New Tasting Notes

This is another tea shared with my by thereadersteacup! And she shared such an incredibly generous amount of it, too! Honestly, I can’t even tell you how big my smile was seeing this one, and it got even bigger smelling the dry leaf. Oh, I was drooling! I absolutely love root beer flavoured things, and this smells exactly like popping the cap off a bottle of Dad’s Old Fashioned Root Beer. If you’ve never tried that brand, it’s one of the best. Such a treat from my childhood!

Steeped up, the smell wafting off the cup was just as mouthwatering though the taste was more black tea forward with a strongly tannic bite to the sip followed by more of a malty, bready sort of note. I wish the sarsaparilla and the overall creamy “float-like” qualities were a little stronger, but it wasn’t as if they were missing. Just more of a backseat to the black tea. Frankly, that’s arguably how it should be. It’s just rough being such a root beer fan and getting drawn in by that heavenly dry leaf aroma. A little sweetener and maybe a short steep time would likely pull all of that root beer goodness more to the forefront.

This is a sachet that thereadersteacup was kind enough to share with me!

This summer I’ve been really, really spoiled by having a lot of very fresh, very high quality Japanese green tea available to me thanks to my coworkers who visited Japan earlier this year. I’m not even historically a big drinker of green tea, but I’ve been more open to it in the last month than maybe ever before.

Unfortunately, this tea kind of felt like a step backwards from all that progress I feel I’ve been making with this style of tea. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was just very coarse with more of a blunt feeling hay note than the rich umami flavours that have become a guilty pleasure of mine. That said, I still drank the full mug which is more than I think I would have a year ago. And if I didn’t have such recent memories of a much higher grade of sencha so fresh in my head, then maybe I could have been even more on board with this tea…

Cold Brew!

This weekend I got to finally meet up with thereadersteacup after several years of online friendship through our fabulous tea community!

We spent a couple hours at Camellia Sinensis just enjoying a lovely conversation over some different tea cuppings. I had no idea at the time that this was your first tea cupping, so I’m so incredibly flattered to have been able to be a part of that experience! In addition to obviously sharing some tea samples, we also swapped international snacks. I’m actually currently enjoying a late night bowl of Cookie Crisp, and it’s really good!!

After our cupping, I did end up snagging a new teacup to take home for myself (I have no teaware self control) and I also specifically wanted to buy a new bag of this tea since it’s been a little while and I adore it as a summer cold brew option. I, of course, started my cold brew going as soon as I got home and then later that night was able to wind down with this delicious, delicious blend.

What I love about it is that because of the white tea base it’s not really a super heavy tea, but it does have some body to it. Also, that white tea really allows the ripe cherry, red berries, and juicy sweet orange notes to come through in a crystal clear way where everything is just so fresh and defined. It was really nostalgic tasting it again, and I’m just happy that I thought to pick up a little more while I was already at the shop enjoying my afternoon with Gabby!

This was the other tea I ended up making after searching through my black tea samples for some teas to pass along to thereaderscup during her recent visit. I can’t lie, there was something very blasphemous feeling about making this super wintery chai blend in the middle of a summer heat wave, but those really rich and silky white chocolate notes were calling to me!! I particularly love the white chocolate and cardamom combination. It’s very cozy but decadent, and the aromatics of the cardamom have always felt like they really even out what can be a slippery slope into a strongly cloying territory.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Cold Brew!

This weekend I had the chance to meet up in person with thereadersteacup while she was here in Montreal on vacation, but more on that later!

In preparation of her visit, I did pack up a mix of tea samples for her and while doing that I sort of “unearthed” a few older DT blends in my stash that I hadn’t made in a while. This was one, and so I prepped a cold brew because it’s very timely right now. Classic Lemon was one of the original three cold brew flavours that I personally worked on developing. While the other two from the same period have been consistently well received, this one never quite got the same love. Something that does really baffle me since it is such a quintessential black tea and lemon flavour. Bright, just a bit sweet, and citrusy but balanced by bold, brisk black tea. It makes me think of Southern style sweet tea, and what could be more perfect as a fast to prepare option in the summer?

