Adagio Teas Custom Blends

My Adagio order came in on Monday so I’ve been happily plucking away at the Hobbit sampler I got – but this is one that I had tried before and actually been impressed enough with that I wanted to have more of it! So now I have 3 oz.

Of course, I had to steep it up because I needed to confirm I wasn’t crazy for getting more – and it’s still delicious like I remembered! A big ol’ jumble of tasty nuts made extra smooth by a creamy caramel flavour; and then I added some milk to push the whole thing to this state of relaxing, night time tea Nirvana. I must say; I seem to be really able to get behind Adagio’s Rooibos/Honeybush base – my other favourite blend (The Woman) uses it too! It’s very subtle with no overt medicinal or wood flavours.

And the fandom part of me adores having another fandom tea stocked up! This can be my blend for bad days or when I need a little extra bit of luck!

Sipdown (152/159)!

Well finally logging a sipdown; I’ve just been adding stuff to my cupboard and it’s been a tiny bit scary because I know I’ve been sipping stuff down the last five days but because I haven’t been logging regularly on Steepster I’m just seeing my numbers grow. I think my goal for the month, although it may be too ambitious at the rate I’m finishing stuff off, is to end the month with 125 teas or less. I’m pretty close to 150 right now…

I added milk to this cup since I’ve had it once without milk already; I thought the milk made this taste a hell of a lot more like peanuts (really, like creamy peanut butter) in addition to all the other assortment of nut flavours like hazelnut. That still baffles me because apparently peanut isn’t a thing in this blend. But damnit, I taste peanut butter!

But yeah, this grew on me. I want more of it I think. Maybe not 3 oz. more, but maybe actually yes? I could maybe get behind having that much of this if I ever do place an Adagio order. I mean, Adagio is a lot more accessible now with the recent shipping changes so that could possibly be the next company I order with? I wouldn’t mind picking up more The Woman and getting some Apache Tracker because I liked that one a lot too. And I could take a gamble on Thor? I’ve been eyeing that one up for awhile.

I just don’t have many rooibos/honeybush options and this is one I do like – and the fandom aspect is awesome too…

Another magic potion blend from Dexter! I picked it for tonight because it’s a rooibos/honeybush blend, and therefore nighttime friendly! I had no idea what was in it though; the smell was not super telling.

However one sip in and it was pretty obvious that this blend was a nut heavy one. Really, it screamed nut notes at me. Honestly, I picked up the almond and hazelnut but more so than either of those I got peanut! But looking at the ingredients list right now, I don’t see that included. Odd.

It was good though once I got over being initially overwhelmed by all the nut flavour; though every time I have hazelnut anything and there’s no chocolate either than always throws me off a little regardless. I’m very accustomed to that due. I thought the rooibos/honeybush were both present but in a relatively soft way that I don’t necessarily think anti rooibos/honeybush drinkers would find offensive. Or rather, maybe it’d be less offensive than usual? The caramel was a weird flavour; it was so buried under the almond/hazelnut/peanut and I think mostly it just kinda sweetened stuff up a bit so the blend didn’t because too nutty.

I have one more cup of this one left so we’ll see how I feel after that one; but I could maybe go for more of this! It wasn’t bad at all, and I think it’s pretty different from the other rooibos/honeybush blend I have stocked up.

I’m not usually a fan of rooibos but I heard good things about this blend. It’s definitely got the typical almost medicine-like rooibos flavor, but it’s balanced with vanilla and caramel flavors and a good touch of honeybush. I put extra honey in it because I’m drinking it on a cozy rainy night with a sore throat and I’m already feeling luckier! It is plenty sweet on its own as well. Have I mentioned this blend has no caffeine? In the cooler months, it is my all time favorite cozy nighttime tea. I’m going to have to stock up so my luck will never end.

This blend was crafted as an homage to my favorite comedy, gaming group, Mega64 (www.mega64.com). I mailed some samples into their weekly podcast and they tried them live. See their reactions and get yourself a taste for Mega64. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WiSf8iqdtM)
- – – –

Oversteeped and too hot of water, but still is tasty. Not as nice as last time when I properly steeped it, but I’m still loving it. Either this tea is really forgiving or I’m just so happy to get to enjoy it again.

Baby is doing pretty well. He’s getting there. Still going to be in the hospital for a while, but he’s on the right pathway. :)

From my Great Blueberry Taste-off this morning:

SO delicious! It’s got so much going on in it, but it is just absolutely divine! I’m getting the raspberry and apple with the blueberry and it’s making it an almost sweet treat! I didn’t realize there was black tea in this one at all. The pairing of everything is just SO out-of-this-world amazing, and nothing is overpower. it’s just all seems to work together in harmony so well.

