White Chocolate

Oh my freakin’ word! This freakin’ tea is freakin’ amazing!!
Don’t know why I keep saying freakin’….I guess I just haven’t tried a new tea that’s “wow-ed” me THIS much before. It’s crazy!
I had wanted to get it when Butiki Teas was still opened, but didn’t have the chance because when I went to order it, I ended up with an email about it being sold out. :(
Didn’t think I’d have the chance to try this one, but thanks to the incredibly generous VariaTEA for this tea!!!
After two cups of it, I still don’t know what to think-it’s like nothing I’ve ever had.
The base of this blend looks like PTA….I think it is because it really tastes like it, but I’m not entirely sure. So correct me if I’m wrong! It was really malty, and kinda almost fruity. I wouldn’t say it tasted like white chocolate tons, but it did taste like it just enough to make you think of white chocolate. White chocolate and the base tea just blend so perfectly together. And it’s soo smooth. I’m so impressed!
I absolutely adore this tea! So thankful I got a chance to try it! Thank you so so much VariaTEA!!!! :D :D

Edit Also just realized this is my 700th tasting note! Woot! :D

Yum! I had this with rice milk in my travel mug. Not sure if I would call the flavor white chocolate per se, but it is creamy, malty, and vaguely chocolate-y. Wonderful start to the day. Bonus points for being a black tea that doesn’t make my stomach hurt. Thanks for the swap Dustin!

This is disappointing. I don’t get really any white chocolate flavour, even tho there are a few some small white choc chips in the bag. It’s just an average tasting, a bit bitter black tea. Tastes like a very basic decent grocery store black brand.

I tried this tonight for the first time and honestly, it’s just not my favorite. I found it basically just tasted like tea. No white chocolate flavoring to be found anywhere. In a blind taste test, I would never have guessed what this was. At least the base was nice, if not slightly astringent. It had honey notes and a sweet, generic fruitiness along with hints of breadiness. However, with that said, I used a tea bag to brew this cup and it was quite full so I think I’ll postpone my rating until I have tried this brewed in a filter where the leaves have more space to spread out and move around.

Thank you so much, Kittenna, for the sample!

I am weak, I added coconut milk creamer. And the tea is still screaming hot as I’ve steeped it in my camping mug. (Because why not.)

But! It smells amazing. It tastes delicious, if a little burny. Definitely vanilla-cocoabutter-malty-raisin. Haha. Sounds weird, probably. But I love the base on this tea as it’s so smooth and sweet. The white chocolate tastes good on top of it, but I’m mostly getting base. That might be my fault for adding creamer.

Definitely something I’d try again, if I could… but I’m happy to have had this taste.

I just used the sample baggie for 12 oz. So… whatever that was!

Sipdown (121)!

Today’s word of the day is Paradigm. Before I give you guys the definition; I’m just gonna share a personal story; when I first learned this word in highschool I did so by reading it; so for longer than I care to admit I said this as “Para-Dig-Em”. Embarrassing. You should be saying/reading it as “Para-Dime”.

The meaning!? 1. an example to show how something is to be done : model : pattern; 2. a theoretical framework in a discipline of science within which theories, laws, and experimentation are formulated. And now you know.

- In a timolino
- Just a touch bitter (perhaps oversteeped or doesn’t travel well in a timolino though)
- Buttery with cream, vanilla, and cocoa notes
- Least impressive cup of this one so far
- Still, this was relatively nice and I’m happy I tried it!

This tea was a disappointment, which surprised me because I’ve loved almost everything I’ve ever tried from Butiki. The dry leaf had only the faintest sweet aroma and I only found 2 white chocolate chips in the whole 1-ounce bag (though, to be fair, I bought this in a stash sale and the previous owner may have used up some of the chocolate when they sampled it). And all I taste is the base; not even a hint of chocolate. Fortunately, the base is delightfully malty and full-bodied, so I’ll still enjoy this tea. I just wish I could actually taste the white chocolate!

Tea split with the most recent Butiki order. I gave it only 3 minutes, to try and keep the base tea from overtaking the white chocolate flavouring (if that’s a possibility, I’m not sure).

I’m not overly fond of the aroma from the bag – it smells artificial, though I suppose white chocolate is artificial to begin with… Aroma from the steeped cup is similar. The flavour, however, is more enjoyable – I’m definitely not getting the full effect of the base tea (as I fail to with all the PTA blends), and it’s softened quite a bit by a noticeable but rather mild creaminess. It doesn’t particularly taste like white chocolate to me, although something creamy and more chocolatey actually is starting to emerge in the after-aftertaste, and it’s rather pleasant. I’m not sure I want to be drinking a tea for the flavour that doesn’t show up in your mouth until 5-10 seconds post-sip! (But it’s kind of interesting, regardless).

Won’t be a blend I’m going to miss once it’s gone (if it’s not already), and I’m happy enough to have split the bag and be sampling some out so I don’t have as much to drink.

Butiki tea blasphemy. I’m not very impressed with this.
The base is lovely. Gorgeous black tea base…. white chocolate though? I’m not getting any of that. Instead I’m getting a touch of something floral, which is not unpleasant, just not what I expected.
Hmm. Ah well, it can’t all be flawless.

Taiwanese assam? I don’t think I have ever met these long twisty leaves before! It has a creaminess to it and something else I can’t put my finger on. It is almost floral, but only a tiny bit. There were a few white chocolate chips in my infuser, but I didn’t see any sugar bits which were probably hanging out at the bottom of the bag. Once I add a little sugar I can pick out some white chocolate at the end of the sip, but it isn’t a super bold taste for me. What really shines through for me is the tea base which is pretty tasty. I might try leafing a little heavier on the next cup and giving the bag a little upside down shake.
I dumped out the steeped leaves in my hand to check them out and found a couple chips that hadn’t melted away. They tasted good which was the floral taste I’m getting. I don’t know how my brain registers white chocolate as floral! Lately I have been steeping at 205 when teas say to use boiling and I may have gone wrong with that choice for this tea. I have some adjustments to make for next time!