1711 Tasting Notes

Wait a minute… I’m not getting much flavor out of this Sipsby tea either! What’s going on here? Is there something wrong with my water or kettle or steeping basket. This should have more to it, but it’s just bland. I’m going to need to investigate.

ashmanra

I hope you don’t have Covid! I couldn’t taste my tea for several days but it didn’t hit until after I was feeling better.

Dustin

I took a Covid test right after posting this note! I’m negative. But what a review for a tea! “So weak I thought I must have Covid!” LOL!

ashmanra

I’m glad it is just weak tea and not Covid!

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drank Nuts About You by Tea Head (Sips by)
1711 tasting notes

Made my first Sipsby order while they were having a sale. When I got the teas, two of them are branded with what seems to be a Sipsby sub brand, Tea Head and Cookie Tea. I’m guessing they are catalog brands repackaged? On the back of the bag was an address, 1300 Anderson Lane Building D in Austin. Do they have a store there? I know Austin, so Anderson lane seems odd. It’s always either East or West Anderson. West is some random little building, but East is PREPATX, a ghost kitchen space. I’ve never heard of a tea company running out of a ghost kitchen, but that’s a clever way to acquire the space needed for packaging tea! No retail location, mystery solved.

Unfortunately, the location mystery was the best part about this tea. I’m a sucker for almond tea, so I had to try this, but it tastes like a hot cup of nothing. There is the lightest of flavors ever in my cup. The front of the sip has a slight sour note to it that makes me suspect the coconut is thinking about turning. It leaves my mouth sour and dry in the finish like a rooibos. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a tea go straight to the get rid of bin after one cup, but here I am!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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I don’t recall who sent me a sample of this, but I had one serving left hidden in the depths of my cupboard. I wasn’t expecting to like this much and I find I’m enjoying it. It was the rooibos part that made me wary. I get almond mixed with some mellow spices. Maybe not enough to call chai, but a mix that works. There is also something bringing a slight sweetness to it. I think I can pick out some dried apple notes that mix well with cinnamon. Apple almond strudel? I think I’ve had it for a few years now and the flavors hold up well. I don’t think this is a tea I’d run out and buy, but I’d drink another cup of it for sure! Thank you forgotten steepster for sending me this sample! You have lovely handwriting!

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 0 sec
Martin Bednář

Lovely handwriting? Definitely not me :D

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drank Bak Kwa by ETTE TEA
1711 tasting notes

Trying hard to enjoy this cup of tea while listening to the loud droning of an industrial sized carpet cleaner being run out of a van in the driveway of the apartment next door. There is no escape from the sound inside my house and it’s been running off and on all day. I hope the memory of irritation doesn’t imprint on this tea!

This is one of the Ette teas that I like the most, but it is predominantly a lapsang. There is a little more nuance to it than a plain lapsang, but not by much. I do get a barbeque flavor from it, likely do to the pepper and spice, but I’m not getting orange peel in there. Either way, totally drinkable.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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drank Sweet Pistachio Pu'erh by Tealyra
1711 tasting notes

Pistachio is such a strange nut flavor. I love it, but it’s not as common as almonds or cashews and it seems like different parts of it are prominent in different uses for it. This tea for example tastes way different than pistachio baklava or pudding, but they all still have flavors of the nut. I feel like I need more pistachio in my life to feel this theory out.

This tea smells delicious. The pu isn’t as murky and wet tasting as some that I’ve had and that works well in not overpowering the other flavors. The pistachio is nice and light, but present here and holds it’s own with the pu. The flavor is well rounded and has depth. It’s a good tea, fun to try, but probably won’t be a reorder.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec

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drank Wild Berry Chai by Tealyra
1711 tasting notes

Have you ever placed an order for tea, received your order and wondered why you ordered a particular tea? Something that doesn’t fit your usual flavor preferences or sound exciting in any way? Maybe you wonder if it was a mistake, check your email and see it was indeed on your order? That is this tea for me. Wild berry chai doesn’t sound like something I’d be drawn to. Did I think I was selecting a different tea and didn’t pay attention? I have zero recollection on finding this tea interesting or adding it to my cart. Weird.
ANYWAYS… The flavors in this are very light. I do taste some fruitiness in there and the fruit seems well balanced. The spices are really faint for a chai. The flavors are not bold enough to have this with milk and have much come through. It isn’t a bad tea, it’s just not something I’m into contrary to what 5pm January 24th 2024 me thought. I need to have a talk with that version of me before ordering more tea.

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

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drank Almond Biscotti by The Tea Smith
1711 tasting notes

Sipdown!
Finished the last of this tea in the past two days. I’ve somewhat mindlessly sipped on my cups while commuting and going about my day. Sitting down with a resteep right now. This tea has grown on me, but not enough that I feel like it needs to be restocked. It would likely be a fine tea if I wasn’t hoping for a replacement for discontinued favorites. The search for the perfect almond tea continues…

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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Decided to dig this out of the back of the cupboard and have another cup since I realized people have been getting excited about it’s return. It’s a strange tea. I got whiffs of rootbeer in the bag, which makes no sense! Once steeped it seemed okay. The maple notes started to come out and I was noticing the coconut thinking about turning as there was a slight hint of soapiness. As it cooled it changed to more of a chocolate milk sort of taste, which I wasn’t expecting. If I sip too frequently the flavors start to register as flat, but if I sip sparingly I get the chocolate milk notes. It’s an intriguing tea, but I’m not as hyped about it as others and I feel like I’m missing out on something. Oh well. :/

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

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drank Turkish Bazaar by Churchill's Teas
1711 tasting notes

I’ve had a few cups of this now since getting the tea and I feel like the experience is a little different each time. I notice something new. Today I’m noticing the deeper base notes, almost coffee like. Maybe some baked citrus in the mix? It’s a complex rich blend that I’m finding more endearing as time goes on.

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

This sounds really nice!

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I love the Witcher series. I like the books, I like the show, I like the narrator for the audiobooks. When I hear the name of this tea I think of the Witcher, Gerald, who was referred to as the white wolf. This tea doesn’t taste at all like an association of that character. It has cedar, which I can smell and is the reason I found this tea intriguing. The woman working the counter at Bellocq said they have two teas with cedar. I think the other was Parks something. I had a sample tasting of it in the store, but wasn’t taken by it. This is a white tea, it’s very light and ethereal. It has a mild sweetness to it. Maybe a touch of anise? It’s a nice mellow blend. I’m enjoying it, but I don’t think it’s bold enough for me to want to keep it in stock.

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 0 sec
AJRimmer

My only experience with the Witcher is listening to the songs on Youtube repeatedly – they’re so good! I need to watch/read it one day!

Dustin

OMG! Declan de Barra is AMAZING! He is one of the show producers and sang some of the songs. He was a musician from Ireland before going into TV. He did a few solo albums and was in a band, Clan Zu. As much as I enjoyed the TV series, I REALLY wish I had the opportunity to see Declan live.

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Profile

Bio

My name is Dustin and I like tea.

I’m an added flavor kind of tea fan, but have had a growing appreciation for plain. I want my tea to remind me of cookies and cakes with coconut and almond slices with a hint of chocolate drizzled on top. I want dancing ponies and flying monkeys shooting off fireworks! And no hibiscus. Hibiscus is the devil.

Location

BA, CA, US

Website

https://www.instagram.com/dre...

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