During the colder months, something spiced and sweet is always a comforting choice for me!
Description: “The intoxicating scent of this tea conjures velvety cake on an afternoon in the countryside.”
Instructions: 175°f/80°c | 3.5 grams | 10 oz | 4 – 5 mintues. longer is stronger.
Review: Over the years, I have come to terms that I naturally gravitate toward sweet or dessert-inspired blends. So, I was intrigued when this blend noted that it tasted like a pound cake. Right from opening the pouch, the dry blend carried a warming cardamon and vanilla smell. When the hot water hit the blend, there was a plume of cardamon smell that filled the air.
After 4 minutes, the liquor brewed into an amber-yellow colour. The earthy cardamon was the first flavour, followed by the sweetness of the vanilla and then a vegetal note from the green tea. There was also a suggestion of bitterness followed by astringency at the back of the throat at the end of the sip. The cooled liquor had a similar taste profile as when hot with the cardamon and vanilla but also had an underlying bitterness throughout the sip. For the second infusion, the liquor was a lighter colour and had a more pronounced vegetal/grassy taste with a spiced flavour from the cardamom.
When brewing the first infusion for 5 minutes, the vegetal notes were more apparent and then the cardamom and vanilla appeared. In an attempt to bring out more flavour in the second infusion, I let the liquor brew for over 5 minutes. Despite my worries, it did not bring out an overly bitter/astringent taste and was quite comparable to the shorter infusion time. The liquor was still mild with a slight vegetal note and some lingering cardamom and sweetness.
The infused blend had broken olive green leaves and smelled mostly of cardamon followed by some sweetness and roasted notes.
Another reason I was drawn to this blend was that the description reminded me of World Tea House’s Cardamom Vanilla. As the Wolrd Tea House blend was a black tea base, it allowed for the blend to be infused at a higher temperature which brought out a stronger contrast among all the ingredients. In comparison, in this green tea blend, the strongest two flavours were the cardamom and vanilla, and the green tea was much more subtle. Regardless of the tea base, cardamom and vanilla is a lovely flavour combination for a nice afternoon sip and worth giving a try (3.5/5 rating).
- Type: Green tea
- Origin: Unknown
- Caffeine: Unknown
- Ingredients: Organic green tea, organic cardamom seed, organic cardamom pod, organic vanilla pieces, natural flavoring
- Company: August Uncommon Tea Company
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