I digress, though. You can’t make people like a tea as much as you do. I really appreciated my revisit of this one this past week, though.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Iced Latte!

I made this today as my first tea after getting into work. I couldn’t just make an iced latte though and because we’re out of the strawberry jam I’ve been obsessed with I had to find an alternate option to add to my latte. I ended up including a bit of black cherry syrup, and between that and the vanilla matcha my drink ended up tasting kind of like melted Cherry Garcia icecream from Ben & Jerry’s. Just, less sweet with more of that fresh, vegetal matcha note. Also, no chocolate component.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Cold Brew!

I haven’t had this tea in so long, but after sipping down the Cranberry Pear Crostata blend from Almost I was just really feeling something more pear forward and this was the first tin I saw while hunting for something to meet that craving…

As a cold brew, the pear is very fresh and floral with that sweet and dewy fruit note that I was looking for. However, the black licorice-like taste of the anise is also very strong and it borderline starts to overtake the pear. Mostly because it REALLY coats the palate, and it’s one of those flavours that lingers for a long time while the pear is a little crisper and more swift in the flavour payoff.

I still enjoyed it a lot, though!

Sipdown (2949)!

Though I definitely still have a few criticisms, I liked this a lot more the second time around. It came off as less artificial and “chemical” tasting to me, and I think that honestly might just be due to the fact it’s an older sample now and those initially very fresh flavourings have had the needed time to air out and settle.

The red fruit note was bright and just sweet enough, though hard to call specifically cranberry. That’s something I remember noting the first time around, too. I liked that the pear was the flavour that stuck around on the palate after the initial red fruit top notes – it reminded me a bit of the juicy pear flavoured jellybeans from Jelly Belly. Lighter, though.

Honestly not a bad blend at all, but it’s just tough when one of my all time favourite teas is a cranberry pear blend that (in my humble opinion) nails the balance, clarity of flavour, and overall flavour intensity a lot better.

Cold Brew!

I’m currently sipping on this cold brew while I work through tasting notes, and it’s just so fresh and juicy! More of the crisp, umami notes of the sencha on the backend of the sip, but the sweet white-fleshed Japanese style apple notes are like this refreshing explosion that kind of coats the whole palate. In a delicate and floral way, though? It’s hard to put into words aside from, like, there’s just a lot going on but it doesn’t emotionally feel like a lot? Y’know?

I’ve been trying to decide what yerba mate RTDs to get for my next fridge restock, and to my surprise and delight the local grocery program that I’m part of (LUFA) recently added all of Mana’s product line up to the drinks they offer – so I picked up a case of this one!

I’ve tried it once previously and really enjoyed the sweet green melon note, but found the mind a bit jarring with how herby it was. I wanted to give it a second chance though, especially now that it’s summery and melon is so spot on seasonally. I think knowing the mint is more herbaceous/earthy and less cooling made a world of difference because I found this really refreshing and enjoyable! Melon first, and more of the mate and mint combo to close out the sip.

My expectations for this were low after having such a disappointing experience with the last two flavours I tried from Saint James. However, this was the first one that was drinkable to me. The raspberry flavour was distinct and fresh, but not strong enough to overtake the black tea. Most importantly, it did not have that metallic, unpleasant bitterness to the aftertaste. The trade off, I suppose, is that this was the first drink where I could taste the lingering sweetness of the stevia after the sip. However, I don’t personally hate stevia (even though it’s not my preference) and I would MUCH rather that sweetness than the awful chemical taste I was getting from the other two…

Still wouldn’t be a repurchase, though.

