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Anna drank Happiness by Lupicia

303 tasting notes

I was so sure I’d reviewed this that I’d put it in the cupboard. The shame. It might have been because it’s not a favourite – this is one that leaves me fairly indifferent.

In the bag, the dry leaf smells very boozy, but not a ripe, fruitrotty, autumnal booziness like Marco Polo (vert) from Mariage Frères, but a much flatter, staler scent, like forgotten home-made lemonade going to waste. Yeasty, almost.

The yeastiness carries through into the cup, and unfortunately there’s very little fruit to balance it. Peaches? Grapefruit? No, not really. They decided they’d have more fun somewhere else. What there is, is a lightly perfumed sweetness – it could be either fruity or floral.

This tastes like something I had – I don’t remember if I ate it or drank it – in Japan, which gives it an unfair advantage of familiarity; it’s hard to rate fairly. But, then again, this is a rooibos/green blend. I usually say I’d rather drink a Lupicia tea than most any other because I like their bases so much, but this blend doesn’t really appeal to me as much as their straight greens.

[From my Lupicia spree at Westfield Valley Fair in Santa Clara, October 2013.]

Preparation

Boiling 1 min, 15 sec

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2 comments

Ana
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This tea is just… weird.

Anna
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It just feels like they forgot something. But I have yet to feel like I don’t want to finish a cup of Lupicia tea, I think that’s what makes them so consistent and reliable to me.

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Comments

Ana
Delete

This tea is just… weird.

Anna
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It just feels like they forgot something. But I have yet to feel like I don’t want to finish a cup of Lupicia tea, I think that’s what makes them so consistent and reliable to me.

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Bio

I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.