Octavia Tea

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Recent Tasting Notes

85

I picked up 1 oz. of this tea last summer during my Oregon Coast/Portland vacation, from a lovely chocolate shop called Cannon Beach Chocolate Cafe. I thought I should finally get around to writing up my tea drinking from that trip/the PDX Tea Fes… part of me was thinking, “It happened last July, who cares now?” but if eastkyteaguy can catch up on backlogged reviews, why can’t I? Since I had the dry leaf of this one I decided to make up a cup to enjoy while working on my write-ups.

I’ll admit, when I saw this chocolate shop had a (small) selection of Octavia teas (and you could purchase by the ounce!) I had to have a cuppa. I was most interested in this one since tea-sipper loves it so much.

The tea has a strong vanilla aroma, and I pick up hints of caramel/molasses in the aroma as well. The tea is medium bodied, so not as strong as most breakfast teas, and the base tea (a blend of Dian Hong and Ancient Yunnan Broken Pekoe) has notes of malt, honey, and orange rind, with a subtle smokiness. The vanilla flavor is smooth and brings out a somewhat caramel note from the sweetness with the base tea for me. When I tried this initially at the shop, I didn’t pick up any florality from the cup, but today I am tasting a very subtle rose sweetness near the end of the sip. It is not a strong, defined rose flavor, more of a whisper. The tea is quite smooth, with a very light astringency toward the back of my tongue/mouth after the sip.

It is a very satisfying tea and I’m glad I picked up a small amount so I could revisit it!

Flavors: Caramel, Floral, Honey, Malt, Orange Zest, Rose, Smoke, Smooth, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 0 sec 2 g 12 OZ / 350 ML
tea-sipper

I’m so glad you found this one and like it! I was thinking about this tea yesterday. :D

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87
drank Mango Sorbet by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Another sample from Octavia Tea! Thanks so much! Mango teas are some of my favorites, so I had to try this one. Summer is waning so I have to revisit the mango and melon teas in my collection! This is a lovely looking white tea with itty bitty pieces of mango. Mango and melon have always paired well with white teas and this is no exception. Somehow to me, this tastes more like melon, or it’s switching between the two flavors. Possibly the white tea naturally tastes like melon. But then the hairs on the white tea give the tea a starchy quality like mango occasionally has in the fruit itself. It’s refreshing, light, and definitely fruity. I bet this is even better when you use around three teaspoons for a mug but I didn’t want to do that to my sample. I do give the tea points for actually including mango in the blend and not just flavoring.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 26 minutes after boiling // 1 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 16 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep

Kittenna

Mmm. I’d guess the white tea is contributing some melon! Sounds delicious.

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86
drank English Breakfast by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks again for the samples, Octavia Tea! I usually wouldn’t choose an English Breakfast myself, but this particular one couldn’t be better. The leaves are smaller, almost like a CTC leaf, but I think that is what an English Breakfast tea should be. No weak breakfast teas for me, please. I certainly would love to drink this during breakfast! I steeped up a teaspoon and a quarter and the brew was mighty dark — not too dark to be astringent though. The flavor is a great example of what to expect from this type: malty and sweet, yet bold but not bitter. The first cup tasted like tomato soup, which led me to believe that it was an assam, so I wasn’t surprised to see the origin for this tea on Octavia’s website as being Assam, India. I believe an English Breakfast shouldn’t only be from Assam (a typical blend is also from Kenya and Ceylon, according to Wikipedia) but this is such a great tea, I won’t complain much. A kick in the morning and very tasty!
Steep #1 // 1 1/4 teaspoons for a full mug // 16 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep

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93
drank Vintage Pu-erh by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

additional notes: As a ripe pu-erh, this is enjoyable, but if it is Octavia’s only ripe pu-erh, it might be the only ripe pu-erh that some tea drinkers will be introduced to. I was iffy about using the remainder of my sample pouch, almost two teaspoons, but don’t regret it now, as it made for a richer sipdown. Nothing offensive to this pu-erh but the first steep was a little thin for my tastes. Though reading my first note now, I did notice that two teaspoons is essential, so maybe this steep session wasn’t QUITE two teaspoons….
2022 sipdowns: 136

