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89
drank We Are Obsidian by BlendBee
15575 tasting notes

Happy to say I’m at a point where the idea that this tea was inspired by my now ex doesn’t bother me anymore. I can appreciate the inspiration for the name/what I felt when I made it but now I don’t feel those same attachments and that’s ok! I can just appreciate the tea for what it tastes like now – which is still a very, very solid blend with great chocolate notes, really good clove undertones and great notes of cranberry and pumpkin creeping into the body of the sip. There’s A LOT going on but it all feels connected, and it’s such a nice mix of sweet, spicy and fruity. Maybe a little autumnal for the Spring, but…

Yum!!

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89
drank We Are Obsidian by BlendBee
15575 tasting notes

Short and sweet tasting note!

This is my second time trying this one now, and I almost like it more the second time around now that I have an idea of what to expect flavour wise. Plus, since it’s basically like a dark chocolate pumpkin spice truffle kind of flavour, with cranberry accents it’s VERY autumnal and fitting for the change of season.

And clove! So much clove!

Also, I may be the tiniest bit biased as this is named after/inspired by a very loving thing that my boyfriend says to me – so I’m already filled with happy, good, fluffy feelings whenever I drink it…

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Clove, Cranberry, Dark Bittersweet, Dark Chocolate, Pumpkin, Pumpkin Spice, Spices, Sweet

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89
drank We Are Obsidian by BlendBee
15575 tasting notes

Custom Tea Creation 2/5.

Ok, so there’s this guy I’m sort of seeing but not in any sort of formal or official sense of the word. Anyway; he’s great – and I’m really enjoying the progression of whatever this currently is for what it is, and at its own pace. We have this thing we say, whenever we disagree on something: “We Are Obsidian”.

The idea is that obsidian is made when lava and water meet; two opposites coming together to form something beautiful…

Originally I was going to let him create this blend, and have this be the name but I was trying to get him to pick the ingredients without letting him know what for – and it wasn’t working so well. He can’t taste/smell that much; maybe at 20% of what the average person can. So, every time I was like “Hey, if you could make your own tea what would you want in it?” he’d just reply with “Would it make a difference? I likely couldn’t taste many of the nuances of different flavours”. So I just ended up picking the blend instead.

I didn’t plan this one out the same way I did with some of the others; however, I knew I wanted to play off the idea of two dissimilar things/flavours to keep with the name so what I ended up going with was this sweeter, chocolate flavour using carob and cocoa nibs and then chocolate flavouring and something a little more tart/fruity to contrast – so cranberry and rosehip. Then, to differentiate it a bit from the other cranberry/chocolate teas I know are out there I added in clove and pumpkin spice flavour, not entirely knowing how it would work with everything overall. I picked as Assam base, because it’s sweeter/smoother and I thought those natural malt notes and general sweetness would work excellently with the chocolate.

This is really interesting steeped up.

I mean, I didn’t know exactly how it would play out in the first place but I’m really happy with what I ended up with. The top note is definitely more chocolate heavy, and I feel like I’m primarily getting the added chocolate flavours and carob as opposed to the nibs because it does have a sort of chocolate liquor kind of thing going on. It’s sweet, and more dark and decadent – kind of like a truffle?

The body flavour is definitely the intersection of all the flavours overall: you’ve got the same almost boozey dark chocolate note and then you really get hit with the clove/pumpkin spice. It’s weird to me, because normally I actually don’t love pumpkin spice but there’s like this earthyness to it that works with the chocolate and I kind of feel like I’m tasting the pumpkin itself to and not just the spices. Plus, I do really love clove so the fact it’s more clove heavy overall because I added straight clove to the blend just works for me. In fact; I generally don’t adore chocolate teas or spice teas but the combination here is very “pumpkin spice truffle” to me in a way that I’m really enthralled with. This body note also features the cranberry as well: and this to me is the most interesting part. I think what I expected was more of a contrasting tartness, but what’s actually ended up happening is that the cranberry is more of a sneaky, sweet fruity undertone that adds like this really beautiful layer of fruityness. It plays off the chocolate really well, which I HAD expected but more interestingly it works well with the clove too!

