Nina's Paris

I woke up like two hours before I needed to this morning and lay there annoyed for a while, and then decided I might as well just wake up and turn off my alarm…only I hadn’t set it, so i suppose my waking up early was a bit of a blessing in disguise. Only a bit of one, though—let’s not get carried away or anything. Waking up while the sky is still dark feels wrong on so many levels.

But oh my gosh this tea. I actually think part of the reason I slept fitfully last night is because I was excited to have it again (please tell me this happens to you too? please?). I remember liking it so much the first time, and when I picked it out last night to have this morning, I re-read my initial tasting note for it and got excited all over again haha.

In the bag, I couldn’t really decipher all that much, because I’ve been storing this with other samples. I just dumped the remainder of the sample into my steeping basket (JustJames gives very generous amounts!), and brewed it up for four minutes. After I lifted the basket out of the water, I could smell the tang of fresh, just-picked strawberry, set against a rather airy vanilla. I can’t tell you just how fresh the strawberry scent is in this tea-it is so evocative of summer breezes (well to be fair, no summer breeze where I live smells like strawberries, but a girl can dream—this is in an ideal world, nkay?). The taste of the brew was consistent with the smell, right down to the slight tang of the strawberry and weightless vanilla. The rose in this tea makes a rather understated appearance, so floral-fearers need not get worked up in advance. You get the gentlest hint of rose as you swallow, although it’s more akin to a breath freshener if anything, because it isn’t an adult, sophisticated rose; rather, it’s a very delicate, slightly coquettish presence and it completes this tea perfectly.

I do wish i’d put slightly less sugar in this cup, but alas, that rectification shall have to wait for when I place my first Ninas order. I have yet to try japon (which is being sent to me by the lovely VareaTea, who hates it oh so much…kidding!), and there are a few more NP samples I have here from Just James, and then I think I’ll be ready to order! woohoo!

Ok. So thanks again to JustJames, whose tasting notes and private messages I miss deeply. Thanks for introducing me to Ninas!!

Wow.

Thank you, JustJames. For introducing me to ninas paris, because they are about to acquire a new customer.

I was excited by the dry smell of this tea, but like I said about my review of the de lune, it was hard to tell specifically what smells belonged to this tea and what smells belonged to the overall package, which was beautifully fragrant. But I remember being very intrigued by the description of this tea, complete with vanilla, strawberry, and rose petals. How adorable!

I used a heaping tsp for 8 oz of water, added in a splash of cream to thicken things up a bit, and about a tsp and a half of rock sugar. Brewed for about four and a half minutes.

And it’s divine. I remember reading a tasting note that suggested that this tea would also be perfect for a new mom (I think it was written by ashmanra, but can’t be certain), because the scent is precious, and kind of reminds you of a new nursery, with the soft, delicate scent of clean, happy baby (we won’t get into how exhausted mom likely is, although this tea will surely help!). It definitely has a “baby soft” smell that wafts gently, that’s for sure.

And the taste. My good god, the taste. Thick vanilla, and genuine, fresh, juicy strawberry. The rose petals make a slight and soft appearance towards the end of the sip, giving it a bit of a clean, slightly soapy (but in the best way possible!) finish, and I think it perfects this tea like nothing else. as I sipped it, I imagined sitting in my kitchen on a warm summer’s day, the windows thrown open, and the summer-scented breeze blowing through. The sound of children playing and laughing, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the low rumble of a lawn mower making itself known, probably being shoved around by a cheerfully whistling happy old man, delighted to spruce up the garden for spring. I will absolutely be placing an order for this tea, and am excited to have discovered a summer tea. Try it, guys! You’ll love it!

Thank you so very much from the bottom of my complicated heart, JustJames! This tea spoke to me and it made me smile. Made me think that I shouldn’t take life so seriously!

luxurious definitely….. strong orange presence that doesn’t overwhelm and carries no bitterness. the chocolate aspect is neither a milk nor a dark…. a very nice cross.

i find myself in an awkward position— i like this but….

i have yet to find a company whose expertise trumps nina’s paris with fruit, berries specifically, red berries more specifically.

i will assume this comes down to personal preference only…. and given the respect i have for this apothecary i do not like to withold numbers based on that.

technically: a very smooth base, a very balanced blend. the orange and chocolate sit at 60/40, respectively in terms of presence…. the cream i don’t detect, but i’m not sure it’s supposed to be a taste so much as a texture. as a texture it is definitely there. i do feel this blend accomplishes what it sets out to do…. it’s just not my favourite nina’s blend is all.

the number you see is what i rank the accomplishment at.

1.25 tbsp for 375 ml

Black tea base is smooth with a delightful straw-like note. Fruity notes are more present in the aroma than the flavour. There is a bit of a sweetness.

Thanks to Nina’s Paris for the sample!

1.25 tbsp for 375 ml of water

Very fruity aroma. Mostly cherry flavour creeping in on aftertaste. Black tea taste along side fruit flavours is a little astringent and overpowers the fruit.

