New Tasting Notes

Honestly, this is from an order made a year and a half ago, but its been sitting since I’ve been using cold brew to sip down a bunch of other teas.

I’m not sure if its the age or if this was just not the tea in the package. It reminds me of pu’erh. Leather and mud and grossness, Definitely does not taste like orders I’ve had in the past.

Asked a few coworkers for their opinions and everyone agrees, so its not just me.

I’ve had to throw it out.

Really enjoying this blend from the summer box. The lemony herbs are sweet yet refreshing, and a nice mix of fresh lemon and lemon drops. I believe their Tropical Black is pineapple, but somehow it comes out tasting like apricot in this mix. Not that I’m complaining, I love apricot and it’s a great pairing with the lemon.

I’m sure it would be wonderful iced, but I’ve been enjoying it warm with a drizzle of clover honey. :)

Got a mixed package for Christmas of the 3 Catspring’s varieties of loose leaf yaupon. This extra teabag was in the box.

I’d be fooled if somebody told me this is a lighter roast houjicha. Hit all the right notes this morning with a summer fog that was sprinkling fine mist on every surface. Mellow and smooth and sweet. Decent caffeine kick to boot.

Will come back to this for tasting note details when I break open the looseleaf :)

Lot no. 85439
Single-serving portion pouch from sampler box; brewed Western, as directed.
The dry “leaf” is all chopped stems & twigs, as usual for honeybush, and has a pungent “hazelnut” aroma that overwhelms any other fragrance, as did the steeped liquor which was a nice clear amber in color. Flavor was sweet and roasty-woodsy, with strong hazelnut taste FAR stronger than that of actual roasted hazelnuts. This tisane is all about the strong hazelnut taste and smell, and would go well with strongly-flavored desserts like chocolate cake, etc. The only other note I sensed was occasional whiffs of cigarette butt. I would rather enjoy dessert with a creamy hazelnut liqueur that would more closely match the taste of the nuts. This tisane is pretty one-dimensional, and good if this flavor is your thing. Given the saturating taste and cigarette sensation, I’ll rate this only as 45, but withhold from recommending or belittling.

This reminds me of the turtle flavor from a few years ago. I taste chocolate and vanilla. It’s high quality and tasty cold with milk and sugar. I definitely prefer how 52teas does chocolate over any other company. It’s very natural. I liked it, though I’ve preferred other similar 52teas blends.

TTB 2025. Aged white tea is very hit or miss for me.

Unless you have a pu er knife or … a knife in general available to help open the leaves after the first rinse, it will take quite a while to open the brick fully.

Wet Leaf Aroma: Fruity. Compost. Slight old house.
Flavor: Woody. Resin. A bit tannic.

WHOA. Hold the phone. I dumped a bunch of water on the leaf to throw it into my garden, but got distracted by dishes. When I came back, those fruity notes really started shining! Cherry and other dark red fruits. Maybe this one is made for cold steeping after the first 4 infusions.

From the summer subscription box.

I’m not a fan of Prickly Pear, so naturally not a fan of this either. I mostly taste the melon-y Prickly Pear with a bit of peach in the background. Will set this aside to rehome.

That being said, I’m quite happy with the summer theme and teas, considering it’s my least favorite season. They chose a summer camp theme which is very nostalgic and cozy, and I feel like it brought a bit of autumn influence in. There are some cozier teas like Horchata Rooibos and a Pecan Pie Puerh blend, as well as garden herbals which I also enjoy. Excited to try the others!

Sip down!

Good, but I do prefer Golden Snail more.

So, I really like this one… but I couldn’t tell you why. Like many of the other reviews, I think that the amount of flavors in this blend make it a bit hard to distinguish, it is quite tasty. I like Rose, I like raspberry, and I like bergamot. So what’s not to like? Sure, I could do with some more bergamot or… maybe I need to find a raspberry Earl Grey blend (let me know if one exists). But hey, maybe its the broken AC in the office making me freezing making mediocre tea surprisingly good or… maybe I’m in the minority of people that would re-purchase this one.

More office/deskside koridashi today to get through the heat!

I wish I had made more of this because, honest to god, it was maybe the most delicious and perfect koridashi I’ve ever tried. Delicate and light bodied with a pretty much crystal clear liquor were it not for the faintest yellow tint. Top notes were fleetingly fruity with hints of floral white grape and lychee before hitting a more umami stride with slightly saline notes reminiscent of an ocean breeze and a flavour that I can only best describe as reminding me of fresh sweet corn. It was so, so gentle but nuanced and immediately thirst quenching. I was so sad I’d only made the one cup of it, and because it takes hours to make I couldn’t brew any more before leaving the office.

Now I need to see what it’s like prepared as a hot tea, to see if it even comes a fraction as good as this was!

Koridashi!

I know I mentioned it in another tasting note maybe a week ago, but our office has been getting to some pretty ungodly degrees lately (broken air conditioner combined with heatwave) so I haven’t been drinking as much tea at work as usual. And, well, what I am drinking is usually iced.

