1500 Tasting Notes

69

Damn, this tea is OOOOOLLLLLLLD. Like, I’ve had it for five years old? Jeepers.

Went back home to visit the family, and they’d stashed this somewhere. I’ve sent them tea from my travels and swaps for years… and I thought they drank it. Ah well. More for me.

Hilariously, I drank two pots of this before I realized there was strawberry flavoring in it…. (I’m allergic to strawberries, and yes, there’s still some in the flavor).

I had wondered if I’d ‘gotten over’ my allergy, as I’ve worked hard to deal with it naturally. But then, the age of this tea and … well who knows.

All I know is that I like this tea this time around. Like, a LOT a lot.

It needs sweetener, and it’s divine with some cream. Like a chai-y goodness of weirdness. It really is weird, I’m assuming from the age and the additives and whatnot, but I like it. Red hot cinnamon hearts? Cold, not so much. It neeeeeds cream.

So, I guess this is a sipdown of a long-forgotten tea I’d removed years ago from my cupboard.

A rating of 69 seems fitting.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Ginger, Spices

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 24 OZ / 709 ML

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84
drank Cardamom Macchiato by DAVIDsTEA
1500 tasting notes

Tricky review, this one.

First off, it’s a white chai. I’m a new convert to white chai’s, where my partner decided all he drinks is white tea. So, I had to figure out a way to combine my love of chai with something he’d drink.

This fits the bill…. sort of.

I mean, there’s ALSO black tea in here, and then…. big crescendo… there’s also COFFEE.

GASP.

C’mon tea lovers. It’s a macchiato.

Still, I’m all… what?! Tea AND coffee. Sacriledge!

Next up in the melange of weirdness? It has an odd assortment of ingredients. Apple was the strangest for me (I’m not sure how it fits, other than perhaps as a natural sweetener), although the rosehips also made me go… hmmm.

Now I really want to try it.

Yep, yep, yep.

First cup was straight tea, nothing added, no sweetener.

All I can say is… this tea surprised me.

It DOES taste like a macchiato. It’s definitely cardamom-heavy (bring it, I love cardamom), and I can also taste the coffee. The black tea gives it a bit of depth, and then the apple sweetens things up so I really don’t need sweetener. Although, I’m definitely adding some the next steep. Just to be sure. ;)

First cup, second steep was surprisingly similar, with some added Krisda (stevia + erythritol mix). I still craved the creaminess of a macchiato.

Darn that’s hard to spell correctly. Macchiato.

Second cup, I added heavy cream + Krisda.

OMG. This is goooooood. Like I could drink this all day and still gulp it down in one sip, gooooood.

I think, perhaps, for me…. this reminds me of a coffee my former inlaws used to make every morning. They’d grab their locally-roasted beans, grind them up with some cardamom, and then brew their coffee.

This tea, drink, whatever you want to call it at this point (it’s a bit of everything, isn’t it?) reminds me of that feeling, that moment, that….. ah….

It’s a hit for me, and a surprising one. I didn’t think I’d like this so much that I’d want to buy more.

I mean, I drink TEA people, not coffee…

1 DAVIDs Perfect Spoon in 12 oz of water and 8 oz of heavy cream, brewed three minutes, at boiling water temperature. I

f I could, I would do this at a much lower temperature, but all I have access to at this coworking space is instant boiling water. Ah, first world problems.

Flavors: Cardamom, Coffee, Sweet, Thick

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Roswell Strange

It’s directly inspired by Turkish Coffee – which is coffee with ground up cardamom pods or husks in it. I’m not 100% sure, but I feel like (in addition to providing some sweetness) the apple might be a nod to that as well? IE. Turkish Apple…

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80
drank Cardamom French Toast by DAVIDsTEA
1500 tasting notes

Tried this as a tea latte today, to see if I could coax out something more yummy. I also opened the cardamom pods to give it more flavor.

Good call on the pods, but it’s still just cardamom tea, and a very weak one at that. I oversteeped my second steep, too, and still, just blah.

I obviously need stronger, more full bodied teas to do my tea lattes with (I use the highest fat content cream I can find, as my body loves ketosis). Ah well. I tried.

Flavors: Cardamom

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 8 min or more 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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80
drank Cardamom French Toast by DAVIDsTEA
1500 tasting notes

I much preferred this tea the last time around that I had it. This time? Just a meh.

I wouldn’t say no to it… but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy more, either.

I’m suspecting there’s something weird in the hot water/cups at my coworking space, because everything I’ve made here hasn’t thrilled me, when it did other reviewers / my own self with previous iterations.

Preparation
2 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Lexie Aleah

Mastress Alita has been having a similar problem at her workplace. She’s been making tea at home and taking it. Since the problem at work didn’t get resolved.

MissB

I travel full time, so there’s no way for me to avoid using whatever facilities I have access to. Plus, I drink at least eight different cups of tea a day.

It could be the water (most likely) but I’ll give my fine mesh tea strainer a good scrub with some baking soda. It usually does the trick, enough at least where I’m not complaining.

