Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  MarketSpice

Tea Description:

A tangy yet fruity blend of herbs. This old time favorite tea contains Lemon Grass, Rosehips, Hibiscus, Peppermint, Orange Peel and Wild Cherry Bark. Caffeine free.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Yet another tea that I held on to because the herbal content scared me a bit.  Hibiscus!  Yikes!  Run for the hills!

But now that I’m finally tasting it, the hibiscus really isn’t a very strong flavor.  It does offer a slight tangy note to the overall cup, as well as some texture and a pretty pinkish hue.  However, the other herbs in this blend manage to keep the hibiscus in check, and keep it from getting too tart or syrupy.  Of course, being diligent on the steep time is important too, I steeped this for six minutes using water at 195°F, and I really wouldn’t recommend steeping it any longer than that.

Really, despite all my trepidation, this really is quite a tasty tisane.  Tangy, yes, but not overly so.  It also has some sweet citrus-y notes that meld nicely with the tangy notes to give it a light sweet-tart kind of flavor that I find rather enjoyable as well as soothing.   And the peppermint – which is another sometimes aggressive herb – manages to stay in check too.  I like how the minty note really freshens up the cup, providing a crisp, cool note to contrast with the sweet and tangy flavors.

A nice herbal that both kids and adults can enjoy any time of day.

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Tea Licious

Tisane Description:

Honeybush, lemon grass, lemon myrtle, rosehips, eucalyptus, hibiscus, safflowers, marigold and orange.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

Summer is almost here!  Alas, summer is not my favorite time of year – I prefer autumn and winter … why?   Because hot tea is so much better when it’s chilly outside!  Yes, it’s all about the tea!  However, I am certainly enjoying this African Summer tisane from Tea Licious!

The first thing I notice is the zesty flavor of lemongrass and lemon myrtle which gives it a delicious lemon taste without the pucker-y tartness.  Then there is a tangy orange note that melds nicely with the lemony herbs.  But even with the zesty and tangy flavors, the overall cup is pleasantly smooth, which has a lot to do with the honeybush, which gives it a sweet and nutty taste.

I was a little worried at first that it might be hibiscus-y, but really, the hibiscus only seems to contribute a little to the color of the cup while adding very little tartness or its syrupy texture to it.  That being said, I do recommend exercising some caution when steeping this tea, as hibiscus can quickly overpower a cup when left to steep too long.  I steeped my cup for six full minutes, and it turned out just perfect!

There is a soft mouthfeel to the cup, which I think is because of the hibiscus.  This tells me that there is just the right amount of hibiscus in it … not too much, but enough so that the flavor and texture is not too thin.  Kudos to Tea Licious for doing hibiscus the right way!

This is a very pleasant cup of tea, one that is tasty hot, and very refreshing served over ice!  This is one that you can serve to kids as well as adults, because it is naturally caffeine free, and it has a pleasing flavor that everyone will love.

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Zhi Tea

Tisane Description:

Our Zhi Signature Organic Restful Blend is pure magic.

A synergy of flavors, bouquets, and a visual delight, as well. We designed this as an evening wind-down drink, but this great as an all-day drink. Naturally zero-caffeine.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

This really is a beautiful blend.  The chamomile blossoms are whole and large (no crushed up chamomile powder here!) and together with the lavender, lemon grass, hibiscus petals, and other herbs, it creates a stunning array of flowers and colors that is as pleasing to the nose as it is to the eye!

And, it’s pretty tasty too.  As some of you are probably aware, I’m not particularly fond of hibiscus, but, I’m not finding it to be too overwhelming here.  It is mostly noticeable in the color, and just a little in the texture.  But this tisane is not tart … actually, it’s quite sweet.

This probably has something to do with the stevia, and to be honest, I am usually turned off when tea companies add stevia to their blends, but, with this blend, it works.  It balances out the tart nature of  the hibiscus without making this blend too sweet.

What I like best about this blend, though, is not the chamomile, or the stevia or hibiscus… but the fennel and licorice root!  I love how the distinct licorice notes weave their way throughout the sip.  I also like how there really isn’t one flavor that dominates in this cup.  Each ingredient adds a little something to the overall flavor, giving it a gentle spiced note combined with hints of citrus and floral tones.

This is a very enjoyable way to wind down from a long day!

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Juniper Ridge

Tisane Description:

White Sage has a rich, earthy, minty flavor that made it a favorite tea for many of the Native American tribes and early settlers of the Southwest. I like to sip this tea during the wet winters here in Northern California and let my mind drift off to the hot desert country where White Sage grows. So many backpacking trips over the years in that beautiful, sunbaked country—maybe I’ll just sit here in the shade of this Palo Verde tree and let some of the afternoon heat pass while I nod off to sleep with the smell of Wild Sage in the air . . . Now you can enjoy this classic Southwestern tea and dream your own daydreams of the big rock, White Sage desert country.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

This tisane has a very rustic feel to it … from the packaging (the labels are printed on recycled kraft paper, which give them a rugged style) to the aroma (earthy sage and mint) to the flavor.

