drank Mango Sunset by DAVIDsTEA
17059 tasting notes

New tea time!

It might seem a little weird to be releasing a mango blend during what still feels like the heart of winter, but I think there’s something to leaning into the bright liveliness of a tropical blend like this around this time of year. It’s liquid escapism, in a way! And something to tease warmer weather which isn’t realistically that far off.

This is an interesting tea (at least to me) because it started off as something else and during the development process kind of morphed into what it is now. The original idea was something much more yogurt-like in taste that was a lot more inspired by Mango Lassi drinks. I suppose we didn’t get too far away from those two flavours in the end. This is still a creamy, smooth blend with a pleasant yogurt note and it’s obviously also still mango. Just, more mango that it was initially. As for the yogurt, if you’re a fan of blends like Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait or Frozen Raspberry then you’ll know exactly the type of yogurt flavour in this blend. It’s most apparent in the finish, and it just contributes a nice richness to an otherwise bright and tropical profile.

I’d say what we ended up with is in the direction of a mango smoothie! Fruit forward but with a thickness and richness as if you’d blended in yogurt… and coconut! The coconut isn’t the strongest flavour here, but it is present and it adds to the tropical getaway sort of vibes. I suppose you could also probably equate the profile to a “Mango Colada” and that wouldn’t be so far off either. Oh! We also used green rooibos in this blend instead of red! I thought that the more mellow, delicate and naturally fruity notes of the green rooibos would really compliment and highlight the mango. I really wanted, in particular, to capture the taste of Ataulfo mangoes which are both more naturally sweet and creamy tasting. They’re my favourite in the summer – I go through them like no one’s business. On their own, but also in things like smoothie bowls, salsa, or shakes. So, it was the perfect mango flavour to lean into here!

This is definitely a limited edition blend, as it won’t be too long until Mango Fruit Punch rolls into town for the summer. For those curious, the key difference between the two is that this is creamier while Mango Fruit Punch has more of a citrus note to it. But here’s a secret for y’all on Steepster… I like this one much more than Mango Fruit Punch.

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.

ashmanra

Much of my tea consumption is liquid escapism!

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

People who liked this

Comments

ashmanra

Much of my tea consumption is liquid escapism!

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