82
drank White Anastasia by Kusmi Tea
3986 tasting notes

Why hello there! ❤

Long time no see, tea frens. I have been drinking zero tea for the last month or so, as I just didn’t feel like it – I assume because of the hot summer weather. But now that fall is fast approaching, I’m hoping to get back into the tea swing of things! Plus there’s nothing like the sweet siren song of advent calendar season to tempt me back… :D

So I’m happy to be among my fellow tea nerds again!

As my first tea, I figured I’d pick something out of my “oldest teas” box and an Earl sounded like just the ticket, so this one won out. I’m surprised to see a lot of the notes have rather mediocre ratings, as I dig this one. I enjoy Kusmi’s bergamot – it’s present but not overpowering. I’m not the type who enjoys those double bergamot Earls, so a more moderate amount is perfect for me. The lemon makes itself known, and I do get just a wisp of floral that could be the orange blossom. I tend to find bergamot a bit floral, so it’s possible that’s making it harder to detect the additional floral notes. Not being a flower lover when it comes to tea, I’m quite pleased at the subtlety.

Anyway, it’s a lovely light Earl Grey. I’m not sure I would know that it’s a white tea if I wasn’t told, it could just as easily be a very light black tea. There’s an earthy note to it that’s unusual for white tea, and I don’t get much in the way of hay. A perfect choice for a little afternoon tea relaxation break!

Flavors: Bergamot, Citrus, Earth, Floral, Hay, Lemon, Smooth

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
gmathis

Good to see you back!

Cameron B.

Thank you sweet friends! Good to be back. :)

ashmanra

I had this recently with my daughter. I bought it because of you!

Martin Bednář

Hi there! I feel you with being busy :)

derk

Always nice to see you making a return, Cameron.

Cameron B.

@ashmanra – d’awww that’s so sweet! Looking forward to doing more tea swaps. :D

@Martin – my problem is always that I have too many hobbies, and I can’t possibly do them all at once! So I tend to sort of cycle between them.

@derk – nice to see you too! Looking forward to more Kiki guest notes! :P

Lexie Aleah

It’s nice to see you reviewing again! (: I’ve been a bit less active myself and am also trying to get back in the swing of things.

Cameron B.

Fall is the perfect time to get back into the tea-swing of things!

Crowkettle

Welcome back! :)

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Comments

gmathis

Good to see you back!

Cameron B.

Thank you sweet friends! Good to be back. :)

ashmanra

I had this recently with my daughter. I bought it because of you!

Martin Bednář

Hi there! I feel you with being busy :)

derk

Always nice to see you making a return, Cameron.

Cameron B.

@ashmanra – d’awww that’s so sweet! Looking forward to doing more tea swaps. :D

@Martin – my problem is always that I have too many hobbies, and I can’t possibly do them all at once! So I tend to sort of cycle between them.

@derk – nice to see you too! Looking forward to more Kiki guest notes! :P

Lexie Aleah

It’s nice to see you reviewing again! (: I’ve been a bit less active myself and am also trying to get back in the swing of things.

Cameron B.

Fall is the perfect time to get back into the tea-swing of things!

Crowkettle

Welcome back! :)

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Profile

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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