Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Red Leaf Tea

Tea Description:

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

When it comes to Earl Grey, one of my favorite tea purveyors is Red Leaf Tea.  They have a HUGE selection of bergamot flavored teas, from the classic Earl Grey black tea to some modern twists on this traditional favorite like Honeybush Earl Grey. It’s a dizzying array of Earl Grey teas!

This Earl Grey de la Crème is a bit closer to the classic than some of the “modern twists” that I mentioned.  It has a robust black tea base providing a delicious, rich flavor.  The tea is strong and full-bodied, and is a substantial tea that doesn’t allow itself to be masked or obscured by the strong bergamot flavor.  And this is, indeed, strongly flavored with the bergamot, which is the way I like it!

The bergamot is tangy and sharp, but to help soften those sharp edges is a touch of vanilla, which adds a sweet creaminess to the overall cup without mellowing the bergamot out to the point of tasting more like a creamsicle than an Earl Grey tea.  It is sweet and smooth, but, it still has some of the tangy bergamot qualities that I love in an Earl Grey!

One of the better Earl Grey with creme teas I’ve tried in a long while.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  David’s Tea

Tea Description:

Lychees are just about the cutest little fruits around. But their perfumed flavour is all sophistication. After all, they’ve been the favourite snack of Chinese emperors since the 1st century. This lychee-scented black tea is made by placing baskets of tea leaves over big pots of simmering lychee fruits. Now getting the royal treatment is as easy as steeping a cup.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This has to be one of the nicest Lychee scented black teas I’ve ever encountered.  The flavor doesn’t taste over-the-top or chemical-y the way so many Lychee teas have the tendency to be.  Instead the flavor is smooth and sweet.

Lychee is a very unique fruit in that it has a somewhat perfume-y flavor, but somehow David’s Tea managed to capture the fruit flavor without making it taste like Aunt Mary’s soap. Instead, the lychee here is softer, less sharp, while still managing to be a easily distinguished flavor.  That is to say, when you taste this, there’s no doubt that it’s a lychee flavored tea.  It just doesn’t have to knock you over the head with its flavor … and this tea doesn’t.

The black tea is not overshadowed by the fruit flavor.  In fact, the black tea is the strongest flavor of the cup, which is what makes this lychee flavored tea so unique.  The lychee isn’t aggressively attacking my palate with its perfume-y flavor, the black tea isn’t obscured by that strong, distinct lychee flavor, and the black tea reigns as the dominate flavor … without taking anything away from the lychee.  A perfect presentation of flavors.

This is what all lychee flavored black teas should strive to become.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Tea Description:

I’m hoping this is a good idea and doesn’t just get me into a lot of trouble. It will probably just get me into trouble. I seem to attract it. Anyway, you might want to snap this up before we get sued.

[A brief plea to the good folks at Ben & Jerry's: Please don't sue us. We don't have any money. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, you know.]

I’m not going to say anything more–no sense in giving the lawyers any more ammunition.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I was very excited to try this tea.  Cherry Garcia is one of my favorite teas from Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, and I love the idea of a Cherry Garcia inspired tea.

The aroma of the dry leaf is scrumptious!  Cherries and chocolate and a hint of cream along with the black tea notes.  My mouth began watering!  I brewed this with eager anticipation and happy thoughts of yummy ice cream flavors dancing around in my head!

The dry leaf looks different from most of 52Teas black tea blends.  And it is different.  Instead of the usual black tea blend of Assam and Nilgiri teas that 52Teas uses in most of its black tea blends, this is a blend of the Assam and Nilgiri plus some CTC (also Nilgiri?) to add some body to the cup.  When you get your pouch and open it and see the small tea bits in there, I don’t want you to be concerned that your tea got smashed in transit!

OK… now that some of the business is out of the way, let’s get on to the tea … my taste buds cannot wait!

My first sip was a bit of a disappointment.  There is a strong black tea flavor, but very little chocolate and cherry flavor.  Where’s my Cherry Garcia?  Then I allowed the tea to cool a bit to see if this would give the flavors some time to develop.