Thanks to Nina’s Paris for the sample.

thank you so much to laurent and sophie for this sample…..

the description of this tea is wrong. it is appallingly understated and borders on misleading. strong words, i know. allow me to explain:

apple teas are rarely what they claim to be. they are rarely ‘apple pie with spices’, they are rarely even good bases for tisanes— the apple gets lost, becomes vague…. not sweet, not tangy, not there.

at this point i will segue: french teas are a different breed. the nuance, the layers, the hundreds of years backing the study….. still what could they do with an apple. just because it’s a french apple doesn’t mean it’s going to carry any more punch. while i was excited to have a famously named sample….. as soon as i saw ‘apple’ listed in the ingredients list my heart felt a little less buoyed.

wrong. WRONG. i need a size 22 font……WRONG.

if i’m not mistaken they chose crab apples. plenty. of. punch.

clever, so clever…. rose can be too perfumed, crab apple could be too bitter…. the acid aspect of the apples draws out the fresh petal suggestion of the roses, i get fresh flowers…. not an intense perfume. fruit, flowers…… all made brilliantly because of what seems to be a crab apple.

laurent, sophie, mes compliments tres sinceres.
laurent, sophie, my most sincere compliments.

this is the first and only apple tea i have ever found even remotely tolerable, nevermind outstanding.

i steeped for 3 minutes after a full boil, i think perhaps a slightly lower temperature for perhaps 2.5 minutes next time.

Dry, this one smells very delicious. Definitely a winter or autumn type tea. It has an orange and cinnamon smell. A bit spicey. Reminds me of Bigelow’s Constant Comment.

Brewed, this one tastes more strongly of cinnamon than it does of orange. There is definitely an orange flavour but it is very light. It is a much more sweet orange flavour vs a tart orange rind flavour. The cinnamon is spicey and sweet but it is not hot spicey. The cinnamon adds a natural sweetness to the tea. This one very much reminds me of sipping tea with an orange slice in it. As I have found with all of Nina’s Paris teas, the black base is smooth, moderately bold, there is no astringency. It blends very well with the ingredients in this tea. The safflower petals add a very slight cake-y or pastry taste to this one. It kind of reminds me of a cinnamon nut bread. I think I would have liked it to have a bit more orange taste, but overall it is delicious!

I purchased a tin of this tea at Versailles when I was on holiday and I am glad I did. It smells incredibly strongly of green apples and roses, I can smell it through the tin! To me it tastes just as it smells only not as powerful – like green apples with a hint of roses. I steeped this tea twice and on the second cup I found it much more floral.

And there goes another of the samples from JustJames! Now my cupboard is at 88, which is nearly half of what it was in the summer. That’s crazy!

I think this is another one I’ll have to stock up on, somehow, at some point. It’s creamy, with strawberry and smells delicious. I don’t even mind the rose petals – it just adds a touch to the fragrance without making it perfumy.

I wish I’d realized that this was a black/green blend as I steeped it at near boiling, but this isn’t bitter at all. It’s just fragrant, and fruity and perfect.

I woke up this morning to discover that it was raining. And cold! Perfection, that is some of my favorite weather.
I’ve been hording this little sample from Nina’s for just such a day, occationally picking it up and smelling it. It smells deliciously of smoke.
Wood smoke in a cup. Its amazingly true to the sent. I can see how some people might taste bacon in it. Or how they might find it too smoky.
I do not find it too smokey. It is strong, but I really like it. I have almost zero experience with Lapsang Souchong, but I will probably explore more of this. Is good!
A perfect cup for a cold rainy day.

Made this one as a cold brew. Brewed for about 11 hours. It turned out very light and delicate. Slightly floral. There was more rose as a cold brew vs hot. But it was still not overpowering nor perfumey. The black base was very light. Made a great afternoon drink. Would not be one I would gulp down to quench my thirst, but perfect for sipping with a few cookies. I was sipping it while eating homemade nachos which was not the greatest combination, but I bet it would be great with a short bread or sugar cookie.

I anticipated this one to be more of a rose scented black tea, but when I opened the package and smelled it, it was very distinctly grapefruit scent.

The brewed tea is of light boldness, it is very smooth. There is a very light rose flavour but a strong grapefruit flavour. Very gently sweet. The flower petals give a slight pastry type flavour to the tea, making it a thick liquor.

Very delicious. I am actually quite happy this one is not just a rose scented tea!

Rooibos and I have an interesting relationship – it has to be pretty well blended for me to get anything but caramel flavoring from it. When this sample came from the nice people at Nina’s Paris I was pleasantly surprised by it. I still get that ubiquitous caramel, but the creamy vanilla and even a hint of the strawberry do make themselves known, and add well to it. A nice cup for a lazy evening.

