The Devotea

Another one from my swap with TerriHarpLady.

To me this one has a bit of a spice to it. I am having a hard time putting my finger on it. It reminds me of menthol a little bit. Kind of like a cough drop without the medicinal flavour. It is very light. It is possible it could be a bit of flavour contamination, but I do not have any other teas that taste like this, that I know of anyway.

The black tea part of this tea is really good. It is a strong black tea but not astringent or bitter. It is also quite smooth.

Another one from Terri HarpLady.

This one is pretty good. I anticipated it to be a bit stronger tea based on the title. I would say it is mild to moderately bold. It is thick, creamy, and smooth. There is a very slight sweetness to the tea. I am getting a metallic tinge in the aftertaste but it is not unpleasant. Given the name two tigers, I feel like this tea is actually two different teas. The first half of the sip is very gentle, it is the smooth and creamy part. The last bit of the sip has a very small bite to it, more like a nip. Slightly rough, with a bit more boldness and with the metallic tinge. To give it a ridiculous metaphor, it is like the first part of the tea is the gentle loving mother tiger, who is nursing her baby. The second half of the sip is the baby tiger starting to get curious about its surroundings, wobbly on its feet, and has to have your constant attention at all times- ridiculous, I know :)

It becomes much more creamy as it cools.

This was a sipdown! (175)
And aside from it having some nice nutmeg/cinnamon spices and a nice black base, there’s not much I can say about it. I ended up getting caught up in work and lost my chance to fully appreciate this tea! :O

But I have a few more from the Devotea that I will enjoy at home, so don’t worry: detailed notes are coming.

Received this from Terri HarpLady.

I was having a difficult time figuring out how to describe this one. It is sweet, smooth, maybe its malty. It is definitely a STRONG tea for sure. Maybe some assam, or some Ceylon? Is that a Darjeeling? I really don’t even know if that is what I am tasting either. I thought maybe my taste buds were off from eating or drinking something. So I started doing some digging. I think the best way to describe this tea is how the company describes it : A blend of seven teas, named after an Regency/Georgian English gentleman with a massive collection of tea. Strong and black.

Fitting considering I spent last night watching, among other things, a documentary on tigers (while my little black cat snuggled on my blanketed stomach no less) and today’s Valentine’s Day (also Lupercalia and the full moon, woot). Just like the other Devotea blends I’ve tried, smooth as all get out while still full of deep black tea flavor. No trace of bitterness here. Agree with some other reviews about there being an earthy minerality, but it’s never funky because much like Finbarr’s Revenge everything stays very clean tasting as well. I get the smoothness and depth of the Chinese tea at the front, and the Indian qualities come out at the back, as it cools. Surprisingly friendly brew, probably a lot more pleasant going down than actually encountering two tigers, one from China and one from India, ambushing you! It did get me wired though, more than the others for some reason.

Now to go prepare for Valentine’s Day festivities. Dorkily enough we’re going to the museum a couple blocks from our house to participate in the Internet Cat Video Festival, ha.

This one feels even stronger in some ways than the other two breakfast blends I’ve tried so far from The Devotea. It’s smooth though, just like they were; the body feels less like a coat but there’s a welcome slight leaf bitterness that works with the smoothness. I might like 1910 a skosh more for the surprising flavors at the end of its sip, but this is nice too. The color in the cup is gorgeous, clear but deep, a warm brown smoothly burnished with a bit of ruby. Breakfast blends! Along with after dinner Assams you are getting me through this endless winter and for that, many thanks.

Giddy ‘cause I made this today for afternoon tea with R, bothering with the whole stovetop fuss ’cause it’s Valentine’s Day and a Friday, and finally I have made some chai at home as good as the one at my favorite local Indian restaurant’s! It’s subtler per the bread pudding focus than traditional Indian chai, but delicious. The smell is wonderful. Yes!

4 teaspoons Breading Pudding Chai
16 oz milk (I think part of the secret is to make sure the milk’s got some fat…you’re already going to the trouble and adding sweetener too, so!)
1 Tablespoon honey

On the stove top at the lowest setting for about 15 to 20 minutes, never letting it really simmer. I went by feel for when to stop, based on color, thickness, and taste testing. Strained and voila. So good!

Generalized chai rant/rambling: I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is about me and chai. I should like it, I always want to like it, I love the spices involved…but it never quite clicks into place. I sense I’m just not doing it right, whether prepared like a standard tea, done with all the effort on the stovetop with milk, or simply cut with creamy sweet additions. Like I’m expecting some magical extra quality like the kind in Indian restaurants, something buttery smooth AND magically warming beyond usual tea, and it never comes or it comes in mere hints or mangled with gross aftertastes or other effects. Hm.