Yes!  This is a tea that definitely needs some cooling time.  It doesn’t have to be cold; I would say that the cup sitting in front of me is probably about 140°F – not what I’d call lukewarm or tepid, but, not piping hot.

Now the flavors are there.  I can taste the cherry and the chocolate, and there is a delicious creaminess that washes over the palate throughout the sip, like melted ice cream.  YUM!

The black tea is still quite strong, too, but this IS a tea … if you want the ice cream, go to the store and get some!  This is supposed to be tea so I’m glad that the tea flavor is there, and it does, indeed have a rich, satisfying body to it.  The aftertaste is definitely cherry, with a sweet cherry taste with a hint of tartness that tingles in the mouth.  There is some astringency, but I notice that it gets smoother with each sip.

And that’s the best part about this tea:  it keeps getting better and better with each sip.  I’ve consumed more than half my cup now (I have a large tea mug!) and it becomes creamier, and sweeter and more delicious with each sip.  Very nicely done, 52Teas!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Teas Etc.

Tea Description:

The unique character and lingering finish is intoxicating. An exquisite USDA Certified Organic golden, black tea from southern China’s Fujian province, the beautiful, gold twisted leaves are almost as lovely to look at as to taste. Don’t mistake this for lower grade teas of this type. This is a premium grade golden monkey that is not to be missed!

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

After last month’s less than exciting box of teas from Steepster Select, I was actually contemplating canceling my subscription.  I am glad I didn’t!  This month’s box, appropriately themed “Best Buds,” more than makes up for the disappointing selections of last month’s box.

This box not only included this astounding Golden Monkey – quite possibly the best I’ve tasted of this type of tea – but also a yellow tea selection (my favorite type of tea!) and a silver needle!  Wow!  Bravo, Steepster!

Unlike what I’d call a “tippy” golden tea – which tends to be mostly dark leaves with tips of gold – every single leaf of this tea is beautifully golden in color, with striations tan and brown.  Gorgeous!

But even more beautiful than the color of the dry leaf is the flavor of the brewed tea.  This is amazingly good.  The flavor is rich and exceptionally smooth.  There are notes of malt which meld deliciously with the sweet honey caramel-y undertone.  Slightly earthy, with a juicy peach note that emerges as I continue to sip.  This is so pleasantly sweet, without a note of bitterness to be found, and only a slight astringency which cleanses the palate slightly, allowing it to enjoy an aftertaste that is quite honey-esque.

Easily one of the best black teas I’ve yet to taste.  I highly recommend it to anyone … even those who aren’t fond of tea.  I think this one could change their mind.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Kaleisia Tea

Tea Description:

This caramel and black tea blend delivers a bold and robust brew.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I’ve often said that my three favorite “flavors” for tea are chocolate, bergamot and jasmine (not necessarily in that order).  But if I were to list my four favorite flavors, I think caramel would be the fourth, only narrowly missing the mark as one of the top three.  In fact, I think there is a part of me that probably prefers caramel flavored tea better than chocolate flavored tea because the sweetness of the caramel seems to go so perfectly with the flavor of tea (especially black tea) but the chocoholic in me won’t let caramel over-ride the chocolate.  It’s an internal battle that I must contend with daily.

So, when I found this tea that promised me a creamy, caramel-y toffee flavor with a robust black tea, I couldn’t resist … I had to try it!

And this tea does deliver what it promised!  This cup is rich and delicious, with lots of sweet, caramel-y flavor.  The black tea is a good, solid black tea – perhaps not the most robust tea I’ve ever tasted, but, it provides a good background for the toffee flavor.  I like that it is sweet and creamy without additions, however, if you wish to enhance the creaminess a bit, try adding a splash of milk or cream.

This is the first tea that I’ve tried from Kaleisia, and I’m quite pleased with what I’ve tasted.  It makes a delectable dessert tea, and even a nice breakfast tea … for those of us who like to have our dessert first thing in the morning!

