961 Tasting Notes

80

Strange VariaTEA TTB #4

I first heard about Trader Nick’s on fellow Steepsterite Roswell Strange’s podcast Geek Steep. (Side note: if you aren’t listening, GO LISTEN! I always hit play on the newest episode the moment in lands in my feed and I’m never disappointed by that choice.)

I immediately went and checked out their site and this particular blend went straight on my wish list. Beauty and the Beast is my favorite Disney movie and I love smoky black tea, so this sounded like it was practically made for me!

Needless to say, my expectations were probably unrealistically high. It’s a fine tea, just not the spectacularly magical experience I was secretly hoping for. Not a lot of smoky notes coming through for me; mostly milk chocolate and a bit of bourbon. A perfectly pleasant sip, but probably not something I’ll go out of my way to drink again.

(That being said, I’m so grateful for the chance to try a cup via the TTB rather than spending the money on a whole bag of a tea I end up not being crazy about. Thanks to Roswell and VariaTEA for putting this one together!)

Flavors: Bourbon, Milk Chocolate

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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65

Strange VariaTea TTB #3

The dry leaf of this tea is so pretty and it smells lovely. Unfortunately, once it’s steeped the lavender totally takes over! I don’t taste blueberry and I definitely don’t taste angel food cake; it’s just coming across as a lavender black tea. To be fair, it’s a very nice lavender…not too soapy or perfumey for my tastes. But I was hoping for more based on the name.

Flavors: Lavender

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
ashmanra

I, too, like lavender in tea, but that would be very disappointing to expect all the other flavors and not get them at all.

Kelmishka

I pulled this one out to try but then didn’t get around to it. Glad to hear I didn’t miss anything too exciting!

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90
drank Carrot Cake by T2
961 tasting notes

Strange VariaTea TTB #2

This one smells SO good…and the flavor almost lives up to the scent! Not sure if it’s quite reading carrot cake for me, but it definitely has spice cake vibes. A good balance between the spices, nuttiness, and sweet, cakey flavors. T2 has been hit and miss for me, but I’d call this one a hit!

Flavors: Cake, Nutty, Spices

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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70
drank Malloween by BrutaliTeas
961 tasting notes

Strange VariaTea TTB #1

I haven’t done a TTB in ages, so it was so fun to dig into this one!

I love smoky teas and I love marshmallows, so this was an obvious first pick for me. Unfortunately, I didn’t get much of either flavor in this cup…it was just a smooth, slightly sweet black tea with the tiniest hint of smoke coming through in the aftertaste. A pleasant enough cup, but not quite what I was hoping for.

Flavors: Smoke, Smooth, Sweet

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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70
drank Houjicha by Rishi Tea
961 tasting notes

This came as a free sample with my order. I’m not the biggest fan of houjicha, but the toasted, nutty flavor does seem pretty perfect for the cooler fall temperatures we’re getting here in Wisconsin this week! Probably not something I’d order again, but I’ll sip down this sample.

Flavors: Nutty, Roasted

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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80
drank Silver Needle by Rishi Tea
961 tasting notes

Mmm, this is nice! Despite the pale color, the flavor is surprisingly robust with floral notes and a honeyed sweetness. It is just the tiniest bit drying at the end of the sip, which keeps me coming back for more! Guessing it will also resteep well.

Flavors: Drying, Floral, Honey, Sweet

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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80

I love a good coconut oolong! My favorite is from The London Tea Room in St Louis and I was excited to possibly find a replacement a little closer to home. However, I missed the fact that this one also includes pineapple. The flavor is much more pina colada than straight-up coconut. Not what I was expecting, but still quite delicious! Going to try icing it next time.

Flavors: Coconut, Fruity, Pineapple, Tropical

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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70

Yunnan black teas tend to be my favorite, so I had to try a sample of this one in my recent Rishi order! Unfortunately, I found it to be just okay…which was disappointing considering the price point. It was quite smooth with a pleasant bready flavor, but I found the flavor surprising thin and watery despite using my usual steeping parameters. I will try over-leafing my next cup to see if that improves the flavor, but I probably won’t be repurchasing this one.

Flavors: Bread, Malt, Smooth

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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90

Since I grew up (and still live) in the Milwaukee area, Rishi is THE tea that gets served in my local coffee shops. Which means I’ve neglected them as a source of tea for my personal collection because I’m always thinking, “But that’s what I’ll be having next time I go to Stone Creek with my coffee-loving friend.” However, a local tea friend recently invited me to go in on a group order with her and I was delighted to discover that their tea catalog goes far beyond the half-dozen or so usual suspects I rely on to avoid having to drink coffee.

This was one of the samples I ordered and I think I’m going to have to go for the big bag next time. Lemon ginger is a fairly basic flavor profile that a lot of companies offer, but in my experience it can go SO wrong: artificial lemon flavor that tastes like cleaning fluid, too much spicy ginger taking over everything, not enough ginger just making the lemon taste weird…the list goes on.

But this one is perfection! Pure, natural-tasting lemon; just the right amount of ginger bite; notes of mango and lime in the background adding a bit of pop; and just the right amount of licorice root sweetness. It was great plain at my desk today, but I really see myself reaching for this with a touch of honey next time I’m feeling a bit under the weather.

Looking forward to seeing what other goodies my Rishi sample pile holds!

Flavors: Ginger, Lemon, Lime, Mango, Spicy

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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65
drank Golden Kiwi by Pinch 'n Rub
961 tasting notes

A Minnesota friend recommended I try out Pinch ‘n Rub and specifically mentioned enjoying this blend. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a kiwi tea before, so I was curious to try it! I was a bit disappointed to find that it didn’t really have much kiwi flavor. I’ve tried it both hot and iced…either way, I taste more of the apple and pineapple. It’s still an enjoyable fruity herbal blend, just not what I expected from the name.

Flavors: Apple, Fruity, Pineapple

Preparation
Boiling 8 min or more 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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Profile

Bio

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis

I was introduced to loose leaf tea by a roommate in 2012, but it wasn’t until I stumbled upon Steepster in 2014 that I discovered a world of tea that went beyond Teavana and the grocery store.

My tastes continue to evolve, but black tea is currently my favorite. I am especially drawn to strong, malty breakfast blends to wake me up in the morning and flavored dessert teas to sip throughout the day.

Just about everything in my cupboard is available to swap, so feel free to ask!

Location

Milwaukee, WI

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