and I’m not sure what.. but i made it bitter. I think I used the same amt and the same time. weird. It definitely looks darker today. Not docking it’s rating yet because I know how good it can be. I will just need to try again.
Preparation
Ok, so this is kinda weird. Up’d the amount of tea to 3 tsp per 11 oz. It’s no longer watery but I like it less. With more tea leaves, the spiciness is more present and the butterscotch flavor is more of a background flavor. It’s still good though. It reminds me of Celestial Seasonings Sugar Cookie.
Preparation
Okay that’s it! This is now a must-have. I love CS’s Sugar Cookie! Is Fava the only site that offers this flavor, do you think?
Yes, I think it is the only place to get it. But, I like the site because you can order 1 oz (which is a large sample) and they have tons of flavors to choose from. Shipping is $5.
This tea is more typical of a rooibos than the Butternut Toffee Rooibos or Carrot Cake Rooibos (with those two, I wouldn’t have known there was any rooibos in them). This tea is definitely a rooibos, but yet it is still tasty. And, it’s probably one of the only strawberry/fruit rooibos teas I’ve had that actually tastes like the fruit. Most seem to taste like cough syrup. This one luckily does not have that cough syrup flavor. I definitely taste the strawberry.
It’s not my favorite and I’ll defininely finish the sample, but I’m not sure I’d order it again.
Preparation
I rarely buy flavored black teas because I feel like the black tea overwhelms the flavoring (and often a cheap black tea is used as the base and it’s too bitter). This tea is really really good, though. I love all things maple so I couldn’t resist trying this one.
The smell in the bag is maple-pecan and no scent of the black tea at all. Once brewed, I can taste the black tea but it doesn’t overwhelm and is not bitter. And, oh boy, is the maple flavor present!
3 for 3 with Fava teas!
Brewed 2 tsp to 8 oz for 4 min.
Preparation
This tea is delicious. Fava Tea is 2 for 2!
The tea in the bag is gorgeous: giant chunks of carrot, shredded coconut, whole raisins, cloves, and cardamom pods. The tea in the bag smells like carrot cake. It brews up to a light orange color.
Once brewed, guess what it tastes like? Carrot cake! or maybe it’s a giant carrot muffin. I love it.
I really didn’t think this was going to taste like carrot cake when I ordered it. I expected to be disappointed, but it’s really tasty. It’s actually a nice mid-morning tea since it has that carrot muffin quality to it.
Preparation
This is another NecessiTEAS, Tea Guys, and Tea Largo Tea. I’m finding the rebranding of teas to be increasingly irritating.
I actually like it because it gives me another source. NecessiTeas doesn’t always have samples of everything I want to try. And sometimes shipping prices vary. So, I feel it works out for me. As long as they keep the pics the same, I can figure it out.
Oh, and it also allows me to try things with less shipping… for example, the order I just got had something that seems uniquely Fava Tea (the butternut rooibos), something from Neccesiteas (the carrot cake), and something that appears to be from Rishi (Blueberry rooibos)… with one shipping fee. There are no tea shops anywhere near my house so I have to order online. The shipping costs sometimes stop me. If I only wanted one thing from each, I just wouldn’t order at all.
I have no problem w/ the cross selling, but I think the brand names should be consistant. DEFINITELY agree w/ you on the sample and price points that you make:)
As a total tangent I broke my tea-pause to order the lemon 52 teas blend of the week eyeroll
Luckily that one didn’t appeal to me. But the reason I now have a bunch of SpecialTeas samples is that I ordered a big bag of the lemon chiffon. See, I knew I’d commit to the lemon at some point.
Ohhhh I forgot about that one. I think I’ll try to put off a SpecialTeas order until I get back to TX, but I have a few on my wishlist. The candy hearts one is another, and they told me if I like Earl Grey De La Creme but don’t want caffeine to try a sample of Decaf Earl Grey and Decaf Vanilla together.
I love the $1 samples. I wish everyone did that. I order one thing and put like 5 other samples in my cart. I hate the places that offer a $3 or $4 sample that makes 1 cup.
Yes, I’m not sure what’s worse- that or places that don’t offer samples.