However, I’m also experiencing a REALLY rare and atypical stretch of being preeettttyyy into straight Japanese green teas (other than hojicha/matcha). It’s quite out of character for myself. It’s been a fantastic excuse to drink a lot of koridashi though. I basically fill a big bowl up with ice at my desk, sprinkle it with one of the green teas my coworkers brought back from Japan and then by the midafternoon I have deliciously smooth green tea to cool down with.

That was the case here, where this shincha ended up producing a really buttery and refreshing liquor with both subtle peach notes, a hint of lime leaf, and a nuttier side as well. The finish had a lot more umami to it. Kind of surprised I liked it, honestly, but I drank it so fast and it just felt so thirst quenching and perfect on this HOT day.

Matcha Pop Sipdown (2949)!

This is another tea that I’ve knowingly been sitting on the last serving of for a while. It’s one of the most unique matcha flavour combos I’ve tried, and it’s never in stock with B&B when I want to make an order. However, their new Tutti Frutti matcha felt close enough in vibes and flavour to me that I was finally ready to say bye to this one.

The intrusive thoughts wanted me to add strawberry jam to the bottom like I’ve been doing lately with a bunch of my matcha lattes, but logic brain won that argument and I talked myself (correctly so) into enjoying the fresh, fruity and floral flavour of this matcha unadulterated. I did however make it as a tea pop instead of just iced, and as always it was perfection. Bright but not shrill or “thin” feeling lime notes, a natural sort of sweetness and depth of flavour, fresh lavender, and even weirdly a hint of banana!? Since I drank a banana matcha latte earlier in the day I wouldn’t have been suspicious of that banana note were it not for the fact I’ve definitely tasted it in this matcha before.

Damn I am so sad to see this one go. I can’t imagine it’s a highly popular flavour from B&B so I don’t know if we’ll ever see a restock again, but I’m definitely tightly crossing my fingers for one!

Sipdown (2950)!

A sipdown that was probably a very long time coming as this was one of the older fruit teas in my my stash and I’ve been knowingly sitting on this last serving for ages. It was a very nice farewell cup though, with a super juicy and sweet peach flavour that treads the line of candy and perfectly ripe summer peaches. The cream note comes in at the end to wrap it all up in a smooth, silky bow.

I don’t know what’s up with NecessiTeas – I haven’t really seen any online/social activity from her in ages nor have I seen anyone make any recent orders. This is a blend I’d love to have back in my stash, but I remember her shipping to Canada being abysmal and with the infrequent restocks it being quite tricky to time out there being enough teas in stock on her website to justify the cost of shipping…

That’s part, I think, of why it was so hard to finish this one off.

Iced!

Finally getting around to trying this last powder blend from SuperBolt and, honestly, it’s a big let down. Maybe the most disappointing of the three!? I didn’t latte it because of the hibiscus, but tasting it I have to wonder if I could have without any curdling because it’s really quite flat tasting. Much more earthy from the beet than anything else, but with that lingering stevia sweetness after the sip. I guess I get a vaguely fruity taste, but nothing that really makes me think of blueberries or hibiscus. It’s honestly sort of musty and the colour when whisked up doesn’t even feel pretty enough to justify the poor taste.

Definitely a shame because I liked the two drinks I had in person at this cafe quite a lot. Especially the hojicha. And, the other two powders (while weird) felt like they had promise if you could just dial in the ratio of powder to milk a little better.

Cold Brew!

Not to be, like, that person but I was definitely obsessed with this blend looongggg before pistachio was THE flavour of the last few seasons. I feel like it’s unescapable this summer and I am so deeply here for it. Though, I am a little sick (personally) of the pistachio and chocolate combination. So, pistachio and this iconic soda-style sweet strawberry flavour? Hell yeah.

I’m not particularly a gambling kind of person, but if I were I would bet pretty good money that the sales of this blend this year compared to a year or two ago are probably preeeetttyyyyy different. And, if not, then what’s wrong with people!? This is such a phenomenal blend and I hope people aren’t sleeping on it.

I wanted to like this because the idea of a tropical Earl Grey is so fresh and summery feeling to me, but I made a cup of it today and in practice I found the flavours very muddy and lacking in clarity. Just vaguely fruity without enough of a distinct, crisp tropical mango note or the depth and high aromatics that I associate with bergamot. I have a few other bags to try later, but snap impression was a let down. So generic and forgettable.

Iced Latte!

That strawberry jam obsession is back, but this time I used a mixture of oat milk and banana matcha on top of my jam layer to create the most amazingly delicious and retro feeling “strawberry banana” iced matcha latte. So well balanced, and with the creaminess of the oat milk is just leans into those smoothie vibes that strawberry banana will always make me think of. This was something I’d make again in an instant.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Welp, finally getting around to writing the tasting note for this tea!

This is one of two new “superfood iced tea powders” that DT released this year, and we actually released it months ago. I usually do my big DT info dumps for new products much closer to after they’ve launched, but I’m actually allergic to this one (the mushrooms in it) so I hadn’t tried it at the time of launch. Yes, I know it’s very weird that I work on making products I’m allergic too – if you’d asked me years ago how much my mushroom allergy would impact my day to day work life I would have told you never and I would have been so wrong.