Mint Tea House in Vancouver, Washington

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Tea Purchased from Mint Tea

Product Available Online at Strand Tea

Tea Description:

Premium Ceylon Black Tea with all Natural Apple Bits, Orange Peel, Currants, Cinnamon, Almond Flakes, Cloves and Safflowers.

This tea fills the room with enticing scents and brews a delightful rich cup of tea.

Taster’s Review:

A few weeks ago, I visited Mint Tea in Vancouver, Washington with my oldest daughter.  We had a lovely lunch, and this is the tea I enjoyed with my delicious salad.  When we left, I couldn’t help but pick up a pouch of this tea to enjoy at home.  While there, the friendly cashier told me that their teas were procured from Strand Tea, and this is where this tea can be purchased online, if you don’t happen to be visiting Vancouver any time soon.

This is a delicious black tea blend.  It has quite a bit going on, but somehow it all seems to work together.  The dry leaf is very visually appealing, with big chunks of apple and orange peel, whole currants, slivers of almond and cinnamon chips, and whole cloves.  It smells delightful, warm and spicy with a yummy fruit undertone.

Once brewed, the aroma becomes much more muted, but it is very flavorful.  The black tea sometimes seems a little lost amid all these fruits, nuts and spices, however, I do taste it.  Its there, in the background, but sometimes it does seem that the other flavors – especially the spices – overwhelm it.

The cinnamon and cloves present the strongest flavors here, followed by a lovely orange note and a hint of almond.  The currant and apple are much softer, but if I really focus on the sip, I taste them.

Even though the spices and orange are the strongest notes, I wouldn’t consider this to be a typical orange spice tea, because it isn’t.   The flavors of an orange spice are indeed there, but, it is much mellower than the standard orange spice tea.

This is a very enjoyable cup of tea, and makes a nice tea to sip with lunch or in the afternoon, when you want a lighter cup.  It would also make a very refreshing iced tea!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Teavivre

Tea Description:

Dian Hong black tea, also known as Yunnan black tea, is one of China’s most famous black teas.  This is the highest grade Dian Hong generally available in China – called Golden Tip Dian Hong.  It has lots of orange pekoe in the dried tea, and brews into an absolutely great tasting, golden coloured tea, with very rich taste and aroma.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I know that for some of you who might read me regularly, it may be kind of boring to read just how excited I get over tea … cup after cup after cup!  But, really, I love tea so much, and when I find a good cup (and I do find them quite often!) I want to share that joy!  And yes, I really do get this excited over tea!

And it’s easy to get excited over tea when it tastes as good as this tea does.

The dry leaf is absolutely beautiful.  The colors of the leaves ranges from bright, golden yellow to a rich brown, and the leaves are curled and twisted.  But even more magnificent than their color is the flavor of the tea that they produce!

It is sweet with caramel-y undertones, and there is a hint of smoke to this tea as well.  The smoke melds with the caramel in such a way to give it a distinct flavor that is both savory and sweet.  I love the contrast! The mouthfeel is very smooth and even has a certain thickness to it (almost velvety!) that enhances the caramel experience even further.

If I were to categorize this tea into a season of the year, the season for this tea would be Autumn.  The flavors remind me of autumn, not just the warm, smoky caramel, but, I also notice a warm spice to this tea.  Almost like a mild nutmeg with a dash of pepper, just enough to tantalize the taste buds.

And then there is the sweet-potato/yam-like flavor, another flavor of fall!  All of these flavors accent each other quite nicely – a delicious autumnal medley of tastes in one teacup.  Truly a memorable cup of tea!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  T-Oolong Tea

Tea Description:

Our Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Black tea #18 is organic, handpicked and handcrafted. The tea is produced from Hong-Yui varietal grown in Yu-Chih township in Nantou County near the Sun Moon Lake. The steeped Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Black tea #18 has a characteristic and attractive natural mint flavor, a delightful, complex and pleasant taste without any bitterness and a sweet and mild aftertaste. The Taiwan Sun Moon Lake Black tea is of extremely high quality and is lovely in its rich and smooth taste.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is so lovely!

