961 Tasting Notes
Hidden Gems TTB #5
I think I may need to stop trying chocolate teas. I already have one that I LOVE (David’s Chocolate Rocket…thanks carol who!) and none of the others I’ve tried quite measure up. This one wasn’t terrible, but I found the flavor a bit weak and watery. Maybe it would be better with milk?
Flavors: Chocolate
Preparation
Hidden Gems TTB #4
Thank you to Kayla for including a sample of this one for me! I have The Naughty Vicar from The London Tea Room and love it, so I was eager to try more of their tea. This one is a nice, basic English Breakfast blend. There’s nothing unique or outstanding about it, but it is strong and smooth and malty and tasty with or without milk. It’s also very reasonably priced! I would consider purchasing this one when I run out of my current breakfast tea.
Flavors: Malt, Smooth
Preparation
Hidden Gems TTB #3
I tend to stay away from red rooibos, because it often has a woody flavor that I don’t enjoy. But this one smelled so delicious, I just had to give it a try! And I’m glad I did. This stuff is non-alcoholic almond amaretto: rich and sweet with a strong (but not too overpowering) almond flavor. Thank you to Analina for sharing all of these wonderful Cornelia Bean teas…I’ve discovered lots of true hidden gems thanks to you!
Flavors: Almond, Sweet
Preparation
Hidden Gems TTB #2
The evil hibiscus strikes again! This tea smells like blueberry muffin and has a nice blueberry flavor in the beginning of the sip. But towards the end, the hibiscus takes over completely and you are left with mouth-puckering tart aftertaste. Still glad for the opportunity to try a new tea company, though!
Flavors: Blueberry, Hibiscus, Tart
Preparation
Hidden Gems TTB #1
There are so many amazing-looking teas in this box, but I’m limiting myself to herbal tisanes at this time of night. This one is super delicious! Not a generic citrus flavor, but a very distinctive juicy grapefruit taste with just the right amount of tartness. I’m enjoying it hot tonight, but I’m guessing it would be a wonderfully refreshing iced tea in the summer.
Flavors: Grapefruit, Tart
Preparation
Thank you to beelicious for sharing this tea in our recent swap! This tea isn’t something I’d normally gravitate toward, as I’m not big into herbal blends and the ingredient list looks a bit frightening (spearmint and cinnamon in the same tea?) But I needn’t have worried…it seems that Whispering Pines is incapable of selling a bad tea! This one somehow manages to be both soothing and refreshing at the same time with just a touch of warm, comforting spice. It was the perfect bedtime cup of tea!
Flavors: Cedar, Cinnamon, Spearmint
Preparation
Thank you to Kyla for sharing a generous sample of this tea! I LOVE Republic of Tea’s Ginger Peach black tea, so I was eager to see how Adagio’s version compared. Unfortunately, I didn’t love this one. I could barely taste the peach…just a vague fruity flavor coupled with LOTS of ginger.
Flavors: Ginger
Preparation
I haven’t tried a lot of Darjeeling teas before and I wasn’t a big fan of the ones I sampled. But this one was really good! It’s strong and malty (my favorite flavor profile for a black tea) with a taste that reminds me of fresh-baked bread with honey. I didn’t notice any bitterness or astringency, but there was a slightly sour note to the aftertaste that I wasn’t a huge fan of. I’m going to try it with milk next time to see if that mellows it out. Still an enjoyable cup of tea to start my day. Thank you to Kyla for the sample!
Flavors: Bread, Honey, Malt, Sour
Preparation
So THIS is what all the fuss is about! I’ve heard amazing things about this tea and they were all true…it is absolutely delicious! It has a rich, silky mouth feel and loads of fabulous flavor. I’m mainly getting sweet potato, but also a hint of honey sweetness and just a touch of spice. It also re-steeps beautifully. This is definitely one of the best black teas I’ve ever had. Thank you so much to beelicious for the sample!
Flavors: Creamy, Honey, Malt, Spices, Sweet Potatoes
Preparation
This tea has such a unique combination of flavors! The base is very smooth and mellow and stays in the background for the most part. As I sip, I get a strong coconut flavor and a little hint of herby citrus from the lemongrass. But at the end of the sip, the ginger takes over and lingers in the aftertaste. I don’t think this is something I would have chosen for myself, but I’m actually really enjoying it. I’d also be curious to try it iced. Thanks for the sample, Kyla!
Flavors: Coconut, Ginger, Lemongrass, Spicy
Chocolate Rocket is unique in its chocolate flavoring I find. When I think about it, other chocolate teas don’t really compare because they have a very different sort of flavoring to them.
Hopefully that makes sense to someone other than me :P
I didn’t like Chocolate Rocket but I know what you mean.
Hahah thank goodness. Wouldn’t want to come off rambling like a crazy lady.