Featured & New Tasting Notes
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – December 2025 Tea #7 - An unflavored black tea
This was the unflavored black to count for today. I kind of ruined it on a too long resteep though, watering the plants…. I did ruin the flavor of this poor tea. On my sipdown challenge for the year, I kind of failed, but I DID do one sipdown better than last year. All that matters is that I’m still enjoying the tea I’m drinking. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!!! Wishing everyone health and happiness…
2025 Sipdown total: 89
2025 unique tea sipdowns: 70
Ashmanra’s sipdown challenge – December 2025 Tea #5 - A tea with cinnamon, clove, or chai spices
This is mainly a cinnamon forward tea with a bakey note, just as it should be. On a strong black tea. A Ceylon that is actually pretty good here. And somehow, this seems more like a Ceylon type of cinnamon? Finished one sample, have one more. I really like it, so I’ll miss it.
2025 Sipdown total: 86
2025 unique tea sipdowns: 68
I couldn’t help but place an order for some Adagio favorites. I did pretty well the rest of the year with not buying much tea. First, Adagio could NOT have shipped this faster, especially around the holidays, especially due to the weather, especially due to two of these blends being custom blends, so they obviously had to make it fresh. A++ for that.
Here we have one of my custom blends, that I created AGES ago, and never tried it, because I never ordered it. And now I get to try it! I will say right now, the flavoring here has EXCEEDED my expectations. There is a ton of flavoring here. It is delicious. It’s vanilla and it’s apricot. I have loved both of these flavors from adagio before. The only thing better would be if actual vanilla bean was included. Also in this blend is a bit of Assam Melody, which I love to boost the black tea a bit. I really could have included maybe 10% more Assam Melody, but then that would diminish the existing flavor bomb. Of course, I could probably use 1 1/4 teaspoons of this and then add 1/4 teaspoon of my own assam melody… The best comparison I could make is Bird & Blend’s Peach Cobbler. It tastes very similar to that, but on that one I think the base is stronger. Sure, apricot does not equal peach, but I think both teas use a fluid flavoring. I love this blend. Some might say the base is a bit astringent and harsh… but I used 1 1/2 teaspoons here and possibly I should try one. Some might also say the flavor is TOO much, so possibly I could fit an extra 10% of Assam Melody in the recipe anyway. I’m very happy with it! Especially when I created it very early in my tea drinking days.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 3-4 minute steep
Another Atlas Tea Club hand-me-down: Mr. Lin’s Ruby 18; Taiwan. When adequately leafed (I botched the first cup; too much water) and a slightly longer steep than the packet recommended (4 minutes, not 3), if I wasn’t reading the provenance, I wouldn’t have pegged it as a black tea.
It has a lovely red-gold color, and to me, presents the same fruity elements as a good Darjeeling. Some reviews mention menthol afternotes. I might be picking that up in the scent of the cooled cup.
Even though my tastebuds aren’t picking out all the flavor nuances that are reportedly in play, I can still confirm that it is high quality, sophisticated leaf.
I love all the 52teas blends that are scone flavored! I don’t get a lot of scone from the flavor, but I do taste a lovely spice blend. I wouldn’t have said gingerbread necessarily, but it’s enjoyable, and the black base is really nice as well. The resteep is almost as strong as the first!
Merry (belated) Christmas to everyone here on Steepster who celebrates!
Ahh, to be a gingerbread man taking a soak in a cozy cuppa tea on Christmas day! I pulled out a tea for one set that I haven’t had a chance to use this year for a Christmas morning pot of tea with some homebaked (not by me) and suuuupeeerr molasses heavy gingerbread cookies. Perfect for dunking! The set makes about two teacups worth of tea, so I had one plain and one with a splash of eggnog. Hard to decide which was better. The plain had more of the aromatic and spice of the gingerbread, but the eggnog brought out more of the sweet and decadent toffee notes. Both were divine with the cookies.
Tea Photos: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSskvgICcfk/?img_index=1
Song Pairing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7G1eLTV89dM
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.
Advent tea!
Orange rolls Black Plum Deluxe. This really does taste like cinnamon rolls with orange icing. A nice end to the advent. I have enjoyed the advent, and have another cup of all the teas to taste again! A win for Plum Deluxe!
Homemade Advent Calendar from AJRimmer – Day 24
Ooh, I’d wanted to try this one. Clementine – check. Creamy vanilla note – check. It’s good hot, but even better as a tea soda. And now I want some fresh clementines…
Scottish Breakfast. By Adagio.
I got this single-serving portion pouch of looseleaf material as part of a black tea variety box from Adagio when I visited their store in Naperville-IL, this past weekend. Steeped as directed. I found the infusion to be tasty, Assam–forward, and free of bitterness. It contains a blend of four teas, three of which are familiar to me already. The Yunnan Jig is new for me, and it may have contributed some of the complexity that I’m tasting in this cup. Fortunately, there is also a sample of straight Yunnan Jig in this variety box, so I will soon find out what exactly that tea tastes like by itself. I can recommend Scottish Breakfast and give a rating of 75.
