652 Tasting Notes

Another sample from the generous Angel!

Before brewing this (Western style for me), I had finished a mug of the Superfine Keemun Mao Feng that I have recently been super impressed by.

I wasn’t sure what to expect of a “red black” tea.

First sip, I was surprised at how…sour (?) it seemed to taste on my tongue!

Not BAD, but nowhere near as sweet as the aforementioned Keemun.

It was a light color, and it had sort of a strange taste that felt somehow familiar to me, but I couldn’t place my finger on it. The closest I came was like kind of a bitter raisins taste. But I’m not entirely sure.

I appreciate the opportunity to try this one, but it’s not one I would purchase.
Perhaps gong fu style would make a big difference overall.

I’m not rating this time around because I feel like I need to try my second sample first :)

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74

Huh.

This was pretty good for a sludgy, artificially flavoured tea!

I saw the newsletter where it was unveiled, and knew I’d have to at least try it. So i was at the mall recently and picked up 50g. I was going to get 25 grams as per usual, but the smell of the leaves in the can in the store, along with the knowledge that it’s a fleeting flavour…. i had to get 50.

I made some earlier, here at work, and I accidentally put too much cream in it. I use 10% cream. I had to add the cream to my cup before the tea was ready, rather than standing around uselessly waiting for it to steep (time is money, people), and i added too much, so this was very light even though I let it steep forever.

I HAVE read other reviewers comment on this brewing up quite light for an EG, therefore the cream thing may not have totally been my fault.

Anyway, though it came with the typical layer of oily sludge in my cup, the flavours in this tea are really tasty. I found it was all very well balanced, and the milk/cream made me not mind the sludge. The rose and bergamot makes the fake chocolate thing take a backseat, so it wasn’t at all bad!

I don’t regret buying 50 grams, I’m sure it will come in handy as a desserty tea treat at work :)

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86

This is the first tea I tried out of the generous bunch of samples sent to me by Angel of Teavivre.

I don’t know WHY, given that I’ve only tried a few in my lifetime, but when I see the word “Keemun” I always get a little nervous, because I expect them to be smoky. I don’t really do smoky teas, I don’t really dig them.

I was SO pleasantly surprised when I tried this! I absolutely LOVED it!!

Wow. It was such a rich, bright, flavourful cup of tea. A bit of malt, and honey and raisin notes, and not even 1% smoke!

It’s not at all what I expected. It was such an enjoyable cup that I will absolutely order some in the future. Thanks so much Angel, for allowing me to try something I otherwise would have balked at!

Uniquity

I’m pretty excited to try this one. I think it is one of the samples I received recently as well!

DeliriumsFrogs

Adding this to my ‘wish list’! :)

Sil

i’m curious as to how this will compare to the other keemun i love from teavire. I’ve got this one here to try.

Fjellrev

I get nervous for the same reason so I’m going to have to try this one!

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90

My goodness.

This is a sample I had chosen with my last Teavivre order, and one I will definitely be purchasing next time.

It’s incredibly flavorful, malty, raisiny, and BREADY. Mmmmmm, bread tea!

I steeped Western style as per my norm, and did two steeps per half of the sample bag. It is NOT a disappointing tea!

It’s so flavourful and clean tasting. Not sure how better to describe that. It’s a bright, juicy, delicious cup of tea.

WISHLISTED!

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70

SIPDOWN!

Finally. Finished. This. Ginormous. Tin.

Not one I loved. The flavour profile didn’t really appeal to me. A little too smoky. I like a malty, chocolatey black tea, or a fruity raisiny one…

It was nice and bold and worked great with milk/cream in it for breakfast, but the taste of this one just wasn’t my cup of tea.

I’m happy to see it gone so I can work on others!

R.I.P. Queen Catherine…your empty tin will be put to good use :)

Indigobloom

I loooove this one. But its funny, every once in a blue it takes on a profile I’m not so sure about. Wish I could figure it out!

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87

Regrets…so many regrets.

I wish I had ordered more of this one, especially considering how much of a fan I was/am of Crimson Horizon as an unflavored tea.

This is delicious. Very nutty. Not overly sweet, but definitely mildly dessert-like. I plan to resteep with a bit of sugar, to make it extra dessert-like.

I added a splash of 10% cream, which is how I like Crimson Horizon. It’s a good, strong, sturdy black tea – my favourite. The addition of the praline flavour just throws me over the edge of awesome.

I’m face-palming myself also because I didn’t order ANY of the Pistachio Horizon. So disappointed in myself and my terrible decision making skills. :(

IF YOU HAVE THIS AND HATE IT, SELL IT TO MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :)

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82

Strange, how our tastebuds surprise us sometimes! I’m finding a lot of these surprises with the last batch of Butiki teas I ordered.

This is one I didn’t order myself, because it seemed like one which wouldn’t appeal to me. However, Stacy noticed this and very kindly threw it in, because she enjoyed it so much she thought I should definitely try it.

