Vanilla Black

I was afraid I’d oversteeped this, but happily I think I just got away with it. I’m having it with milk and sugar, and in some sips, the flavor is quite marshmallowy. During other sips, the black tea shows up sort of harsh and strong. I’d definitely say this is more marshmallow than vanilla, but I guess I could see vanilla as well. It’s too simple of a blend for me to order again, but it was good for keeping me awake on a day I had to get up much too early.

Advent Day 18, From the Depths of the Grab Bag.

Packet: “Butterscotch. Butterscotch again. Vanilla? That’s what makes me think butterscotch.”

Tea: “It smells like that African tea.” I guess that is something Kiki remembers my aunt drinking way back. I happen to be drinking plain red rooibos tonight so I had her smell my mug and she said, “Yeah! That’s the African tea this tea smells like.”

“Vanilla, it tastes vanilla-like. It’s alright. I like vanilla but I don’t like it in tea. It’s mostly black tea with vanilla. It’s a 7.”

If our perennial favorite Vanilla Comoro were a sweet little bear cub napping in the hollow of a maple tree deep in the big woods, CuppaGeek’s Vanilla Black would be the Mama Bear on guard outside: same DNA, but with a bite! All that to say, the vanilla pastry sweetness leads, but there’s a good, strong black tea base underneath. Very, very nicely done!

CuppaGeek Advent Calendar, December 18

That looks like plain black tea. No, something is there.
Opened pouch… ah, sweet aroma.
Hmm, vanilla.

I wasn’t the fan of sweet flavours in tea. I mean, I have tried a few when I was little. I can’t forget trying Tiramisu tea. In tea bag. It was yucky. Maybe I would like it though now. It’s out of production, luckily?! But I got as well Venetian Tiramisu from Harney. So, yep, I can drink sweet ones now :)

So, this tea. I did single 5 minute steep, and it was pretty nice. Nice black base, with creamy vanilla. There isn’t much more to write about! It was smooth, no rough edges of tea; just maybe way too straightforward. But it isn’t a bad thing! I reckon trying it other day, when not having a sweet breakfast tea, I would enjoy it more. Thanks anyway Nichole, at least I found out I don’t mind vanilla at least.

Cuppageek Advent Day 13

I was happy to see this one! I have wanted to try it.

It was over 70F here today. I triple steeped this and poured it into a Stump pot and took it outside to the rockers and my husband joined me. It was perfect.

Some vanilla black tea tries to be a dessert tea or to appeal to the sweet tooth, while a couple I have tried really feel like grown-up vanilla tea to me. Just great black tea and vanilla.

This is a grown up vanilla tea. Taken plain, I think even a coffee lover would like it. I certainly think it could handle sugar and milk but I like it this way, no additions.

We sipped and rocked as the sun got lower and lower in the west, almost blinding me until I went in and fetched my big sun hat. Of course, it was barely five o’clock at the time.

While I call it an “adult” vanilla, it isn’t too bitter, brisk, or astringent. There is just enough briskness to make it super with dessert although we were just having tea. Anything too astringent bothers my stomach and this did not trouble me at all. This is a solid, versatile tea to gave around, so it may be on my next order.

Day 10 Advent (yes i know day 9 is missing but i haven’t had a chance to add the tea to the database lol)

I was happy to see this one today – i love a good basic vanilla black. I have none in my cupboard at the moment as i finished the last of my version from Capital teas and my order from 52 teas isn’t here yet. I’m also hoping Ann will create a new vanilla black.

All that to say, i’d consider picking this one up when i’m out in future. The base was nice, the flavouring was good – it wasn’t extraordinary, but i don’t want or need that in a vanilla black :)

Sipdown (216)

I made this for the tea with a bean note prompt in Mastress Alita’s scavenger hunt and I think I did something wrong because this ended up being fairly astringent. It’s got a lot of vanilla flavour. But the astringency is what hits first and sort of ruins it. I previously rated this a 75 so that makes me think I’ve had this before and it was better. Thank you Sil for the chance to try this again, even if it didn’t go so well.