Lot no. 95195. Fresh by: n/a
Preparation
Simpson & Vail Advent 2025 – Day #21
I never even considered ordering this one for some reason, maybe because I have no idea what a goldenberry is… but it’s good! It’s a decent fruity tea with NO hibiscus. It’s sweet, but from the candied papaya. The goldenberry is from Peru, which might be why I have never seen it listed in tea before. Though the description said it would brew up a light pink color, mine was yellow. Maybe my sample missed any of the listed hibiscus? I would say the flavor was probably more sweet papaya and candied pineapple, as the goldenberry was only added flavoring. But maybe these fruits taste similar… I would definitely drink this again though.
Steep #1 // 1 1/3 teaspoons for a full mug // 20 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep
I was doing the last bit of my holiday shopping a week or so ago in a mall that has a DT in it. I don’t typically stop in person at the DT when I’m there because I have enough tea to drown in, and I don’t want to get in the way of the employees (especially during this busy season) while they’re working. However, I was parched so I decided to pick up an iced tea…
You can, of course, order basically anything on the teawall as an iced drink. However, we have a specialty drink menu in most stores that have some more unique/custom drinks that are made with different concentrates and things prepared at the start of the day. They’re usually faster for the tea guides to make because of this. This tea is part of that menu as a tea pop lemonade. I grabbed that because, as I’ve said before, I adore this blend and I wanted to get in and our of the store quickly.
Honestly, the juicy cranberry and sweet orange of this blend shine as a tea pop, and that was such a refreshing first couple of sips after sweating my ass off in the mall in my heavy winter coat. However, this is already a pretty sweet blend and I personally found that the extra sweetness from the lemonade pushed it right up on the edge of too sweet for my own personal tastes. But a cranberry orange tea pop? Boy howdy, do I recommend trying that! Mmmm!
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.
Plum Deluxe Hanukkah Sampler (caffeinated) – Day 5
I don’t think I’ve ever had actual huckleberries, but supposedly they taste like blueberries. Or are they the same thing? A quick internet search did not provide a clear answer. This blend tastes like blueberries and blackberries on a brisk base. It would probably make a cold brew! There’s nothing wrong with it, but since strawberries are the only berries I really like (that I’ve actually tried), I’m just not the right audience.
This tea in a wonderful outer wrapper was pretty tasty. And in the sachet there was a whole rose bud, which… considering it is a sachet only, is a big thing.
As of flavours, they’re were pretty much spot on… peach and strawberry with floral tea base. Maybe too floral. That peach was also somehow bright, and not with its ripe fruit sweetness. If I did a blind test, I would not recognize it was a black tea. It was that floral.
But it worked so well together. I am happy that I could try this one and maybe… maybe I would buy a pouch of 50 grams.
Preparation
This is supposed to be “sweet and intense créme caramel” flavoured rooibos, but honestly? I notice rooibos only. Yes, there are some hints of some flavouring, but not caramel in my opinion.
But somehow, comforting and nice cup.
Preparation
This is a good Earl Grey. Really. A robust base (they say Darjeeling but who knows), and a nice, citrusy and not overwhelming bergamot.
Huh… my notes are getting shorter and shorter.
Preparation
Yep, mine too. They’re also getting more honest, which isn’t necessarily a good thing.
Shorter reports could be a subconscious response to the slower Steepster behavior over the past year. Maybe.
I was actually thinking the frustration around Steepster could be a contributing factor. I’m also realizing that doing two advent calendars at once may have been a little ambitious. I can’t imagine having the stamina to do five or more as some people have done in the past.
Yeah, I think mine are getting shorter as a direct result of never knowing whether they will even actually post.
I generally compose and edit my reviews offline in a text editor, and can then wait for an opportunity when Steepster is more cooperative to quickly copy/paste them.
TeaEarleGreyHot, I compose my notes in a text editor as well. Steepster sometimes likes to freeze right after I click Save.
2025 Steepster Advent Swap: Day 16
Mmm, this is tasty. It really nails the bread (err, pastry?) aspect of gingerbread in a way that many other so-called gingerbread teas don’t. I think it has to be brewed strong to really shine, which I don’t mind. Otherwise it does feel a bit thin.
Last year I noted that it was a bit on the sweet side, but I actually think the suggestion of sweetness works because it evokes the molasses aspect of gingerbread.
Raising my rating this year!
Flavors: Ginger, Gingerbread, Molasses, Pastries, Sweet, Thin
Compagnie & Co Day 8
Oh dear. Along with hibiscus, licorice, and fishy puerh, smoked lapsang is among my least favourite things. Authors who don’t know much about tea tend to have their characters drink smoked lapsang as a sign of connoisseurship, which seems way off the mark to me. I guess readers haven’t heard of aged sheng or Wuyi yancha. To me, smoked lapsang is about as subtle as a hammer. I steeped the 2 g sachet in 250 ml of 190F water for 3, 5, and 7 minutes.
