16790 Tasting Notes
A new limited edition blend from this past winter.
I was torn whether I wanted to try this one since it’s got a heavy amount of chamomile in it, but curiosity won out and I decided to grab a bag anyway. Well, definitely really strong notes of chamomile but with a slight fruity edge to it. I drank it when I was still VERY out of it following my dental surgery (still numbed up and everything) so I don’t recall much else about the cup. It was so-so but a nice, warm drink to sip on before crashing out and having a nap…
Drank this today but was kind of unimpressed by it. It was mostly like a thin tasting chocolate tea with the faintest hint of lime on the backend. You’d think those two flavours would taste weird together, but they don’t. It’s mostly just that the tea didn’t feel rich enough. No off notes though. Just kind of middling.
Cold Brew!
When this tea first came out years and years ago I was so meh about it, but weirdly as I’ve been drinking this 5+ year old bag of this tea I’ve been loving it more and more. One of the things I disliked about it in the past was how mild the rosemary note was. It was almost totally eclipsed by the SUPER intensely tart and sweet strawberry notes.
Well, now as the tea has aged the strawberry and hibiscus have sort of mellowed out a little bit which lets that fresh, pine-y rosemary flavour come through so much more. Especially in the finish. It’s still very strongly flavoured with a noticeable bite from the hibiscus, but the strawberry is really jammy and thick and there are sort undertones of cream/vanilla. I just found this super refreshing and as soon as I’d finished it I was left wishing that I’d made a larger amount.
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
Cold Brew!
I had such an intense craving for this on the day I got my dental surgery done so I set it up as a cold brew in the fridge early in the morning before I left for the dentist, and then afterwards I found out I couldn’t drink anything from a straw for a few days so when I got home I just felt discouraged and sad seeing my cold brew in the fridge knowing I wouldn’t be able to strain it into a tumbler like usual…
So, it sat in the first brewing for a couple days. However, yesterday I was finally straw approved so I strained it and enjoyed what was one hell of a strong and punchy iced tea. Very liquified ice pop with blue raspberry, lemon, and cherry notes just to die for with a BOLD black tea base. It actually felt like a little reward for myself for being patient and taking the post-surgery aftercare seriously.
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
This tea was really interesting to me because the concept is so ethereal and it utilizes flavours that both aren’t necessarily stereotypically associated with Paris and that aren’t conventionally paired together either. I had quite a large mug of it earlier in the week and overall I enjoyed it, but it really did feel a lot like an enigma to me as I was sipping it. Of the flavours in the blend, the bergamot was the most strong tasting to me but I have to wonder how much of that is the fact it’s highly aromatic and that deep, heady citrus smell as you lean in to take a sip is easy to get swept up in.
Aside from that I thought the pomegranate came off as a bit more generic red fruit, but in a pleasant and complimentary enough way. I wish it was a little juicier and deeper because it felt eclipsed by many of the other things going on. Caramel? Yeah, kinda. Definitely a sweeter and more “brown” undertone that was a nice foil to the bergamot. It was a little less that sweet/gooey caramel note to me versus the more burnt sugar note of a creme brulee – but I ultimately think that’s probably the better taste with a bergamot this floral and heady. Love how brisk the black tea base was, too!
Now does it taste like April In Paris? Well, I’ve never been to Paris so I suppose I can’t say for certain. There is something very European feeling about it to me, though. So that’s at least something. In my head I feel like April is so in the heart of Spring that I’d have expected something softer and floral in a more light and airy way. But all of this is HIGHLY subjective.
Anyway, a very interesting blend to be sure!
I saw this RTD while grocery shopping over the weekend and was kind of surprised since I thought I’d tried all of Mate Libre’s flavours – but this was new to me. I wonder if it was a seasonal flavour from this summer? Still so weird to see a watermelon LTO in the heart of winter, though…
It might actually be my favourite Mate Libre RTD I’ve tried though! The watermelon notes are really juicy and refreshing, but also coupled with a pleasant bit of upfront tartness a little like hibiscus? Nothing excessive, though. It finishes more clean and earthy with notes of the mate itself. Really well balanced, and such a great natural sweetness level too!
Sipping on a frothy little cup of this smooth and creamy vanilla matcha from a teacup and saucer set (inspired by the Year of The Snake) that I painted at a ceramic cafe earlier in the month while I was on vacation. Aren’t all the little noodley snakes super cute!? This new sugar-free matcha is very delicious too. I’m a big fan of DT’s Organic Vanilla Matcha, but I don’t always want something pre-sweetened so I love that this new version doesn’t have any cane sugar in it. It’s still super, super smooth and silky with the same French Vanilla flavour I already know I love, but with more of the fresh, grassy notes of the matcha. Different strokes for different cravings, y’know?
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DEvPGdtyPec/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRL5Cp_mPeo&ab_channel=CreepyNuts
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
Gongfu!
The aroma coming off these leaves is so soothing and mouthwatering with very incense-like notes of sandalwood, clove, and various other spices that carry into the flavours of the cup as well. Though the notes are a little more lush with saccharine notes of floral violet and baked plums, the body is very woodsy and mineral with strong notes of char, roasted nuts, and dark petrified woods. The undertones of spice drift across the palate and down the back of the throat as if they were fog rolling through the hills, leaving a pleasant numbing sensation as they pass! Definitely one of my favourite oolongs that MJ offers!
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DExmv14ptwz/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oUQvTkNRI&abchannel=ThePalms-Topic
When I got this recent W2T order in a lot of people told me I should prioritize tasting this tea specifically, and I can definitely see why. Though I don’t usually love when teas are this tightly compressed, it was worth the effort to pry a chunk off the bar because this is one heck of a smooth and velvety shou with really rich, chocolate-y notes to it. Definitely reminds me of somewhere between a double chocolate muffin and something just a little bit sweeter like a molten lava cake. Very dense and decadent, though!!
Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE0gLaYSSoe/
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tE_dYOMxvf0&ab_channel=MaxFrost
I was so intrigued by your description that I tried to find the tea on the white2tea site, in futility. Unless you got a pre-release sample! Oh well, glad you got to enjoy it!
I believe this one was offered exclusively as part of this past year’s Shulloween cake bundle. Before that I think maybe it was a Tea Club exclusive?
Aaahhhh, okay! Thank you for the lovely review anyway. I have been growing increasingly fond of ripe puers, and am revisiting many in my cupboard with a new appreciation. :-)
Gongfu Sipdown (2738)!
I love how mineral-rich and roasty this tea tasted. That very iconic flavour of “licking a rock” was probably the boldest and more forward flavour of this session but it was supported by heavy notes of char, dark roast coffee, barley, and toasted walnuts and pecans, with a pleasantly light astringency that made me think a lot of eating walnuts straight from the shell around the holidays. Y’know, Nutcracker vibes. Very smooth in the finish, with a lingering dance of spice on the back of the palate.
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DE3PJa6S46x/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqBYZZhOJF4&ab_channel=TheHowl%26TheHum-Topic
