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Cameron B. drank Vanille des Îles by Mariage Frères

4310 tasting notes

This one is a sample from Sara. I happen to love vanilla, but I don’t feel I’ve found my perfect vanilla tea just yet. Always on the lookout for more! This one has rather tiny black tea leaves. The dry scent reminds me of vanilla bean ice cream, yum!

Once steeped, the tea smells more woody, which always makes me immediately think of bourbon vanilla. I added a tad bit of raw sugar to my cup, as I am wont to do with flavored teas lately. The flavor is somewhat woody as well, which seems a perfectly natural combination with vanilla to me. The vanilla flavor is definitely similar to a good vanilla extract, and it’s of medium strength. It’s a perfectly nice, slightly more manly vanilla tea (as opposed to the custardy dessert kind).

Flavors: Alcohol, Malt, Oak, Sweet, Vanilla

Preparation

200 °F / 93 °C 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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1 comments

Rosehips
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I too am always questing for the perfect vanilla tea. This sounds lovely, even if it is not the one true cup.

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Rosehips
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I too am always questing for the perfect vanilla tea. This sounds lovely, even if it is not the one true cup.

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Bio

Hi, I’m Cameron!

I’m a 30-something software engineer currently living in Austin, Texas with my husband and our two pugs, Gobo and Ume. I tend to cycle between my different hobbies, and they include piano, knitting, video games, board games, miniature painting, planners, bento, Korean skincare, and – of course – TEA! But really, what I’m best at is “collecting” hobby-related things… ;)

~ 2025 SIPDOWN CHALLENGE! ~
- January sipdowns: 27
- Total 2025 sipdowns: 27

I prefer my tea lukewarm or at room temperature and without milk or sugar. I steep Western style, and fluctuate between using big mugs or small teapots depending on the season.

I am always up for a swap! Just let me know if you’d like to try something in my cupboard.

Tea Preferences:
I enjoy both flavored and unflavored teas in many forms. These days, I drink mostly flavored teas, and I tend to gravitate most toward black, green, oolong, and herbal varieties. I do have a special fondness for straight Japanese green teas, however.

I do not sweeten my teas, and pre-sweetened teas are usually too sweet for me. I also do not enjoy stevia (or monkfruit, etc.).

I tend to reach for fruitier flavors rather than desserty ones these days, but I do have favorites from both categories. Willing to try anything once! There are a few ingredients/flavors that aren’t generally my jam, such as coconut, rose, lavender, and chocolate flavoring. But I also have teas that I love with some of those things, too! :)

Favorite Companies:
3 Leaf
Bird & Blend
Dammann Frères
Harney & Sons
Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms
Lupicia
Old Barrel Tea Co
Simpson & Vail
Taiwan Tea Crafts
TeaVivre

Tea Rating Scale:
90-100: Outstanding! Permanent cupboard resident
80-89: Great – a possible staple
70-79: Good, but I wouldn’t buy it
60-69: It’s decent
50-59: Meh… I may or may not have finished the cup
40-49: Ick. Couldn’t finish it.
00-39: Repulsive, I spat it out

I will sometimes refrain from rating a tea if I feel I’m too biased due to my personal dislikes, or if I suspect the sample has been compromised by age or scent contamination.

Cupboard Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ZEuKf1-ppR-VXajO4vV39zU1N3zjFJteEPAynqD2yl0/edit?usp=sharing