Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit Tisane

Where to Buy:  Fusion Tea Room

Tisane Description:

Turkish apple tea referred to as Elma Cay is growing in demand globally. It is a soothing hot beverage during cold winter months and a refreshing thirst quencher in the summer when served over ice. In this fusion blend we take the friendship of the apple and vanilla flavors and let them go to work. Always popular, and always in demand.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

Hibiscus.  Just the word is enough to send chills through me, and not the excited kind of chills either.  I am not a fan of hibiscus.  Sure, I know it’s got a lot of health benefits.  It’s loaded with vitamin C and minerals, and it can also help reduce high blood pressure.  But, all of that doesn’t help me get past it’s rather tart, acidic taste that it adds to the cup.

So whenever I encounter a tisane with hibiscus, I make it a point to not over steep it, which will concentrate the flavors and turn the infusion into a rather thick, syrupy liquid that is overwhelmingly tart.  When steeped properly, a tisane with hibiscus can be not only drinkable, but really quite enjoyable.

Such is the case with this Apple Vanilla tisane from Fusion Tea Room.  I steeped it at 195° for 6 minutes.  This steep time and temperature was just right to produce a cup that is deep red but not too thick or syrupy, and flavorful without being too tart.

And that’s important because you really WANT to experience the other flavors of this tisane.  Yes, I taste hibiscus, and it really is front and center with this tisane; however, there are other flavors here that are worth mentioning.  The apple is sweet yet just a wee bit tart – and I think that the hibiscus actually helps here, because it seems to highlight the tart apple flavor – just like a fresh, crunchy apple would be.  The vanilla note is sweet and creamy and adds a very interesting dimension to the overall cup.

This is a tasty tisane.  I’m not going to say it’s my favorite from Fusion Tea Room because it isn’t (my favorite is probably the Cocoa Raspberry Maté), but it is certainly enjoyable and one that is nice to sip as the day comes to an end and I want to slow down on the caffeine (this one’s naturally caffeine free!)

Product Description:

Ready to Drink Tisane from Argo Tea.

Ingredients:  fresh brewed mint tea (water, peppermint), pure cane sugar, lime juice concentrate, natural mint flavor. 

Contains 7% juice.

Learn more about this product here.

Taster’s Review:

As I’ve said before, I don’t purchase many ready-to-drink teas.  In fact, according to my husband, I point my nose up at them, inferring that I’m a tea snob.  And while I accept this label, I don’t really think this particular action has earned it.  Most ready-to-drink teas are over-sugared and overly saturated with flavorings to hide the flavor of the tea.  Why would anyone do that to a tea?  It seems as though it should be a criminal act.

And while this ready-to-drink “tea” has done very little to assuage my opinion of most ready-to-drink tea products (here is an exception), the fault really isn’t with this particular product but with me, as I didn’t take the time to read the label properly.  This is actually an herbal tisane, and not a tea (as it contains no Camellia Sinensis leaves), so there is no tea to actually be tasted.

That being said, this is actually quite a tasty tisane.  I am not finding it to be overly sweet … sweet, yes, perhaps a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but, not so sweet that I’m put off by it.  And I like that what I taste is peppermint and lime over the sweetness.  I like that it is made with pure cane sugar, and not some syrup.  Yeah, yeah, I saw the commercial and I know that “sugar is sugar,” and the body doesn’t know the difference between cane sugar and corn syrup, but, I’d like to think that my palate does.

Truth be told, what lead me to this purchase was the pretty glass bottle.  Yeah, I’m a sucker for neat packaging.  But it was enjoyable enough for me to pick up another bottle of it if I happen to be out and about and in need of hydration.  Not something that I’ll keep stocked in my fridge, but I am now interested to try the other flavors that Argo Tea offers, and that fact alone makes this a better product than most of the ready-to-drink tea offerings out there.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  The Persimmon Tree

Tisane Description:

A beautiful blend of ginger, ginseng, chamomile, rose hips, orange peel and mint that soothes with every sip.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again.  I’m apprehensive when it comes to herbal teas (or tisanes).  Most that I’ve tried, I’ve actually quite enjoyed, but there seems to be some programmed automated response built into my hard drive that recoils when I receive an herbal tisane to review. So, I tend to put off trying it, and then when I do finally try it, I end up irritated with myself for not having tried it sooner.

As is the case with this tisane.  It actually tastes really good.  But, as I’m naturally hesitant when it comes to herbal tisanes and I am not all that fond of ginseng, this tisane had already been marked with a double whammy.  But, I managed to talk myself into trying it tonight, and I must say that I’m happily surprised by the flavor of it.

