Tea Swap Sample Sipdown of the Day! (2)

This swap sample comes from VariaTEA. The name was too tempting to pass up!

Unfortunately, I’m not getting a whole lot out of this tea. There is a nice bit of tart raspberry/blackberry flavor, but otherwise it tastes a little chalky? And I’m definitely not getting maple or waffles. The base tea is mellow with light musty and woody notes.

Ah well, they can’t all be winners! ;)

Withholding a rating since I’m not sure how old the tea is.

Flavors: Artificial, Blackberry, Musty, Raspberry, Smooth, Tart, Wood

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Mastress Alita

How can anyone take blackberries, maple, and waffles, put those three things together, and screw it up? Wrong, just wrong!

Cameron B.

Hah, to be fair it’s possible it’s lost a bit of flavor.

VariaTEA

It is on the older side so that is probably the issue. However, I had it not too long ago and it was still flavorful. Perhaps I just know what this tasted like fresh and my brain did the work at imagining it is still there…

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Mastress Alita

How can anyone take blackberries, maple, and waffles, put those three things together, and screw it up? Wrong, just wrong!

Cameron B.

Hah, to be fair it’s possible it’s lost a bit of flavor.

VariaTEA

It is on the older side so that is probably the issue. However, I had it not too long ago and it was still flavorful. Perhaps I just know what this tasted like fresh and my brain did the work at imagining it is still there…

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- September Sipdowns: 7
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 126

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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