Fairmont

I had Afternoon Tea at the Empress the other day and they serve you this signature tea. It was a really cool experience, but to be honest, definitely isn’t worth the money doing it again.

I had this both black and with tea and sugar. Either way, I couldn’t taste any of the Assam in the blend, however, the Ceylon and Keemun stood out the most. I’m writing this from memory, but luckily they give you a box of this tea to take home, so next time I try it, I can always reevaluate it.

This tea takes the additives really well. It’s exactly the kind of tea I like to drink with milk and sugar. Kind of like a Tim Hortons steeped tea double double, but without the cardboard flavour you get from the TH. My mom had Afternoon Tea with me and she said that it reminded her of when she was a little girl, her grandmother used to serve her tea with milk and sugar, and it tasted exactly like this. So this tea definitely earns points for bringing back good memories.

This is one of my favourite peppermint teas. I purchased a couple boxes after going to high tea at the Banff Springs Hotel.

It makes a great strong brew, perfect for clearing out sinuses from head colds or allergies.

Definitely a fan of this tea.

Just for kicks I thought I’d try one of the bagged teas I had sitting around, and was very pleasantly surprised by this one. The bergamot to tea ratio is not out of the ordinary, but there’s a fruity component to the flavor that is quite compelling. My guess is that it’s coming from the Ceylon tea they used as a base, which was slightly malty and astringent in a good way.

Picked up during a recent hotel stay and becoming part of today’s “wind-down Friday” routine. I’ve always associated chamomile with an apple scent and taste, and while this one has that element, it also features a sweet grass/hay note which is nice. It steeps up to a bright golden color, and smells very fresh and floral.

The taste is naturally sweeter than other chamomile I’ve tried, and I like that. It’s really juicy, especially as it cools down, and between that and the meadow-like smell, I’m finding it a very relaxing cup. I don’t think I’ve tried specifically Egyptian chamomile before, so maybe that’s where this nice blend of characteristics is coming from.

One of the teabags I picked up last week during my hotel stay – it’s got a very fresh scent, and the bits of leaf I can see through the bag are a lighter green color than I’m used to seeing in peppermint.

After three minutes steeping time, I’m a little surprised by the notes in the flavor that I can pick out aside from the mint. The mint itself takes center stage, but is not as “breath minty” fresh as I’ve had with other peppermint teas. Aside from that is a pronounced grassy taste – I’d swear there was chamomile or some other herb in there, but I don’t think that’s the case. There’s also another aftertaste that comes into play, something akin to what it tastes like to chew on paper, which is not entirely pleasant.

This one’s okay, but I’ve had others I prefer.

I stayed at the Fairmont Banff Springs a while ago when my brother was working there, and I quite liked this tea, which was among the teas provided in the rooms. He surprised me with a couple boxes of it that he, um, “acquired.” I didn’t ask; he didn’t tell. :P

This is one of the few fruity teas I actually like. Tastes best with some honey.