It could, however, just be the tea. It’s different than when I bought it last time – added sweeteners, different propotions, etc.

Lexie Aleah

How nice to be able to travel full- time!(:

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80

Hilariously, the tea I love at DAVIDs is the one every else is meh about – and the tea I disliked (Lemon Pound Cake) is the one everyone raves about.

Go figure. More for me!

I asked the staff member serving me, after grabbing a ridiculous amount of small samples, “Okay, what else do I NEED to try?”

He immediately said this tea. I’m in. Turmeric, pepper, cardamom and pineapple? YEESS…. (and why have I not thought of this myself?)

I imagined this to be like a lassi, minus the yogurt, and I was spot on. This is DELICIOUS.

That is, if you like chai-like spices and sweet, sweet pineapple.

I do. So there ya go.

I could drink this all day. Oh wait, I did yesterday. I let it steep 7 minutes the first time around, and about half an hour the second time around. Even my 10-year-old, the pickiest of all tea drinkers, loved it.

Flavors: Pepper, Pineapple, Spicy, Sweet

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 4 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
VariaTEA

When I tried this it had potential but the stevia just killed it for me :(

MissB

Yea, I hate that they’re adding sweeteners to their teas. Let me decide how sweet (or not) that I want it, please. I mean, I get it… from a profit perspective at least. But from a user perspective, I’m loving DAVIDs less and less the more time goes on.

Kittenna

Ah, so there is stevia. Sigh. I thought I tasted that familiar lingering taste, although it wasn’t as strong as it has been.

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50
drank Lemon Pound Cake by DAVIDsTEA
1500 tasting notes

I don’t get it. This tea has crazy high ratings. I steeped it exactly per the instructions, and yet, it’s just blah.

I don’t get “just like lemon pound cake” at all. I don’t get “buttery, citrusy oolong” either.

I thought it had additional sweetener added to it, so I didn’t add any the first time around. Ick. Big mistake. It just tasted a bit tangy with hints of citrus, and lemongrass. No butter, no nuthin’.

Second steep was about the same as the first, but I added one cube of sugar to the 16 oz cup. Okay, this makes it more… well, sweet. That’s about it. Oh, and once it cooled I tasted flat cardboard. Not butter. Sigh.

No idea what I did wrong here, but this sucks. Expensive tea these days, DAVIDs, and I can’t say I’m thrilled with the results. I’ve got enough for another big cup, so, we’ll see.

Flavors: Cardboard, Citrus, Lemongrass

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 4 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML
Roswell Strange

This tea is being retired, so I’d wager that even if you’re in the minority here on Steepster you’re probably not in the minority overall. Personally, I like this one – though I usually brew it iced and a little bit stronger, then added in some milk.

Cameron B.

I don’t get it either, MissB. This mostly just tastes like lemongrass to me…

MissB

They did recommend it iced, the staff, so that makes sense. There are so many of DAVIDs offerings these days that seem better iced. Which is cool, just not an option while I’m traveling.

Glad to know I’m not the only one who isn’t in love with it…

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drank Apricot Guayusa by Butiki Teas
1500 tasting notes

This is what happens when you go ‘home’ (where my stuff is kept in storage), and find tea that you’d completely forgotten about. I swear, this is five-year-old tea. Jeepers. Butiki! This stuff is pure gold, considering Stacey doesn’t (to my knowledge?) run Butiki anymore, and hasn’t for a while.

So, I grabbed the tea, and brought it with me on my travels.

I remember this being my first guayusa tea, and I can’t rememeber why. Perhaps it’s not that common (it’s not), and I’m not the biggest mate fan (which this reminds me of).

Drinking the tea, is fun, and surprisingly good considering how old it is. It still looks stunning – the leaves are flat and multicolored, almost like green, grey and brown confetti. The calendula leaves are still long, orangey-yellow and twisted like a good yoga pose. The smell is still strongly of apricot/peaches, and a hint of metallic earth.

The flavor is exactly how I remember it: a first hit of sweetness from a stone fruit, a middle layer of green… I can’t describe it any better than that… and final notes of a sort of cardboard sweetness. The last bit is likely from the age of the tea.

Do I love it? Nope. Do I like it? Definitely. I think I’ll finish this more because it’s bittersweet to drink this than because I really want the hit of energy, or the flavor.

Although, I could be convinced to send this along to someone else, if they really loved it and want some more. There’s maybe a mug-sized amount left.

Flavors: Green, Metallic, Stonefruit, Sweet

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 2 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
tea-sipper

It’s good to see when Steepsterers are still enjoying Butiki teas AND that MissB is still on her travels. :D

MissB

Ha, I guess good things don’t change?

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70

I’m loving this brand of tea, and how they execute their teas. It’s really fun to try them all, plus, the presentation makes me smile (small vials of tea, like when I was on the Isle of Man and the tea house there offered up their teas in the same fashion for ‘breathing’).

Anyway. About this tea!