In fact, and I guess in hindsight I could have called this, it really paints this VERY autumnal picture with all of these flavour notes that I actually quite strongly associate with the fall/Thanksgiving/the change of seasons in general. It’s REALLY beautiful and well layered.

Finally, the finish definitely takes more of a shift towards the pumpkin spice/clove element and you finish the sip with that soft, sweet warming spice note and hints of brightness from the cranberry.

I didn’t expected to love this one as much as I did, but it really works for me. It does make me a little sad though, because I 100% want to share a cup of it with the not-boyfriend, but like he kind of predicted I’m fairly sure he’s not going to be able to identify the nuances of the blend the same way I do and so I worry he wont have as strong an appreciation for it. Fingers crossed, though!

Anyway; two for two success rate with these custom blends! This is another that I would actually probably buy again; though probably not until the fall/winter since that seems to be what it really evokes to me flavour wise.

mrmopar

I am sure you will expand his horizons on taste and tea. Same one that had the fire? I think you are a good friend to him.

Memily

Cute saying.

Roswell Strange

@mrmopar

Yes, the same one that went through the house fire.

Also; while I’ve definitely pushed him to try MANY news teas, to mixed success – he’s probably not wrong that he wont ever taste the nuances the same way we do. Not for lack of trying/effort/learning: he just physically doesn’t smell/taste at the same capacity as the average person. He lost most of his capability to in an accident in highschool.

mrmopar

It never hurts to try. I bet you are a fantastic tea ambassador.

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100

Sipdown (603)!

Finished this one off iced yesterday, and it was amazing like always! Strong notes of pine and mint which evoke a really pleasant forest sort of profile for me, and then sweet forest berries. I mean, I don’t know how many different ways I can keep saying that this one tastes exactly like what I wanted it to taste like.

Someday I think I’ll have BlendBee recreate this for me again but in a larger quantity.

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100

Definitely unintentional, but I think I’ve trained myself to view this tea as a ‘sleepytime’ type of tea. I made a mug of it at work, and it was delicious with such robust notes of peppermint and berries, and herbaceous sage. However not five minutes after finishing the mug I went from so awake to instantly ready for a nap…

I mean, I fucking LOVE this tea and I have every intention of getting BlendBee to reblend it for me in a larger quantity once I finish this sample bag off – but it’s just so weird how it consistently makes me sleepy given that it’s a caffeinated tea without any of the ingredients that are generally in nighttime blends (chamomile, Valerian root, etc.)…

Tabby

Oh my god, thanks to you I have discovered BlendBee.

Jlvintagelove

Is this a blend you created? I don’t see it on their site.

Roswell Strange

Yes, I made it :)

Jlvintagelove

well that’s fun!

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100

I just finished binge watching all of season one & two of Netflix’ Shadowhunters series…

In four days.

It’s kind of consumed my life, to be honest. I pulled this one out and enjoyed several mugs of it during my binge though in honour of the fantasy element connected to both the show and the tea. When I made this tea though, it was that sort of mythical/fantastical element that I was trying to replicate the feeling of – and when I saw the Seelie world in the TV show it almost perfectly mirrored the image I’d had in mind when putting this together.

Like, this is a pretty shitty fandom/fan made video type thing, but if you’ve never seen the show before just pay attention to the backdrop/setting of the video and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about: https://youtu.be/PQ-nykjzotM

A perfect visual pairing for the profile of the tea.

VariaTEA

I liked the first season at first and then it got kinda blah but I pushed through and then couldn’t get through the first episode of the second season

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100

Brought this one with to work to drink there.

It was an absolutely incredibly busy day though, so after I started steeping this tea I got really slammed with people for a solid half hour if not longer. Which is to say that this steeped for half an hour, if not longer. I fully, 100% expected it to be a burnt, bitter and intolerable mess. You know what though? It was completely fine.