Holiday Tea 2022 # 39: Bird & Blend – Moondrop Dreams (advent)
Holiday Tea 2022 # 40: Angry Tea Room – Gingerbread Cookie

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93
drank Vintage Pu-erh by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks so much for the samples, Octavia Tea! To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much in a pu-erh from a tea shop that doesn’t specialize in pu-erh, or at least carry more than a handful of them… but I WAS WRONG. This ripe pu-erh is amazing. None of those unlikable pu-erh characteristics in scent or flavor. It’s delicious the entire steep session. Just the pu-erh I was craving yesterday. Two teaspoons is the essential amount for a mug. The scent of the dry leaves is like a bread baked with hay. The flavor is much the same, but with sweetness, starchiness, and even at times a bit of a creamy taste and mouthfeel. I think I could have steeped more than three delicious steeps with these leaves. It’s very smooth but at the same time very dark and everything I always want in a great ripe pu-erh. I don’t bother with the highest quality pu-erh, but I’ve had enough pu-erh to know that this one is good enough for me to be a favorite.
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // rinse // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 7 minutes after boiling // 2-3 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 5 minute steep

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70
drank Turmeric Ginger by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks for another sample, Octavia Tea! I was not enthusiastic about this one, as I’m not a fan of turmeric. The couple of times I had a turmeric tea it was too bitter with an odd dusty quality. I couldn’t tell what the appeal of turmeric was. But apparently it’s a healthy. I usually don’t like ginger either. And ginger and turmeric come from the same plant family so it’s no wonder I don’t like them. So this tea might not have been the one I’d choose to reach for. Anyway, this is the best a turmeric cup can possibly get and was actually enjoyable, resulting in a flavor that was mostly licorice. The licorice was probably included to make the turmeric smoother. The golden brew was earthy and sweet. Not too many of the citrus ingredients came through in the flavor: Licorice first, turmeric second. I expected a much worse result.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // just boiled // 6 minute steep

Flavors: Licorice

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95
drank Ancient Yunnan by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks again for the amazing samples, Octavia Tea! This is a classic Chinese Yunnan tea: Black leaves with touches of gold. One heaping teaspoon seems to make the perfect brew. This is everything I want and expect in a classic Yunnan tea. The brew is black as night, the mouthfeel is smooth and silky, no astringency or bitterness can be found. Even the third steep in which I only filled the mug half full was very delicious and full of flavor. Lovely chocolate notes with hints of sweet potato and even a bit of a starchy quality. It’s a lovely tea. I really like it. I’d stock up on this one. The cupboard must always have at least one Yunnan!
I’ll also say: I do like many of Octavia’s teas, but their sizes are a bit awkward. They have a sample size that has a few teaspoons, then a tin with 1-3 ounces of each tea depending on the tea, then the other option is a full pound. (I like their packaging for the samples though – very thick and resealable!) So I wish they had a two ounce pouch option or something. That is my one complaint of Octavia’s awesome teas so far!
Steep #1 // 1 heaping teaspoon for a full mug // 16 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minute steep
Steep #3 // (half mug) just boiled // 6 minute steep

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94

I’m sad this has never received any other tasting notes from others.  Very comparable to Lupicia’s Earl Grey Chocolat if anyone is looking for something similar to that.  It’s amazing that chocolate and bergamot work this well together.  Will miss this one!  But I have some of the Lupicia around.
2022 sipdowns: 112

