A belated tasting note from this past #matchamonday…

This was my first matcha in close to a month and those really creamy, decadent and cooling mint flavours were so thoroughly welcomed! Plus the froth was exceptional! I think I flip back and forth on this matcha (though I find it so much better than the plain Mint Matcha) but when it hits right it hits so right and there’s something about making it during the holidays that really gives that creamy cane cane punch of flavour a particular charm and magic.

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/CYB4qJHu4YH/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eUNT9ugLYE&ab_channel=RemiWolfVEVO

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Skysamurai

Rating a tea when you work for or sell the brand is so hard. I felt the same way when I used to sell Steeped Tea and then Tea Queens teas. There were some teas that were great and deserved their ratings but others that were so bad, like the Tea Queens matcha, that I felt like I would be fired if I gave my honest opinion.

Roswell Strange

Truthfully, for the most part, I feel like I’m pretty good at being objective. If you comb through my DT reviews I think it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly that I don’t sugar coat when I dislike something. I’m not really worried about getting fired for sharing thoughts about the teas & I’ve always been really explicit internally that I do this – especially because there’s a difference in saying “I don’t like this tea” versus “this tea is shit”. However I think there’s a difference in me sharing an opinion (and disclosing that I’m an employee while doing so) and letting my opinion reflect an averaged rating that people might come across without understanding the context of any potential biases I have.

It wasn’t a factor when I first started using my DT disclaimer, back when I was just a seasonal employee, but now I also know the development background of all the new teas coming out (and sometimes was also the person doing the development) so I know that gives me a really different perspective and opinion as well. I think there’s a huge different in forming an opinion on a tea based just on taste versus developing an opinion knowing the intention behind its creation.

Anyway the tldr is that the disclosure is important as is not rating anything numerically – but the words are genuine ;)

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Comments

Skysamurai

Rating a tea when you work for or sell the brand is so hard. I felt the same way when I used to sell Steeped Tea and then Tea Queens teas. There were some teas that were great and deserved their ratings but others that were so bad, like the Tea Queens matcha, that I felt like I would be fired if I gave my honest opinion.

Roswell Strange

Truthfully, for the most part, I feel like I’m pretty good at being objective. If you comb through my DT reviews I think it becomes pretty clear pretty quickly that I don’t sugar coat when I dislike something. I’m not really worried about getting fired for sharing thoughts about the teas & I’ve always been really explicit internally that I do this – especially because there’s a difference in saying “I don’t like this tea” versus “this tea is shit”. However I think there’s a difference in me sharing an opinion (and disclosing that I’m an employee while doing so) and letting my opinion reflect an averaged rating that people might come across without understanding the context of any potential biases I have.

It wasn’t a factor when I first started using my DT disclaimer, back when I was just a seasonal employee, but now I also know the development background of all the new teas coming out (and sometimes was also the person doing the development) so I know that gives me a really different perspective and opinion as well. I think there’s a huge different in forming an opinion on a tea based just on taste versus developing an opinion knowing the intention behind its creation.

Anyway the tldr is that the disclosure is important as is not rating anything numerically – but the words are genuine ;)

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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...

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