Oh boy, I don’t know when the last time I felt nervous to start a tasting note was…
This is one of the new teas that’s included in the Autumn Subscription box, but more than that it’s a tea that has a really special significance to me. As so many people here know, I work in R&D for DAVIDsTEA – this is far from the first tea that I’ve been involved in the development process for. However, it is the first tea to launch that was both my idea as well as something that I worked on all the way from concept to finalized blend. There’ll be more to come in the future, but because this is the first means that it’s always going to have a deep emotional significance to me – probably in the same way that DT blends like Birthday Cake do (if not even more so). So, it is with that disclaimer and background that I am going to begin to tell you about Pumpkin Earl Grey…
If you’ve been following along with me on Steepster for a while, then you probably know that I have been adding pumpkin agave to straight black teas and Earl Greys for years now. I can’t remember exactly what year DT released their pumpkin agave (it was when I was working in stores so 2016 or 2017?) but it’s my favourite flavour that DT has ever put out & I just think there’s something magical about it when paired with Earl Grey. I love making what I call “Pumpkin Fogs” using it – but my last bottle is very nearly out and I know that at some point I’m going to be out…
What you might not know is that the first time I ever saw the Pumpkin Agave & Earl Grey combination was from a customer who used to add it to her London Fogs – and she introduced me to this awesome fall combo that I’ve been in love with since. So, this tea is my love letter to that customer and the brilliance of the “Pumpkin Fog”.
Finding the right balance of spices to pair with the bergamot was a bit of a thought puzzle – bergamot is a strong and aromatic flavour/scent and spices can quickly become overwhelming as well. What we ended up with was a medium(ish) intensity combination of cinnamon, clove, and cardamom. I personally feel like the cardamom is the real star here, and I think it does a lot of the heavy lifting of marrying the spices with the bergamot. Cardamom is also super aromatic and it has this citrus-y notes that work really well the pumpkin. Most squash actually is just a little bit citrusy as well, so it’s a good flavour tether. Aside from that, there’s the familiar thick cream/vanilla note that fans of Cream of Earl Grey will recognize but also a tiny bit of a buttery pastry note that I find softens the cup and adds a decadent richness.
This idea was birthed from a latte style beverage prep, so it should probably go without saying that I think this is really brilliant when you make it as a latte. However, I’m also just so in love with it as a straight hot cuppa. I don’t really drink a lot of Cream of Earl Grey or Pumpkin Chai, but this combo just works on a level that seems crazy on paper. I’m excited for people to try it, and honestly just really proud to have a blend out in the world. As both a tea lover and “creative”, that’s a pretty cool bucket list life moment.
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.
