drank Keemun by Swan Sisters Tea
15575 tasting notes

Queued Tasting Note.

Ok, last tasting note of the night for realsies this time!

This is from the February Amoda box – it’s the last one from that box that I’ve got to try. I saved it because after doing some exploration with other Keemun blends I’ve kinda concluded that it’s not really a tea type for me. And I’ll be honest, it is kind of a relief (especially on my wallet) to have a whole ‘class’, if you will, of tea that I can essentially just write off…

But givin’ this one a go anyway ‘cause I’ve got it now and I might as well. It’s actually much lighter in flavour than I expected; primary flavour notes are smoke, some kind of sweeter bread, honey and raisins. The smoke in particular is very strong – and that part, at least, I like. It’s just that, with everything else, it’s just not so great. Why do I always have to pick up on the raisin notes in Keemun too? I know they’re sometimes present in other tea types, but I usually don’t notice them. Such is not the case with this class of tea…

I also thought that this one was a little bit floral; that was kinda nice, but weird with how smokey it was. Who wants to drink gently smoked flowers? I’m not gonna rate this one ‘cause I think I’m maybe a little biased about it.

Final, non-tea related note for the night: BB Can houseguests are currently talking about the pros/cons of bagged milk versus milk in the jug. I know bagged milk is a Canadian thing, but I just have to point out that I live in Saskatchewan and I’ve never actually seen bagged milk in person in my entire life. The entire concept of bagged milk is SUPER weird to me and I 100% emphasize with the Canadians in the Big Brother house who, like me, live in provinces where bagged milk isn’t a thing.

I know that’s it’s more cost effective to make/produce and buy, and easier to transport and all that jazz but it just weirds me out so much. I would NEVER have a ‘bag of milk’ in a pitcher in my fridge. I know that realistically it’s no different than a pitcher of, say, orange juice – but it seems kind of unsanitary? And I’m totally being unreasonable and irrational about the whole thing but it’s SO WEIRD. Common ’mericans – back me up here! If I was in the BB house, I think having to have bagged milk would likely bother me more than being on slop. I need Zach to get in on this bagged vs. jug milk debate! He’s from Saskatchewan like me; I’m like 95% sure he’d share the same anti-bagged milk opinion I have.

Marzipan

I am so confused. Is it bags or jugs you don’t like? Last paragraph goes back and forth.

VariaTEA

Hahaha when I moved into my first apartment, my mom did the first grocery shopping for us. I lived with one other Canadian, two Americans (technically one didn’t live there but he was dating one of the girls and best friends with the rest of us so he was always over), and one girl from Peru. Since there was so many of us, my mom bought us bagged milk (plus that’s what we use at home anyways so it’s what she is used to buying). Anyways, for three weeks, my roommates (except the Canadian) thought my mom just neglected to buy us milk which would be weird since it’s kind of a basic grocery. And when they asked about it, I spaced and forgot it was a Canadian thing and would always just be like “what are you talking about? The milk is in the fridge. Like it’s right in the front!” It wasn’t until they watched my Canadian roommate make a bowl of cereal that everyone realized what was up.

VariaTEA

Wow, I did not realize that story would be that long

Roswell Strange

@Marz – That’s what I get for writing so late at night. Went back and edited the last paragraph. It’s definitely bagged milk that freaks me out though.

OMGsrsly

I remember having bagged milk when I was a kid, but it’s a lot more rare now. And I’m in BC, so I don’t think it’s just an Out East thing, I think it’s an age thing too. :)

It IS weird. But you can get clips to close it, and you leave the milk in the bag which then goes in the jug. I’ve never seen anyone emptying the milk into a jug, which… that would be gross.

Kristal

I live in Northwestern Ontario and bagged milk is probably the most common next to 2 litre cartons. If someone has a plastic jug of milk that’s always weird to me. I think bagged milk is cheaper plus it takes up WAYYYY less room in the fridge- not to mention it’s a lot less waste than a carton or jug. I also find those big jugs to be heavy and hard to handle.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Comments

Marzipan

I am so confused. Is it bags or jugs you don’t like? Last paragraph goes back and forth.

VariaTEA

Hahaha when I moved into my first apartment, my mom did the first grocery shopping for us. I lived with one other Canadian, two Americans (technically one didn’t live there but he was dating one of the girls and best friends with the rest of us so he was always over), and one girl from Peru. Since there was so many of us, my mom bought us bagged milk (plus that’s what we use at home anyways so it’s what she is used to buying). Anyways, for three weeks, my roommates (except the Canadian) thought my mom just neglected to buy us milk which would be weird since it’s kind of a basic grocery. And when they asked about it, I spaced and forgot it was a Canadian thing and would always just be like “what are you talking about? The milk is in the fridge. Like it’s right in the front!” It wasn’t until they watched my Canadian roommate make a bowl of cereal that everyone realized what was up.

VariaTEA

Wow, I did not realize that story would be that long

Roswell Strange

@Marz – That’s what I get for writing so late at night. Went back and edited the last paragraph. It’s definitely bagged milk that freaks me out though.

OMGsrsly

I remember having bagged milk when I was a kid, but it’s a lot more rare now. And I’m in BC, so I don’t think it’s just an Out East thing, I think it’s an age thing too. :)

It IS weird. But you can get clips to close it, and you leave the milk in the bag which then goes in the jug. I’ve never seen anyone emptying the milk into a jug, which… that would be gross.

Kristal

I live in Northwestern Ontario and bagged milk is probably the most common next to 2 litre cartons. If someone has a plastic jug of milk that’s always weird to me. I think bagged milk is cheaper plus it takes up WAYYYY less room in the fridge- not to mention it’s a lot less waste than a carton or jug. I also find those big jugs to be heavy and hard to handle.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

Following These People

Moderator Tools

Mark as Spammer