Definitely would reorder.

Sipdown!! (186)

I had a cup of this last night and meant to log it but then ended up playing Munchkins so that didn’t happen. So now I am having it today and after two cups I can officially say I am not loving this. I had high hopes for this one too given the flavors sounded awesome and it was caffeine-free so I wanted it to be great. It is nutty with a hint of sweetness but honeybush and rooibos is present and a bit overwhelming. Well, now I know and I am grateful to Nattie for the chance to try it out. Thank you!!

Tried this one as a latte today. I finally succeeded at making one at home that’s delicious! I probably could have made it a bit sweeter, but it’s okay. I got a lot of amazing foam on top too. The chocolate and the hazelnut flavours are just brilliant in this one.

This tea is so amazing. I know I’ll be purchasing more in the future. I still have a bit to go before it’s gone, but when it is, it’s a definite restock. Yum yum yum!!

AMAZING!!!

My first ever Adagio tea order has come in and I’m absolutely mesmerized by how many teas I got. 19 I believe?! Most are sample sizes to try. So far from smell, I’m pretty happy with my purchases. The next few days will be fun reviewing it all!

This tea is a custom blend that someone made and I have to say, I’m impressed. This tea is absolutely amazing. It’s chocolate and hazelnut in perfect proportion to each other with a smoothness that must be coming from the cream aspect of the tea.

A splash of milk and just half a sugar in my 12oz cup makes this one absolutely perfect. I will without a doubt by this one again.

It would be great to curb those chocolate cravings I’ve been having lately. Delicious!!

The chai/spiced element of this is the strongest, with cinnamon and ginger at the forefront of that.

I don’t really get much in the way of chocolate, and the berry flavor is kind of a subtle and more in the tail of the sip. I’m really finding the spiced-element overwhelming and I wanted more berry!

I need to try this again made with milk and sugar, I think.

Thanks Shadowfall!

No. Just. No. This tea was not appealing to me at all. Something about the smell and flavour just turns me off but I cannot put my finger on it.

This smells delightful. A bit like strawberries or another sweet berry with cream or covered in sweet yogurt.

It brews up tasting sweet and smooth from the vanilla, and the hazelnut flavor adds a warming nutty element. The hibiscus in the Wild Strawberry offers a sharp counterpoint to the richness of the initial flavors.

I wasn’t initially sure about this blend, but I really think this captures the dynamic of the character’s relationship as it comes out in the course of the FFXIII games and tastes pretty good to boot!

Oh Ramona. I’m just going to go away and leave you alone forever now.

If you like cinnamon candy, you will love this tea. I, however, do not. Brewed up, that’s all you can smell – but strangely, the taste of cinnamon is very muted when you actually drink, it’s disarming. The taste overall is a vaguely spiced vaguely fruity blend that didn’t improve much with either sugar or cooling. Oh well, my wife loves it so she can finish the rest.

Coldbrew Sipdown (320/302)

Wallace is better than Scott, but we knew that. I still really, really don’t understand the combination of passionfruit and chocolate chip. It’s kinda stomach-turning, but it’s still way better than Scott’s bitterness.

Hey, Wallace, do you rock or suck?

Wallace is the last stop in my Scott Pilgrim sampler journey. It’s been a good journey with some high points and some really low points. But I’m glad for it, if only for the awesome tins ;).

Wallace is hands-down my favorite character of the series. He’s great and reminds me of a friend back home. He’s a gossipy bitch and I adore him for it. I also love that he’d gay without it having to be overly stated or addressed. He’s simply Scott’s gay roommate. Every time I get drunk, I have to say “GUESS WHO’S DRUNK?”, find some keys, and throw them at my wife.

She puts up with a lot, folks.

As for this tea, I’m apprehensive. Chocolate and passionfruit? And I find Adagio teas too bitter and astringent, so I’m a little scared of their irish breakfast.

Dry, it smells like dark chocolate or bittersweet chocolate chips. Steeped, it smells…dark. I dunno. Rich and heavy and an undertone of chocolate.

Okay. Wow. It’s a complex sip. At the front of the sip is strong black tea, overwhelming everything, but then the passionfruit begins to peeks though. The flavor left on the tongue is chocolate with a hint of fruit.

