49 Tasting Notes
Along with the new little teacups, some Moms Apple Pie and a milk frother (AND THERE WAS MUCH REJOICING. AT LAST.), picked this up as well. (Alas, this owl was forgetful and neglected to pick up Salted Caramel. Siiiiiigh) The ingredients in it screamed chai-esque which, as most of my close roost-mates know, is my jaaaam. I do love some spicy chai. It smelled very vanillary, cinnamony and spicy, which was good. I figured it wouldn’t need much added sweetness in it at all. We’ll get back to that later.
Can we talk for a minute about the new milk frother they’re selling? Sure it looks like a vibrator and an alien probe mated in a dark janitors closet but my god, you don’t know how long and how difficut the search for a frother has been for me. This owl was beginning to feel frustrated and then… right before the autumn “latte season”.. lo and behold.
Anyway. Seemed only fitting to try Sugar and Spice out as a latte.
Steeped. Frothed. Combined in a flurry of tea alchemy. Sipped.
nom.
It does what it says on the tin people, this is spiiiiiice. Not your everyday half-arsed spice but spicy-spice. Like, sipping right now and it tastes like a gingerbread cookie only more creamy. This would be perfect for around Christmas too not just fall. If you’re drinking it straight, perhaps it might benefit from some sweetener, but I go back on what I said. As a latte this needs nothing at all. The sweetness is subtle but not overpowering thank the gods. This is a keeper and I will be fluttering back out to restock.
Fall teas! Fall teas! I went for the usual refilling of the tin and was pleasantly surprised by several new and old teas. Gave Pumpkin Chai a miss because I still have pleeeenty of that from last season..
Now here Owlie has to confess. While Rooibos is her nemesis of the tea world, Green teas… are finicky. Sometimes the bitterness goes well. Other times she finds it tastes rather like… hot leaf juice, cry pardon. She read the reviews on this one however, and was excited to try it. Green tea or no green tea, Owlie was hyped. She sniffed at the tea tin on the counter.
Apples… spice… pie crust? A hint of caramel? PIE CRUST?
Sold. Utterly sold.
Upon steeping, the aroma of hot, juicy apples bathed in cinnamon wafter up from the teacup. Most of the “Green tea bitterness” washed in at first leaving room for the apples to slowly appear afterwards. And strangely.. it works. It really tastes like apple pie. Overall, this owl was thoroughly impressed and converted. After the tragic end of the love affair with Copabanana, she needed something to get over that summer fling.
Today is a sad, sad day for Owlie. She re-found this little sample in her tea cupboard, with no idea where it came from. Intrigued, she pulled it out and saw “CHAI” jump out at her in bold black letters. Thrilled, she put the kettle on.
Steeped…
And died a little inside because no chai should ever be like this. No she decided, this was NOT a chai at all, not a true spicy delicious, creamy-with-milk confection of cinnamon and clovey complex goodness but some abomination of a green concoction with pepper tossed it at whim to appease the tea gods need for a sacrifice of spice. The stevia, she decided with a grimace, was a heavy-handed and whole-hearted mistake. “This tea,” she proclaimed, "would possibly have been far more enjoyable had it not been stamped with the misleading moniker of CHAI. Otherwise I would not feel so horribly deceived by the actual tea.
Got this as a latte-to-go the other day when I was asking one of the girls at my local DT for something they’d recommend as a latte. After listing off a few teas I’d tried and loved, she suggested Salted Caramel. Instantly it sounded off in my head like a fall tea, and I winced inwardly, remembering the Pumpkin Chai experiments (still ongoing I’m afraid, but I’m determined to like it somehow!). But caramel is delicious and since it’s quite a bit healthier than a caramel frappuchino I took the leap of faith.
This is going right in my cupboard when the leaves turn. Literally made for hot foamy caramelly lattes. Ugh. Its one of those comforting desserty teas you want when its a little chilly outside, but not quite winter yet. Not too sweet, not too rich, not too artificially flavoured. Yes. I think I’ve found my fall tea.
Got this when I went to pick up mums usual refill of Fantasy Island. I’ve been a terrible influence on her formerly bagged-Tetley-with-milk routine. Shame on me. -;
The little silver bag is still sitting in the cupboard. I havent had time or mood to steep. But it smells amazing. Like cherry popsicles and ripe berries. Giving a neutral rating until it passes the Owlie Taste Test.
H’ooooooh mah gawd.
Let me start off by saying I am still on my massively multisteeping organic and iced tea kick (MMSOITK), and this hit all the right spots. In the correct order.
