16545 Tasting Notes
As I was prepping this one, I read VariaTEA’s tasting note on Mulberry White and instantly wanted to go make a cup of that one. But still is still really good!
This cup in particular is heavy on cinnamon/cranberry/mango notes.
I think I’ve finally pinpointed the ingredient that keeps me from going from “strongly liking” this blend to “loving” it – and that’s the cinnamon. I’m just not a huge fan of cinnamon in teas in general (really only in chai, with DTT’s Cinnamon Bun sorta being the exception because that’s cinnamon without being overtly chai) so I guess it makes sense that’s my least favourite aspect here. I thought it might be the chamomile blossoms – but pretty sure it’s the cinnamon because I enjoy the cups that are lighter on those notes a bit more.
By the time I reached the end of the cup it was a little astringent – but I’ll take that over bitterness, and thankfully I’ve never had a cup of this go bitter on me.
Being honest, I think this is my least favourite of the five I was sent (although, maybe Cherry Kiss…) – but that said, I still really like them all! Dying for my order to come in! D:
Third (late) morning/breakfast cup – this time prepared as tea soda. Sadly I’m going to be out of this soon, which is just awful because I love it so much! When I eventually break hiatus I’ll place a giant Red Leaf order and pick up more.
I used 1 tsp. of matcha to flavour a full can of Club Soda. No sweetner – this doesn’t really need it. I believe (I always forget) that this is distinct flavouring? Either VariaTEA or Sil should remind me.
Also, the carbonation is totally doing its part to wake me up! Yay for that! I’m also happy to report, I think I’ve finally gotten over the whole ‘drinking flavours that aren’t meant to be green’ thing so I no longer have to drink my matcha in solid water bottles and pretend I’m not, for example, drinking green eggnog. Also yay for that!
Yeah, this one is distinctive.
Does the strike through that sentence mean that you gave in and just placed that giant order? ;D
Thankfully it does not! If I wasn’t unemployed, I’m sure I would have – but for now my cart sits ;)
roswell..if you’re itching to try more flavours, give me a poke later on. I have a bunch of matcha i need to get around to sharing with ppl because it’ll take me forever to drink up
Also a morning tea, picked out for the energy boost. I oversteeped this one by a few minutes, and the result was that the Guayusa base tasted very strong in this cup.
Did it also give you super energy from the oversteep? heh
Not sure – I suppose I’ll see shortly. I don’t think I’ve mentioned it on Steepster before, but caffeine hardly affects me at all, which is why I can get away with drinking blacks or things like that at like midnight and then fall asleep right after. Mate/Guayusa were the first teas I found that gave me a noticeable energy difference after drinking them. Even still, it’s probably no more than a regular cup of black tea to someone normally affected by caffeine?
Thank you VariaTEA for the sample of this – I’ve been curious about it for a while. It’s been in my sample drawer since getting it (as opposed to sample bags stuffed in my closet), and I’ve been waiting for the right evening to try it but this morning I finally just went “Fuck it, it sounds like a good breakfast tea” – though it’s 3 PM, so not really breakfast time. Except I just got up an hour ago, and this is the first food/drink I’ve had all day – so sorta breakfast, I guess.
How much leaf do the people who really enjoy this normally use? I used 1 1/2 tsp. of leaf in 10 oz. of boiling water, steeped for 8 minutes and the result was pretty tasty but incredibly weak. Now, I’m sure part of that is because I used 10 oz. – but just wondering? It also weirded me out a little but that this steeped up practically clear? I was expecting at least a little colour.
Anyway maybe I just had steep expectations? Hah, get it? I’m punny. Don’t judge me – it’s 3 PM and I practically just got up. But yeah, it’s not like it was a bad cup or anything…
I’m determined I’m gonna try this tea one day :P
I’m curious what people will say! I was impressed with it at first, but now it’s just the smell of it really that carries the cup. The cup itself is a tad weak and disappointing. So, input is welcome! I think I used a SUPER HEAPING perfect teaspoon in my 16 oz mug, but I do put lots in there to compensate for the oz.