Seriously; obviously the flavour was a bit more intense but there was no bitterness at all and only the tiniest hint of astringency. The biggest change was that the berry notes were INCREDIBLY strong; much stronger than the cooling peppermint. I don’t mind a boost in berry flavour though, so long as everything else is still present – and it was. So, all in all this was very good and I’m even more impressed with this tea than I already was just knowing it’s capable of surviving through that long of an infusion.

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100

So, I’ve decided that regardless of the fact that this tea is caffeinated it’s the most perfect before bed cup of tea, because the combination of sweet, natural tasting wildberries and cooling, crisp mint in the finish is SO incredibly relaxing/pacifying that after slurping down a mug of the tea I can’t help but conk out and go right to bed.

In a very, very good way.

Damn this tea was one of the best tea decisions I’ve ever made. Honestly! I think I 100% need to get more of it blended for me, in a larger quantity once I run out of this small batch. Mmm!

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100

So, I’m really excited to write about this one guys!

The other day I stumbled upon BlendBee – they do a monthly subscription service that looks interesting, but personally what I found even more interesting is that they also let you custom blend your own teas! Now, having done this through Design A Tea a while back I can tell immediately that there are some differences: for one, this is definitely more expensive however you also get to add ingredients like herbs/spices/flowers/fruits/and not just flavourings to your blend which is also different and lets you go a bit further/more detailed into the blending process. Then finally, as an added touch you can name your blend and come up with your own description of the blend to be printed onto the pouch. To me, this part was almost as fun as creating the blends themselves. Plus, the packaging is really cute and the added touch of seeing my custom names/descriptions printed out is awfully cute.

I ended up making five blends, and if they end up tasting solid enough/the quality is up there then I can definitely see the experience of making your own tea 100% justifying the somewhat higher price tag that comes attached.

So – this is a blend idea I’ve had kicking around for a LONG time. I named it Daughter of Satyrs because Satyrs are mythological, forest dwelling creatures and I thought the “daughter” aspect added a softness that personally I thought fit the sweetness I was hoping the berries would add. The blend itself is a mix of lots of berries, but probably most importantly the juniper berries, which have a pine quality that makes me think of nature/forests, and wild berry flavouring. In addition to the berries, I also added various herbs that have pine-like notes to them and some sage to evoke the feeling of trees and some mint for that refreshing, cooling finish that is like a crisp, cool breeze. It should feel very natural and forest-y while having this brightness/sweetness to it that gives off an almost enchanted quality. Like a forest filled with Greek mythological creatures. Personally, I’ve always pictured it on a Shou Pu’erh base because I think the strong earthyness would support the flavours I want and work well with the overall idea that this should feel like a walk through a forest – but Pu’erh isn’t a base option on Blendbee so I went with a black tea base which is the next best option.

Honestly? This is pretty much EXACTLY what I was going for.

I was worried with the amount of berry in the dry leaf, and the fact that the three flavourings I picked were also berries that element of the blend might overtake the rest of it but I think everything plays out really nicely! The berry is certainly the first note you taste – it’s a sweet, jammy and seductive top note that transitions into the body of the sip. It’s a really raw, and dark sort of mixed berry flavours: you know, on the side of acai, blueberry, juniper, elderberries and then black currant but without the brightness of stuff like strawberry or raspberry. If that makes any sort of sense at all. I feel like I really taste the juniper, blueberry, and currant in particular.

The body also has a lot of those forest-y notes I wanted: plenty of pine and hints of the herbaceous sage coming through with that undertone of super refreshing/cooling peppermint. I find it very refreshing, and I love the soft cooling sensation of the peppermint on the bed of my tongue. The peppermint itself transitions well into the finish of the sip as well, and you get not just the feeling of the peppermint but the taste of it as well.

It was really cool to see this creation finally played out because I’ve wanted a blend like this for… honestly? Definitely over a year. Even without the pu’erh base I always imagined it’d have, this was super satisfying and definitely took me out of my living room where I was drinking it and really placed me outdoors surrounded by trees and wild berries. If I didn’t know better, I’d ever say I’d seen a bear walk by me as I was taking the last few sips.

