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I’m tasting sugar for sure, a brown sugar flavor. It’s also a little sweet. Not getting a super prominent lemon taste in the sip. Maybe I can evoke a cooked lemon if I really try. The finish has a hint of lemon, but by then most of the other flavors are gone. I feel like this blend is missing something if it was going to live up to it’s namesake.
Thanks to VariaTEA for the sample!

I think this was better when it was hot. It was still missing something in the first half of the sip before it transitioned to a nice finish, but the issue becomes more prominent when the cup has cooled. Maybe it’s the rooibos that is distracting me. It definitely has come out more in the cooled cup. I was getting a buttery flavor with a hint of toffee, but it wasn’t as strong or bold of a presence as I would like. There is also a sweetness to it… stevia? Super glad to have had the chance to try this (thanks to VariaTea), but I don’t think this one is for me.

Made a cup of this to sip on in the evening. It has hibiscus in it, but it’s used in moderation to give a little tartness to the berry flavor and isn’t distracting. Always nice to find people who can use it without having it be overwhelming in a blend. Not quite getting a crisp flavor, but maybe an oatmeal flavor if I think about it. The berry and ginger are very complimentary. I made a failed jam turned black berry and ginger syrup a month ago and was surprised the two paired so well. Although I’m enjoying this, I’m on the fence on if it will be something I purchase. Maybe another cup will help me decide.

Ooooooh, I kinda like this one! It has a nice coconut taste to it that blends well with the ginger. I can taste other spices in there, but ginger is the most prominent. It does seem a bit creamy. It has a nice coconut ginger finish. I’ve been sipping this a little absent mindedly while working and I think I like it better when I’m not hyper focused on it for the note’s sake!
Thanks for the sample VariaTEA!

This tea is… strange. There is something in the scent and taste that I can’t quite put my finger on. Ginseng? Is it older dried ginger? It is hard to pick out the bergamot as EG in this. The berg kind of melds with the ginseng flavor and is reminding me of those fermented orange peel candies I’d get at Asian grocery stores that had a tang that rang to the corners of my jaw. This is almost like I took some of those peels and steeped them with some tea. I’m trying really hard to think muffin, but it’s just a ghost of a taste that I’m not sure is real. Adding a little cream didn’t really change anything. I’m enjoying this cup, but this isn’t once I’d be likely to revisit.
Thanks VariaTEA for the chance to try it!

I got a little ahead of myself and started steeping this before fully reading the notes on the bag that it’s better iced! I’ve been looking over obvious things today. Smells fantastic and when I sip it I get a strong orange flavor with distinct lemongrass mixed in. The sip is really lovely and bright and has a slight sweetness to it. A while into the finish and the rooibos creeps in with it’s woody taste and dry mouth sensation, which encourages me to sip more. I’m enjoying the flavors, but I’m not usually a big fan of rooibos, so I’d probably pass on ordering this one. I’d love it if it was an herbal mix minus the rooibos. Going to go finish the cup while catching up on the latest The Boys episode, which is a nice distraction from reality!

Thanks for the sample, VariaTEA!

Got tea mail today from VariaTEA with a bunch of Dessert by Deb samples to try! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!

Being October and a huge pumpkin lover (with an IG account dedicated to all the pumpkin stuff I find and yes, I have one just for tea as well) I had to start with Pumpkin Pie Tart. It smells so much like pumpkin pie! I’ve never had a green tea based pumpkin tea, but this tea makes me think that is the way to go. I can smell crust under the appropriately spiced pumpkin. The sip is mostly spice, but the end of the sip and finish are full pumpkin pie trailing into a buttery flavor. It’s light, yet flavorful at the same time. I was a little surprised by the steeping parameters being hotter and longer than I usually see with green, but they didn’t steer me wrong. This is going to have to go on my shopping list because I want more cups of this!

Found this hiding at the bottom of my green tea bin. Not sure how long it’s been there. I added creamer to this and shook it up in my David’s matcha maker thermos. It went down easy, but it was hard to tell what was vanilla flavor and what was creamer. Either way, it wasn’t enough to kick me into gear this morning or do anything for the mounting apathy I’ve been plagued with as of late. I fear the situation calls for more tea.

A friend brought some of this by today. I didn’t expect much out of it and was happily surprised by a great cup. The berg is a little on the sharp side, but not by much and the lavender is pretty apparent. If I wasn’t so in love with Zhi tea’s Violet Femme, I’d probably pick some of this up.

This tea smells great! I’ve read others mention it reminds them of Butiki’s 3 Friends, and I’d have to agree with that association. My first steeping of this was rough. The flavor was strong, but there was a hard edge almost like there was too much orange oil in the mix. A little creamer mellowed it out. The second steeping was much more mellow. There is still a little something distracting in the finish, but it’s a lot less noticeable. Both cups were steeped for 4 minutes. I feel like a bit of tweaking the steeping parameters could help deliver a better cup from the start. If/when I order this again, I need to make sure it is in a cooler time of year. It arrived to my house at the end of September during a touch of heat which started to melt the chocolate bits in the mix.