60
drank Peach Matcha by DAVIDsTEA
3986 tasting notes

DAVIDsTEA Matcha Advent Calendar – Day 4

I was happy to see this come out of the advent today, because a simple fruit flavor seemed like a good candidate for a plain preparation. I followed the instructions on the DAVIDsTEA website for a plain matcha, so used the whole packet for 16 ounces of warm water.

Honestly, this preparation just isn’t doing it for me. I feel like the matcha-to-water ratio is too low, as I can’t really taste that much of the matcha itself. What I do taste a lot of is sugar, and there’s too much of it for me when prepared this way. I guess the milk must help to mask it a little bit, as I didn’t find yesterday’s matcha overly sweet. The peach flavoring is very pleasant though, and tastes mostly like real peaches. The sugar does make it taste a bit candylike however. And I get the bitterness of the matcha at the end of the sip, without getting much of its more pleasant characteristics. Harrumph.

So I guess I’ll probably be adding milk to the majority of these then, after giving them a small taste partway through the preparation. I would make a more concentrated traditional preparation, but then it would be even sweeter, which sounds awful. I’m not sure if the amount of sugar varies with these flavored matchas or not…

On to the jam! Today it’s Seedless Raspberry Spread. A classic for sure, but still delicious. I don’t mind seeds in my jam, but it was pleasant how silkily this spread over the toast. This has a lovely rich raspberry flavor with a great balance of sweetness and tartness. Raspberry jam isn’t generally one of my ‘go-to’s but I’m finding it very tasty this morning!

And after eating the sweet jam, I can’t taste the sugar as much in the matcha! Perfect! XD

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIYX874AFsO/)

Flavors: Bitter, Candy, Grass, Peach, Smooth, Sugar, Sweet

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 tsp 16 OZ / 473 ML

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron! I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, KBeauty, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2024 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January Sipdowns: 6
- Total 2024 Sipdowns: 6

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season. Occasionally I’ll brew Gongfu style when I’m in the mood. I’ll also often use a kyusu for Japanese teas.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however. I also enjoy maté, rooibos, and honeybush. I love matcha and drink it often! Fruit tisanes are not a favorite, but I’m always willing to try them.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia.

Fruit: All of them! My ‘go-to’s tend to be in the red fruits, stonefruit, or citrus spectra. I also really love apple, banana, berry, fig, lychee, melon, pear, and rhubarb flavors. Tropical fruits aren’t among my favorites, but I still enjoy them once in a while – especially passionfruit, mango, and pineapple. I am not generally a fan of coconut in tea, though there are some exceptions.

Dessert: I love creamy vanilla and marshmallow flavors, along with anything in the caramel family such as butterscotch, toffee, or maple. Chocolate is also a favorite, though I’m often disappointed by it in tea. And don’t forget anything buttery, cakey, or cookie-y!

Floral: I’m a little bit more particular in this category. I very much enjoy jasmine, even strong jasmine, along with sakura, chamomile, and elderflower. Osmanthus is also a favorite of mine. But I’m not crazy about rose or lavender flavors, and I prefer hibiscus in moderation only.

Spices: I don’t generally find myself drawn to masala chai, but I do enjoy spices combined with other flavors. My favorite spices are the warm ones, especially cinnamon, nutmeg, anise, and cardamom. A bit of heat from black pepper or chili is okay too, as long as it’s not overwhelming! Ginger can be a lovely accent, but I find it difficult to drink as a starring flavor.

Aromatics: I’m obsessed with Earl Grey! I also love cooling flavors such as mint (especially spearmint), pine, juniper, and eucalyptus. I am not a fan of strong rosemary or sage in tea.

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing

Location

Austin, Texas

Website

https://www.instagram.com/tea...

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