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94

How am I the first to write a tasting note for this one?!? Another from Octavia Tea… thanks so much! I was intrigued by this one and for good reason. I have no idea how bergamot works so well with chocolate, but it just does. Maybe it’s like those chocolate oranges. They seem like an odd combination, but they work. There are so many chocolate chips in the blend… BIG chocolate chips. Also plenty of rose petals. So not a lot of room for the black tea leaves, at least in my sample. For that reason the color of the brew looks more like a milk chocolate than a dark chocolate but the flavor is divine. Plenty of that chocolate melted. But there is also a lovely bergamot, sweet, that pairs very well with the chocolate. Basically the perfect type of bergamot that will work with chocolate. I’m not tasting very much rose from the petals, but it’s fine with me if I’m tasting mostly bergamot and chocolate. Also included is some carob, that gives it that extra level of flavor, a nice tang of bittersweet. I like that the base tea is Chinese black tea… if I had to say which base is most like chocolate on its own, I would say a Chinese black. So it’s a good choice here. All of the ingredients really compliment each other. The second cup was just as delicious, probably allowing the chocolate chips to melt the rest of the way. If you like Lupicia’s Earl Grey Chocolat, you’d probably like this. (Incidentally, to make sure I had the name correct on the Lupicia, I noticed I also gave that tea a rating of 94.) This cup is quite the indulgence, absolutely delicious, a dainty appreciative slow sipper. A favorite from Octavia, definitely.
Steep #1 // 2 teaspoons for a full mug // 19 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4-5 minute steep

Flavors: Bergamot, Chocolate

Kittenna

When you mentioned rose petals, I immediately thought of DavidsTea’s Earl of Chocolate. I bet they’re similar blends – I adore that one. I do have a chocolate EG from Upton that I believe is just chocolate + bergamot. Can’t recall my thoughts on it though.

tea-sipper

I don’t think I’ve tried either one of those teas. But up until last year, I wouldn’t have sought out the chocolate/bergamot combination… much like I avoided chocolate oranges forever and then thought the one I eventually tried was really good.

Martin Bednář

Chocolate and bergamot? Weird but apparently working good.

gmathis

Sounds wonderful! I’m always looking for an EG that isn’t an EG!

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85
drank Grand Earl Grey by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Another fantastic sample from Octavia Tea! Thanks again! I’m very picky about my Earls but this one passes the test. The base tea is robust and strong. But the bergamot is also strong, doesn’t waver in the face of this strong base! I like the strong citrusy aromatic bergamot here. My favorite Earls need to have the distinct base tea battling a tough bergamot and this Earl definitely does that. My absolute favorite Earls need to have a cream flavor, but I will admit this isn’t supposed to be creamy anyway. The photo of the tea looks like a Yunnan with occasional golden leaves, but my sample had no gold at all and was a pure black tea. The description does mention the base tea being Yunnan. I’m not sure if my sample still is… if I had to guess I’d say it was Assam. I’d probably like bergamot better with Assam rather than Yunnan anyway. Both steeps were delicious and full of flavor. Not my favorite Earl ever, but that is an impossible bar to reach anyway.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 19 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep

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92

Another tasty sample from Octavia Tea – thanks again! This is one of those lovely oolongs from Taiwan. The description says this is also called “Jade Oolong” or “Four Seasons”. One heaping teaspoon of bright emerald unravels into a full infuser basket of leaves. The flavor was a tiny bit astringent so I don’t think I need to use a full teaspoon for a mug. But the flavor otherwise was sweet, fruity, floral, slightly creamy and buttery and overall a high quality Taiwanese oolong. This seems to combine 99% of the flavor notes that most green oolongs usually have: fruity, floral, sweet, creamy, buttery. It’s almost like an oolong of broad flavor categories rather than specific flavor details. Getting rid of that astringency by using less leaves would make it even better. I will admit this is a tough one to describe other than delicious. (But sometimes it’s okay to just note how good a tea is… or isn’t?)
Steep #1 // 1 heaping teaspoon for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 1 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 12 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // just boiled // 2 min

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96
drank Lavender Assam by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes
A sample from Octavia tea! Thanks so much! I’m slowly making my way through the samples… I love a good lavender tea and this is certainly LAVENDER. I’m loving that the strength of the lavender is matched with the strength of the black tea. I think the lavender flavor is from the flowers included in the blend, but also might be some sort of flavoring? It’s just so strong for having maybe fifteen to twenty pieces of lavender in the serving. The assam is tasty, malty and brisk, but a little difficult to taste under the lavender. But I can tell the assam is high quality – very long completely black leaves. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a traditional assam from India with leaves this long. However, the photo for the tea shows some golden leaves and I definitely don’t have any gold leaves in my sample. Both steeps taste exactly the same. I always appreciate finding the perfect parameters for resteeps. Strong but not bitey on either steep – peppery! I love that the flavor is perfect for warmer months, but I love the black tea base when I want something strong. Dainty and tough. It’s also a very tasty flavor combination with fig cookies. A lavender black tea is essential for my cupboard and this one is great.

Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 22 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 1/2 minute steep

Kittenna

Dangit! You keep reviewing delicious-sounding Octavia teas! Were they doing a sample promo at some point? I’ve discovered that they have $3 samples on their site, just now….

tea-sipper

I actually asked them for a sample of French Breakfast… and I never ask for samples unless a company is offering… and they sent me oodles of samples to review. I completely didn’t expect that and it was AWESOME of them. They don’t have many reviews on their site, so I’m posting both octaviatea.com and on Steepster. You can try passing them an e-mail, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind sending you samples.

Kittenna

I’ve made a cart, but shipping is $13 because Canada. Sadness. I wish they had a free shipping threshold for Canada, as I could easily be convinced to order more and hit it.

tea-sipper

Ack, that is no good. I was going to say some of their teas are on Amazon but checking Canada, the prices seem ridiculous…

Kittenna

Hmm, maybe I’ll try emailing them! I wouldn’t expect free shipping on samples to Canada, but shipping would be a small amount to pay if the samples are free.

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70
drank Peach Nectar by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks again for the samples, Octavia Tea! The idea of a strictly peach oolong does seem AMAZING in theory. As it’s marketed as a peach oolong, I don’t see or taste much in the way of peach or oolong. There are too many other ingredients here. I see the occasional long piece of oolong leaf primarily after the tea is steeped. Otherwise, it’s a fruity cup with plenty of lemongrass, tiny apple cubes, hibiscus, and an occasional orange slice. The description also mentions peach, so maybe they are indistinguishable from the apple cubes. I used 1 3/4 teaspoons to make sure I had a decent amount of the ingredients in the cup. Overall, it certainly tastes fruity, but a bit too much of the hibiscus drowns out those other flavors, definitely overpowering any oolong flavor. This one certainly tastes better in the summer than it would in the winter. Since lemons are cheap right now (ten for a dollar!), I added a bit of lemon to the second steep and it tasted delicious with that citrus wedge that was already in the infuser.
Steep #1 // 1 3/4 teaspoons for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3 minute steep

Kittenna

Ten lemons for a dollar? Jeez, I would be making lemonade all the time. Typical pricing here is more like 1 lemon for $1, or maybe if you’re lucky, 2/$1.

Sad this tea wasn’t more of a peach oolong.

tea-sipper

Yeah, I’ve never seen 10 for a $1… they are really trying to sell those lemons. haha

gmathis

We occasionally get dollar deals like that on limes, too. This sounds like a great summer tea, even if it isn’t very aptly named.

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82

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge – May Tea #9: – A lemon tea

I didn’t really want to finish this one!  But I guess I have a little bit left of Moondrop Dreams  and Tealyra’s Lavender Lemon Potion — I like both of them more.   The dregs of this sample seem like mostly stevia and I’m sure the lemon myrtle profile is not helping that.  But I just love lavender and lemon as a combination, the more blends the merrier.
2022 sipdowns: 66

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82

Thanks again for the samples, Octavia Tea! All delicious so far. This one is intriguing as I LOVE lavender and lemon combinations. Chock full of all sorts of lemon ingredients and a little bit of lavender, it’s no surprise that the lemon takes over in this one. All the elements of lemon are here – tart, sweet, refreshing, earthy. The taste is also like a lemon topping on a donut. I was worried that the “lemongrass” in the name would mean the lemongrass was the most distinct lemon flavor (and my least favorite lemon element) but that isn’t the case at all. It’s all sorts of lemon but lemongrass stays in the background. Sadly, so does the lavender. I would have loved a ton more lavender here to balance it out. I suppose I could acquire some lavender somehow and add more lavender? The lemon is fine anyway! However, this blend does include some splenda. It was very noticeable in the first steep but faded out in the second steep. Don’t miss the looonnnnggg second steep with this one! It was somehow even more lemon than the first cup. So some points off for including splenda and not enough lavender, but overall, I really like this no caffeine cup on hot summer nights. It can easily satisfy the craving for lemonade!
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 12 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 2 minutes after boiling // 6 minute steep

Flavors: Lemon

AJRimmer

I love lavender blends, but I definitely always find myself wanting even more lavender!

