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Cameron B. drank Dandelion & Elderflower by Trankebar

4076 tasting notes

Sipdown! (38 | 254)

From my Sips by box this month!

This one is is an interesting combination, though I will say I don’t feel like the name is representative of the flavors. I don’t taste the dandelion (I assume root?) at all, it’s mostly a super mild black tea with elderflower and strawberry jam flavors. The first time I steeped it, I used my normal ratio of 8 ounces of water per sachet, but it was a bit weak. I noticed the wrapper recommends only 200ml per sachet, so I tried that for the second pot, and it’s a bit better. But it’s still a very light/subtle tea. The black tea adds some body, but not much in the way of flavor other than a vague woodiness.

I do like the combination of elderflower with strawberry, but I can’t help but feel it would make a bit more sense on a white, green, or oolong base. And perhaps a hint of lemon would be nice, too! :)

(P.S. – Am I the only one who didn’t realize that elderflower and elderberry are from the same tree? Now I just feel dumb… ^^’)

Flavors: Elderflower, Floral, Hay, Honey, Jam, Pollen, Smooth, Strawberry, Sweet, Woody

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 14 OZ / 400 ML

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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, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- July Sipdowns: 3
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 69

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