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drank Vicky's Sponge Cake by Bird & Blend Tea Co.
2172 tasting notes

Day 14 of our Advent Tea Swap. From amandastory516.

I’ve heard of this tea before but didn’t really know what the flavors were meant to be before looking it up here to find that it’s coconut and raspberry. I never would have guessed that from the scent. To me, as weird as this sounds, it smells like mayonnaise and vinegar. Thank goodness that’s not the flavor.

This tea is very light both in color and in flavor, though I did only use one teaspoon so perhaps that’s why. I sweetened it with agave and really that’s all I taste. It still has kind of a sour quality to it, but it doesn’t taste like the sourness of berries. And I definitely don’t get any coconut at all. It’s also just a touch bitter. The reviews on this tea are great so I’m wondering what I did wrong here. I still have plenty left, so I’ll be trying different steeping parameters later on.

EDIT: I’ve added some cream and as it cools I am now tasting the raspberry. Still not my favorite, but it’s much better.

Flavors: Bitter, Raspberry, Sour, Vinegar

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
5 comments
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tea-sipper
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I feel like the first ever batches of this were much better?

Shae
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One of my favorite teas was reformulated a while back and it’s just not the same. Maybe that’s what happened here? I’ll try this one again, but not soon probably.

tea-sipper
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Which tea was reformulated?

Shae
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I was referring to Valley of the Heart’s Delight but I misspoke because I really can’t say for sure that it was reformulated. It just tastes completely different now than the tea I loved.

tea-sipper
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Oh, I was curious but I’ve never heard of that tea. If it’s a favorite and you think it’s different, you’re probably right.

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Comments

tea-sipper
Delete

I feel like the first ever batches of this were much better?

Shae
Delete

One of my favorite teas was reformulated a while back and it’s just not the same. Maybe that’s what happened here? I’ll try this one again, but not soon probably.

tea-sipper
Delete

Which tea was reformulated?

Shae
Delete

I was referring to Valley of the Heart’s Delight but I misspoke because I really can’t say for sure that it was reformulated. It just tastes completely different now than the tea I loved.

tea-sipper
Delete

Oh, I was curious but I’ve never heard of that tea. If it’s a favorite and you think it’s different, you’re probably right.

Login or sign up to leave a comment.

Profile

Bio

Lifetime student. Lover of books and paper and ink. Kitchen dweller. Aspiring herbalist, excessively proud cat lady, and tea fanatic. Thirty-something elder millennial. She/her.

I love flavored black teas most of all, always with cream and honey. I enjoy floral and fruity teas, as well as flavored or scented ones. I’m not overly fond of green or white teas, but I’ve found a few that I enjoy.

I’m open to tea swaps and/or just sharing what’s in my tea cabinet! Please reach out if you see something I have that you’d like to try. I do my best to update my cupboard regularly.

Favorites
Any and all black teas, smoky teas, raspberry, strawberry, red fruits, bergamot, chai spices, floral teas, caramel/toffee, jasmine, rose, vanilla, peaches, plums, valerian root, cinnamon, cardamom

Not a huge fan
White teas, green teas, artificial sweeteners, sarsaparilla, licorice, lemongrass, lavender, hot hibiscus, hibiscus in black tea blends

Rating Scale

1-20: By far, one of the worst teas I’ve tasted. I most certainly will not finish my cup and will likely “gift” the rest to my sweet husband, James, who almost always enjoys the teas I dislike (and vice versa).

21-49: This tea is not good, but if I mix it with another tea or find another steeping method I might be able to finish it.

50-69: This one is just okay. I might drink it again if someone were to give it to me, but I probably won’t be buying more for myself.

70-79: This is a consistently good tea. It’s reliable but not necessarily special.

80-90: This one is a notch above the rest and I would gladly enjoy a cup of it any day of the week. I’ll likely be keeping this in my cupboard, but it isn’t one of my all-time favorites.

91-95: One small change and this tea would be perfect. I’ll definitely have a stash of this in my kitchen if you come over for tea.

96-100: No words can describe this tea. It’s an experience, an aha moment. Closed eyes, wide smile, encompassing warmth. Absolutely incredible. Perfect.

Updated May 2022.

Location

Alabaster, Alabama

Website

https://www.goodreads.com/sha...

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