23 Tasting Notes

86
drank MateVana by Teavana
23 tasting notes

Still feeling under the weather after being sick now for three weeks. Doc has me off work and I’m feeling a bit drained, so I thought I’d have a cup of mate which always seems to perk me up nicely!

This cuppa is no exception. After drinking it I feel more alert and energized than I have in days. The chocolate and mate compliment each other nicely, and it creates a nice strong brew. A little bit nutty and sweet on its own, many more of the flavours come out with sweetening. It has a great smooth mouth feel, and is quite malty.

I can’t thank ToiToi enough for this sample! :) It’s my first introduction to Teavana, and it didn’t disappoint. There are no Teavana’s in my area, so depending on how some other samples turn out, I just may have to put in an order… sigh I think I have a problem! LOL

Preparation
Boiling 6 min, 0 sec
Sil

also, since you ARE coming to toronto, there are lots of teavana’s here. Would give you a chance to open and smell all the teas :)

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77

Many thanks to Allie who was kind enough to swap for a generous sample of this tea!

I have to say, I quite enjoyed it. It’s not the best chai I’ve ever tasted, but the chocolate flavour and the hints of vanilla that came through were very enjoyable. It smells wonderful and fills the house with a spicy aroma. I added some sweetener to this, as I always prefer my chais sweetened, and it ended up being a very nice cuppa. Comforting, complex, and overall an interesting blend. Maybe not something I’d keep on hand in bulk, but definitely in small quantities when I get a craving for something like this.

Thanks again, Allie, you rock! :)

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec
Allie

I’m glad you enjoyed it!

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80

With all the red leaf teas I’ve tried, the flavour is INTENSE! (which, for the record, I rather like! :)) It smells strongly of fortified wine, such as a port or a sherry, which is odd considering marsala is a white wine… the cinnamon isn’t as prominent as I feared it would be… it’s actually very well balanced. I find that’s very difficult to achieve given the distinctiveness of the flavour. It lends a sweetness to the tea that is unexpected. Perhaps it is the cinnamon that makes it more sherry-like. The black tea base is perhaps what gives it a red wine characteristic from the tannins. All of the aforementioned qualities make this a lovely after supper sipper.

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87

Ohmygoodness. I really enjoy this tea! It’s not for the faint of heart (or overly-sensitive tastebuds) because boy, this flavour sure does pack a wallop!

I really enjoy rooibos and honeybush at night because of the lack of caffeine. I usually go for vanilla, chocolate, or caramel-flavoured ones, however with my great love of wine, this was one I just couldn’t pass up.

What a wonderfully rich flavour! You really can taste the cabarnet wine, alone with something sweet. The rooibos is lovely, and brews up deep red. The aroma on is almost a little chocolate-y, but you can also definitely get some fuity notes as well.

The taste is astounding. I really love it! Sweet, rich, and sophisticated. The flavour is exceptionally strong and distinctive though, so I can see why it wouldn’t be for everyone. However, it most definitely is one for me! Loved it! Just what I needed to finish up the accounting and get ready to curl up with a good book. :)

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86

So, it’s been three weeks now of the flu. It started off with head cold symptoms which quickly changed into a very high fever and all that comes with it. I thought I was on the mend as it faded back into cold symptoms, however it did settle on my chest, which I have to take an inhaler for. Unfortunately it appears that this jerk of a virus isn’t done with me yet as I woke up today with major sinus issues, glass in my throat, nauseated etc… not fun at all. So I’m sick, tired, and frustrated of not feeling well for three weeks now. I called in sick to work, hubby is gone to his work and now I’m at home trying my darndest to still be productive and studying advanced accounting theory… with flu symptoms that make it ridiculously difficult to concentrate… fun fun (not).