It’s…interesting. But it doesn’t really blend well. I can see the chocolate mixing with the irish breakfast, or the irish breakfast and the passionfruit, but the mixture of passionfruit and chocolate chip is a little stomach-turning.

That was a test, Wallace and you failed. Boo.

Stephen, I dearly hope you taste better than you smell.

Stephen is great. Always panicking, a nervous wreck, he can’t even decide if he wants to be with Julie. Which, please. Aubrey Plaza? You want to be with her, trust me.

The scent of this tea dry is spicy pumpkin spice, heavy on the spice. Steeped…well. It smells like sweet potato that’s been left out for a day or two. So I really hope the taste is much better.

And it is! Thank goodness. You can really taste the spices and the toasted mate, and the aftertaste is all sweet potato. It’s not great, but it’s better than it smells. It would probably be good as a latte, but I don’t like to keep teas that are only good as lattes, as I don’t usually have milk in the house.

Stephen Stills, I know you suck.

The second day in a row having this tea and I’m willing to confirm that it is literally making me ill. Blegh. The only other thing I’ve had today was rice and I don’t think it is the cause of my nausea.

Sadness. But it’s a sipdown (319/301), so YAY

Yeah, no, this is just as bitter coldbrewed as it was hot. This will be a sipdown tomorrow and I’m happy to see it go. I get some caramel and some peach, but overall it’s just a bitter mess.

I was so excited about Ramona that when I got up to make this tea, I also put a mason jar of her in the fridge to cold steep.

And that came out sounding way creepier than intended >.<

My favorite Scott Pilgrim quote (and by that I mean the one I quote incessantly to my poor wife) is a tie between “Bread makes you FAT?!?” and “You know what sucks? Everything.”

Scott, Scott, Scott. You’re a loser and a bit of a jerk, but I love you. Your life is a long story filled with sighs and I wish I could live in it. I did live in it for a while! For three months I lived on the couch of the best gay roomie ever (who actually reminds me of Wallace), who helped support me when I didn’t have a job or a direction in life.

The scent of this is juicy and fruity dry, but brewed you get the undertone of caramel. On a purely visual note, the osmanthus in the leaf brewed up so pretty, a million little flowers.

Taste-wise….meh. It’s caramel and peachy, but Adagio’s black tea base brews up so, so bitter, even at a lower temperature. This might be one I save for cold brewing. It uses more leaf and it keeps the tea from getting too bitter.

Boo, Scott. I had higher hopes for you. If this tea had a face, I would punch it.

So I accidentally let this cool all the way down to cold and it was the best mistake ever! It’s a tasty blend, but I can’t quite figure out how to describe it. It’s cinnamony, but not really, nutty, but not really, orangey, but not really.

I give up. It’s good, alright? XD

This is impossible.

How can this be?

No, seriously. How is this not a cinnamon chai? His attack is fireballs. Maybe I’m too obvious, but that’s the tea I think of when it comes to Matthew Patel, and I think of Matthew Patel a lot. He’s my favorite evil ex (Roxy is a close second), and for the longest time “Slick” was my ringtone. It’s the first part of the movie that makes you stop and go “what….the….fuck is happening?”

Anyhoo, this tea smells good, all nutty and orangey and, well, christmassy. The taste follows through, it tastes like a good tea to have around the holidays, all warm and inviting and comforting. But it’s not Matthew Patel to me and I have more than enough Christmas teas.

Coldbrew! It’s soooooo good and smoky and delicious. I’m kind of really in love. My wife, not so much. She took a drink without knowing what it was and immediately her face scrunched up in disgust. “Why did I just drink a campfire?”

Soooooo, I guess it’s not for everyone. But it is lovely, smoky with a hint of sweetness. It really fills your whole mouth with a smoky flavor and I see her point. If I close my eyes, I’m at summer camp, sitting at a campfire.

Full disclosure: I’ve never had a lapsang. I cook with it all the time, but I’ve never sat down and had a cup. Also full disclosure: The only thing separating me from this tea is the two minutes it’s gonna take to kick your ass.

I’ll stop with the Scott Pilgrim quotes eventually, I promise.

It smells smoky and sweet…I’m kind of excited!

Holy cow. I just…yum. So yum. Orange and smoke and so yummy. I’m a believer! I need to try some of my Davids Lapsang. I want to cook with this, but I’m not sure what. Regardless, I might fight my wife for the rest of this blend.

Lucas Lee, you are one of my least favorite evil exes, but so far you are my favorite tea from the sampler.