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Merry Christmas Steepsterites!

Sort of a Backlog: Day eleven (you mean this is almost over!?)

I can’t put into words how delighted I was to open my package and discover this tea. Butterbeer has always sounded amazing to me. The expectations are high because of the name.

Dry leaves have a rootbeer smell from them. Apparently, licorice is present here but it manifests in a way similar to that particular soft drink. I steeped it in hot milk the first time, expecting something astringent. Even though I had the leaves in there for over five minutes the latte was surprisingly mellow and creamy.

My second try at this I had plain and in a pot. I steeped it for 2 minutes and 30 seconds with water well under boiling. The result is this soft buttery beverage that rolls of my tongue. It’s amazing. This tastes like a pound of melted butter that’s had a cup of something malty poured over top- it even has the salty sweetness of butter. How are my lips not greasy? There’s no milk or cream in my cup which is unbelievably deceptive! When I focus on the malty sweet licorice streak it reminds me somewhat of a rootbeer float.

Did I mention this was amazing and divine?

Another one I think I may have to order more of that I’m now fully stocked up on.

Props for a really good candied dried mango smell and finish; lost points for that generic bagged green tea flavour and a sourness -do you know what I’m talking about? Mouth fuzz. But really, the mango flavour here is like my favourite popsicles and ice cream. I possibly like it better than the two from Murchies.

This isn’t bad at all. Thanks ToiToi!

New Years agenda: drink ALL the mango teas!!!!

Day ten

I’ll have a blue Christmas without you…

Just when I was starting to grow quite fond of my Cotton Candy Black from day one I ran out yesterday. I was beginning to fall in love with the lattes too. Thankfully, this came around and while it’s not quite the same as the other cotton candy tea it will do.

My first cup of this earlier in the day, which was under two minutes and with lukewarm water, was unbelievably perfect. I simply got blueberry flavour with a finish sugary artificial fuzz, which was very akin to blue cotton candy.

As soon as I took a whiff of my steeped cup I knew I had butchered my second cup of the day, and I’m blaming water temperature. This steep still has the cotton candy profile but the astringent smoky gunpowder is more prevalent. Maybe I should add some milk to it but it feels like sacrilege to add dairy to something with a green base- excluding matcha.

Ok, it’s fussy. I can work with that.

Mmm, Bai Mudan is not a tea I have had all too often but this seems like a solid and straightforward cup to me! Notes of melon-like sweetness that flirts with the watery freshness of cucumbers. There’s even a touch of buttery cream that make this cup soft. No complaints here! I’ve been looking to pick up some White Peony and this 30g bag will do very nicely for now.

Do you know that sad empty feeling that usually proceeds finishing an amazing series? I’m no good with endings. I just finished steins;gate (a sci-fi time travel anime) for the first time and I needed something to pick me up and carry me off to a new series of books or shows. This was a great cup for that transition- and it held up well to multiple steeps! I guess it’s time to finally finish Lord of the Rings (it’s going to kill me).

Thank you, Infussion, for this lovely sample.

Day nine

Lemon and spice, oh, how I would love to have this around when I’m feeling under the weather. It has all the cleansing feel of lemon water, the fiery warmth of a touch of cardamom, and the tranquil elements of an astringent green. There is a soft cushioned sweetness to this cup. I always forget that cardamom is an excellent sweetener spice. I find all the flavours very balanced here. Somewhat mouth drying but not sour enough to cause noticeable puckering.

What a soothing cup to drink the day after “the apocalypse”, or more realistically, what was supposed to be the darkest day of the year. I just wish I still had my curry from the other day to accompany this drink… Well, even if this wasn’t the tea of the day I would still want my palak paneer. I could eat a wide range of Indian food ALL the time.

This tea (and curry) is definitely not for everyone but for those who do enjoy it it’s the best thing.

Day eight

The scent of the packet is all chocolate with a touch of something alcoholic. I wasn’t in the mood for chocolate today (I’ve been eating way too many Christmas goods).