Mastress Alita

I have a large bottle of dried lavender buds from the Farmer’s Market because of this exact problem. I always end up needing an extra pinch in my cup it seems!

tea-sipper

I should have some plain lavender around for this problem too.

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72
drank Berry Cabernet by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes
2023 Ode To Tea – Part II – B

This was… pleasant enough for a hibiscus tea! Not bad, not amazing.
2023 sipdowns: 57

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72
drank Berry Cabernet by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Thanks again for the samples, Octavia Tea! I was a little worried about this one. It’s a caffeine-free combination of some ingredients that I thought would be very sour: rosehips, hibiscus, schizandra berries, and strawberry and blueberry flavor. My past experience with schizandra berries has been unbearably sour. But upon steeping, I had nothing to fear. The flavor isn’t very sour at all and is actually quite delicious. The perfect level of tart, fruity, with surprising amount of blueberry flavor. The second steep is a light pink brew and much of the same flavor: lighter than the first steep but delicious. This one would be amazing as an iced tea. It’s very refreshing even while it’s hot. A tasty hibiscus blend, when hibiscus usually isn’t my thing at all.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 4 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 5 minute steep

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84

March Mad(Hatter) Tea Tournament!
Round #1 – Match #3    52Teas- Spiced Cucumber Melon VS.  Octavia Tea – Salted Caramel Chai

Will all these matches be so tough???  Two favorites!  One a summer favorite, one an autumn/winter favorite.   Bet you can’t guess which.  Even when fresh, the chai was never really “salted caramel” so even though this is a REALLY great chai, it’s not really accomplishing what it claims.  I love the finely chopped ingredients, the biggest being large coconut flakes.  Somehow I can’t really taste coconut anyway. The second steep seems brisk and harsh and certainly not anything like caramel.  The Cucumber Melon however, is EXACTLY what it says it is.  It’s a perfect blend, really.  Very refreshing and crisp.  I wish this was a salad I was eating right now.  And it’s definitely a favorite from 52teas.  It’s one I actually tried from a mystery bag and then went back to order more to stock up.  I’m picking the opposite seasons tea here and the winner is…. 52Teas Spiced Cucumber Melon!

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84

Thanks again for the wonderful samples, Octavia Tea! I thought I’d take the opportunity on this brisk windy June day to steep up some chai. I love chai and salted caramel so this sounds interesting. The ingredients are finely chopped to maximize the flavors: a broken pekoe black tea from Yunnan, tons of spices, and some odd ingredients like coconut, cocoa shells and sarsaparilla root. The directions say I should boil the tea directly in a pan with milk and water, but I’m just steeping it like a traditional tea, in an infuser with a full mug of water. No milk or sweeteners of any kind. It’s how I like my chai anyway. I was questioning how these ingredients would taste like Salted Caramel and it doesn’t really taste like that to me. It tastes like a traditional chai, emphasis on raisin notes, with plenty of sarsaparilla, both in the dry leaf and the flavor. I think it’s the perfect strength black tea for the flavors. It tastes more like root beer than salted caramel but I can’t usually complain about any chai. Chai was the first tea I tried and I usually enjoy every cup of chai I have. Some points are taken off this one for the inaccurate name.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minute steep
2019 Sipdowns: 50 (Whispering Pines – Yunnan Gold Black)

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93
drank Orchid Bao Zhong by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