So all this leads to the tea rating. I need a pick-me-up desperately as well as some caffeine so I don’t fall asleep atop this dreadful book, and the most comforting thing in the world for me (as I suspect is the case with many of my female friends out there) is CHOCOLATE. So I start searching through my substantial tea stash in search of the perfect chocolate tea…. one is too minty, the other too malty, the other made with mate, and so on and so forth. Then I light up with a grin as I remember the samples jessiwrites was so kind to send me! A lovely Della Terra tea will hit the spot perfectly, or so I suspect… I quickly kiss the small bag with delight, blow my snotty nose and put the kettle on.

This stuff smells delightful dry, folks. And the white tea looks darker than I’m accustomed to, but still beautiful and delicate. I resist the urge to eat the little chocolate bits and instead put them into the infuser where they belong… I let it steep for a little longer as I like my tea strong. The smell of the liquor doesn’t disappoint… however there is a little oily residue floating atop the peach-coloured liquid…. not sure how I feel about that…

This is just what the doctor ordered. Light on the tummy, absolutely scrumptious, chocolatey goodness. reminds me a lot of the white chocolate rabbits I used to get as a child at Easter. It is rich and creamy and the residue doesn’t phase me at all after all. Comfort in a cup. What a lovely surprise. Thanks so much jessiwrites. You’ve made this sick little girl feel just a little better today! :)

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 5 min, 0 sec
jessiwrites

Yay! I’m glad I could help you through a rough day with some yummy tea. <3

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Many thanks to QueenOfTarts for this wonderful sample! Wow! I have to say I’m impressed! One of the best dessert teas I’ve had in a long time. Like most people who’ve had this tea, I agree with the assessment that the black tea is kind of hidden in the mix, and I’m not getting a whole lot of cheesecake flavours coming through… however what I AM getting is a whole lot of yumminess! :) You can definitely taste the pumpkin, and the spice, and also the caramel (which, for the record, is one of my all-time favourite things!) and they blend together in a sweet concoction that’s all-around delicious! I’m not a huge pumpkin fan, but in this context, it’s quite nice. Thanks again for the lovely tea! I’ll be enjoying this one for some time to come! :)

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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85

Straight forward and consistent. It’s like a good book or a best friend that you can turn to in crisis… not the kind of friend you party with, but the old, reliable kind that just gets better with every sip. Better sweetened, and a fairly fruity aroma which is unusual for a black tea… slightly astringent, but not unpleasantly so. The kind of tea to have on hand at all times as it’s so reliable and economical. A pleaser for sure!

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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84

I’m sitting here in training at work, learning about employment expenses. This lovely vanilla and bergamot cuppa heaven is the only thing keeping me from losing my mind. It has a wonderful calming effect, is soothing, and the black tea has enough caffeine to keep me from nodding off mid-section. Nice astringency, great aroma, and an overall well-rounded tea. The black leaves are fairly large and of good quality. I love watching the little blue corn flowers open up and then bleach to pretty white petals floating around in my glass tea tumbler. Puts a smile on my otherwise bored face. :)

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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87

Many thanks to Kiaharii for sending me this sample! WOW!I love this tea! I’m normally not a big blackberry fan, at ALL, so I was very skeptical. Hubbie is a big Doctor Who fan though, and I’m a big fan of the new series myself (haven’t had a chance to watch the old ones yet, stay tuned!) so given all of that, I just HAD to try it if given the opportunity. The blackberry paired with the vanilla is BRILLIANT. Finally a way I can enjoy blackberries! :) This was a great cup of flavoured tea, and I can’t wait to get started on the old doctor who episodes, teacup in hand! :)

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec

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Bio

Self-professed foodie, wino, and tea-aholic. I love good food and good company, and along with that goes good times shared over a pot of tea.

When it comes to tea, I don’t discriminate. I like it all. Straight, flavoured, white, black, like it all. That being said, quality does matter and I’ve got to be in the mood. When it comes to flavoured teas, I like them BIG and BOLD. I’m particularly fond of vanilla, both scent and flavours so I’m still on a mission to find the best vanilla-flavoured tea. So far vanilla orchid by DAVIDs is winning, but I have a ways to go before I declare a winner!

Always open to swapping and talking with other like-minded people. Feel free to get in touch or follow me! :)

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Mount Pearl, Newfoundland

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