78
drank Holiday Blend by Simpson & Vail
4330 tasting notes

Advent Calendar 2024 – Day 19

Yay, more holiday! Literally this time, ha ha. I’ve never been a huge fan of any of S&V’s holiday black teas, and it makes me so sad. But it’s still fun to revisit them every so often!

This is actually better than I remember it being. Very mellow overall, especially since the black base is cut with rooibos. The peppermint is soft, and somewhere between fresh and herbaceous. I do taste vanilla (yay!), on about equal footing with the peppermint. It’s a lighter, more pillowy vanilla versus a richer, creamier one. Really enjoying it! I don’t know that I would go out and order a tin, mostly because the base is a bit musty and earthy, but happy to have a cupful today. :)

The jam… So today it’s Cherry-Honey Spread. It’s not a honey, it’s primarily a cherry jam, but has honey added. I took a peek at the back of the box, and apparently it’s chestnut honey. So I tasted this, and immediately it reminded me of something, but I couldn’t think of what. It took me a whole piece of toast and half of another to realize it somehow tastes like masa to me. Cherry as well, but definitely masa, even without the toast. Very strange association ha ha! I still enjoyed it, but it felt a bit like eating cherry jam on a corn tortilla (or a cherry jam tamale LOL)!

Flavors: Earthy, Herbaceous, Light, Marshmallow, Mint, Musty, Peppermint, Smooth, Soft, Sweet, Vanilla, Woody

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
Inkling

A cherry jam tamale is an intriguing concept…

Cameron B.

Ha ha, dessert tamales do sound interesting now that you mention it.

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Inkling

A cherry jam tamale is an intriguing concept…

Cameron B.

Ha ha, dessert tamales do sound interesting now that you mention it.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

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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… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- February sipdowns: 5
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 39

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 (or monkfruit, etc.).

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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