Violin in C Sharp

 It's been over a month since I drank this tea and yet I still remember the flavor.  You would think that would speak well of the tea blend.... and yet..... the best thing I can say about this was that it was vaguely christmasy. The peppercorn wasn't nearly as present as I would like, the coconut doesn't really show up in the flavour either.  The predominant flavours are the vanilla, the liquorice root, and the green tea.  It's warming and calm - but it wasn't anything special enough that I found myself wanting more than a cup. Final thoughts:  Nice, but nothing to write home about.

 I admit it, I stole this idea from YouTuber  Jeff Avenue  who I watch frequently.  He did a list of his top 21 songs from 2021 and I enjoyed it thoroughly.  Now, he limited himself to k-pop songs that came out in 2021 that were album title tracks.... and I do NOT intend to limit myself like that.... however, that being said, do be aware that 2021 was BEYOND k-pop heavy for me - so expect a majority (almost all) of the songs on this list to be from the k-pop genre. Spotify wrapped of course gave pretty good insight into which songs got the most play from me on that service, but that doesn't take into account my non-spotify listening or the songs that might not have gotten as much airplay even though I like them more.  Let's face it, songs released earlier in the year had more chances to get repeated plays after all. So then - my top 21 songs of the year 2021 21) Zombie (English Version) by DAY 6 Release date 5/21/2020 This song really captures how I felt t...

 I admit it, I opened this one on the evening of the 21st and decided to save it for the morning of the 22nd when I would be able to make myself an entire pot so that I could enjoy it while working on my early day at work.  It was absolutely the right call. I couldn't tell under the spices what kind of black tea they used as the base of the blend, but it was tasty.  I was wary when the ingredients listed fennel, because often times when fennel is used in a chai spice mix the blenders can be too heavy handed with the fennel and it sours the blend for me.  Thankfully, that was not the case here. While I admit that I prefer my Chai to hit my palate with a hotter spice, this blend was a very festive winter holiday spice appropriate chai and I enjoyed that.  The cinnamon was delicious and present without being so strong as to dry out my mouth; the star anise gave some bite without turning the tea to licorice; the cloves gave some smoke to the flavor again without dry...

 We all have favorite tea mug or tea pot - the one that we reach for first every time we make that comfort cuppa.  After a while though, no matter how much we baby that mug by washing it immediately after our cuppa is done, or hand wash it with care after every use, that favorite mug will get stained.  It can't be helped.  The oils from the tea blends collect and build and stain and eventually, you have brown rings of ick marring the inside of your beautiful favorite mug. Even worse, if you're the sort not to drink the same blend out of that favorite mug ever cuppa, than over time as the stains build, you can notice that the flavours of your blends all start to muddy a bit.  The greens start to pick up hints of that Earl Grey you had three days ago even after you've washed the hell out of your mug.  It's true, the stains that won't come out also carry flavours that won't come out. In a perfect tea drinker's world, we would be able to have a pot and cup seas...

 I was surprised to get another mint tea so soon after the Moroccan Mint blend a few days before - but I admit that this is different enough to hold its own even against that lovely Moroccan Mint blend that I enjoyed so much. Unlike the Moroccan Mint, this actually doesn't have any tea in it.  It's a tinsane.  I've had more than my fair share of mint tinsanes, but honestly, I think this may be one of my favorites.  The liquorice root and toffee flavouring gives an added depth and complexity that I really enjoy.  Mint tinsanes can get a bit one note for me after a while, but this one was fun for the whole cup.  The toffee also combined with the mint to make for a surprisingly festive flavor. Final thoughts: Delightful.  A wonderful way to wind down at the end of a winter's day.

  As already established in a previous post, I love, love, LOVE Earl Grey variations.  As such, I was terribly excited to see what I assumed from the name was another Earl Grey variation.  So, I read the description and YEP another variation. I made a pot instead of a cup. I regret NOTHING. This is so damn good.  I usually prefer cream in my Earl Grey and derivatives, but this one is good either way.  The sweetness from the honey and the extra floral from the lavender softens the tea enough that I don't NEED cream.  Still, it's luxurious and tasty with the addition of cream as well.  I felt posh and fancy through the entire pot. Final thoughts:  OMG I may need to order a tin of this.  So good.

  When I opened this one, I was squealy happy because I was expecting it to be similar to a Harney & Sons blend with a similar name.   Alas, this blend did not have the depth or warmth of flavour I was hoping for.  It was mostly hibiscus and apple and.... nothing else much came through.  As such it was... meh. Final thoughts: Not memorable.  If you want a good spiced plum flavor stick with the Harney & Sons far superior version.