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This was a freebie from La Via del Te in my order. A proper, 50 grams pouch.

To be honest, I added a few teas to reach this gift (it was said a pouch of tea, not which one); and I had to compesate 15 EUR for shipping too. So, Advent Calendar and a few pouches.

First of all, it smells amazing. Very fresh, spicy, citrusy (probably lemongrass?) and fruity.
I steeped 7 grams in boiling water for 5 minutes and it has got a pine-y notes? Then again, ginger, and apples. A little bit like a mulled apple cider with pine-y ginger-y notes.

When drank, it was actually damn similar to aroma, mostly noticeable were apples with ginger which wasn’t fiery, just a mildly spicy. A hardly noticeable were pomegranates, which surprises me, as there was more of citrusy notes than this red round fruit.

In conclusion, this blend isn’t bad… but my expectations were very different. I have been expecting a spicy (fiery) pomegranate tea, but nada. Now when I know what to expect, it will be a little better next time. Rating on hold.
And note for some: It doesn’t contain any hibiscus!

A friend of mine from postcrossing sent me this tea bag; and well, you know bagged rooibos can be tasty, but also awful.

I stuck nose to the opened outer wrapping and thought it won’t be bad. It was smelling quite nice, honey-ish; with hints of woody notes, which are often found in the rooibos.

Steeped for 5 minutes or so, no squeezing and actually it was indeed nice. It was one of the honey-ish rooibos, instead muddled woody flavour. A nice suprise, almost like a honeybush :) They claim it does have a nutty flavour, but that wasn’t a case of my cup.
Maybe it was very fresh one. Or a good bag? Anyway, I am not complaining this time!

I have bought today a sampler called Discovery Collection and while I look to Lipton more with a despect, I could not resist. It has got pyaramid sachets and there are real ingredients than flavourings only. So this one contains true vanilla and caramel powder.

I don’t know why I started with this one, while others being earl grey, forest fruits, peach mango, and lemon; but maybe because I was craving something sweet; although I have eaten a whole pack of sour candy a little earlier.

It is truly very sweet; caramel being stronger than the vanilla and vanilla is sweet, but alas not creamy as I have hoped. But I am glad that I noticed both. On ther other hand, the base is covered totally with those flavours and not really distinctive in any way.

I am sure that this sampler will bring me lots of joy with flavoured black teas that I have been a little missing in my stash recently and I was craving them too. I know, it’s Lipton; and pretty much cheap (150 CZK for 50 sachets), but better than nothing and it is easy to offer it to any guests.

A face-to-face comparation of two Ruhunu teas from Ceylon. I do have those two tea bags for ages, since Izzy sent it to me years ago. Thank you! I put them to the focus box; but I never took both at once to do such comparation.

It is old as Basilur in previous note; at least in my cupboard :) And both were tea bags in foil wrapper.

This tea is more tannic and also a litte more astringent; it would be better to add milk to this one. It wasn’t so smooth either, and as of flavours, it was too flat to detect any.

Tasted an old tea bag, thus no rating.

A face-to-face comparation of two Ruhunu teas from Ceylon. I do have those two tea bags for ages, since Izzy sent it to me years ago. Thank you! I put them to the focus box; but I never took both at once to do such comparation.

As it is quite old, but rated in the past, I will keep the rating with this one.

Well, it is apparently old, as it has lost lots of its qualities and tastes quite flat to me. However there was still some malty notes and it was a little tannic, but it was fine enough. Definitely high in caffeine; a good morning cup anyway.

A sipdown! (M: 7 Y: 87) — prompt: A tea you won’t repurchase

Sadly, this tea is a tea I won’t repurchase. It has been a dismal. Ceylon base tea was quite metallic in the very end of the cardboard “tin” and vanilla and bergamot levels were too low to enjoy throughly. And I have been expecting somehow creamy, mellow taste and instead I got more sharp notes of those flavours, but thin.

So, while I really like their Lemongrass & Ginger, the flavoured black is, sadly, on the other end. Even though I found a little better preparation method. Only 90°C water and added first and then the strainer with tea.

Another re-tested tea after 6 years.
Sadly, I have to say that I am not much a fan of this tropical tea.
In terms of flavours it is tasty and flavourful, with notes mentioned by my and Kaylee; but sadly, hibiscus in is too strong.

So, it is: hibiscus, coconut, pineapple, papaya in order of flavours.

What? I haven’t written a note for this one yet?

Well, what to drink in a chilly, rainy, autumn afternoon? A ginger to warm up and rosehips for ascorbic acid, aka Vitamin C. Rooibos base is fine; I don’t need a wake-up.

This is pleasant, considering it is not a newest tea in my stash (I bought it in December 2022). Ginger is enough to cover you in warm feeling, but not spicy or fiery as some. And rosehips are just fine, a little of fruitiness and tartness as ashmanra mentions.
And I believe I noticed a little of cinnamon, a sweet kind of it.

Definitely a great warming up tea. I am not gonna rate it as it is a little older than I would like to admit,.

I bought a few bags of this to the decaf/herbal TTB; and 2 of them I kept with myself.

I knew this was favorite of mine, but it has been a long time since I have tried it; so yesterday I picked this one to drink in the afternoon and I am very glad that I did!

Both fruits are present in aroma as well as in taste; really strong and jammy taste of both. A little tart, a little sour; exactly what I have been expecting from this tea. I was steeping it for really long, and the liquor was very mouth-coating.

As it is fall here already, with misty mornings; I wouldn’t prepare it as an iced tea, but I am pretty sure it would work marvelously.

A sipdown! (M: 6 Y: 86) prompt: October 20 – Fall Leaves Appreciation – your largest or prettiest leaf tea. Just a day late. A good call to sipdown this tea!

I prepared the rest in western style… but I have tried it several times gong fu; and it was equally delicious as this western steeping. It was, also very pretty, the leaves were huge and pretty, as this sipdown prompt requires. Sadly, this remainder was a little more broken and not so pretty, but still perfect to steep.

I have used 4 grams for my 300 ml mug and a little bit forget about steeping it in 95°C water. It could be easily 4 minutes. But this tea doesn’t turn astringent or bitter.

Again, I can copy and paste my previous notes: berry-like and floral aromas, with meadow and this time a little of hay in hot summer evenings. A little of spices, as mentioned earlier, too.

As of flavours… somehow fruity, and meadowy + hay as in aromas, but smooth and mouthcoating with long aftertaste and mouthfeel.

Just a pure “yum”! Raising rating from 88 to 92. And recommend!