Not a big coffee person, but I wanted to try this one given how (seemingly intentionally) similar it is to DT’s Coffee Pu’erh. I do really like the shou pu’erh that Adagio uses in their blends. It’s very, very thick and earthy tasting in a way that obviously compliments the darker roasted flavour of coffee very well. And this is a really roasty tasting tea. I think maybe a little more overtly roasty than DT’s Coffee Pu’erh. The vanilla comes through a little bit in the finish, and I like that it gently softens out the end of the sip without diminishing the overall bold, intense feeling of the cup. I do think there’s room for it to be stronger, though.
The key difference is really that DT’s coffee pu’erh also has almond flavouring in it, and I personally prefer that inclusion. I think it’s richer feeling and creates a lot more depth and layering of flavours, and really leans into the aroma/nose of the brew as well. However, y’all know I’m a fan of things with a heavy roast note so I also appreciate that this blend was a little bolder in that aspect. It’s a solid blend overall.