Do you ever tuck teas away to rest or age and then totally forget they’re there!? This morning, I’m cracking into a cake that I must have shoved waaaay, deep into the back of my pumidor shortly after getting it. Up until now, it’s basically been untouched while I’ve been chipping away at the previous year’s pressing. Oops. It’s quite lovely, though, with a thick soup that’s an engaging balance of front-loaded sugar cane and green melon sweetness and fuzzy apricot skins, followed by a mid sip that’s almost grizzly with its woodier and slightly saline brothiness. The finish ties the two sides of that coin together with a coating sweet taste that’s equally earthy and herbal. It makes me think of ginseng flowers, a bit, or the style of jiaogulan that is coated in glucose. Bizarre, but not bad or unwelcome – and definitely a lovely, warming qi as I sip on it!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMBJD-eJeBJ/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qN0aAXFLDn0&ab_channel=DavidDeanBurkhart

This is Nazanin’s third tea blend, and I think immediately my new favourite of the three. The black tea base is bold with a medium to full body, and the cardamom just really packs a soothing, aromatic punch of spice. It is slightly citrusy and very camphorous with an almost pine sap kind of note to the finish. Despite the strong camphor, it’s overall a very warming blend which feels appropriate given that the word “Joon” is a Persian form of endearment, meaning dear. Used, I believe, the way you might affectionately call someone “my dear” or “my love.” I do slightly wish the quince was a little stronger, but a pinch of sugar/sweetener seems to pull forward more of those orchard fruit-like notes.

Overall, it’s an incredibly beautiful blend both in flavour and intention, and such a beautiful addition to the rest of Naz’s lineup!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMEAJB6SXEj/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoPnFN9zMwI&ab_channel=apriljune

Gongfu!

I’ve been going through this tea a whole lot quicker than I expected to. There’s just something about the rich body but smooth and almost whipped feeling sweet flavour that just seems to always appeal to me no matter my mood. Like the name implies, it has strong honey notes throughout the session. There’s also an almost marshmallow-like taste that coyly seems to flirt between more of a fluff and more of the golden, caramelized taste of a toasted campfire style marshmallow. Between the two, sweet and creamy are pretty heavy hitting descriptors for the session, though notes of malt, sweet potato, and cocoa nibs in the undertones do a pretty solid job still keeping the profile anchored and not all surface level sugars.

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMIgvDyApus/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcGcjLv2tiY&ab_channel=AlmostAMVEVO

In the past I have resisted Earl Grey teas with added flavors. I dunno—it seemed like cheating, somehow. After all, Earl Grey itself is such a classic, such a wonderful taste in and of itself, that adding another flavor to it seemed almost…sacrilegious! Well, I have changed my mind.
I shall have to review this again, and soon, because I have added sugar to this from the get-go, which is not a truly fair and objective review of the tea on its own merits. But with the vanilla in its makeup, it’s a dessert tea, and called out for sugar!
I liked it enough when hot that it occurred to me to make a double batch and chill it—and it’s a terrific iced tea for this hot July weather. I do recommend it both hot, and chilled.
We’ll see how I like it when I don’t automatically add the sugar! But for now—enjoy it, friends!

TTB 2025
Surprisingly easy to drink this creamy, boozy green tea. Some grassy notes underneath, but mostly vanilla cream. Thanks for adding it to the box!

My Mom got a variety box from Camellia Sinesis while we were away and I snagged this for my work bag. It was okay, not the best or worst Earl Grey I’ve had. Just… meh? It was fine, I’d drink it again but I wouldn’t reach for it in a re-buy/haul.

Picked up a single serving (teabag) of this one, since it sounded fun and whimsical but I couldn’t remember how I felt about their green tea. I feel like I am less tolerant of lower grade green teas than other types, maybe because it’s usually Chinese sencha and I’m so used to the real deal? Sometimes they’re fine, it just depends on the company.

Smells delightfully cotton candy dry! And I’m enjoying the steeped mug as well. The base isn’t the greatest, but it’s not offensive, just very grassy in a drying way with some haylike notes. The cotton candy is perfectly balanced, I can taste that airy, fluffy, cloudlike candy sweetness, but it doesn’t taste cloying. The raspberry is nice as well, sort of a freeze-dried raspberry note without the tang. The cotton candy lingers nicely in the finish.

