New Tasting Notes

This was my first tea this morning. I usually don’t choose to begin my day with something caffeine free, but I just woke up with such a particular craving for this tea. It wasn’t just that I wanted a jammy, tart strawberry note (which this tea delivers on), but that I wanted that flavoured tinged with the herbaceous, pine-y and savory note of rosemary that’s in this blend. It was very satisfying, and I only realized after finishing the mug that I drank several teas this week with a prominent rosemary note. Very weird and particular as far as subconscious ingredient cravings go.

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.

I don’t like this quite as much as Parlour Room Blend, but it’s still really delicious and very up my alley. Smokey with a little bit of a brisk bite to it, but also sweet and lush with silky notes of vanilla and a hint of citrusy fruit from the bergamot oil inclusion. I’ve had smoked Earl Grey blends before (though I wouldn’t call this an EG) and not loved them – it’s just a little too much going on all at once and the notes get competitive. However, the bergamot inclusion works here to add complexity and brighten the top notes. Maybe because it’s a lighter touch.

Really enjoyed this cup of tea that I made earlier in the week – the vanilla note is very authentic and aromatic but still has a bit of an indulgence to it. With the other spices and flavourings in the blend I feel like I get the best of both worlds with the mix of “true vanilla” (which is less sweet/creamy and more floral and fruity) and a more custard-like vanilla cream flavour. Sometimes it was a little like eggnog, because of the way the spices would interact with it. Very complex for a tea with a name like “Cake Batter Breakfast” that you’d expect to be just pure, unhinged dessert.

Sipdown (2583)!

I’m not exactly sure how “energized” I felt after drinking this tea but I did really enjoy the taste. It was more medium bodied, but the pure note of sweet, freshly juiced orange was so delicious and full of life. One of the best orange flavours I’ve ever tasted in a tea bag – mostly because it was sweet but still had a slight tang and acidity to its top notes too. Very dynamic for just a mono-flavoured tea.

Sipdown (2584)!

Based on the copy printed on the overwrap of this tea bag I was expecting more of a spiced citrus flavour that could potentially be a little more “mulled” in vibes, but to my surprise the citrus was relatively subtle as were the spices. Mostly I just tasted a smooth and sweet anise flavour tinged with the other aforementioned ingredients. I actually enjoyed it a lot, but mostly just because I like star anise. I feel like it could have been better with either the depth/heat from more spices (like clove) or a brighter orange, though…

So a little weird because it was an enjoyable mug of tea, but not the mug I thought I was going to have so I was still partially let down in some ways!?

Iced with a splash of milk!

This was the tea that I drank at this week’s board game meet up. I don’t think I’ve tried this cold before, so I felt like I was taking a bit of a risk making such a large iced tea of it as my sole drink during the three hour meet up – but it was pretty good. Didn’t taste caramel, but the notes of sweet milk chocolate (emphasized through the addition of milk) and rosemary both came through really clearly. More rosemary than expected, but not enough to push this into super savory territory. Ironically, early in the day, I’d had a brown sugar and sage flavoured chocolate bar and this actually loosely reminded me of that, but with rosemary instead obviously. Still pretty smooth despite the herbal edge.

We played two games at the meet up. The first, Istanbul, was one that I really liked and am considering buying for myself. The second was called Time Masters and I felt like it was something I could get into, but the version we played was printed in French so I struggled to play optimally since I was relying heavily on my other players to translate the cards for me.

Drank this earlier in the week and I think I appreciated it just a hair more this time around. The tangy kombucha vinergar note is pretty pronounced, but it’s also well balanced with the strength of the Indian black tea used as the foundation for this tea. The Nilgirir Conoor is very malty but also a smidge floral and laced with honey and citrus notes too. It’s all very complimentary, and shockingly complex for a kombucha too. But also classic feeling.

Tea Pop!

Loved this as a tea pop. It was rich and jammy still with those deeper blue/purple-y berry notes. Blueberry. Acai. Currant. However, the carbonation brought it new life that seemed to elevate the otherwise complex and enjoyable berry flavours. Also hella refreshing. It’s still hard to beat tea pop I made using B&B’s Apple Mint matcha flavour, but this gives it a run for its money.

Dry leaf smell of this tea is smelling a little… not quite “funky” but I guess clearly aged. Less of a juicy pear aroma than it used to have, by a lot. Weirdly, though, I thought this was the nicest tasting steeped cup I’ve produced. Maybe that’s because it was less juicy. Less of that floral/ripe pear meant it felt a little less at odds with the cake-y chocolate notes that seemed to reject such a fresh fruit note. This was more mellow and soothing, with a restrained decadence. Actually I liked it a lot.

