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Roswell Strange drank Houjicha Cinnamon Orange by Rishi Tea

16841 tasting notes

I’m a slut for a good hojicha blend and Rishi definitely has some fun ones, so this was something I had to try out!

It was very, very good. Like I just said in another tasting note, spiced orange is a pretty played out flavour profile but I thought putting in on this more deeply roasted and nutty tasting hojicha base was really smart when it comes to leaning into those more wintery, cozy sort of feelings often associated with this profile. The cinnamon is probably the strongest note here aside from the hojicha itself but it’s a really nice quality and highly aromatic cinnamon that really warms from the inside out and contributes a nice level of natural sweetness as well.

The clove was subtle at first, but does build a bit on the palate over the course of the mug and it also leans into the warm, cozy feelings while creating a lightly tingly and numbing sensation on the bed of the palate and back of the throat. Both this and the cinnamon do a good job to mask the taste of the sarsaparilla so that it can do its thing with adding that round-feeling, sort of “brown sweetness” without distracting from the flavour direction.

The orange could be a little stronger in my opinion, but it is present in a more cooked down/orange peel sort of way – leaning into the spices and giving just a bit of citrusy freshness alongside some zesty pith. Not necessarily “bright or juicy” but more the expected sort of mulled orange or citrus common with this blend profile.

I’m very happy with this tea overall, though! I think it’s a nice addition to my always growing mix of hojicha blends.

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Cameron B.
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Ooh I did an orange spice hojicha in my homemade advent as well!

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Cameron B.
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Ooh I did an orange spice hojicha in my homemade advent as well!

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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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