Also I love that your fuck-it-this-is-breakfast cup was at 3PM.
I’ve never tried this kind of tea — but reading up on it, it sounds like the cacao shell used to make this tisane is a denser woody part of the plant, rather than a leaf. Woody parts usually require decocting to get the best flavour out of them. Try keeping it over the heat at a gentle simmer for the same 8 minutes, and seeing how that works — as if you were cooking chai. Also, if you have a mortar and pestle around, bruising the herb before decocting it will help the taste too.
I also oversteep this one, and use a heaping teaspoon for my 16 oz. mug. I do find the flavour comes out much more as it cools.
I also like the Strawberry Cream version, though I wasn’t crazy about the Mint or Vanilla versions.
I have a sample of the Strawberry Cream as well, so maybe I’ll try that one today for comparison.
When I first had this I fell in love but now, like Forever Nuts, the smell is offputting to me. I want so badly to like it but it just hasn’t been appealing as of recently. I am keeping it around, as well as the flavored versions, in hopes that that will change one day.
I am sorry it was not what you were expecting. The good thing about this is you can let it steep forever and it won’t get bitter. In fact, I think the longer you steep, the more flavorful it is.
Also, my “morning” starts at 1 most days and my bedtime is around 4 am so I am all for breakfast at 3 pm.
So, VariaTEA’s tasting note on Apple Strudel Pistachio really put me in the mood for pastry, except I’ve had lots of rooibos today so I wanted something with a different tea base (otherwise I would have just brewed up the same thing) – and this was the first thing I saw which fit that criteria.
Of course, right after that she posted a note for Pineapple Angel Food Cake Shou Mei which I also gave her, and still have some of which I hadn’t tried. That would have fit nicely too, except I’d already started making my cups already.
Anyway, this is still wonderful! My delicious buttery, flakey raspberry pastry tea! I know RiverTea has an equivalent to this too, so when I inevitably put in my next RiverTea order I’m gonna try to remember to get a sample for comparison’s sake.
Also, I spilled half the mug of this over my laptop – but thankfully I reacted quickly and everything seems to be fine and in working order. Thank God.
You make this sound so damn appealing! I kept brushing past it in the store because I thought the raspberry would be artificial, kind of like how it is in Tender Orchid.
It tastes artificial if you over steep/use boiling water, but low steep temp./time and it’s AMAZING.
Nice! I’ll give it a shot next time I visit a store.
RiverTea has been popping up recently a fair bit. I’ll have to check them out.
Probably because they just launched. Their teas are delicious though! From the ones I’ve been fortunate enough to try, anyway.
Last time I had this I was really sick, so I left it unrated in case my sense of taste way really off. I have to say though it tastes exactly the same, which is to say it takes nearly indescribable.
It’s odd because it’s smokey and savoury from the lapsang and then sweet from the vanilla/cherry. Ultimately, it’s really quite perfect as Irene Adler’s blend, though.
Afternoon tea, because I wanted Lime and Lime Gelato sounded like a really unappealing option (really didn’t like it last time). This was good! Very creamy. Half was drank hot, half cold and it was good both ways.
I’ve been playing Pokemon all day. Just finished training my Mega Kangaskhan and my Forretress – just have to do some Heartscale hunting so I can Move Tutor Stealth Rock onto it! Now begins the lengthy process of EV training my Smeargle, and catching my legendary bird (Moltres!) – then EV training her. Putting a competitive team together takes a while…
At least I have tea in the meantime!
Pokemon! I haven’t played in years.
I adore Pokemon! I actually started a discussion topic on Pokemon today :) You should get back into it! What’s the last game you played?
Uhh haha, on a gameboy I would say at least 10 years ago, gah probably more. How do you play it now? On the computer?