This tisane boasts a fairly simple combination of sage and mint.  But, I don’t think I’ve ever tried a sage and mint tea until I tried this one from Juniper Ridge.  I know I’ve had teas with sage in them, and definitely teas with mint it them, but I don’t recall trying a blend of just sage and mint.  Simple, yes, but also simply delicious!

Not surprisingly, it is a very minty tisane.  The wild mint gives it a cool, crisp flavor, and it is definitely the strongest flavor of the cup.  But the sage comes in beneath the mint and provides a nice earthy tone with a warm, peppery tone that arrives toward the end of the sip.  It is a very enjoyable contrast of warm and cool flavors.

I find this to be very soothing to sip as I start to wind down for the evening, and yet it has an invigorating flavor to it that would be a nice, caffeine free pick-me-up in the afternoon if that’s what you’re after.

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Kally Tea

Tea Description:

Ahhhh… Lavender! It is thought to help with a multitude of symptoms. Here are just a few of the many health benefits believed to be aided by lavender; analgesic, antibacterial, antiseptic, relaxant, and nerve tonic.  Even though the health benefits are many, just sitting down in a comfy chair and sipping this delightful brew is a genuine pleasure in itself.

Ingredients: Blue Lavender, Cornflowers, Blue Mallow Blossoms, Rose Petals, Lemon Grass with a hint of Lemon and Mango.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I couldn’t help but chuckle a little when I read the above description.  “Ahhhh… Lavender!”  was exactly the words that I murmured when I first took a sip of this tisane!  Sweet, beautiful, wonderful lavender!

Lavender is one of my very favorite culinary botanicals, but I find few companies who really know how to blend with it properly.  It’s one of those herbs that if you use too little, it won’t be tasted … but if you use even a little too much, the flavor becomes soapy.

Fortunately, Kally Tea knew what they were doing with lavender when they set out to create this Evening Indigo tisane.  Lavender is the strongest flavor, but it is nicely offset with lemongrass, rose petals, and the essence of mango and lemon.  These additions allow the lavender to shine as the prominent flavor without allowing the lavender to taste like the perfume shop in the mall.

This tisane is citrus-y with hints of mango and rose, but mostly … this tisane showcases lavender at its very best!

The cup brews to a pretty lavender blue color, and the infusion smells amazing.  (The dry leaf smells – and looks! – like potpourri!  So lovely!)  But even more amazing than the aroma or the appearance is just how delightful it tastes, and the calm it instills as I sip it.

I think I shall have sweet indigo dreams tonight, thanks to Kally Tea.

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  The Rabbit Hole

Tisane Description:

Exotic rose and luscious chocolate mingle to create a decadent herbal brew worthy of your harem. Go on, treat yourself to a little luxury and for a completely decadent hit, add honey.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

Mmm!  This is really good!

This seems to be a fairly simple blend of cacao nibs and rose.  But out of such simplicity comes a true delight.  Upon opening the pouch, my olfactory sense was greeted with a heady fragrance of rose and the tempting aroma of chocolate.  The brewed tisane offers mere hints of the rose but a very delicious chocolate scent.

I recommend steeping this for at least ten minutes – and longer would probably be even better.  Since there are no tea leaves in this blend, there is no threat of bitterness by over-steeping, the flavors will just intensify with the longer steep time.  I would also recommend adding a little more than the recommended 1 teaspoon of leaf per cup, and I will explain why.

After steeping according to the recommended parameters, I found the tisane to be a bit thin in flavor.  Yes, the chocolate and rose flavors were there, and they were INCREDIBLE; however, I – being the chocoholic that I am – happen to think that more chocolate = better.  And I think that a richer chocolate flavor here would have been much more satisfying, and this can be easily remedied by simply adding an extra teaspoon of leaf before infusing, and be sure to infuse it a minimum of ten minutes, and fifteen would be even better, if you can wait that long!

As it is, it is still very delicious.  The cacao nibs give the cup a tasty bittersweet, dark chocolate kind of flavor.  The rose adds a touch of exotic flavor to the cup, tasting floral but without tasting like perfume.  The finish has a dry cocoa powder kind of taste, with lingering notes of rose.

This combination of flavors reminds me very much of a decadent chocolate truffle that I might find in a high-end chocolate shop … even though the flavor is thinner than I would like, I still consider this to be a highly enjoyable cup.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Oolong, Pu-erh & Herbal

Where to Buy:  BijaBody Health + Beauty

Tea Description:

Daily Beauty Tea’s blend of fair-trade, organic Oolong and Pu-erh Tea with beautifying herbs and spices -including cacao nibs, burdock, a dash of cayenne, and so much more- supports a fiery metabolism, internal ph balance, natural detox and digestion, and your skin’s exquisite function*.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

As I’ve said many times before, I’m quite hesitant when it comes to herbal blends, but since I’ve recently tried their Nightly Beauty tea and enjoying it, I felt much more at ease while preparing this tea.

BijaBody seems to know what they’re doing.  They select the ingredients based not only on their positive benefits, but, also for their contributions to the flavor.