So I’m doing with this one what I’ve done with other mushroom blends DT has released: one big sip in a controlled environment on a day I’m not working and don’t work the next day – and spitting it straight out instead of ingesting it. For the flavour education. Gotta know what other people are experiencing. As always, no one is forcing me to do that and I wouldn’t recommend others do it either.

First though – what was the intent with this blend? Other than being tasty, I suppose. Like all the powders in DT’s “superfood line up” this is definitely a functional blend with a combination of ingredients meant to make it an ideal hydration option for mid and post work-outs. Two adaptogenic mushrooms (cordyceps and chaga), tart cherry, and acerola. We loved this combination of ingredients because they’re known to have anti-inflammatory properties and support your body: think physical endurance for during your workout (whatever form that takes) and muscle recovery and replenishment for afterwards.

Flavour wise, I wanted this to be kind of like an “adult kool-aid”. Juicy and tart, not so sweet or artificial, and something that it vaguely nostalgic that you can feel good about drinking. Tart cherry, while a specific kind of cherry, is still in fact tart tasting and with the hibiscus in this blend it’s definitely got a punch to it. I observed that too with my quick sip, though once you get past the top notes there’s a little more depth from the mixed berry flavouring that kind of rounds it out a little.

Texture wise I don’t find this one quite as smooth as Maqui Mojito, but it’s also certainly far less gritty and granular than a lot of other tea powders I’ve tried. The mushrooms are subtle and if those scare you from a flavour standpoint I wouldn’t worry – this is a far stretch beyond tasting savoury or like soup. But there is a touch of earthiness to the finish that I do want to acknowledge.

Since this tea has launched I’ve heard of a lot of people mixing it with sparkling water to create a sort of cherry soda, and I think that sounds very tasty and easy to make. A shame I won’t personally end up trying it that way.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

An evening cuppa!

I know it’s the middle of summer and we’re currently going through a bit of a heat wave here in Montreal, but I pulled this out for a late evening cuppa specifically because I was looking for something with more of a cooling sensation to it and, perhaps, a bit less of the fruity flavour I’d been over indulging in throughout the rest of the day.

Well, to my surprise this was a way more fruity tasting cuppa than I feel any mug of Wintergreen Wonderland I’ve ever brewed prior. Like, very bright and lively berry notes before hitting the stride of those sweeter, minty wintergreen and pine flavours I’d been seeking out. I think, unfortunately, because of those fruit notes it didn’t quite deliver on the profile I’d been seeking out. However, no denying that it was still a delightful cup even if it is a winter blend and it’s the middle of summer…

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Cold Brew!

I know it’s not saying a whole lot because I liked a lot of the summer teas from last year (bias, for sure), but this was one of my favourites for sure. Now that it’s properly hot and I’m going through cold brews like nobody’s business I thought it was time to dig out the tin. Oh, it hits the spot! Not too sweet/sugary at all and with a fun pink-ish purple colour when brewed up. It tastes like the grape candies I grew up on but with just a hint of a citrusy edge to it.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Cold Brew!

Finished off one of two bags of this tea I have kicking around. I’m not totally sure what the general consensus of this blend was the last time we carried it, but it’s a melon tea that I personally wouldn’t mind seeing come back. Though, there are few DT melon blends I’d be sad to see return…

With age, I do feel like this has gotten a little less distinctly watermelon in flavour and instead leans a little more on the sour apple side. However, it hasn’t really lost a drop of that intensity and tangy, malic acid-coded punch. So, so very much like a sour candy or slushie. I slurped it back super fast, and it was just what I needed for that high impact, nostalgic hit in the middle of this summer heat wave.

Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.

Gongfu!

This is a really fragrant tea while steeping; creating a very jammy stonefruit-like and floral aroma throughout my tea space. The liquor is full-bodied and brisk with an initial tannic bite before exploding into a complex mix of juxtaposed flavour notes: dried apricots, cinnamon, soda bread, brown butter, roasted nuts, peach jam, persimmon, linden, and dried wildflowers. Lots going on here, but everything just comes off as so well integrated and balanced. I’m already dreaming of my next session…

I think, at least for the moment, osmanthus might just be my favourite flower right now. I have been loving doing more exploration of blends utilizing it, and this is a really exceptional one!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLdJY4qSmT-/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYd7MqHdFw4&ab_channel=JessieReyez-Topic

Grandpa Style!

It’s been raining a lot this weekend, so grandpa-style shou is pretty perfect. This one is really dense and slick, with a deep, deep earthiness and top notes of petrichor. Though undertones of raisins add a subtle sweetness, the bold notes of decaying forest undergrowth, brothy root vegetables, and oak that nake up the bulk of the sip are delightfully “brown tasting” with a lingering umami flavour that feels akin to cozying up with a big bowl of stew during a heavy summer storm!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLfu9i_SU3U/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-IAMdr4fyU&ab_channel=MIYNT-Topic