4073 Tasting Notes

84
drank Nutty & Spice by DAVIDsTEA
4073 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #9 -A nutty tea

I thought I didn’t have a tea suiting this prompt around here at the moment — BUT IT’S IN THE NAME.  I think I treat these prompts too literal most of the time.  I don’t really think of this tea as “nutty” anyway.  But it’s always a solid steep.  And not like any other blend I have tried in my tea life.

ashmanra

I definitely do not treat the prompts too literally! Ha ha! I will be as creative as necessary to find something to fit the bill!

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78
drank April Siesta by 52teas
4073 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #8 -An herbal tisane

I’d like to think this is one of the more unique tasting blends from 52Teas!  Not many of these ingredients are used very often, as far as I know.  It’s on odd sendoff as this last bit somehow tastes different, and it has been one of the blends I have focused on lately, so have had a couple of times recently (and is fresh in my memory!).  Just the shuffle of the ingredients, I guess.  This time it’s more spring time meadow than heavy on the licorice. 
2023 sipdowns: 97

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94

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #7 – An oolong tea

Getting VERY few and far between on these sipdowns.  Almost only one month to go to catch up!  I’m enjoying what I drink anyway, and that is what is important.  This was such a classy, CLASSIC oolong.  Going strong after probably eight years.  Was delicious then, still delicious now.  I’m sure the flavors are more muted by now.  But I’m glad it isn’t a great oolong that will sit around waiting to be steeped up any longer. Also, I managed to not buy ANY teas for black friday this year! YEAH. Also, still 34 pages behind on reading tasting notes. I was hoping to get caught up by the time you guys had the avalanche of advents!
2023 sipdowns: 96

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88

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #6 -Nov 21 – National Gingerbread Cookie Day

I had this one a day late, as it was the closest thing I had to this prompt.  But then, I slapped my forehead as I am at this very moment drinking B&B’s Gingerbread Chai and didn’t realize it fit the prompt much better!  doh.  Anyway, Mince Pie will be fitting tomorrow for a second steep.   I like BOTH teas. I hope all who celebrate have a lovely Thanksgiving tomorrow.

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90
drank Keemun Finest by Zen Tea
4073 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #5 – A bold tea

This was certainly one of Zen’s “finest” teas, not like that is what the name actually means, and also most of Zen’s teas were teas I wanted to keep steeping!  I’d say I was a repeat buyer of most of the teas I tried from Zen. The crew at Zen had good tea tastes, which is why I’m extra sad they stopped selling tea.  I have never bought any teaware from them, as I don’t really buy any teaware at all.  The tea leaves are vast around here but the teaware is few. haha.  Though I do admire when some of you have the perfect vessels for teas or occasions for drinking them!  Anyway, this is certainly a very flavorful tea, even after all these years, I’m impressed.  Rich with that classic CLASSIC Keemun flavor I can never describe — maybe like lychee mixed with bittersweet/dark chocolate?    Definitely a classic keemun.  I will miss this tea.  No back up pouches!
2023 sipdowns: 95

Flavors: Dark Chocolate, Lychee

ashmanra

I bought both tea and teaware from them, and I miss several of the teas but also most of the teaware says “sold out” when you shop on the site. I enjoyed purchasing from them and wish they could have had better luck with their tea sales.

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98
drank I Gotta Colada by Tiesta Tea
4073 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #4 – A tea that makes you feel cozy

A sipdown of a sampler size and yet I’m already panicking as updating my stock list, I see that I’m already down to only SIX sample pouches left! Oh no.  I consider this a cupboard staple as it really does make me feel cozy, especially in summer.  It’s also a very consistently brewed blend.  Tiesta’s current teas really don’t inspire me to buy at this point.  I wish they still had this one available.  It’s a genius blend.  But I’m GRATEFUL I was able to try this blend at all (because of Steepster of course — a swap with Ost) and then doubly grateful when I noticed it was being discontinued soon enough to buy it.
2023 sipdowns: 94

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85
drank Smoky Spice Black Tea by 52teas
4073 tasting notes