Mmm… I wasn’t sure about this when the sample arrived, because I usually head towards like Earl Grey and English Breakfast when I’m looking for a black tea. After adding my usual 2tsp of raw sugar, this was surprisingly tasty, and I’m glad there’s enough of the sample left to go for another cup!

It’s more sweet than brisk, with surprising fruity notes, but there’s enough bite in this wonderfully malty blend to give you a nice morning hit of caffeine.

This is a finely chopped tea, so the particles have a pervasive way of ending up on the bottom of your cup. Because I’m so picky about textures, this does mean I can’t enjoy the last couple sips.

Other than that, this is quite lovely – and I think I’ll go make that second cup!

Additional notes: Thank you Nina’s for the sample, though I’ve tried this one before! The base seems tamer than last time, unless this is one of the Nina’s teas that didn’t have the really strong base. This base has a medium strength. There seems to be less flavor too. There is enough of a fruity flavor that gives the black tea a juicy quality. Not bad but not really a grapefruit fan.

A neglected sample I’m just trying now (though not forgotten). Sorry and thank you Nina’s! This immediately looked like it was major steeping as I poured the water, so I went for two minutes exactly. It’s still very strong! Nina’s always seems to have such a unique black base tea that I’ve never tasted with other teas. It’s tough and malty. The flavor is definitely there, as well as the added flavors! I was guessing blood orange and passionfruit but it turns out its grapefruit! Not one I would have picked out myself.. blame it on the grapefruit juice dished out in elementary school. (Who gives grapefruit juice to five year olds?!?!) But since I couldn’t guess it was grapefruit, I don’t mind this tea! (Well, it’s much better than sour grapefruit juice to me anyway!) Sweet, not grapefruit tart… but with this black tea it would hard to overpower it! The second steep was even better somehow… the black tea was a bit muted letting the enjoyable flavor present itself better.

Thank you Lala for this sample
I didn’t read the description until after I had drank the tea. To me, this tea was woodsy, a little fruity but I wouldn’t have said peach specifically. Somehow, I tasted mint in this tea. My husband even commented that it smelt like mint. Weird. Maybe it got contaminated because I had it in a container with a whole bunch of other samples.

So, I had already drank it when I read the description and couldn’t go back to see if there was peach notes or not. I am not going to rate this.

Took a sample to work to lighten a dreary Monday. Even in a sloppy work-water microwave environment, this is luscious. Fruit and caramel in very pleasing proportions, although I might not have guessed raspberry had I not read the description. I haven’t had a disappointment from Nina’s yet.

Thank you much Lala for this sample ad so sorry it took me so long to try it….so much tea, so little time!
This was first on my list because honestly, I have been a little scared of it. I love flowery teas, but for some reason, I am not a fan of rose. Anyway, it smelled and tasted pretty strongly of rose. So, it is just not for me. I am glad that I got to try it though!

So I’m pretty sure this came from Fuzzy_Peachkin at our Taste of France swap. Thanks! I really like this tea. Citrus and mint are just a good combo. The lemon here tastes very juicy and natural. It’s more prominent in the second steep. I suspect I might be able to get a third steep out of this, but it’s just too much black tea for my poor tummy. See previous tasting note for a more thorough review!

Sipdown number four for the day!

Another subject in my ongoing experimental series, “guess what’s in this tea without looking at the description” (suggestions for a better title are welcome and encouraged). I believe that I got this from our Taste of France swap, but I don’t know who gave it to me. Thanks to whoever it was!

I picked this out for its lovely minty scent. The auto complete on my phone just suggested that I follow “minty” with “frosting”, which sounds delicious and now I want a chocolate cupcake with minty frosting. That would actually go pretty well with this tea, though vanilla would probably be even better.

Aaanyway, this has a clean spearmint smell. The first few sips are a great balance of spearmint and good quality green tea, with a hint of lemon. As I kept drinking, the (very natural) lemon flavor really came to the fore and stayed there. The spearmint kept playing around the edges and kept this from being a boring lemon tea. This tastes exactly like what it purports to be.

I generally dislike lemon teas because they either taste fake or like plain tea with some lemon juice squeezed in. If I want my tea with lemon, I’ll just make tea and add lemon in exactly the proportion I like. But this tea has a lemon taste that is simultaneously natural and less acidic than lemon juice. The added element of the mint really makes this stand out for me as an enjoyable cuppa.

Sipdown!

I’m trying to drink teas without knowing what’s in them and see if I can pick out the flavors. This one seemed very floral and a touch creamy without overwhelming the base tea. Of course once I looked up the description and saw pineapple and coconut, it totally tasted like that instead. So yeah, that’s bias for ya. Either way, this is quite tasty. I don’t even like coconut teas, but the flavor is very subtle here. And there’s a nice tanginess too. Thanks to Laurent at Nina’s Teas for the sample.

i love this tea, not just the fresh raspberries mixed with the green, but that balance of ripe berries with sencha which, in my experience, has the potential to be volatile.

this tea is the one that settles me in to sleep often these cold evenings…. =0)