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This is the tea that I’m currently drinking, so I’m definitely posting out of order right now. But, I feel like I’m making some very good observations right now with this blend so I think it’s important I write my note now and not later when I’ve forgotten them!

Firstly; let me just start by saying that I think this is a perfectly good tea and I can see why a lot of people love it. I just think that, for a couple reasons, it might not be a perfectly good tea for me!

Sipping on it, the first thing I noticed was a very lovely and rich cocoa flavour. This aspect of the tea I’m greatly enjoying! However, this quickly transitioned into some really, really intense raisin-y notes. I am not a fan of raisins and I am perhaps maybe a little harsher/more critical of teas with raisin flavours in them because of this. However, ultimately it’s not the raisin I’m picking up in this blend that’s overall leaving me feeling a little out of step with the tea.

The more I sip on this the more I’m observing a sharp tangy or sour fruit note and a very powerful yeasty bread flavour that is increasingly reminding me of rye bread. I do like rye bread; there’s a pleasant sourness to it that I find appealing, and it’s interesting that this tea is conveying that – but overall with the flavour there’s a very displaced and disjointed feeling to those notes and it’s hard to feel at ease sipping on this one.

Perhaps it’s a little bit of an acquired taste/flavour? I have more of this so I will certainly be playing around with how to prepare this one to see if I can produce a better cup.

But again, reiterating that there’s nothing wrong with the tea itself; it’s just simply not to my own tastes! I still understand why it’s popular and can appreciate the interesting notes that are present.

Flavors: Cocoa, Raisins, Rye, Yeast

Ubacat

I’m not a fan of raisins either!

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Ubacat

I’m not a fan of raisins either!

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Bio

Hello! My name is Kelly, though many people in the tea community call me Ros or Roswell.

I am a mid-twenties tea addict, blogger, and all around nerd. I grew up in the Prairies, but a few years ago I relocated to Quebec to pursue a career with DAVIDsTEA in the tea industry! I’m still working on getting my French language skills down…

My first introduction to tea, in any form outside of instant and bottled iced tea, was about seven years ago when I happened to stumble upon DAVIDsTEA while looking for a birthday present for a friend! I tried their Birthday Cake rooibos blend, and I’ve been hooked on tea ever since! In those seven years; I was introduced to the online tea community, expanded my interest in flavoured teas to include a deep love and appreciation for straight teas and traditional brewing methods, got a tea themed tattoo, started reviewing teas, amassed a sizable tea and teaware collection, became a TAC certified Tea Sommelier, & even came full circle by beginning a career in the tea industry with DAVIDsTEA!

I consider myself a Jack of all Teas, and strive to have a knowledge and appreciation of all tea types, formats, and styles of drinking. I don’t like to feel boxed in to just being a “flavoured tea” or “straight tea” drinker – my expectations may vary depending on the type of tea or how it’s been processed/prepared but if it’s good tea, it’s good tea no matter how it’s been made!

You name it, I probably drink it- and I’ll absolutely try anything at least once.

My default method of preparation is hot, Western style, and straight – but I’m not opposed to additions if I’m in the right mood. If I ever add something to a tea or use a different method of preparation I will ALWAYS call it out in the tasting note though.

I like to listen to music when drinking tea, especially when I’m brewing a large pot at a time or steeping Gongfu. Often I curate very intentional tea and music pairings, and sometimes I share them here in my tasting reviews. Music is something that I find can deeply affect the experience of having tea.

I’m also one half of the “tea and fandom” podcast GeekSteep where, weekly, we discuss newly explored fandoms over tea as well as try to figure out the perfect tea to pair with each fandom. You can find us on Spotify and Apple & Google podcasts.

Favourite flavour notes/ingredients: Pear, lychee, cranberry, cream, melon, pineapple, malt, roasty, petrichor, sweet potato, heady florals like rose, hazelnut or walnut, sesame, honey (in moderation), and very woody shou.

Least favourite flavour notes/ingredients:
Lemongrass, ginger, strongly spiced profiles (and most Chai in general), mushrooms, seaweed, chamomile, stevia, saltiness or anything that reminds me too much of meat that isn’t supposed to taste like meat…

Currently exploring/obsessed with: Sheng from Yiwu, Yancha (Qilan in particular), anything with a strong sweet potato note. Also, I need to try ALL the root beer teas! Searching for a really good caramel flavoured blend, ideally with a black tea base.

Please contact me at the instagram account listed below if you would like me to review your teas.

Currently I’m employed in the tea department of the DAVIDsTEA head office. While I’m still sharing my own personal thoughts on new & existing DAVIDsTEA blends, I am no longer numerically rating them due to the obvious conflict of interest. Any comments expressed are a reflection of my own thoughts and opinions, and do not reflect the thoughts and opinions of the company. Any DAVIDsTEA blends you currently see with a numeric score were reviewed prior to my being hired there and have not been adjusted since becoming a DAVIDsTEA employee.

Location

Montreal, QC, CA

Website

https://www.instagram.com/ros...

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