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Iced Sipdown (240)!

The Forest Witch offers samples, so when I ordered I decided to throw one it and let the owner pick what it was. I think generally speaking, when you let the owner of a tea store choose a tea for you you’re bound to get something REALLY good. I mean, they know both what their best sellers are and just what in general is REALLY top notch that they carry. It’s also, for me, a good way to sometimes try things that would be outside my comfort zone.

This is the one that she chose for me, and honestly part of me what to be all “Ahah! I’ve been sorted!” because whenever I do the Pottermore quiz I’m VERY close to Slytherin, but then also part of me is like “Hufflepuff forever, bitch”. So…

Anyway; this sounds really good and the dry leaf smells amazing so I’m stoked. Actually, both me and a coworker kind of agreed that it reminded us a little bit of DT’s Cranberry Pear just in that the cherry smelled similar to the brightness of the cranberry, and it had this sort of creaminess to it like Cranberry Pear did. Honestly, the only overlapping ingredient is the black tea so it’s maybe a weird observation/comparison. Still, I think it stands.

This tastes AMAZING.

Honestly, I was a touch skeptical because of the lemongrass but it feels very well balanced, and has such a good range of flavours. Mostly, it’s a lot of sweet, nutty pistachio from top of the sip until finish but also that pistachio does kind of have the creaminess to it that was in cranberry pear. It’s almost like pistachio pudding, which really does take me back to my childhood and gives me solid nostalgia pangs. There’s also fruity brightness from the cherry; sweet, a little bit tart. Maybe it’s because I’ve already drawn this mental comparison so I’m projecting this flavour onto the tea, but the cherry actually does remind me a bit of cranberry too! The lemon grass is subtle; just hints of it in the undertones. The black tea is smooth and malty, with the faintest astringency at the top of the sip, though it very quickly subsides and with the pistachio pairing I do think that bit of astringency reminds me a little of the dryless of the “skin” on most nuts. I mean, it just reminds me of Cranberry Pear. I know they’re dissimilar, but also they’re sort of not?

Point is I fucking LOVED this sample, and it’s gone now and I’m already crushed over that. So, I’ll probably try the one last tea I ordered from The Forest Witch sooner rather than later and since everything was so reasonable price wise I’m probably going to order more of this immediately after payday.

Just, it was SO good. Everything I could have wanted from a cup of iced tea.

Scheherazade

I’m a Slytherin. I might need this in my life.

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Scheherazade

I’m a Slytherin. I might need this in my life.

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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...

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