65
drank Cafe Latte by The NecessiTeas
2036 tasting notes

I placed an order with The Necessiteas for the Bread Pudding, Coco La Ven (they were out of that one) and Strawberry Kiwi, and there were two samples I had yet to try, this one and a flavored oolong, so I had them toss them in. I’d actually tried to order this one before and they were out of it.

I’m reminded of Doulton’s post about what she described as her dysfunctional relationship with The Necessiteas. I have to say, it’s not her, it’s them. I have fallen into the same dysfunctional pattern. Place an order, don’t hear for a few weeks. Write a note, hear back in a few days that the package has shipped. Usually, by that time, at least one thing I’d ordered is no longer in stock and I get a refund to my paypal account. Seriously, I’m not sure it’s worth it. There are only a few things of theirs I like well enough to reorder in any case and if I didn’t have a compulsive streak I’d probably let it drop. As it is once I decide I like something enough to reorder it, I follow the web site for a restocking notice so that I can check that off the list.

This one is not going to be on that list. It’s not bad, really. The smell out of the sample packet is strongly of coffee beans. After steeping, the smell opens up some and I can get barley and chicory notes. The taste is pretty much a weak coffee flavor with a tea aftertaste. With milk, it’s more strongly of coffee than tea, so unless you’re just out of coffee and looking for a fill-in, it’s probably better to drink it unadulterated.

For my own taste, I’d just as soon drink a really nice cup of coffee instead. Or a really nice cup of tea. The weak hybrid thing is mildly interesting but now that my curiosity is satisfied I don’t see the need to do the dysfunctional dance to get more of this.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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Bio

I got obsessed with tea in 2010 for a while, then other things intruded, then I cycled back to it. I seem to be continuing that in for a while, out for a while cycle. I have a short attention span, but no shortage of tea.

I’m a mom, writer, gamer, lawyer, reader, runner, traveler, and enjoyer of life, literature, art, music, thought and kindness, in no particular order. I write fantasy and science fiction under the name J. J. Roth.

Personal biases: I drink tea without additives. If a tea needs milk or sugar to improve its flavor, its unlikely I’ll rate it high. The exception is chai, which I drink with milk/sugar or substitute. Rooibos and honeybush were my gateway drugs, but as my tastes developed they became less appealing — I still enjoy nicely done blends. I do not mix well with tulsi or yerba mate, and savory teas are more often a miss than a hit with me. I used to hate hibiscus, but I’ve turned that corner. Licorice, not so much.

Since I find others’ rating legends helpful, I added my own. But I don’t really find myself hating most things I try.

I try to rate teas in relation to others of the same type, for example, Earl Greys against other Earl Greys. But if a tea rates very high with me, it’s a stand out against all other teas I’ve tried.

95-100 A once in a lifetime experience; the best there is

90-94 Excellent; first rate; top notch; really terrific; will definitely buy more

80-89 Very good; will likely buy more

70-79 Good; would enjoy again, might buy again

60-69 Okay; wouldn’t pass up if offered, but likely won’t buy again

Below 60 Meh, so-so, iffy, or ick. The lower the number, the closer to ick.

I don’t swap. It’s nothing personal, it’s just that I have way more tea than any one person needs and am not lacking for new things to try. Also, I have way too much going on already in daily life and the additional commitment to get packages to people adds to my already high stress level. (Maybe it shouldn’t, but it does.)

That said, I enjoy reading folks’ notes, talking about what I drink, and getting to “know” people virtually here on Steepster so I can get ideas of other things I might want to try if I can ever again justify buying more tea. I also like keeping track of what I drink and what I thought about it.

My current process for tea note generation is described in my note on this tea: https://steepster.com/teas/mariage-freres/6990-the-des-impressionnistes

Location

Bay Area, California

Website

http://www.jjroth.net

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