I was hesitant, but it’s really good! I steeped it twice at work yesterday. I would never have thought to put melon with espresso flavour, but it somehow actually works!

I feel like these last few months have really seen some amazing and very unique flavour blends come from Butiki, SUCH a shame that this is the end!

I am definitely savouring all of the ones I bought, however :)

Kittenna

Isn’t it a weird but successful combo?? I haven’t written my tasting note yet but I enjoyed it too!

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83

Made a cup of this at work to enjoy this afternoon. It really is plummy and cakey. I swear I think i can even sense the cashew notes.
I really enjoyed my cup and I’m going to try adding a sprinkle of sugar to the next one just to see what happens :)

Sad that this is the end!
My last massive Butiki order came in last week, but the mailman left a delivery notification so we could pick it up at the post office. Well, we had Snowmageddon part two on Saturday, so we didn’t leave the house. My husband had to go out yesterday so he offered to pick this up for me. I wasn’t entirely sure what the slip was for, because I am waiting for a couple different things.

Anyway, he gets home and he says (sarcastically, as always) – “Good news, it was more tea”

Then he proceeded to open my tea cupboard, pull everything out and show his cousin how much tea i have. Then he gestured to my tea shelf, where all my tins are. And his cousin opened the other cupboard where my most frequently drank teas are and gestured at those.

And my husband says “And that’s not counting all the tea you probably have hiding somewhere”

I told him I actually am not even hiding any. But that I would have hidden this latest box if I’d been the one to pick it up. Truth.

Ah well. I told him the company is one of my all time faves and they’re closing so I had to stock up so shut up about it.

JEEZ!

Fjellrev

Damn straight you had to! And the name of this tea makes me drool.

Sil

hahaha yeah i’m not looking forward to the 3?4? things that are inbound to my house…they are not small orders…

mrmopar

LOL! Don’t let him see my "cupboard"on here. I got busted today as well….

Nattie

Tea shaming is the worst. I have three huge orders coming in too, imma try to hide them…

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92
drank Not So Vanilla by Tippy's Tea
652 tasting notes

I want to drink this every night. The great thing is, since it’s more affordable than GO, I feel like I’m allowed to drink it, I don’t have to mete it out by the leaf, clinging to it for as long as possible because it’s a “special” tea for rare occasions.

This is delicious and I don’t feel bad drinking it as often as i please.

It’s thick and rich and smooth and allllll vanilla. I will buy more. Oh yes.

DeliriumsFrogs

I love reading your notes on this tea. :D I’m so glad you found something more affordable that you love (I know how that is, feeling like teas are so special you can’t drink them as much as you’d like).

Sil

can’t wait to try mine from the girls..

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92
drank Not So Vanilla by Tippy's Tea
652 tasting notes

Made another cup of this earlier, just finished it.
It had been a couple days so I just had to come back to tell you how delicious it is.

“Not So Vanilla” is a misleading name, it should be called “Tons’o’Vanilla”.

Or, you know… “SO Vanilla”

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Bio

name change alert – going from whatshesaid to ohfancythat

Hello!

I love tea. I love my mini-me daughter, my husband, my dog Wally, Netflix, shopping, and tea. Some other stuff too, but these are the most important!

Some favourites -

My new favourite tea company is A Quarter to Tea. I love the flavouring used and how it doesn’t seem fake, and the combinations are so delicious. Right up my alley.

My favourite teas are black, I love Laoshan Black and Taiwanese Wild Mountain Black tea from TTC. Also many of Teavivre’s black teas.

Butiki teas RIP, I loved how the flavours were subtle and not fake tasting and didn’t overwhelm the tea base. Trust that I am dramatically mourning the loss of this company!

Teavivre, Whispering Pines and Mariage Freres are some more tea companies I appreciate. Along with Davidstea as it was the ‘gateway drug’ to my tea addiction. Though I’m mostly over it now, I’ve definitely moved on from the artificially flavoured teas and am trying more quality straight teas!

My ultimate goal is to try as many French teas as possible – and to finally find a source in Canada for Mariage Freres so I can buy Wedding Imperial, and Black Orchid for sure.

I would like to try any Taiwanese Assams that exist in the world!

Also continuously on the hunt for Fauchon – La Naissance. If anyone has some of this I would pay for it!!! It’s my number one all time favourite tea.

When I rate, it goes like this:

85 -100 = WIN! awesome, I love this and keep it on hand
70 – 85 = pretty darn good but I don’t NEED to own it
55 – 70 = not necessarily terrible but not a tea for me!
30 – 55 = missed the mark as far as I am concerned. Wouldn’t drink it willingly.
0 – 30 = I likely won’t rate this low very often, so if you see it, consider the tea a great big FAIL and probably disgusting.

Location

New Brunswick, Canada

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