I was thrilled to be able to try this one. Thanks so much Octavia Tea! I LOVE Bao Zhong and if it’s called “Orchid Bao Zhong”, I’m especially intrigued — my favorite oolongs taste like flowers. The leaves are bigger, as Bao Zhong leaves usually are, but not the biggest I’ve seen from a Bao Zhong. The brew color is a light green. The flavor is lovely, but not something I’d call particularly ‘orchid’. It’s a milky flavor and creamy texture, which is surprising to me for a Bao Zhong. The aftertaste turns into subtle hints of lingering fruits like pineapple with the milk turning into coconut, which is more what I expect from this type of oolong. All four steeps seemed completely different in flavor – the last two being more buttery. I think the leaves could have kept going for many steeps. I also think I should try this with a flat teaspoon instead of a heaping teaspoon, to see if it’s even smoother. A very delicious oolong, but I wouldn’t say the flavor profile distinctly tells me it’s a Bao Zhong oolong if it were a blind taste test, though to be honest, I’ve only tried a handful of Bao Zhong teas.
Steep #1 // 1 heaping teaspoon for a full mug // 18 minutes after boiling // 1 minute steep
Steep #2 // 13 minutes after boiling // 1 1/2 minute steep
Steep #3 // 13 minutes after boiling // 2 min steep
Steep #4 // just boiled // 3 min steep

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96

additional notes: I wanted to hoard the last of this but NO. I loved this sample. Would love a tin. A lupicia blend & plum deluxe blend are almost similar though… have a bit left of those….
2022 sipdowns: 19

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96

I’ve dreamed of what this tea tasted like since I heard about it years ago. So I really appreciate the sample, Octavia Tea! THIS TEA TASTES JUST AS A I DREAMED IT. The name of the tea is very accurate: it tastes just like a berry truffle. First, the ingredients seem finely chopped, on the smaller side, which I knew would create a darker flavor: black tea, cocoa shells/husks, strawberries, raspberries and flowers. I used a teaspoon and a half which seems perfect. Can I scream from the rooftops how much I love the use of COCOA HUSKS here? I always appreciate cocoa shells. The dusky cocoa on the black tea base with the flavor of berries is just perfectly balanced all the way through. Close your eyes and it tastes just like a chocolate filled with berry ganache. I could probably do without the various flower petals, just to have room for more of the truffle ingredients, though that is a small complaint for this amazing tea. I haven’t seen this blend anywhere else — it’s one of those flavor combinations that will linger like Octavia’s French Breakfast. I had a ton of berries this morning, so it certainly wasn’t a case of a craving for berries! This tea stands on its own.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 17 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 4 minutes after boiling // 4 minute steep
2019 sipdowns: 49 (one of my pouches of Della Terra’s Classic Apple Pie)

Kittenna

Oh, this sounds delicious!! Looks like I might need to make an Octavia order…

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89
drank Cafe spice chai by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Another sample from Octavia! Thank you so much! For a chai, the brew is very very light amber on both steeps. Surprising for chai to be so light, but it really works with the spices here. The flavor just MELDS into perfection. The most balanced, perfect flavor combination. It’s almost like a spicy sweet potato dish with marshmallow on top. It’s warming, sweet, smooth. I don’t really see those huge vanilla pieces in my sample that I see in the photo for the tea. The flavor has hints of vanilla but more vanilla than I expected among these spices. That crushed cardamom really comes through in the flavor. The combination of everything here is just this calming, lingering, lovely light base chai that I don’t stumble across too often, so I can certainly appreciate this one. Even at much hotter temperatures, the second steep is the color of palest amber. (Though I love the brisk, dark chai too, this one is a change for the cupboard!)
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug // 26 minutes after boiling // 2 1/2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 2 minutes after boiling // 4 minute steep

Kittenna

Yum! I like a chai that’s a bit lighter if I want to drink it straight – sounds like this is a good one!

tea-sipper

You should definitely keep this one in mind if you like lighter chai, Kittenna!

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81
drank Calming Chamomile by Octavia Tea
4170 tasting notes

Poor tea… this is from an ancient teabox, a single hand filled tea bag, artfully hand wrapped in something like paper. So it wasn’t even SEALED… it was wrapped in something like PAPER… but the flavor is lovely. The best sort of chamomile. All sweetness, apples, and summery field plants. I’m so glad I gave this one a chance. I can’t imagine it being better when it was fresh (or even sealed). Delicious stuff. I really want to try more of Octavia’s teas. I LOVE their French Breakfast and I’d love to get more. Maybe next year.

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