This comes really close though, close enough I think if I can prep it just right I’ll have found my peace. I’ve noticed perplexingly enough while I favor strong spicing in cooking and cocktails in chai I seem to like when things are a little gentler. Herbal Infusions’ Creme Brulee Chai is quite gently spiced as these things go, more on the creamy sweet end of the spectrum as opposed to hotly spiced, and this is also on that end, for the better in my opinion. The smell is fantastic, possibly the best aroma of a chai I’ve tried so far. It really does evoke bread pudding, that rich creamy slightly boozed up haze of baked cinnamon and nutmeg. And it is good made like a standard tea. Then I go mucking things up adding some raw sugar and dairy and it loses its punch and a sticky sickly aftertaste shows up I’m pretty sure wouldn’t otherwise. Eurgh. I’m going to try giving it the latte treatment next time, no added sweetener, and see if that works well. Definitely among my favorite chais tried so far, but I just feel like I could hit perfection if I keep tweaking prep somehow…so close…

Oooh. This is silky slick as oil (without actually being oily, phew!), easy going down but nice and strong too. I love when you get that strength but without the usual corresponding tannic roughness. And I’m getting that mysterious lurking marine quality Terri describes (and loving it).

I had this first thing with cold leftover cashew chicken (not the most traditional, but still the breakfast of champions). Really nice. Thinking of hanging with the Queen shortly (“rain outside so a book and the Queen, peachy keen” popped in my head and well, who am I to argue?).

A really lovely breakfast blend (man, there are so many!). Does that thing many breakfast blends do where for the very first second it feels deceptively straightforward and familiar, but as the flavors sit and dwell in your mouth nuanced surprises come out. That slow transformation is great because you get the best of both parts—the comfort of familiarity at first and then the interest and complexity in the surprise. It’s deep dark and a little bready, but it also has hints of fruit and even, could I be imagining it, an ever-so-slight floral presence. Very nicely balanced, classic tasting dark heft but also a silkiness and just enough brightness to even things out. I could definitely see drinking this again if I find enough other stuff from The Devotea I like to warrant placing a “real” order.

Sample sipdown

I don’t think I need any more caffeine but I guess I couldn’t resist another one today. Thanks to the Devotea for their generosity, this is a yummy chai and I have certainly enjoyed it as you can see from the rating.

Where has the day gone? I feel like I have done f*ck all for today and I have this evening class to go to in a few hours that takes 5 hours a day of my time! Crazy!

Thanks to the Devotea for this sample…

I don’t really know what a bread pudding is supposed to taste like so I’m not the best judge as to what flavor that should be. I am experiencing a significant spike in my stress levels this morning trying to facilitate all of the paperwork that needs to be completed by my doctor’s office in order for me to get back to work. I needed something that was like a comfort tea this morning.

I do love a good chai and this is tasty. I get a LOT of nutmeg in his blend and I can safely say this definitely tastes like a dessert or pastry of some kind even though I’m not sure if it’s a bread pudding. I like the nutmeg, cinnamon and clove in this blend a lot and it’s definitely tasty with some sugar and soymilk. Definitely good as a dessert tea but also hitting the spot as a comforting tea this morning. I may need some more when this sample runs out.

verdict: yum

I love the names that Devotea gives to their teas. TerriHarpLady was kind enough to share a lot of them with me.

I would, no joke, choke to death, if I tried to drink this while holding a sugar cube in my mouth. I am also not a huge fan of sweetening my straight blacks, so I tried this one straight.

It is delicious straight. It actually has some sweetness to it. I am finding it moderately bold, very smooth, slightly creamy, a bit of earthiness. There is no astringency. I definitely see this tea as an afternoon delight. I certainly could see it as a tea fit for a princess!

A pleasantly strong and sweet chai, best served sweet, hot and milky.

Not having the original packaging, I wasn’t sure how to steep this as it has both white and black teas in it. A quick web search and off we go with boiling water and a 3 minute steep. My quick search led me to Lord Devotea’s blog. If you aren’t already reading it, you should. A lot of wit and occasional insight :D So anyway, I learned they grow their own oranges and lavender. Back to this tea. The aroma is much as expected from the list of ingredients but on lighter side. The taste made me reread the ingredients. My first thought was light cinnamon and light pepperiness. That is what my brain translated from my first big swig. Going back and sipping slowly I first encounter natural bergamot morphing quickly into orange. Late in the sip it changes to light lavender. I mention light because I find lavender to usually be overwhelming. It fits very nicely here. The more the cup cools the more I taste the base especially in the aftertaste. This truly is well balanced and quite different from anything I have had before. There is enough depth for those who want it and there is simple relaxation for those who need it. I did add sweetener because that is how I roll.

First off, thank you Terri Harplady for swapping with me. It is my suspicion Ms Theresa was out of the room while little Terri stuffed the box. My lands Terri you doubled the number of teas I have. I won’t tell Ms Theresa if you don’t.

I started sorting the box to decide which teas to drink first. My plan was to begin the assault with green teas as I think they age quickest. But then, I spotted an Earl Grey and all reason went out the window. Must drink Earl Grey.

