206 Tasting Notes
I was DYYYYYYING to hate this. I wanted, more than anything, to say:
“Happy Kombucha? More like UNHAPPY KOMBUCHA. AMIRITE?”
That’s not even a very funny joke. But I was chomping at the bit to make it.
This tastes like really juicy citrus-y fruit. (Fun fact: “Citrusy” is a legitimate option on the flavor scroll-down menu.)
It’s how I imagine Hawaii would taste. If Lilo and Stitch were to make a cuppa after a day of surfing and alien-ing around, this would be it.
Lilo/Stitch is a doubly-accurate image because there’s something slightly juice-box-y (not a flavor on the scroll-down menu) about this tea. It’s slightly artificial, which I don’t mind. Some people are purists. Other people* enjoy Diet Coke. Aspartame is delicious.
*Me. That’s me. I’m trash. I shouldn’t even be here.
Flavors: Citrus Fruits, Citrusy, Fruity, Pineapple, Tropical
This tea inspired me to write a very long piece (mostly a digression) about the duality of Shakespeare’s work. If you are interested in my typing at length about what traits a Shakespeare tea should or should not have, depending on your Shakespeare preferences, you absolutely should read the post I wrote for SororiTea Sisters.
Same Starling Ranting, slightly different Starling channel (every once in a while):
http://sororiteasisters.com/2016/08/25/william-shakespeares-black-tea-blend-simpson-vail-2/
I just think it’s an advertising gimmic. Like naning a Subway aub after a famous football player.
Adagio Teas has these “fandom blends” that are supposed to channel different characters. I’ve totally bought a bunch of them because I wanted to know what the characters tasted like. (Okay, that sounded dirty, but you know what I’m saying). I also want to try Vampyre Teas’ Bela Lugosi’s Ashes for that same reason. We’re all suckers for our fandoms. (No pun intended about vampires. That just happens to be sometimes).
Awww. Look at you blogging at sororiteasisters. So cool. :)
Mitch, the posts are just as bonkers as they are here. Then I go look around at the other posts and I’m like “these are adults that have earned their spot at this table.” And I try to hunker down. But I honestly forget where I am midway through all of my posts and start stream-of-consciousness talking about the pros and cons of Batman Forever or whatever. (You might be thinking: does she actually do this? Yes. In one upcoming post, I do this.)
Haha. I wouldn’t expect anything less. You’re the rainbow sprinkles of the tea reviewing world.
I wrote a tangent a few posts ago about my Crisis of Spirit over blueberry. No new blueberry tea was making my life sparkle. I was trying to live a new life in a post-apocalyptic Non-Blueberry wasteland. It was lonely. I couldn’t look into mirrors without shame.
Then I tasted this. Ahhh. Back to 2016, where society looks pretty solid (except for the Trump thing), and I like blueberry again.
This is a rich, round tea with a really strong citrusy-lemon taste that balances out the blueberry.
It’s a symbiosis.
Blueberry and Lemon ride on a bicycle built for two, into a sunset of love.
After disliking a genmaicha a few weeks ago, I decided to try again, and I’m glad I did.
At first sip, this tea smelled really strongly of the toasted rice (still not 100% my thing). But then I got the other flavors, a cream and a round fruit/veggie taste (the carrot).
As it cools, it gets sweeter.
I am really glad that I tried this. It’s not my soul mate, but it is enjoyable.
It’s good not to have to hide from genmaicha like a recent ex-boyfriend.
(OH GOD. GENMAICHA. OF COURSE I’M WEARING SWEATPANTS RIGHT NOW. I’M GOING TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY AND PRETEND TO BE REALLY INTERESTED IN THIS OTHER THING AND HOPE HE DOESN’T APPROACH. SH*TSH*T.)
(I don’t know how to be cool in any situation, much less an emotionally-charged one).
High-five to Quarter to Tea. I look forward to the rest of these samples.
Flavors: Carrot, Cream, Toasted Rice, Vegetal
My work tea buddy and I tried this together. Our conversation about its taste made another person laugh at us.
“I’m not tasting caramel,” she said. “Here. Try this.”
Me: “I’m totally tasting the caramel.”
Friend: “What? It’s ALL ginger.”
Me: “Yeah. Ginger, too. But a sort of molasses-caramel, too. Like, maple syrup.”
Friend: “I think I’m hyper-sensitive to ginger.”
Other person in room 1: “Are you drinking the same thing?”
Other person in room 2: “It smells like a candle in here.”
Me & friend: “WHAT KIND OF CANDLE?”
Other person in room 2: “A gingerbread cookie?”
Friend: “GINGER. SO MUCH GINGER.”
Me: “Let’s add some almond milk.”
(afterward)
Friend: “THIS TAKES IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. THE TEA IS ELEVATED.”
In summary, guys, there’s ginger in this. Possibly too much.
And possibly not enough caramel, or any at all.
And you might prefer it with milk.
Depending on who you are.
This is a totally subjective tea.
This tea might prove that we live in the Matrix.
Flavors: Caramel, Ginger, Maple Syrup, Molasses, Spices