This is one of those comforting types of teas – the type you want to drink while its hot, and with which you want to curl up under a big, fluffy blanket and sit in front of a roaring fire in the fireplace.  And as I write this, we are experiencing one of our chilly spring days here in the Pacific Northwest, so it is quite a nice cup to enjoy today.

The website description of this tea suggests a minty flavor, and I am tasting that.  It isn’t an overwhelming mint note, but it is cool and crisp and very refreshing, offering a nice contrast to the smooth, rich, malty notes of this tea.  The cup is sweet, reminiscent of molasses.  I notice hints of smoke in the distance, and these slight smoky tones meld beautifully with the molasses notes.

I notice that this tea is currently out of stock on the T-Oolong Tea website, and I do hope that they’ll get it in stock soon, because it’s really quite amazing.  This is a tea I’d recommend to everyone.  If you like tea – you’ve got to try this!  It has such a rich, enjoyable flavor that I think every tea drinker will appreciate it.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Kally Tea

Tea Description:

Sri Lanka, Nuwara Eliya region, February – March, 6000 to 8500 feet above sea level, cool nights, dry weather, sunny days, all combine to force the tea bush to expend its energies into the new growth giving the tea its best flavor. Lover’s Leap is named such as a traditional story that on this estate the tea is grown near a cliff that is said lovers threw themselves off the edge when they were not allowed to marry one another. We are confident that after enjoying the pleasures of this tea, such a drastic step would never enter your mind, quite the contrary… “Let’s brew another!”

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I really like this Ceylon.  It is rich and smooth and delicious.

It even has some malty tones to it.  In fact, had I not brewed this myself and just been served it without being told what it was, I might have guessed it was an Assam.  It has that rich, full-bodied taste I expect from an Assam, but without some of the harsher notes that I often experience with an Assam.  It’s kind of like the best of both worlds in one teacup!

This would make a fantastic breakfast tea as it takes the additions of milk and honey (or other sweetener of your choice) well.  It’s also quite delicious on its own – with no additions!  It’s remarkably smooth.  The aftertaste offers hints of fruit and a lovely sweetness.

Most Ceylon teas make a wonderful iced tea too, and this one is no exception!  Try it with thin slices of lemon or lime (or both!)

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Tealicious Tea Company

Tea Description:

Our Lady Grey tea is an afternoon tea classic.  It offers a delightful taste with our French lavender flowers, gently blended with bergamot and blue cornflowers.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

There are several different variations of “Lady Grey” teas, most (including this one) are Earl Grey teas blended with lavender.  Nothing wrong with that, because I LOVE lavender, and I love Earl Grey.

I was a little worried, though, when I first opened the package and saw that there weren’t very many lavender blossoms in the blend.  There were a few, but I could smell the lavender more than I could see it.  I worried that maybe there really wouldn’t be enough lavender in this to satisfy me.

But, after I brewed the tea, the aroma of lavender filled the kitchen!  YES!  It smelled so amazing.

And this tea TASTES amazing too!  It is perfectly blended.  The black tea is robust and flavorful, and provides a solid background of flavor.  It tastes very rich and smooth, and it doesn’t attempt to overpower the bergamot and lavender notes.

I like a lot of bergamot flavor in my Earl Grey, but, I do recognize that too much bergamot can come off as kind of soapy tasting, and I don’t like to drink soap.  And with the addition of lavender, which can also come off as tasting soap-ish, it is important to capture the right balance of flavor between these two ingredients so that both can be tasted without tasting like it had been blended in a soap factory.

And Tealicious Tea Company did just that, and they did it with flourish!  This tastes remarkable!  The bergamot is the strongest note, with the lavender coming in softly, sweetly and offering just the right feminine touch to make this a very memorable Lady Grey tea.

Another big WIN for Tealicious Tea Company!