The two blends that I’ve tried thus far – Nightly Beauty and now Daily Beauty – have many similar ingredients.  Most notable are the  Pu-erh, cacao nibs and sarsaparilla.  Some of the other ingredients are the same as well, but, these are the most prominent flavor-wise.  But even though they have many similar ingreidents, this tastes quite a bit different from the Nightly Beauty.

I can taste the Oolong tea’s contribution to the cup.  It tastes lighter, smoother and a little on the creamy side.  I can also taste the cayenne pepper in this, it isn’t a spicy-hot flavor, but, it is certainly warming.  I can feel its heat on my palate, but, it doesn’t get to a level where I feel like I need something to cool it down.  It’s quite enjoyable, really.

I do taste the Pu-erh, but of the two tea types, the Oolong stands out.  The Pu-erh gives a light earthiness to the cup that mingles quite nicely with the other ingredients.  I also taste the sarsaparilla and the cacao nib … although neither are as prominent as they are with the Nightly Beauty blend.

While the Nightly Beauty blend tastes more herbaceous, I find that this blend tastes more like tea, albeit a tea blend that I don’t think I’ve ever tried before.  But there’s nothing wrong with that.  In fact, I like how different this tastes.

A very enjoyable tea, and if it has health and beauty benefits, that’s a bonus!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal & Pu-erh

Where to Buy:  BijaBody Health + Beauty

Tea Description:

Nightly Beauty Tea’s blend of aged pu-erh with calming, beautifying herbs and spices-such as gotu kola, chamomile, red raspberry leaf, lemongrass and ginger- strengthens digestion, healthy skin function, mental/physical calm and enhances your dazzling elegance.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

OK… so this was a tea that made me a little nervous.  Lots of herbs AND Pu-erh?  Yeah, not exactly high up there on the oh-my-goodness-I-really-must-try-it-now list. But now that I’m tasting it, I’m enjoying it.  In fact, I like this a lot, and I could see myself drinking this on a regular basis.

After examining the contents of this sample package, I noticed that there seemed to be more herbs than tea in this blend, so, I decided to steep it at 195°F for 8 minutes to get the most out of those herbs.  And I’m quite satisfied with the result.

There is a LOT going on with this blend.  The first flavor I notice is the sarsaparilla, and it gives the cup a very root beer kind of taste.  I then notice the ginger – it adds a gentle, soothing warmth without tasting too spicy.  The cacao adds a hint of chocolate-y flavor to the background.  Also in the background, I notice a citrus-y note.

Overall, the cup is very herb-y tasting without tasting too medicinal.  The Pu-erh does manage to make its presence known.  It adds an earthiness to the cup that balances everything out.  I find this to be a very satisfying cup – quite soothing and calming – I feel the stress drain from my body!

This is my kind of beauty regimen!

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit & Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Tisane Description:

Deep taste of succulent summer-sweet blueberries with a wisp of sage to heighten an excellent cup. Corkscrew not required. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

This tisane is part of the Herbal Retreat collection from Tea Forté.  Having previously tried and reviewed the other tisanes of that collection, I wanted to save this one for last (my thinking was to save the best for last!), so I stashed it away … and then I forgot where I put it!  I just came across it today (as I may have mentioned, I’m trying to organize my tea stash), and decided that it was about time to try it.

This is a very tasty tisane.  A little heavy on the hibiscus, but, fortunately, the hibiscus marries very well with the strong blueberry flavor.  The combination of these two ingredients creates a pleasant consistency (but don’t steep it too long or it will become thick and syrupy from the hibiscus) and an interesting balance of sweet and tart.

What really makes this tisane different and certainly the top contender for the best of the Herbal Retreat collection is the addition of sage. The sage lends an earthy, musky taste that is distinct.  The sage brings a savory element to the party, and I’m really enjoying the contrast of sweet berry, tart hibiscus, and savory sage.  Very nice, indeed!

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Tulsi

Where to Buy:  Davidson’s Organics

Tisane Description:

Davidson’s Pure Leaves blends three varieties of Tulsi (Krishna, Rama and Vana) to create the perfect balance of buttery and minty flavors.

Ingredients (* organic): Rama tulsi*, Krishna tulsi* and Vana tulsi*.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

I’m sure I’ve probably proclaimed this at least once before, but, I’m going to say it again anyway:  the more I try Tulsi, the more I like it.  It has a such a delightful flavor that is slightly minty and a little spicy and I like the way these two qualities mingle with one another.

This Tulsi “Pure Leaves” from Davidson’s Organics is composed of three different varieties of Tulsi (also called “Holy Basil”), and having previously tried the Rama Tulsi on its own, I think I do prefer this combination.  The blend of three has a bit more complexity.

The flavor is savory and sweet, with the scale tipping more toward the savory than the sweet.  Hints of mint throughout the sip, and a peppery tingle tickles the tongue in the aftertaste.  There is a creaminess to this as well – its almost like butter.

There is a whole lot of flavor in this tisane, and it’s a great way to experience the flavor of Tulsi!