The dry aroma is of heavy smoke, with overtones of ashtray and burned rubber. The first steep has notes of smoke, malt, tobacco, and wood. At a stretch, I could call this pine smoke, but it’s really like drinking the ashes of a campfire. The aftertaste lingers. The second steep still tastes overwhelmingly of smoke, with malt, wood, and honey in the background. The tea is a bit sweeter, but the liquid smoke aftertaste is pronounced. The tea calms down slightly in the final steep, with the smoke being less obtrusive.
I’m not giving this tea a rating because I knew from the outset I wouldn’t enjoy it. Having said that, the later steeps were more balanced than I expected. I think this tea is of decent quality; it’s just not my jam. I tried a 2015 pine-smoked lapsang from Daxue Jiadao and even that didn’t persuade me to enjoy this type of tea. I have 30 g or so left in my tea museum, awaiting the day that my tastes change or I find someone to swap with.
Flavors: Ash, Honey, Malt, Pine, Smoke, Tannin, Tobacco, Wood
Preparation
Smoke is a migraine trigger for me, and my head can’t tell the difference between “real” smoke in the air outside and the smell of smoke coming off of a smoked Lapsang Souchong… the one time I tried drinking some I got a terrible migraine and said never again. It felt like trying to drink tea while sitting by a campfire having the wind blow the smoke directly into your face the whole time.
I’m with you, @Leafhopper. I don’t want smoke in my tea, my steaks, my bacon or ham, my paprika, my cocktails, or my clothing. I don’t get migranes, just… yuck.
I don’t get migraines from smoke either, but that’s a great reason to avoid this tea. I don’t mind smoked salmon or smokey marshmallows in s’mores, but smoke always overwhelms every other flavour in tea for me.
And with this tea I caught up all the La Via del Té teas.
This one is a green tea blend with scent of cherry and yuzu and while I never had a yuzu in my hand, only yuzu flavoured teas and beers; I think it is pretty much correct.
In flavour, sadly, only cherry is prominent with, not that good, green tea base. That base is drying, while a nice grassy base would be a great complement to the fruits. Maybe it is because older tea used?
Nevertheless, it is nice tea, but it needs fresher tea only. Maybe if there is a little of the citrus peels included, it would be great too.
Preparation
This was such a good cup! Interesting to choose black tea for a tea that is called White Christmas, but oh my… this was definitely the tea that resmebles buttery, vanilla biscuits so well. While it is quite sweet in flavour, as there are sugar crystals (well, that’s the white from name, I guess!); it was indeed full of baked goodies in a cup.
It has been wonderful!
Preparation
2025 Bird & Blend Advent: Day 12
This is a dangerous one — the flavor profile (lemon and ginger) screams “calming nighttime cuppa” but the yerba mate says otherwise!
The lemongrass is taking center stage here, but in a very pleasant way. A smidge of ginger comes through on the back of the sip, but I’m not sure I can pick out the yerba mate — I rarely drink it and am not super familiar with it!
I could see this being a welcome change for someone who doesn’t want the harshness of coffee or strong tea in the morning but still wants a gentle kick. Not bad!
Flavors: Ginger, Lemon, Lemongrass
Day 12 of the Mariage Freres Advent 2025.
Paris-Provence is a white tea flavoured with lavender, rose, and spearmint. The lavender fortunately is not as prominent as I feared (I’m not a fan of lavender generally), instead appearing primarily as a scent, but also as a soft, sweet background note that I can actually get behind. This means that the creamy powderiness of the white tea base is able to shine, accented with a subtle burst of sweet, crisp spearmint and just a hint of rose. Delicate and beautiful!
AliasHali Advent Tea Day 10
Until yesterday, I had an old-fashioned pink rose in a delicate green glass vase on my desk. I was surprised to see a rose in bloom in the garden last week on the very old rose bush I brought to my house from my mother’s, and I cut it to bring in and enjoy it. (I have rooted that bush several times now and there is one flourishing at my son’s house as well! The rose faded and the color of the petals deepened, so I picked off the petals and scattered them in the path of Mary riding the donkey through the advent candle spiral.
This tea tastes like that rose. The base is mild for a Keemun. The rose scent is delicate and natural, but the more I drink the more it is building up – rose-y and peppery with a little tingle on my tongue. I think this might almost be the perfect rose black tea for me.
I wouldn’t have it for breakfast. This is a tea to drink as I am drinking it now – a relaxing break between tasks, served in a pretty bone China cup – Old Country Roses, appropriately.
How nice that three people on Steepster had a rose tea today! It’s amazing that you still have roses blooming in your garden in December.
I have five tiny Pink Fairy blossoms left out there, but once they go it will be the last I see of roses until April, I expect! The other rose posts made me remember whaich tea the rose in this is reminding me of – it is Rose Congou from Upton!
Happy New Year!