I’m not sure if I would repurchase it, just because the seaweedy/marine notes of the green tea do clash a tiny bit with those sweet flavors. I think if the flavoring were a touch stronger, it would be less noticeable. But I really enjoyed trying it, and so nice to see a cotton candy tea that doesn’t have sprinkles or sugar in it, and actually tastes as promised!

Another foil-wrapped paper teabag of uncertain age, from the loose-ends bin of a local tea shoppe. Note that this is “Organic” EGS, not Harney’s standard EGS, and this is sold in paper teabags only, while the standard EGS is sold only in silken sachets or as loose leaf. Also, the ingredients differ between the two, “organic” being comprised of black teas from India, whereas the standard EGS is comprised of black tea, oolong tea, and white tea, and the description also mentions “silver tips” without explanation. So I created this new Steepster entry for the Organic EGS, since that is what I have. (The entry for standard EGS might be due for some revision, as the description on their website seems a bit different, though no one has added a note there in recent post-CoVid years.

I steeped the bag Western style in 8 oz. boiling spring water for 3 minutes. The dry leaf had a lovely bergamot aroma, and it had dissipated considerably by the end of steeping. This tastes to me like the quintessential Earl Grey. I loved it! The bergamot flavor was present and perfectly balanced with the malty assam tea base, both very tasty. Very slight astringency, as expected, and a lovely long finish that expressed both tea and bergamot. No bitterness, sourness, or stale cardboard notes. I have a second bag that I will steep for the recommended 5 minutes, and report back on what I find. Meanwhile I can fully recommend this organic earl grey supreme, and rate it as 91. [FOLLOWUP: 5 min. steep. Nicely strong tea, without loss of bergamot taste. Enhanced maltiness from the assam base black, without defects. Still just slightly astringent. So 3 min steep or 5 min steep, terrific tea either way!]. Among the best EG’s, in my opinion. (And I don’t care one bit about it being “organic” or not.)

It seems to be renamed by now. It’s “Sleep Time” and I made a new listing… and then I found out this one; and their website have Snore & Peace in the address bar, but everything says “Sleep Time”. I like this old name more. Can someone remove the new listing and update name of this one? Cameron B. maybe?

I am tired. Like really tired; I almost fall asleep today afternoon in the office. Slept badly. Again. Tea to the rescue!
Mint combined with chamomile makes a good and nice combination, and combined with other herbs in this baggie it tastes like a liquid honey with a little of bitter finish. Personally, I wouldn’t mind stronger lavender and less of chamomile.

Would it help me to have a proper, nice, uninterrupted, sleep? Hopefully, but I don’t expect miracles.

I got this one while I was at Camellia Sinesis with @Roswell Strange, going off of her suggestion, I cold-brewed it to bring to work while I catch up on the QR work.

This was so good! I loved how fruity and floral it was! It was the perfect milder caffeinated start to my day. Now I can’t wait to try it hot.

Paper teabag (in a sealed foil pouch) from a local tea shoppe bin of loose ends. Uncertain age. Nice citrus fragrance on the dry leaf. Steeped as directed: 3 min at 175°F. Resteeped once. Both were crystal clear amber liquids. I’m sure I’ve tasted this lemony-mediciney-lime peely flavor before, but I can’t recall where. I didn’t know what ginko (leaf? seed? wood?) tastes like, and I still don’t. For that matter, I couldn’t taste the base green tea, either. Maybe it’s just some nondescript shrub grown in someone’s backyard in East LA. Really, the citrus flavors overpower everything, and yet I could really see diggin’ this tea when I’m in the right groove, baby, ya know? That isn’t today. Can’t recommend, and rate as 50. I suspect stratification has segregated the tea and the lemongrass, because others have observed the reverse of me: green tea dominating the citrus! Or maybe their “flavorings” are out of control.