Plum Brandy Cheesecake

faded mildly plummy glory

This was one of my favourites when I first ordered it, in fact I loved it so much that I added it to my wishlist immediately after my first cup (which I very rarely do when teas are still in my cupboard) and eagerly parsed others’ notes to see if anyone wasn’t keen and wouldn’t mind to swap. I remember taking my first sip and having an ‘ohmygod’ moment. All of the notes were present, particularly the plum and brandy. The reason I’m describing this experience from almost two years ago is that sadly, out of all my Butiki teas, this seems to be the one which has lost its flavour. I’m going to have another cup in a few days once I’ve got through the rest of my drink-a-thon teas in the hopes that it was a fluke, just a bad cup, or I brewed it wrong, because this tea was once magnificent. O’ cruel fate, why must you take from me one of my favourite teas in such a brutal manner?

But seriously, aside from the melodramatic mourning, I was so disappointed when I took my first expectant sip. The flavour hasn’t completely dissipated, but it’s faded to the point where I have to chase the notes to taste them. The scent is very creamy, and the cheesecake flavour is probably the most prominent note remaining, but I barely get any brandy at all and the plum is seriously fading. The base itself was on the light side, too, and I could taste the water through it, so I’m living in hope that I just underleafed even though I followed Stacy’s suggestions. This might have to be moved into my focus box until it’s sipped down.

My rating for this is based on how amazing it was when I first bought it, since it wouldn’t be fair to it or to Stacy to mark it down because of my negligence/hoarding.

This tea is tasty. Double-tasty with a little vanilla cashew milk.

I’m so sad that I never got to experience Butiki teas. I miss this tea company like I miss the Library of Alexandra: I never got to experience it firsthand. But I wish I had. (Can you imagine a library like that? OMG. Also, the Maesters’ library in Game of Thrones. Why isn’t it real? Sign a sister up).

I would pour a little of this tea out for my homies, but it shouldn’t be wasted. Sorry, homies.

Hard for me to identify the scent of the steeped tea: roasted and somewhat fruity and enchanting. I am quite enjoying this slightest hint of tangy plum on a creamy backdrop. There’s also something slightly peppery going on here. The brandy comes through too, gently, gently, in the distance. Lovely cup.

Thank you for sharing this sample with me, tigress_al.

The dry leaf smells of very little now, so I was half expecting the flavouring here to be past its best. WRONG! It’s delicious. The dry leaf itself looks really pretty, with its blue cornflowers and red safflowers, and the spindly, twisty leaves of the Purple Sunset Oolong. Once brewed, the leaf does smell like plum juice to me. Not strongly, but enough to be identifiable. I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 4 minutes in water cooled to around 175 degrees. I made no additions for my first cup, but I might experiment with a little crystal sugar next time. The resulting liquor is a medium golden brown.

In the initial sip, I’m getting mostly plum juice. It’s a sweet and a little tart tasting, but pretty flavour accurate for actual plums. The brandy is there too, but it’s more an “impression” of brandy, rather than an actual alcoholic flavour. There’s a warming fruitiness that’s maybe a tad grapey, but it’s not as harsh or as strong (or overpowering) as brandy itself would be. Probably what I’m trying to say is it’s like brandy after the alcohol has been burnt off – as it would be if you poured some over your christmas pudding and then set it alight. I’m not getting much in the way of cheesecake, but there is a clear background creaminess. It reminds me of the “cream” in some other Butiki teas – Nutmeg Cream and Traditional Plum Pudding spring to mind. The main impression this one leaves me with is a deep, intense fruitiness. I’m guessing the base tea has a lot to do with that – I remember trying it on its own and enjoying its strong stone fruit flavours.

I would have liked more of a cheesecake flavour, but this one’s still a winner with me. The plum flavour is like no other I’ve tried – so true-to-life and juicy tasting – and the brandy/cream notes add a pleasing depth and uniqueness. I’m sad this tea is no more.

This one is so good! While steeping, it smells weirdly—though by no means unpleasantly—like buttered popcorn. The flavor is light, and while it tastes creamy I don’t necessarily get cheesecake. It’s fruity, and while it doesn’t quite capture plum it comes closer than any other tea I’ve tried, aside from Butiki’s Plum Compote & Cashew Cake. There’s that slightly sour plum-skin aftertaste, too. The flavoring in this one is stronger than the oolong base, though I think the base does contribute some stone fruit notes. I don’t know that I’ve ever had brandy and am not sure what it actually tastes like but I don’t get anything particularly evocative of alcohol from this blend—not that it needs it.

The dry leaf smells so rich and mouth-watering. The spindly purple-black leaves are strewn with little red safflower and blue corn flowers. The biggest scent on the dry nose is definitely the cheesecake for me. There is a sense of a booze-soaked plum resting on top. Ooh, that would make for an AWESOME dessert….

As for the steeped liquid, I am not as impressed as I was on the dry leaf. The tart plums come to the front, and the brandy second. I get the thick and creamy mouthfeel of the cheesecake, but it is a fainter tail note.

I am not loving this tea. It does taste somewhat like brandy, but on a sour note. It’s not terrible, I just don’t like it. This one never even made it into my cupboard because I only bought an ounce.

I steeped this one time in an 18oz teapot with 3 tsp leaf and 175 degree water for 4 min.

Not so much plum or cheesecake, but seriously nutty, creamy and delicious.

I accidentally ordered two pouches of this, and I’m glad because it’s darned good! The flavors at the forefront are tangy plum and hints of brandy. It has a distinctly dark “purple” taste that I can’t explain. There is a little bitterness, but rather than detracting from the tea, I think it adds to it by calling to mind the slight bitterness of plum skins when you bite into them. Mmmm. There’s a soft, creamy finish to each sip—THAT’s where the cheesecake really is. It’s more in the mouthfeel than the taste.

Overall it’s sweet, fruity, creamy, and spot-on with the plum flavoring. I’m so glad I put in this order.