Caramel Apple Betty

From Dustin!  Thanks so much!  I always wanted to try this one.  Visually, it looks like a really balanced blend of black tea with apple and cinnamon pieces.  It tastes very good!  I have only had one other tea that I remember with fenugreek in it, which was also supposed to be caramel flavored, so I think the fenugreek is really carrying that caramel flavor.  Along with a nice balanced apple and cinnamon flavoring.  Second steep is also full of flavor!  Drinking this, I could swear I have had this blend from another shop, or something similar but I KNOW I haven’t had the Arthur Dove before… I will try a couple apple teas around here to remind me.  This tea tastes exactly as it says it should, so completely meets expectations, but I think that my beloved Simpson & Vail Apple Cinnamon French Toast still can’t be beat.. but that is impossible to my tastebuds anyway.  This tea would be my second choice!  So I really appreciate trying this new favorite.  I didn’t see this before steeping the tea up… but it’s interesting this is mentioned as being a Sri Lankan tea, as I was hunting down Sri Lankan teas for the book I’m reading:  The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida.  (But that doesn’t mean I want to drink a string of Ceylon teas…)
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 21 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 5 minute steep (unintentionally)

Another April 2022 sipdown prompt: A Caramel Tea.

From Kawaii, the sweetest Steepster <3

What a well composed tea. The apple is natural and bright, like a cross between a fresh mild apple and dried apple rings, the caramel flavor is not cloying (from the one who is not a fan of caramel flavoring), accented by a ribbon of cinnamon. The hint of fenugreek lends a soft depth to the caramel by nature of its maple-like character. Gentle sweetness and tanginess all around, a decent bright and coppery Ceylon base tea. Today it tended to go a little bitter as it cooled; best when hot! The only thing missing is a touch of pastry to make it a Betty.

It’s a humble tea with a strong sense of self.

After the banana fudge, I tried this one. Now this one is a winner. Can clearly taste the apple, slightly tangy too, with cinnamon, sweetness (but not sickenly sweet at all, tasted more natural type of flavoring), and yummy caramel notes. This one is a keeper.

Ooooh… I liked this a lot!

Very full bodied and brisk black tea with a whole lot of nuttier and grain oriented notes and just a hint of natural smokiness as well. It felt like such a beautiful and grounded based to layer on top this hint of more woody warming cinnamon, bright sweet green apple, a gentle fennel sweetness, and a lovely simple caramel note. It all clicked together and just seemed really balanced. I could taste intention in the way this was composed which is just a lovely feeling to get when you drink a tea. A marriage of artistry with beautiful, delicious flavours.

I have no idea what a caramel apple betty was and had to look it up. Looks similar to an apple pie, but with caramel. I approve. I’m always hopeful, yet skeptical that a tea will properly deliver on the flavors of it’s namesake. This tea seems to do alright at that. It smells very caramel apple like. It’s a little light on the sip, but I get some apple on the tea base. The finish is where all the flavors come out. I get a clear caramel apple flavor and a slight sweet sensation. My cup has cooled now and I’m enjoying it a little less than when it was hot. I was distracted from my cup trying to read the inauguration morning news and there is a lot of it! Time to resteep and psyche myself up for grocery shopping! :/