Thé du Hammam

I see here I had this tea already a few years ago, at that time steeping a sample tea bag they had given me in the Angers Palais des Thés shop. This time it´s a tea bag I picked up during a stay at one of the hotels of the Accor group. As I recently spent quite some time away from home, away from my loose tea cupboard, away from my water boiler which can be put to heat up to 60-100ºC, I used quite a few of the tea bags I still had laying about.
Not too fond of most green teas, not too fond of red fruit infusions, so not too fond of this tea, but at least it´s well blended, and is far better quality than what most (even high class) hotels offer.

A beautifully stunning, complex tea. Smells softly of vanilla and something floral (like cornflowers, not jasmine) and sweet. I love this tea. Love like a delicate flower that isn’t too cloying and sweet, yet still magically dances in the breeze joyfully.

Yes, it’s that good.

Wicked cool finding this at Winners. They had quite a few of theirs available but in the end, this was the only one that seemed worthwhile. I won’t be rating this just yet seeing that, in the end, I do have the flu and was luckily sent home today since a co-worker so happened to be scheduled to come in for a shorter mid-shift and was ok with taking my closing hours. All of those times I covered for everyone else has paid off! I insisted on staying if she had plans tonight but she reassured me she didn’t and didn’t mind. Phew, I’ve gotten worse throughout the evening with body aches and fatigue, sorer throat, etc, so I couldn’t imagine being there still.

The dry leaf smells mostly of red fruits, and quite frankly, this aligns with the taste. Granted, my tastebuds are currently compromised, but I bought this before I got sick and it even smelled mostly of red fruits then, as well. Maybe a soft rose note scent-wise, but I’m definitely not getting that in the flavour.

It’s nice to experience a green tea that doesn’t go bitter extremely easily either.

I love it!
¡Me encanta!

Not sure how I forgot about this cold steeping in the fridge… but, I forgot.
This steeped for over 30 hours!
However, for whatever reason this taste creamy with a hint of berry. I quite fancy it.

I have never used the word fancy in a tasting note so now I feel more accomplished today.
The end.

I bought this tea before Christmas from my local Home Goods, which frequently has an amazing selection of bagged and loose tea. I just got home from the city, and I decided to make this in my new tea tumbler. I got it from World Market on sale. I had been wanting to get it for a while. It’s very similar but smaller to the tumbler from Mandala. As I’m writing this, I’m listening to my parent’s dog patter around the house. The dog is now living with me and my grandmother as my sister just found out she has pet allergies. Back on topic. This tea is really nice. It’s a very light green tea, accompanied by a floral taste. I really enjoy floral teas, so this is perfect for me. I can definitely taste the orange flower and rose. This makes me really want to try the The du Hammam black blend. Unfortunately, I really don’t care for the price, so I doubt I’ll buy any. I’ll savor this while it lasts.

This tastes like spring. Flowers and fruit. You’d never know it was supposed to snow tomorrow afternoon. I am a fan, though I can tell it doesn’t take well to oversteeping or overleafing, it gets a bit bitter. For now, I will think of it and not about the fact that it is 23 degrees outside and real winter is here and there are small amounts of snow predicted 3 times in the 10 day forecast. Snow season is here, and I have very mixed feelings about that.

Another double-strength brew, using two of the PdT sachets, then poured over ice. Once again, I find that these flavored greens taste better cold. I’ll be finishing my remainders using this method but will not restock The du Hammam. Summertime is waning fast…

T is for…Thé du Hammam

Is there vanilla in this? I am getting a lot of vanilla today. I checked and there is none so… I feel like the blind tasting challenge on Hell’s Kitchen where you always think the contestants are dumb because they are given a piece of garlic and say its something weird like mango and you’re like “seriously?!” Maybe its the rose? Something sweet and almost creamy…

I am getting citrus too. I have had so many creamsicle teas lately and this tastes like a creamsicle. That’s why I keep thinking vanilla.

I got this from our swap at the Taste of France Festival, I think from greenteafairy. Thanks!

Alas, I think I let this one sit around too long. It’s beautiful – the dry leaf is interspersed with pink and yellow petals. The smell, both dry and brewed, is pleasantly floral. The floral aspect doesn’t translate much into the actual sip though. Mostly I’m getting a grassy flavor with a dry mouthfeel and just a hint of rose. Pleasant enough, but I don’t think this is at all what the tea was supposed to taste like. Shame. I’m not giving a rating, since it’s not the poor tea’s fault that I callously neglected it.

Hey by the way, another sipdown.