Bella Blanca

Dammann Freres Advent Day 1

I was thrilled to finish with this tea, especially after feeling so overwhelmed with black teas throughout day 1. The scent gives mostly bergamot to me but in the flavor the mango stands out. I’m also a big fan of a white tea base in general. There was no savoring this cup – I enjoyed it far too much to wait!

Adventageddon Day 1

Excited to be kicking off the Dammann Freres advent with a tea that’s new to me! I think this was my least favourite tea of the day, but it wasn’t bad by any means. I was sort of just left with a feeling of being kind of on the fence whether I liked it or not. It was a little confusing.

The blend is a white tea base, which I’ve had hit or miss experiences with when it comes to Dammann Freres. I definitely think they have some other stronger bases they utilize; the white tea is just sometimes a little coarse and more fickle to brew. But it wasn’t unpleasant here, and I thought the more medium level of body was the appropriate amount to bring to the cup based on the flavour.

In terms of flavours, this is a blend of bergamot, mango, and almond. Very intrigueing combination, in my opinion. I really like DF’s mango flavouring and that’s no exception here. It’s juicy and fresh but not fake or cloying, and there’s a nice naturally floral undertone and hint of pine-y notes to it that really sell the authenticity of the flavour in my opinion. The undertones of almond were interesting because it was almost as creamy as it was nutty. More like an almond milk than the amaretto/marzipan style or roasted almond I would have guessed it to be. The bergamot was kind of the kicker for me. I already don’t love really strong bergamot flavours and I definitely thought this was a lot. Very perfumey and heady in a way that felt a little bit cacophonous with the freshness of the mango and silky undertones. Like walking through the perfume section of a department store, a little bit.

I would probably need to drink this one again to decide if that’s a flavour balance I could acclimate to as I got more familiar with it or that could be dialed back with different steeping parameters. Right now it’s sort of just “so so” to me.

Today’s Advent Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DDDUEFtyMDA/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXtNBFcBcC8&ab_channel=Findlay

Good morning. Got a lot of backlogs to work my way through. I bought a Dammann Frères advent calendar for both myself and Kiki, but since I don’t live with her anymore, it’s been difficult to coordinate drinking the teas together. Hoping in January I can spend some time making tea for her and logging her reactions.

For now, these are mine and many are gonna be short.

DF Advent — Day 1

If you’ve been disappointed by mango-flavored teas and are still pining for an accurate presentation, Bella Blanca might be what you’re looking for. Full-bodied and viscous with a potentially earthy, white tea hay taste. Bergamot rings the high note. The mango is lovely, sitting comfortably in the midtone with it’s sweet, fruity notes and faint edge of pine. An almond cookie flavor softens everything and ties it all together. Don’t steep it too hot or too long, though, as it can get bitter and very strong. Maybe go less than the recommended steep time.

Day 18 of the Dammann Freres advent calendar. I was excited to see a white tea in here! This brews up a nice amber color. The dry leaf smells clearly of apricot, bergamot, and almond. The apricot and bergamot flavors are both pretty strong and balance each other nicely, though the overall impression is a touch more tart than I’d like. I think I’d be ok with it if it wasn’t also so drying; tart plus drying doesn’t leave the most delightful after-sensation. No idea where that almond went to!

I’m looking at the ingredients list now and it shows mango, not apricot. I had apricots for breakfast this morning (several hours ago), so that flavor is very fresh in my mind, and this still reads closer to apricot than mango for me. If I had to guess, I’d guess that my brain is reading the combination of the sweetness of the mango flavoring and the tartness of the bergamot flavoring as a tarter stone fruit. 

I iced the second steep and had it a couple of days later. When I came back to this tasting note to add details from that steep before posting, I was surprised to see how consistent the experience was. That iced steep also had a tart stone fruit flavor. Not overly sweet, but definitely fruity. What did come through in the second steep that I didn’t find much in the first was a slight floral note.

Disappointingly, I didn’t get much from the base tea here, besides that drying sensation and light-to-medium body. To the blend’s credit, the base doesn’t clash with the flavorings, and perhaps is supporting them so seamlessly that I just can’t tell. But after so so many black tea blends, I was hoping for a white tea that would really wow me. This is tasty enough but I’m not floored, you know?

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 18

Same mango almond biscuit flavour as my much loved Mango Lassi – so that’s a plus! It also smells amazing.

Bai mu tan isn’t ever going to be my favourite white tea but the natural notes of blueberries, hay, and honey take the fruity flavouring in a ovverripe, jam-like direction. I actually don’t get much bergamot at all; I do get a citrusy strawberry-mango juice medley though.

I’d rather this have a black tea base. Or try it iced! It’s very sweet as is.

Dammann Frères Advent Calendar 2022 – Day 18

Ooh, a white tea with mango, bergamot, and almond? Sounds intriguing.

Honestly, it’s a bit meh to me, and I think it’s because of the white tea base. It’s quite strong on the musty hay notes, emphasis on the musty. I can definitely taste a bit of (very nice) juicy mango and a touch of floral bergamot. I think the almond is adding a bit of desserty sweetness?

Anyway, a shame that the base sort of overpowers the flavoring here, if it were a bit more delicate I think this could’ve been a really nice tea.