62
drank Raspberry Matcha by DAVIDsTEA
3986 tasting notes

DAVIDsTEA Advent Calendar – Day 10

Oooh I’m excited for this one! I think this is a good flavor to try without milk as well.

Prepared with 12 ounces of water for the single serve packet. 16 ounces is recommended, but I find it to be too watery prepared that way.

Honestly, this one is disappointing for me. The raspberry flavor is just not great, it tastes very artificial and reminds me more of a raspberry hard candy than the fresh fruit. Not that candylike flavors are bad, but here it tastes chalky (similar to the Berries & Cream flavor) and it just doesn’t go well with the slightly savory matcha. The flavor is lighter than some others, similar to yesterday’s vanilla matcha. I also get quite a bit of bitterness from the matcha itself, which only makes the artificial taste and the sugary sweetness worse.

I added milk to the second half of the cup and it’s definitely more drinkable this way. The raspberry flavor is still not great, but at least the sugar and bitterness are mitigated. This one is just not for me…

The jam for today is Blueberry-Blackcurrant Spread. Man, Bonne Maman is really knocking it out of the part with these flavors lately. As the name suggests, I would say the blueberry is the slightly stronger flavor here, with a rich syrupy sweetness and deep flavor. The blackcurrant adds a bit of tartness and dimension to the mix. I’m never sure how to describe blackcurrant, to me it tastes like a mix of blueberry and raspberry with a bit of passion fruit thrown in! Anyway, it’s delicious.

(today’s advent teas: https://www.instagram.com/p/CIn4CAHg-sf/)

Flavors: Artificial, Bitter, Candy, Grass, Raspberry, Sugar, Sweet, Vegetal

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 tsp 12 OZ / 354 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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