…Or was it a centaur? Hmm.

Blendbee offers their teas in 1 oz sizes (what I got for all my blends), 4 oz sizes, and 8 oz sizes – while I don’t think I’d ever personally want an 8 oz amount of ANYTHING I do think I could maybe see myself ordering 4 oz of this if the rest of my sample is as refreshing and enchanting as my first cup. 2 oz would be perfect for me though, in an ideal world.

It was well worth the money, for this one, seeing my vision carried out.

Rosehips

How neat! What a cool experience.

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90

Have you ever met a person with whom you clicked swiftly and intimately? Where you had a conversation and then realized “WE ARE BEST FRIENDS NOW.” You spend a lot of time with them — so much time that, if it weren’t your NEW BESTIE, you’d get sick of them. But you know that they love you too.

This is my relationship with oolong tea right now. Black tea is my time-honored long-term life partner, but oolong is a fresh buddy who wants to go art supply shopping with me.

This oolong is no exception. The dry blend smells like berries, but when it starts to steep, you pick up that rhubarb bite. Ah! Strawberry rhubarb pie! With caffeine! Just what I needed! HOW DID THEY KNOW?

full review at: http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/12/12/sir-rhuberry-oolongbottom-from-blendbee/

Arby

Ah yes, art supply shopping. The second fastest way for me to burn through $100 (right after tea shops). Go in to buy a pencil and come out with three new calligraphy pens, a box of pastels, and set of oil paints.

Super Starling!

I always come out with at least one fine tipped bamboo brush. I think I must own at least ten by now. Oh and scrapbooking paper. (I don’t scrapbook. That’s the issue. Why do I collect all this damn paper?)

Evol Ving Ness

Yes, oh yes! And a multitude of felt tip pens and various types of paper and sketchbooks and acrylic paints and brushes and charcoal and conte and drawing pencils and sharpeners and colouring books and whatever else catches my eye. Yeah, here’s a woman with full self-control with all the things.

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70
drank Focus by BlendBee
206 tasting notes

Today is DEFINITELY the day to review this tea. I woke up at 6:20 this morning to help out at work. Arrived at 7:30, left at 2:30, took the dog on a long walk, and am now (3:40) settling in for a my team’s football game. Can I survive 3-4 hours of football, or will I melt into a nap-puddle under my Tardis blanket?

Find out here: http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/11/03/focus-from-blendbee-2/

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100
drank White Coconut by BlendBee
4 tasting notes

I love this tea, it’s my favorite start to the day. I’m a big fan of white teas and the coconut just pulls it all together!

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60
drank White Coconut by BlendBee
1403 tasting notes

And it’s a belatedly posted sipdown!

#long time ago internet hiatus sipdown

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60
drank White Coconut by BlendBee
1403 tasting notes

Cold steep.

After the stevia blast of that last hot cup of this the other day, I prepared a cold steep to let it sit for a while. Much much better. Either this method subdues the stevia taste or less of it in the dry leaf managed to make its way into my spoon. Yes, this batch is creamy coconut and subtle fragrant white tea with none of the mouth bitterness of the previous batch. Not changing the rating based on the shock to my tastebuds of the first cup though.

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60
drank White Coconut by BlendBee
1403 tasting notes

It’s ok. For me, the stevia clouds the mellow coconut and white tea that just barely peek through. Too bad because the gentle flavours are quite nice and then bam stevia.

I’d recommend this only if you can bear stevia.

Flavors: Coconut, White Chocolate

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Sil

i feel like there needs to be a new name for stevia..just like the other name for bergamot (blergamot)

Roswell Strange

At work we call it “Stevi-nah”…

Evol Ving Ness

Seriously, if people want it sweetened, they’ll sweeten it. How hard is that to understand? Ruining a perfectly good tea. Pisses me off.

