Mistie's Blend

We were our of town this past weekend at a soccer tournament. Saturday was nice and sunny, but Sunday was absolutely freezing and rainy. It was pretty miserable sitting on the sidelines watching the games. But I’m sure the girls who were playing were really cold and wet, so I didn’t complain too much. I was glad that we took our little 16 oz. Bodum electric kettle and some sample teas so that we could make some teas in the room to take to the games and then also to have a cup at night.

We went up early on Friday to spend the day in Richmond and went to the Carytown area to have lunch and visit Carytown Teas. Overall, I wasn’t super impressed with the store. I took a list of teas that I had found on their website to try, and when I got there and realized that a lot of their teas are Harney’s that they just resell. That cut my list down a lot, since I already have a lot of Harney’s and would just rather buy from them. The shop was really cluttered, there was literally stuff all over and it was all jumbled and didn’t really make me want to browse around a lot. My fiancee asked to use the restroom and he told me later that there were actually teas being stored in the bathroom! They were in clear plastic bags on the floor, but still . . .

I ended up purchasing 3 teas. Mistie’s Blend was the only one that I really wanted to try from there. It smells heavenly, like very rich cocoa. There is a nice hot chocolate aroma while the tea is steeping. The ingredients list rose buds and hazelnuts, but there are only ordinary black tea leaves in the blend. I’m not going to lie – I was a little sad, since I love rose flavor and if it’s listed on the ingredients I kind of am expecting it to be in there when I open up the bag. Maybe I am just being too picky? The flavor is malty and chocolatey with a little hazelnut finish. There is a nice cocoa aftertaste that lingers. Sadly, I can’t taste any rose in the blend whatsoever. The tea is a little thin also, but not terribly so. This is a nice tea and it really does taste like a tea version of hot chocolate, but if I could find another tea with rose added in I would probably purchase that one.

-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves and twigs.
-Dry leaves smell strongly of rich cocoa. Tea liquor aroma is of black tea and nuts with just a hint of cocoa.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy dark brown color.
-Malty chocolate flavor with a small hazelnut finish. Lingering cocoa aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. Thin hazelnut and hot cocoa taste. No rose flavor noticeable.

my 500th TEA!!

and boy, do i have a cute story to tell about the day.
and boy, do i really like this tea! i’m totally gonna buy a bag. definitely. it’ll replace my highly coveted Caramel Toffee from Dammann since i can’t go back to france anytime soon. yes it’s that nice. it feel decadent and the flavors are deep and dark without being broody. and i’ll probably keep it in stock since it’s local. and fucking delicious.

blabby story time,
i woke up and had my usually saturday morning long run. 18 miles. and my running friend and i were very angry during the last third of the run. see, sometimes if you don’t fuel enough or are just having an off day, you get a case of what i can “the road crazies”. somewhere during the last 3 miles she said she was gonna strangle me. and without missing a beat i said i was gonna strangle her first. we were pissed. starving and hurting and pissed. and then we laughed SO HARD about it on the car ride home. it’s just part of long distance running. and it’s always hilarious after the fact.
i like doing hard things sometimes.

i hurried home and scarfed down as much protein as i could and showered and then went to get my hair cut. lucky me, my hair stylist moved locations and is now in the same shopping center as Carytown Teas!!!

i had planned all week that i was gonna save my landmark 500th uniquely tasted tea for saturday when i could pick a new tea from the tea list. and i knew i was gonna get a black tea because it’s my fave. (i would get a lapsang blend but Carytown doesn’t really have them, though their lapsang is very very good.) i went down the list and picked Mistie’s Blend. there is also a Patricia’s Blend. they are the two store owners. Mistie obviously has my taste in teas because this cup is exactly everything i would want.

i told the tea shop gal that it was my 500th tea and that i keep track of them and she asked what i use and she knew about steepster and i think she finds this website equal parts silly and charming. i told her that i love it and that ALL the NERDZ hang out there!! and that i spend more time on steepster than i EVER spend on Facebook. (i love you, you nerds!)

we went on to discuss tea reviews and how people don’t always know what they are talking about when they review tea, but i think that’s okay. like how i can maybe read a movie review that hates the movie, but i can still tell by the descriptions and observations that it’s definitely a movie that i’d like. even if the reviewer didn’t. it’s just all information that nudges the tea story along.
also aren’t we all SO DIFFERENT in the mouth?! so so different.

okay i’m sorry i’m babbling. i’ve had a lot of caffeine this morning and took a decongestant for my allergies and also slept like 12 hours yesterday which is UNHEARD OF for me. (i’m a 5-6 hrs a night max person.)

okay, long story longer, the tea gal said that “her and Patricia never agree on tea” and that’s when it dawned on me. i’m drinking a tea that was blended by the person i’m talking to! i’m ordering Mistie’s tea and chatting with Mistie about tea as she brews her tea for me.

i was delighted!

AND THEN SHE GAVE THE CUP TO ME FOR FREE.
that’s the ultimate fist bump!!

so classy!
i love tea and i love tea people.

(i had also brought along a small tupperware container so i could keep the tea bag for a second brew. which i did as soon as i got home.)

(i did not confess to her how ridiculous and uninformative my tea reviews are. haha i hope she still sells me tea in the future if she ever finds out.)

http://instagram.com/p/emxdCWoc2e/

Another sipdown from the lovely shmiracles :)

Yep. Black tea with coco and yumminess.
Currently busy watching Iron Man 3 before I have to meet up with my friend to study sooo yeah. Lazy tasting note. Here’s my previous one that actually has notes on the flavour and things

http://steepster.com/jump62359/posts/220396

Just finished my sample, I hung onto it as long as possible, thank you Josie Jade! I feel as though Josie Jade has expanded my horizons into the world of tea with flavors and oh, what a delicious world it is! I used to be all like, “straight up, black tea!” And she’s all, “…with caramel? And vanilla?” And now I’m like, “yes, please!” Mistie’s Blend by Carytown Teas is a heavenly blend of all things sweet and scrumptious. I enjoyed it steeped with milk, no sugar or honey, and it had such a natural tasting, lingering sweetness. Sigh! : )

Described as ‘hot chocolate for adults,’ this tea has a chocolatey/nutty twist that pleases my inner child. Not a tea I turn to often, but definitely a fun one to have.

An adult version of cocoa? Yes please!

I wish I had tried this sooner, but I didin’t realize what it was. It’s delicious! Thank you, Shmiracles! It was nice and chocolately before I added milk. It was creamy and rich.

Down to 222

Ohh this is delicious! I picked up a small bag as a mother’s day gift. I think it might be the first time I’ve had a cocoa blend, and I am a FAN. I brewed it a bit too weak, so I didn’t get much if any rose flavor, but the hazelnut really makes the tea. Def going on my wishlist!

Thanks Schmiracles for the surprise sample of this in our swap!

This tea has three things that I love, chocolate, nuts, and flowers. I am mostly getting the chocolate and the rose in the sip, but not a very distinct rose, which is good because rose isn’t my favourite flavour. I am only getting the hazelnut in the aftertaste. I like that I can detect the things that I’m supposed to in this tea, that doesn’t often happen for me.