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #3 – A smoky tea

It’s in the name!  There was an awkward amount of leaf left, and I’d rather have a too strong cup of chai rather than two steep sessions that are disappointingly weak.  So into the infuser it all went.  I do not regret it!  I probably should have been using more leaf the entire lifetime of the tea.  It’s much better stronger.  It’s slightly smoky while having a sweet aspect to it.  A decent amount of spices and then I can also tell there is some of the honeybush flavor peeking through.  I just noticed there was also vanilla bean in this one and somehow I always miss tasting vanilla in all 52Teas blends. I think I will raise the rating from an 82 because this is a well balanced blend (and again, I bet the overleafing usually improves a tea IMO.) I am extremely behind on my sipdown goal, which is a given, as I’m still away from the majority of my tea collection.   
2023 sipdowns: 93

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84
drank Guava Cadabra by DAVIDsTEA
4073 tasting notes

Huh, I haven’t written a note for this one yet?? It’s a damn decent fruity herbal! Bolder with a many minute steep, syrupy. Many fruits here but the flavor that does mostly take center stage is “guava”. I like it! A deep fuchsia brew but NOT tart. Not hibiscus tart. I wouldn’t have even guessed there was hibiscus here. But… maybe the hibiscus has faded with age?!?! I would normally say all the other flavors fade with age and somehow hibiscus gets stronger, but not here. It’s good stuff! I only have a little remaining now…

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86
drank Glazed Lemon Loaf by Tazo
4073 tasting notes

This is from Cameron B this summer — THANKS as I finally get to try Lemon Loaf which so many of you are always raving about. It is quite a delicious Tazo blend. And looking at these ingredients, I have no idea how most of them are even resulting in this flavor. Ginger? Apple? Licorice? Rose? Chamomile? ALL of these ingredients should result in the opposite of what I’m tasting — which is a lovely lemony dessert, also with the perfect level of sweetness. It’s such a great balance of sweet lemon, with a touch of tart lemon rind, and cream. It’s lovely all around.

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95

Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – November 2023 Tea #2 – Nov 4 – National Candy Day

I just happened to have a Crunch bar with this tea while waiting for my laptop to start up to post this note!  It’s also a candy cane tea, so I get double points for this prompt.  Still a solid peppermint, no caff blend.    The stevia is acceptable here!  (A sentence I never thought I would write.)

ashmanra

Yay for double points!

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Profile

Bio

Hi! I love tea and trying new ones – it adds a bit of variety to my day! Books, music, TV & movies are my thing… and tea, of course.

Some of my favorite tea shops (still operating):
birdandblendtea.com
teavivre.com
52teas.com
svtea.com
whisperingpinestea.com
justea.com
harney.com
Dammann Freres
fusionteas.com
Javateaco.com
Lupicia
Octaviatea.com
Davidstea
eco-cha.com
what-cha.com
singleoriginteas.com
teasenz.com
tealyra.com
Mandala
verdanttea.com

Favorite tea shops (RIP):
butikiteas.com
steapshoppe.com
steepcityteas.com
aquartertotea.com
dellaterrateas.com
zentealife.com
angrytearoom.com
theteamerchant.net
joysteaspoon.com
tealiciousllc.com
Rivertea
Specialteas

My icon photo is Richard Mayhew from the graphic novel ‘Neverwhere’ by Neil Gaiman, Mike Carey & Glenn Fabry.

Most of the teas listed in my cupboard are actually sample sizes. I don’t really have 2,000 ounces of tea around here! Many of my teas have only one teaspoon left… maybe two. But I like keeping them in my cupboard list for reference to what I could be sipping. Usually, I write tasting notes once for each tea. I’m still drinking them, just not writing tasting notes each time!

I’m always in search of: Hattialli, Qu Hao black, Jin Jun Mei, teas using marshmallow root.

My dislikes: hibiscus, ginger (unless in chai), turmeric, bee pollen, charcoal type flavors

My ratings:
95-100 – Super awesome deliciousness favorites – cupboard essential
80-95 – Also pretty delicious
65-80 – Pretty good
50-65 – Okay
1-50 – Probably won’t want to sip it again

I’m planning on being a Steepsterer as long as there IS a Steepster, so if you’re not hearing from me, that means something happened to my health… if you know what I mean. (Or as evidenced by the great computer hiatus of 2019, something happened to my computer… I have a dumb phone so can’t access internet on that. As of 12/20/21 my wifi might start getting unreliable.)

Happy sipping!

Location

USA

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