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85
drank Focus by BlendBee
54 tasting notes

This will CERTAINLY be fully reviewed at Sororitea Sisters! YUM! Drinking a cuppa now and pondering a scheduled post in the near future!

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79

Smells wonderful! LOVE that it is a green tea/honeybush blend! The ginger is heavy but welcome! Full review in the near future on Sororitea Sisters!

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100
drank Oolong Gone by BlendBee
4 tasting notes

I love this tea! It tastes pretty darn good and also seems to help with my weight loss efforts :)

Flavors: Hibiscus, Lemon, Strawberry

Preparation
6 min, 0 sec

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40
drank Oolong Gone by BlendBee
1403 tasting notes

Bah! I truly hope that this tea does the body and mind good because it certainly is not buoying up the spirit.

And thankfully, it is gone.

Sipdown!

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40
drank Oolong Gone by BlendBee
1403 tasting notes

Drank this the other day, but put off noting it as I didn’t have time to enter it into the database and so on.

Enjoyable cup, but then, there was an unpleasant taste emerging at the tail end of the sip. Possibly the dreaded liquorice root. Or perhaps the ashwaghanda which I have taken for medicinal value, but never in tea form.

I wasn’t paying attention to the healing properties of the tea, but I hope to remember to do so in the cup of leaf or so that I have left.

Flavors: Herbaceous, Licorice, Rose

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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drank Love Oolong Time by BlendBee
9 tasting notes

No notes yet. Add one?

Preparation
3 tsp 17 OZ / 500 ML

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I have become like unto a zombie, spending all my waking time chugging tea and playing Minecraft. Ok no that is a lie, I have gone grocery shopping and I am writing this now between adding floors to my epic cliff building. It has a clock-tower. I am debating, once I get a bit more building done and expand things, I am tempted to do a Twitch livestream tour of my world, blame my mom for this idea. She is convinced I am a master builder and need to show off the skills, I want to do it as a way to document how my world evolves over time, since it seems the Xbone does not have a share screenshot to facebook function like the 360, tragic.

So the other day I over-indulged, I ate way too much gross food and just felt like my guts were covered in slime, I wanted a tea that was acidic and sour (since I was out of kalamata olives, my usual go-to for post gross food binging.) So rummaging through my stash I found BlendBee’s Lime Green With Envy and went ooooh, because citrus is my other go-to digestive aide, bingo! This tea is a blend of Sencha, China Green Tea (which is a Chun Mee) Lemon Peel, Raspberry Leaf, and Lime Extract, and I adore green tea blended with citrus, it is probably my favorite fruit to blend with green tea, it is just so refreshing! The aroma is very citrus heavy, a nice blend of lime and lemon, with lemon leaves, green fresh grass, and fluffy green notes of raspberry leaves…no really, it smells fluffy to me, can’t really describe why.

Into my pretty glass pot the tea goes, I wanted to look at it steeping because green tea is pretty. The aroma of the wet leaves is super citrus, lots of lemon and mellow lime, strong green notes of spinach and grass with undertones of lettuce. It kinda smells like a salad, and I like that since lemon juice is my favorite dressing. The liquid, however, smells much sweeter, but still has savory undertones of spinach and grass, but the citrus notes are sweet, with an undertone of nuttiness.

So, is this tea going to hit the spot and make me feel less ill? Yep, that citrus did the trick! It is not a super sweet tea, it is refreshing and sour, like eating a nice green salad with lemon and lime dressing. There are notes of grass and spinach, a touch of hay, some turnips greens, and a finish of lime that lingers for a while. This tea is definitely good hot, but letting it chill makes it amazingly refreshing, I can’t wait to cold steep this one come summer time.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2016/01/blendbee-lime-green-with-envy-tea.html

__Morgana__

Guts covered in slime. I know the feeling. LOL

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80
drank Lime Green with Envy by BlendBee
15019 tasting notes

noms. Sharing the rest of this with a friend from work whose tastes run to greens versus my favoured blacks ;)

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