84
drank Cinnamint Maté by DAVIDsTEA
16520 tasting notes

First TOTD.

I stopped at DAVIDsTEA yesterday and got small sample sizes of all these newer teas; originally I was gonna hold off and wait ‘cause I hadn’t seen reviews of any of them up yet on Steepster but since I was in the area I figured I’d take the plunge and be the first to review a lot of ’em…

First things first; I like that the feel of this tea is really basic. Lately DT has been both over complicating their blends to a point of excess (I know the employees at my DT pretty well, and I know they share the same opinion so it’s not just us consumers), and adding in ingredients that most tea drinkers have very mixed thoughts on. Stevia and hibiscus, I’m looking at you! By contrast to those newer blends, this one is simple with its three/four key ingredients.

That’s all it needs though: every single flavour is represented in the steeped up cup and they’re all very well balanced. In each sip I can taste the cinnamon, mint and mate without feeling like any one is more powerful than the others. Like marketed, this is refreshing and relaxing and it does indeed freshen my nasty garlic breath (I’m eating garlic pasta for brunch) to a point where I wouldn’t feel guilty kissing my boyfriend with garlic mouth. I feel like sometimes DT thinks that “simple” means boring, but it really doesn’t have to if the flavours are there and the blending is good.

More teas like this please.

Kristal

Haven’t tried this tea, but I agree 100% with you in your other sentiments!

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Comments

Kristal

Haven’t tried this tea, but I agree 100% with you in your other sentiments!

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Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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