Nintendo 2DS/3DS. The most recent games are ‘X’ and ‘Y’, and definitely far more updated/different than 10 years ago. Come to think of it, 10 years ago is probably pretty close to when I first started playing…
Haha! I named my cat Pokemon, cause when she was little, she was bouncing from wall to wall like one!
Hell yeah, Pokemon on.
Okay, okay. I’m not too far behind. I’ve played all the ones up to and including Crystal.
…yeah nevermind. I just Googled it, and I’m pretty far behind haha. And now I feel old.
Cold brewed this early yesterday morning and strained it out before bed, so about an 11 hour steep time? I’m just trying it out now though.
I have to admit, it smelled better when I bought it than it did when I sniffed the dry leaf before making it – but maybe I was just in a funny mood yesterday. Actually, that’s probably it. I was super drowsy/nauseous from my medication and I still sort of am today, but a little less so.
This steeped up the be a rather unattractive yellow/green colour. I probably couldn’t get away with serving it to Tre: he’d take one look and just be like “no”. That’s why he only gets the pretty and colourful fruity cold brews I make.
Smell wise, it’s very creamy coconut with strong vegetal notes and pineapple notes. As far as the taste goes, I’m immediately hit with a thick mouthfeel and thick coconut taste paired with a very strong grassy/vegetal taste. This gives way to a slightly juicy, and much fruitier apricot and tart pineapple flavour. It maintains the grassy taste into the aftertaste.
It’s not awful – but I’m not really loving it either, and I don’t think I’d make this again as a cold brew unless I was trying to use up the leaf. I’ll leave it unrated for now though, until I’ve had a chance to try it hot.
On the Eleventh day of Christmas Steepster gave to me eleven Pipers piping…
Yeah, I know. I’m drinking this way after the 11th day of Christmas but I just didn’t want to steep this up on a day where it didn’t feel right. That sort of seemed like a waste of an interesting blend and Isaila’s creativity. So I’m having it now.
1 1/2 tsp. of leaf, just under boiling water steeped 3 min.
Taste wise, I actually really like this. It reminds me a lot of another tea I’ve had, but I’m having a hard time placing what. I’m sure it’ll come to me though. Anyway, I get a nice, smooth black base and tons of creamy vanilla/coconut. That’s topped off with a very subtle and sweet apple – not tart apple, sweet apple. It almost tastes caramelized?
Ah, that’s it! It’s like a black cross of DT’s Gold Rush and RiverTea’s Mulberry White! Smooth caramel/coconut from Gold Rush and hints of caramel/apple from Mulberry White!
Anyway, I like it.
Also, I’m gonna leave this here for anyone curious/wishing to be mortified by Matt Smith (fair warning):
http://almaasi.tumblr.com/post/73712703216/pond-with-ducks-theseriouspotato
Diddly Bop.
meh, not mortified (not so much news to me, lol) but the guy at the end….. AWESOME!
haha I like the name of the tumblr. It seems as though there is a bit of a carrot juice/tomato sauce theme in our posts today.
OMG I didn’t even notice that!
Matt Smithhhhh. Although he’s not prettier than Tennant.
I agree – Tennant is my favourite. Capaldi reminds me of an angry owl. And, I just really dislike Christopher :/
Asiufdvbpiubggg!
My teeth are being stupidly sensitive to heat right now (first major discomfort in several days, though!) which is really frustrating since I want to drink this now while it’s hot so it doesn’t get astringent on me. Had I known my teeth were going to be total butts I would have made something I could enjoy cold…
Parameters: 1 1/2 tsp. of leaf, 8 oz. just under boiling water steeped for a precise three minutes.
Today’s cup is really good actually, despite the difficulty actually drinking it. I actually get a bit of cheesecake-y “tang” and some very mild chocolate notes. Not too shabby – maybe best cup yet? However, the aftertaste is a little weird. Not sure if I can describe it, though.
Still not a favourite, and not disappointed that this is going to be going through some revisions. I wouldn’t buy this blend, as is, again.