This is a nice one. The level of bergamot is about the same intensity as Twinings but since this uses actual oil of bergamot it is far more complex and less biting. The base tea is extremely smooth when hot. As it cools it picks up some briskness and a little drying. A satisfying cup for Earl Grey enthusiasts and Star Ship Captains everywhere.

Earl Grey hot. Make it so Number One. Engage. Sorry, I’ll stop now. Live long and prosper.

Free sample came courtesy of the Devotea but I am trying to be unbiased… :)

I’ve had this a few times but not prepared the traditional way with boiling the tea and adding milk later, since I’ve been drinking it at the office.

I love ginger and this is indeed very zippy. I added soymilk and one sugar packet to mine. SOme of the other chai elements are not as pronounced as you might ordinarily expect, aside from the ginger this is a fairly mellow blend. Nice and warming for the wintertime.

Funny story: I wear black for my gigs, & my favorite black blouse is too big now, so I have to wear one of those strappy undershirts with the lace inset to avoid showing a very low cut cleavage. So this morning I had all my black on, but didn’t put the blouse on right away, because I ate a little breakfast before I left. While my breakfast was cooking, I loaded the harp, wearing this classy velour jacket (frog buttons) over the undershirt. To make a long story short, I got to the gig, unloaded, tuned up, went to the restroom, & looking in the mirror, I realized I forgot to put my shirt on! Luckily I was still wearing the velour thing, which ended up being my shirt for the funeral. It looks fine, but is kind of heavy & it’s VERY warm, especially after I’ve been moving my arms a lot. Live & learn?

Meanwhile, for my last tea of the day, & a sipdown, although I don’t actually get to count it because I somehow never put it on my list, I’m having this tasty Rooibos Chai!

This is from the sampler I got a few weeks ago from the Devotea. I’ve enjoyed sampling their teas, especially the black ones.

This one isn’t bad. I’m drinking it hot, with a pinch of sweet, because it’s cold here in St. Louis! It is lemony & bright from the combo of lemon peel & hibiscus. It also contains marshmallow leaves & root. Marshmallow was originally used as a treatment for sore throats. The thick juice & pieces of the root were combined with honey as a healing treat. Modern day ‘Marshmallows’ were inspired by, but have nothing to do with the original, they are merely a cheap knockoff, & of course, there is nothing healthy about them :)

I go in & out of phases with mints. Sometimes I love them, sometimes I don’t. There are also some mints I enjoy more than others, with peppermint being my true favorite, & spearmint not so much. I used to love drinking Republic of Tea’s Moroccan mint over ice, it was just SO refreshing! Anyway, for the last couple of years I haven’t really liked mints in my tea so much, although I do enjoy it shredded in a Vietnamese style salad, especially freshly picked from my back yard. I grow several mints, & I used to grow an amazing curly peppermint, which took over a large portion of my yard at my old house. I meant to bring some with me, along with the jewel weed, but in the hub bub of moving, I didn’t. I went back later to get some, & they had dug it all up. There was none to be found. For a long time I couldn’t find that mint anywhere, but I recently found a source online, & I’m looking forward to getting some!

This is a pleasantly nostalgic cup, & I love the addition of lemon myrtle especially, an herb which I’ve always enjoyed! The aroma of the dry leaf is amazingly fresh, thanks to the peppermint, & the tea itself is lightly sweet & reminiscent of my younger days :)

Welcome to day 13 of little terri’s Sipdown Extravaganza!

Yesterday I had a bit of a setback & only managed 1 sipdown, & to be honest, I’m not sure how many I’ll get in today & tomorrow, as I have Valentine gigs both evenings, but I’ll try to get in a few. I’m 19 sipdowns away from my goal of 100, & I’d really like to reach that goal, but I don’t want to rush through the teas to get there. Savor the moment, right? :)

I’m also still recuperating from a chemical sensitivity reaction. The headache has dwindled to a manageable level, but my hips are out of place & all of my joints hurt. It won’t be fun to move my harp today, although playing it shouldn’t be a problem.

So (sorry to be a whiner), I’ve enjoyed this tea, with it’s bold & rich maltiness. It is sipdown #81, & one of the only black teas left that were in a small enough quantity to polish off! The only other ones I have left are Keemun 1 & Keemun 2 samples from Teavivre, but I kind of want to save them for a comparison with all the other Keemuns in my collection. So this may be my only pot of black tea today. For that reason, I’m taking the time to really savor it, & it is good!

Enjoying a mug of this one to start my day. I detected a note of brightness in the first sip, & was a little worried that this might not be the best tea to be drinking on an empty stomach, but I’ve made it through the cup, taking small sips, & breakfast is not to far behind. Bright, bold, & malty!

I enjoyed a pot of this as a prelude to breakfast, while I was chopping & cooking. It is a tasty assam, nicely bold, sweet, & rich.