I wanted more chocolate and more mint from this. It’s fun, it’s a bit frivolous, and it requires quite a bit of sweetening to get it to where I want it, flavored-tea wise. Still, I like it.

The puer adds depth, richness and earthiness – all things that I love in tea. There’s a hint of mint, the cacao nibs are great.. but I’m also aware I’ve yet to have just nibs in my tea and it actually taste like chocolate. Call me picky. Or maybe I just drink too much tea.

For someone not accustomed to drinking tea as much as I do? This tea is amazeballs. For me, it’s just good. I won’t go out of my way to order more of this flavor, but I won’t say no if more ends up in my cup. I might even have seconds. ;)

Note: I receive this, and many other teas, from Brooke & Bradford in exchange for honest reviews on Instagram and other social media outlets. These are my opinions only.

Flavors: Cocoa, Earth, Mint, Thick

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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40
drank Orange Spice by Numi Organic Tea
1500 tasting notes

No idea where this came from, but I’m not a fan. I likely grabbed it because it’s a white tea blend – rare to find in a teabag.

First few sips are like licking a spoonful of cinnamon. I love cinnamon, but this isn’t great. It’s powdery and tart, not at all appealing.

After it sits a bit and cools it’s a bit more palatable. It’s still tart as all get out, and needs quite a bit of mixing with some form of sweetener to get it drinkable. Only then can I taste the orange, and a few other spices.

Great idea, poor execution. No thanks.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Orange, Tart

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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75

I can’t stop drinking this, and it’s become a daily NEED, rather than a want.

I usually make it as part of my butter/coconut oil tea (a la Bulletproof Tea style) every morning. So, brew the tea until it’s strong as molasses, then add 2 TB of coconut oil, sometimes some protein powder, and stevia. Blend – drink.

I adore turmeric teas, which is why I got it initially. Plus, I think it was on sale. Turmeric, ginger, tulsi… it’s literally the perfect combination for kapha-based folks (like me), or those that need some lovin’ in the heat/warmth department within their bodies. My partner, who is a Vata through and through, loves this stuff as well. He says it eases his joint pain.

Yes, it’s bagged tea, and yes, it’s Tetley. Still love this stuff, and can’t seem to make my own version of it that’s just as tasty.

it gets a 75 rating – it’s not GREAT, world-class tea (it’s really just herbs and spices) but it’s a go-to in my house.

Flavors: Cinnamon, Ginger, Smooth, Spicy, Tulsi

Preparation
Boiling 7 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Lexie Aleah

I’ve being trying to figure out my type for a few years. It’s definitely really interesting to read about. How interesting I wouldn’t have expected Tetley to sell something like that. I’ll have to look for some of it next time I go to Canada.

MissB

Lexie – years? It’s not that tricky. Most of us are a combination, not just one. Many free online tests can help you. As for purchase, I got it originally on the US. I’m sure it’ll be in the UK, too.

Evol Ving Ness

I tend to make my black chai blends into bulletproof concoctions. Thanks for the turmeric tea tip. I’ll give that a whirl too.

MissB

@Evol – me too. It’s my go-to! I find the chais are the only ones that can stand up to the oil/butter, and then the blacks… well… they’re strong and full-bodied, usually. Although if I’m honest, I’ve used many a tea that I dislike to blend into my bulletproof concoctions, just to get rid of it.

Evol Ving Ness

Exactly what I do. But with the black chai blends that are less than stellar, the coconut oil benefits them. And with the ones that I already like, they become magnificent with that treatment.

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Profile

Bio

A few years ago, the obsession with tea started. The cupboard got bigger and bigger, more swaps occurred, group buys, secret rendezvous with local teapassionistas… and that’s how you end up with 500+ different kinds of tea in your home. At one time.

Almost all of the tea was given away, sold, or otherwise shared. A few relics still remain. I now travel full time with only two carryon bags to my name. One quarter of those bags are tea.

It’s still a challenge to avoid the chipmunk-like hoarding of The Teas, yet, the lightness of being from having so little compels me more.

If I have enough, I’m happy to share. If I’m in your area, I’d love to swap, meet for tea, and explore together.

As for the day-to-day stuff, I’m focused almost entirely on Love, (yes, with a capital L), Spirit/Self, transformation, travel and my writing and speaking work.

What kinds of teas do I normally like?

YES: flavored teas, fruity, dessert, chai, and spicy (REALLY spicy).

A FONDNESS FOR: all white teas, malty black teas, any herbal or medicinal teas, strange/weird teas you can only get in one place.

ALLERGIC TO: strawberries, lavender

DISLIKES: any added sugars, grains, lapsang souchong, and overly floral teas – I might enjoy a Jasmine Green every once in a while, but unless it’s a creamy floral tea (think roses in a chai, or the smoothness of a floral note in a French tea), I’ll likely pass. Earl Greys are a hit or miss with me; heavy on the cream or fruit notes and I might like it, heavy on the blergamot and I definitely won’t.

http://instagram.com/teatravelninja

http://teatravelninja.com/

Location

Canada

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