While it does taste herbaceous, it doesn’t taste overly medicinal.  Every ingredient is masterfully balanced here to deliver a flavor that is not only gentle and soothing, but palate-pleasing as well.  The ginger is sweet with just a hint of spice.  That spice tone is mellowed with a touch of mint and chamomile.  I can even taste a note of orange in this which is really nice.  I don’t taste much from the ginseng, which given my dislike for the herb, I consider the lack of ginseng flavor here a real plus.  Additional bonus points should also be awarded to The Persimmon Tree for refraining from using hibiscus in this blend.  It doesn’t need it, and I’m glad that they didn’t add it.

It has a very calm, relaxing flavor, perfect for after a big meal, or later in the evening when its time to settle down and prepare for rest.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Shanti Tea

Product Description:

Fairytale tea is an inspired blend of colorful herbs and flowers whose vivid infusion and magical aroma will take you back to your childhood fairytales of magic and romance, lovely damsels and dashing princes. It has a smooth light taste with a slightly minty finish and a hint of spice. Just the right combination to accompany your imagination on its magical journey…

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

The dry leaf of this tisane looks and smells gorgeous!  Lots of blossoms and petals – chamomile, jasmine, osmanthus, rose and calendula – to please the eye and the nose.  Once brewed, the aroma is quite herbal, so that worried me a bit.  But I could also smell a promising note of peppermint.

The flavor is really quite nice, despite that herbal note.  I’m not a fan of an overly herbal-y or medicinal tasting tisane, but, I think that the other flavors in this tisane keep it from tasting like a cup of medicine.  The peppermint is a subtle flavor, and I like the way it melds with the other flavors in this blend.

I like the floral combination of this blend – it creates a flavor that is definitely flowery but not distinct.  That is to say, it tastes like flowers … but not like any one particular flower.  Instead, I taste sweet floral notes with fewer sharp tones and without any perfume-y taste.

When I first started sipping on this, I was a little disappointed that I did not taste any anise.  But now that I’m about halfway through the cup, the flavor of the anise has developed.  It is just a hint of licorice.  Kind of like sneaking a quick treat before bed!

While I enjoyed this tisane while it lasted, I can’t say that this is my favorite cup from Shanti tea, because it isn’t.  However, it is one of the tastier “bedtime” blends that I’ve encountered, and that is saying something, because there are a lot of bedtime blends out there.  And it certainly does what it is supposed to … I can feel my body and mind relax and I do believe a good night’s sleep will follow.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Teavivre

Product Description:

Ingredients: Roselle, Black Currant, Blueberries, Grapes

TeaVivre’s Fruit Tea’s make great, low calorie, caffeine-free, refreshing drinks for anytime of the day. Made only from carefully matched flower petals, dried fruit and berries, they all have high levels of vitamins and minerals and – most importantly – taste and smell great! They are all fantastic to drink either hot or iced. All our fruit teas are made without any added sugar, and so naturally have a very slight sour taste. If you’d like a slightly sweeter drink, simply add a small amount of sugar or, better yet, a small amount of honey.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

I’m usually a little hesitant to try a “fruit tea” because I worry about too much hibiscus.  But… a quick glance at the ingredients … no hibiscus?  Cool!  But wait!  What’s that … roselle?  After a quick check on Wikipedia, I’ve learned that roselle is a species of hibiscus.

This worried me a bit, because… well, as I’ve mentioned more than once, I don’t really care for hibiscus.

But… this is really quite good.  In fact, I really wasn’t prepared to like this quite as much as I do.  The roselle has some similarities to the hibiscus I’m more accustomed to:  most specifically, I taste a distinct hibiscus-y flavor and it’s trademark tartness.  But what I’m not getting from the roselle is that syrup-y thickness that I would normally experience with hibiscus.  This tastes and feels lighter and cleaner.  It doesn’t feel sticky and thick.  Nice!

In fact, this tisane is remarkably light for a fruit tea.  It is really quite refreshing.

The blueberry tastes sweet and there is some tartness to it that is accented by the tart from the roselle.  I also taste the black currant, and it gives the overall cup a fruit wine-like taste (in fact, I’m thinking that this might be nice brewed with some mulling spices for a mulled wine – but without the wine! – drink.  Yum!)

