2403 Tasting Notes
Sipdown! (37 | 358)
Another “just okay” tea from the S&V holiday sampler.
This one is a vanilla and peppermint black tea, though there is some rooibos here as well. It’s quite woody from the rooibos + vanilla combo, and I assume the black base has woody notes as well. The peppermint is fairly restrained, and it’s the more herbal type of peppermint. Luckily, it doesn’t taste musty as peppermint leaf often can.
Mostly just a lightly pepperminty woody black tea. I barely get any vanilla. Meh!
Flavors: Herbaceous, Peppermint, Sweet, Vanilla, Wood
Preparation
Sipdown! (36 | 357)
Another cold brew! I’ve been on a cold brew kick lately because 1) it’s hot, and 2) I haven’t felt much like making and drinking tea, and cold brew is more convenient.
I sort of did a double-take when I tried this one, as it tastes like some kind of ginger ale/cola hybrid. It must be the tulsi that’s giving it a cola feel? Anyway, I’m really enjoying it, and the citrus adds just a bit of acidity as well that’s really refreshing. I don’t really taste green tea per se, but oh well.
Digging it!
Flavors: Citrus, Clove, Cola, Ginger, Lemon, Spices, Sweet, Tart, Tulsi
Preparation
Sipdown! (35 | 356)
Not my favorite cold brew.
It’s quite bland, with the beginning of the sip being mostly rooibos with a bit of butterscotch. The coconut creaminess and buttery notes come out more toward the end of the sip. But just like the hot cuppa, it lacks dimension and feels very flat. I don’t really taste the apple at all when it’s cold, which was really the only contrasting note besides sweet butterscotch.
I suppose it makes sense given sweet and caramel are the main notes in a flan as well, but it’s really not the same without the richness of the cream.
Flavors: Butter, Butterscotch, Caramel, Coconut, Creamy, Sweet
Preparation
Sipdown! (34 | 355)
Finishing this one off with a splash of milk this morning. I don’t often add milk to hot teas, so I always feel a little fancy doing it, ha ha… XD
It holds up to the milk well, still having oodles of malty, raisiny flavor. I can taste a bit of astringency still even with the milk, which is interesting.
Overall, probably not something I need in my cupboard just because I don’t drink Assam often, and this one is rather nondescript. Also, I have a big tin of Assam from Andrews & Dunham that I’m sure will last me forever, heh!
Flavors: Astringent, Brown Sugar, Malt, Raisins, Tobacco
Preparation
Sipdown! (33 | 354)
Enjoying the last bit of this one cold brewed.
It’s just as tasty as it was hot! I seem to like this much more than the other reviewers… It has such a pleasant sweet and slightly fruity herbaceous flavor to it. There’s a bit of hay and oats, like a white tea, but it also almost tastes like elderflower or chamomile as well.
Sweet, gentle, slightly earthy, a hint of apple… Love this one! I really need to get around to try the roasted versions…
Flavors: Apple, Autumn Leaf Pile, Chamomile, Earth, Elderflower, Grain, Hay, Herbaceous, Honey, Mineral, Oats, Raisins, Sweet
Preparation
Sipdown! (32 | 353)
Cold brewed! I’ve never had chamomile cold before, but the other ingredients were just calling out to be cold brewed…
I like it! It’s mostly chamomile, which I find very refreshing iced. Then there’s the cooling mint, and just a kiss of citrus from the lemongrass and orange peel. The chamomile almost reminds me of elderflower when it’s cold.
I will say, I would decrease the amount of chamomile in relation to the other ingredients, just to allow them to shine a bit more. As-is, it’s mostly a chamomile tisane with some supporting flavors. And I do like chamomile, but I’m also wishing for more citrus!
Flavors: Chamomile, Elderflower, Honey, Lemongrass, Mint, Orange
Preparation
Sipdown! (31 | 352)
Another one that I really enjoyed from the National Park sampler!
This has such a wonderful deep and syrupy blueberry jam flavor to it. Very subtle grassiness from the green base and I think a touch of oats and hay from the oatstraw.
It’s like blueberry oatmeal but very heavy on the blueberries hah hah. Another one I’ll need to order a tin of later!
Flavors: Blueberry, Grass, Hay, Jam, Oats, Sweet
Preparation
Sipdown! (30 | 351)
Still loving this one!
The combination of the subtle smoke and subtle bergamot with the longan is so unexpected but lovely. The longan fruit has a lychee-like juiciness that’s mouthwatering, while the slightly savory nature of the lapsang adds a nice contrast.
So, so good. Definitely on the reorder list!
Flavors: Bergamot, Lychee, Savory, Smoked, Smooth, Sweet
Preparation
Sipdown! (29 | 350)
Honestly, this was one of the ones I was least excited for in the National Park sampler, but I ended up really liking it. The combination of the jammy elderberry with the sage and lavender is just so interesting and unusual, but works really well. The herbs are restrained enough that it doesn’t taste like medicine or perfume.
I’m not sure whether I’ll end up reordering this, but it’s definitely up for consideration. That’s saying a lot for a lavender tea, heh… Highly recommend this National Park tea sampler, almost all of the blends are so unusual but lovely! I think there was only one I wasn’t thrilled with, but even that one was still good.
Flavors: Blueberry, Elderberry, Herbs, Jam, Lavender, Sage, Savory, Sweet
Preparation
Elderberry and sage sound like a good fit. I’m a little surprised the lavender additive (hey—that’s a tongue twister—say it five times fast!) didn’t stick out like a sore thumb.
Thanks for your rec on this sampler! Will probably go in my next order from S&V.
I was so thrilled with it after finding the holiday one a bit ho-hum for the most part.
Sipdown! (28 | 349)
This is probably my least favorite of the S&V holiday sampler…
The base tea is very woody, and I don’t taste much else other than a hint of nuts and cinnamon. A bit like biting into a log sprinkled with cinnamon, lol…
Begone, lame tea! :P
Flavors: Cinnamon, Nuts, Wood