Didn’t even bother trying it hot like I usually do. Nope. This beauty went straight on ice. And here’s the truth: its tart. Not too sour but tart. Its not overly sweet on its own, so if you want that extra bit of balance to it or its too tart solo, grab the agave (incidentally I’m also hooked on coconut agave). Myself, I put a buttload of agave in there, and it came out lovely. Fair warning, I say it goes well iced for a reason – dilution. This tea’s got a preeeetty strong flavour. Combine it with tartness and its a lot better in a pitcher than a steaming mug (though now that I think of it, it’d probably be soothing hot with honey..).
Owlie’s verdict: If you’re skeptical, try it as a tea to go – iced. If you’re adventurous, definitely go for it.
Dear Cookie Dough. You had better come back next Christmas because I only tried you once, and am wishing I had a bit more. Got this as a latte-to-go one day when I was feeling adventurous and Christmas shopping. As I recall.. it was creamy, delicious, and sweet. Could have used an eensy bit more chocolate but I’m not complaining. Tried it legitmately because the first thing out of my mouth upon seeing a cookie dough tea that actually tastes like cookie dough was “Bullsh*t” If it comes back it might be a healthier alternative to Ben and Jerrys. >.>;
The word of the review today is SWEET, brought to you by the letter S. I was really, really hyped for this tea too, considering the entire Cake Tea thing that went on awhile back smelt all too sickly sweet and rooibos-y for me. But this was a black tea, so I bravely dove in. The tea itself reminds me of red velvet cake in appearance.
Right when I saw the white chocolate bits in it I knew I was dealing with a tea that wasn’t going to need any sugar, cream or agave, but in the interest of experimentation, maybe one day when I’m feeling adventurous I’ll attempt a latte of it. Bottom line, it smelt not like red velvet cake, but butterscotch. Really, creamy, butterscotch. So I opten to try it straight first.
Took a sip.
And…I felt my face contort slightly. Wince. Another sip. Nope. Maybe I’ll finish the cup? Nope. Couldn’t even manage that, and that was several months ago in the winter when I first picked this up, and am only just now getting around to reviewing. I haven’t touched Red Velvet Cake since. The whole affair reeks of a butterscotchy, non-cakey, too sweet mix that rightly tastes like theres some bloody intrusive rooibos or something in there. Its way too sweet for it to be properly drinkable for me.
First oolong ever! I feel like I’ve hit a milestone in my tea adventures, every tea addict I come across seems to have this amour for at least one oolong. And then there are some tea buffs I know who go specifically for that and nothing else. Either way, I went into it blindly and impulsively, and I’m a little…amused.
I’m not a floral tea kinda owl. I’m a “citrusy, fruity, chai-y, if-it-has-coconut-in-it-I-will-drink-it” kinda owl. And Citron Oolong… has jasmine in it. A lot of jasmine. As in, I could recognize and pick out the big jasmine blossoms. So, right off, I was mildly skeptical, thinking “Well, if I don’t like it, surely one of my fellow tea friends will”. Into the water it went. And… I waited. Watched it steep.
My first scent of it, I was reminded of Lemon Pledge. Horrible, I know. And then it smelt like lemon NeoCitran. You know, the horrid tasting stuff you drink when you have a really bad cold and you have no tea? Anyone? No? Let me be concise, it smelt like a lot of lemon and maybe and orange or two having a big ol fruity orgy in a sauna. Filled with jasmine petals.
Clearly, it needed some agave.
And.. despite all that, despite the reminescance of cold remedies and household cleaners… its a lovely tea. I.. sometimes I simply don’t understand it.
And.. despite all that, despite the reminescance of cold remedies and household cleaners… its a lovely tea. I.. sometimes I simply don’t understand it.Edit: Couple months later, I’ve been on an oolong kick ever since I had some at a Chinese restaurant. No idea why but this tea is hitting all the right notes with me all of a sudden. Must try other oolongs. Owlie likie, and rating adjusted accordingly.
And.. despite all that, despite the reminescance of cold remedies and household cleaners… its a lovely tea. I.. sometimes I simply don’t understand it.Edit: Couple months later, I’ve been on an oolong kick ever since I had some at a Chinese restaurant. No idea why but this tea is hitting all the right notes with me all of a sudden. Must try other oolongs. Owlie likie, and rating adjusted accordingly.Second steep: Why am I so into this tea? Must remember to try other oolongs next time I’m needing new teas. Now I’m getting that “buttery” oolong taste. Ugh. About time. This is delicious.