The toasted marshmallow flavouring in this tea is so good! I mean, maybe a smidge of a liqueur-like element to it that makes me think of flavoured vodka shots, but not in a bad way. It’s sweet and sorta creamy with that gooey golden sugar note to it. I really wish this wasn’t a decaf blend, because if I could enjoy this tea while also getting a caffeine bump it would definitely be verging on perfect.

Midweek cuppa.

Smooth enough grass-forward green tea base with soft notes of blackberry and jasmine. There’s nothing particularly disagreeable about the cup itself, but there’s something about how all the different components feel kind of “restrained” that makes for a mug that is a little unexciting? I mean, I drank it all and it was nice. But just nice. I didn’t feel like it elicited any strong reaction in any regards.

Cold Brew!

I guess it was maybe subconsciously a white tea based cold brew kind of week? This was great though. Light and refreshing with a bright tropical pineapple to go alongside the smooth coconut finish. Aside from a ton of off an on rain, it’s really feeling like Spring here in Montreal. Nice weather and green returning to the parks. So something fresh feeling and tasting was awesome.

Plus, to be honest, pina coladas go with rain anyway in some ways. Thanks Escape Song.

Cold Brew!

This was my cold brew this afternoon and it was fine but not really my thing. It did brew a very beautiful, rich blue colour that I know would appeal to some – but I just felt it was a smidge gimmicky. I was more investested in the coconut notes, which are smooth and a bit buttery/creamy but lacking a depth and sweetness or richness to feel… I don’t know… complete!? It’s just kinda thin, and the mouthfeel a bit oily from all the coconut fat. Thin and oily isn’t exactly winning me over.

There’s something else happening flavourwise here too that I find interesting. It’s a bit like there’s a butterscotch or maybe buttered rum sort of undertone/finish? It’s sweet and a little bit boozy, but again not quite rich enough or well fleshed out to feel satisfying. It is interesting combined with the coconut, and something about the two are vaguely ticking a memory deep, deep in the back of my head of DT’s long discontinued Gold Rush tea.

I just want more.

Gongfu!

I was initially surprised by just how much the dry leaf smelled of fragrant, sweet sakura – though tinged with notes of dark, bittersweet chocolate. Once steeped, both of these notes continue to be present for much of the session. The cherry blossom hits the palate first and, though soft, I wouldn’t call this flavour weak or excessively delicate. In fact, it holds its own against a midsip that is much more dense and rich with notes of leather, brandied red fruits, and mahogany wood to go alongside the liqueur-like dark chocolate. In some ways, it gives the impression of what a cherry blossom truffle purchased from a very nice chocolate shop might be like. It’s so smooth, and very different from other floral-leaning black teas in my stash. So far, I’m incredibly impressed by how accurate the name inspirations of Settling Tea’s blends have been with the flavours!!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5082B6udZk/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJdwrthN4K8

I still miss CuppaGeek, and the green and lemon tea was my favorite. This comes really, really close. There’s a little orange and some apple bits tossed in there, which make the lemon a little less lemony, but the vanilla and marigold give it that pillowy, marshmallowy flavor that is really making me miss my mom’s pies.

Drank this with a splash of milk – though I tried it plain first. To be honest, I think I preferred the tea before the milk addition. It’s a pretty aromatic and especially citrusy and bright bergamot used in the blend, and the chocolate notes themselves also have a fruity lean more typical of European chocolate/chocolate teas as well as that chocolate liqueur sort of undertone that can sometimes read as a bit “Tootsie Roll”. It’s personal preference, but I just think the milk clashes with those fruitier elements. Still a good tea, but now I just know this isn’t how I’ll prepare it in the future!!

Tea Photo: https://www.instagram.com/p/C53o9qqOjEr/

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5apw7Zb7G0M

Gongfu!

Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/C56uWTEuXEY/?img_index=1

Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ar0OvXh7jLU

April Sipdown Prompt – a convenient tea

We had a clogged kitchen sink this morning and I decided to try to unclog it with the traditional methods of baking soda and vinegar, which didn’t work, followed by lots and lots of boiling water, which also didn’t work. Standing around waiting for water to boil I started hankering for a cup of black tea. I didn’t have time to fool around with it much and no time to sit and drink. This teabag fit the bill and Lupicia teas usually call for really short steeps which is even more convenient.

I had one tea bag of this from a Lupicia order, but I have had it before from a swap and liked it enough to order the decaf version for evenings. I am tempted to also order the regular version.

The fruitiness is matched by the savory rosemary with amazing balance. I guess I can count this as a sample sipdown, but it doesn’t make my numbers go down since samples and swaps are not added to cupboard.

I wouldn’t have guessed this was supposed to be lemonade. It’s not tart at all, more soft and desserty. I made sure to pay attention in my final cup, and I definitely got a green mango sort of vibe, though I wouldn’t have minded if it had veered more toward ripe mango.

Love it