Luckily, there appears to be only a smidgen of cocoa fudge flavour- I’m mostly getting what I think is the black tea base. It’s malty, honeyed, and all-around smooth. I’m happy to drink this without milk and sugar right now. Maybe the chocolate richness would come out more with milk or my favourite chocolate soy, but the base by itself is too good. Flavoured qualities come out more as it cools down and aftertaste is more chocolatey.

This is very good but I don’t feel any desire to keep it around long-term.

Day seven

So, you really like hot liquid jello. You like it so much that whenever you see someone making jello you wait until their backs are turned and sneak a few of the freshly prepared cups out of the fridge before they can “solidify”. Of course, you can’t be around at the beginning of every jello-making process; that’s what the microwave is for. Sadly, your loved ones have started to catch on. They don’t understand your preference of jello. They’ve begun to judge you, even openly scorn you.

Luckily, this tea exists. It tastes and smells exactly like lime jello with a touch of cream. Unlike jello, however, people actually admire you for drinking this cup of hot sugary liquid. They say tea is “sophisticated”, “health-conscious”, “adult-like”. They have no idea. None at all.

Ha… no.

I’ve never had lime jello with pineapple bits, like this tea, but strawberry jello with pear is one of the many staple desserts that makes an appearance at Christmas and Thanksgiving. My Grandma was usually the one who made everything up but she doesn’t bake and cook as much as she used to. This tea makes me feel all warm and nostalgic, and remember all the good times from childhood. Thank you for that.

Yet another tea with marshmallow root in this neat advent. This one definitely asks to be iced. I guess I should try that at least once.

I’m having this hot with some milk after eating a marshmallow chocolate noodle dessert monster. All of my senses are temporarily shot from a sweetness overload.

I’m mainly picking up honeybush and cream with a lemon hued finish. Texture: First part flaky pastry then a jam filled second part. I can’t taste the rooibos.

I’m indifferent to rooibos, and am not generally a fan of honeybush but this is a solid blend with a great aroma. The lemon is a buttery frosting kind, and not at all a pointy “cleaning” variety of citrus. That in itself is a nice change from the citrus infused teas and tisanes I normally drink.

With every sip I’m growing fonder of it. I’m sending the rest off into the chaotic realm of the Christmas-impacted post office, but I would definitely think of ordering another bag of this.

Another one that is to be sent off into the wild world of stamped envelopes and parcels.

Out of all the places that I ordered from I was least excited about getting my package from Della Terra. I should’ve been more enthusiastic; the few of their blends that I have tried so far have been great!

I attempted a pathetic rinse of this in my DT’s perfect mug. I’d like to think it made a difference. (Goof EDIT: this chocolate Puerh shouldn’t be rinsed!)

This is a lovely earthy tea with a finish of pepper that one could imagine coming from either/or the Yunnan and the few spices present. The main aroma and flavour is one of dark chocolate with a dabbing of honey. The spices are subtle but present, like a worldly gent who knows they don’t need to flaunt all their wealth in a gaudy array. It has “the air” of richness.

I added some milk in, because chais always beg for milk in my mind, but it could have honestly held up well without. Somewhat coffee-like.

Day six (half way through!!)

I’ve been thinking that most of these packets smell like bubblegum and I thought this tea was a bubblegum blend from the aroma, but it must be the marshmallow root ingredient.

Minty things are a hit and miss for me. I love eating whole mint leaves most of all but candied mints are items I’d rather pass up. Mint is also something I don’t seek out unless I’m feeling under the weather or I want something to clean my palate. I undoubtedly have preconceived biases towards this spearmint gum tea.

I made this tea almost an hour ago but I left it take a call from my Grandma. I haven’t seen her in a month so I’m excited to be able to visit her soon. That call was probably the best thing for this, now warm, tea.

It has a lovely fresh spongy texture, like dew covered moss. The spearmint and green leaves aren’t too extreme with only mild nippy greenness. The creamy vanilla bubblegum flavours, from the marshmallow root, are what draw the attention. I’m so glad this isn’t dominantly mint- merely a “mist” of it! There’s only a little bit of that crusty clean flossy feel. The result is a very mellow but moist, cozy tea that I’m very pleased to be able to enjoy on this cold, damp evening.