This is one of the better fruit teas that I’ve tasted in a very long time.  Oh, sure, I’ve enjoyed many of the other fruit teas that I have had.  But this one stands out among the others.  This … is what other fruit teas should aspire to be!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Empire Tea Services

Product Description: 

Chamomile, Spearmint, Passion Fruit leaves, Lomon Greass, Orange peel, Cinnamon, Strawberry leaves, flavoring

Taster’s Review:

I love the name of this tea.  If you’ve read many of my posts, you probably are aware that I’m not only a tea enthusiast, but I also love art.  My favorite work of art of all time is Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh.  In fact, the tea mug from which I am sipping this tisane at this very moment is a “Starry Night” mug with a print of the painting on it.

However, I wasn’t so sure that I’d love the tisane.  It is a chamomile blend, and chamomile is one of those ingredients that doesn’t exactly excite me when it comes to tisanes.

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh, photo from Wikipedia

But, I must say that this tisane is actually quite tasty.  The combination of ingredients just seems to work.  (Check out the list of ingredients above, this tisane has quite a bit going on!)  The fruit-like tones of the chamomile melds together with the lemongrass and the hints of fruit flavor in the fruit leaves to give it a hint of fruity essence without coming across as too fruity or sweet.

It has a herbaceous overtone, but again, it isn’t too overwhelming nor does it end up tasting medicinal.  It tastes soothing and serene … in fact, this tisane makes me feel very much the way the painting makes me feel:  calm.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Product Description:

In the process [of creating the Lemolicious Guayusa Blend], we created what I’m going to refer to as Lemon Aid, which is a blend of (yup:) lemon myrtle, lemon balm, lemongrass, lemon verbena, lemon peel and some sun-dried lemon slices along with natural lemon flavors–which I felt was bold and awesome enough that perhaps some folks would like to make a tea out of, or perhaps add in with whatever teas they are steeping for a little extra lemon zing.

Taster’s Review:

I have been holding on to this pouch for quite some time and haven’t tried it until a few days ago… and I haven’t really stopped drinking it since.  I brewed up batches of it for iced tea (and it is spectacular as an iced tea), and have been sipping on it just about every night … until now … as I’ve reached the end of the pouch!

So I guess it goes without saying that I LOVE this stuff.  It surprises me just how much I like it; I didn’t expect it to be this good.  I figured “lemon-aid? … ho-hum.”  But it isn’t ho-hum at all.  As much as I enjoy a glass of freshly squeezed lemonade in the summer, I think I may like this even better.

When this is served iced it really shines.  It has that zesty lemon flavor, but, it doesn’t come off pucker-y tart.  The herbal notes in this help mellow out those sharper lemon notes, and make it very smooth and delicious.  It doesn’t taste overly herbaceous, but, there are some vegetative notes in the background.  Bright lemon notes, more sweet than tart (which is just fine with me), and a tingly lemon note that lingers on the tongue in the aftertaste.

It is also quite nice hot, and this evening as I write this, I find myself with a bit of a sore throat, and I may be coming down with a cold (thankfully my tastebuds are not yet affected).  I find this to be very soothing on my aching throat and a little bit of honey makes this even more soothing.

A very pleasing, mild lemonade … err, make that Lemon-Aid … that is definitely not ho-hum.  I am really going to miss this now that it is sold out.  I only wish I had tried it sooner!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING FROM THE SORORITEA SISTERS!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit Tisane

Where to Buy:  Jennifer’s Tea Garden

Product Description:

Sweet pear calms and soothes while tart and tasty pomegranate adds color and zest to this vibrant blend! Simply delightful and wonderful iced. Naturally caffeine free.

Taster’s Review:

I chose this fruit tisane to review for today because these are two fruits that I associate with Thanksgiving.  And this is really a wonderful tisane – one that would be great to serve along with dinner any time of year!

Even though the website does not indicate it, I suspect there is some hibiscus in this blend, I thought I spotted a few hibiscus petals in the dry leaf (which is comprised mostly of big chunks of fruit), and the tea brews up to a deep, ruby red hue which is indicative (usually) of hibiscus in the blend.

But, I’m happy to say that this doesn’t taste strongly of hibiscus.  There may be a slight hibiscus-y tartness to this, but it is offset nicely by the sweetness of the pear.  This tastes more sweet than tart (which is quite alright with me and my sweet tooth), and that is pretty surprising for a fruit tisane with hibiscus!  Surprising, yes.  Disappointing?  No!

This has a remarkable flavor to it.  Of course, it doesn’t taste like tea because there is no tea in it.  It tastes very fruity.  It is pleasantly sweet.  It is just a little bit tart.  I can taste the pear quite well in this (and pear tends to be one of those fruits that is really difficult to NAIL in a tea/tisane blend).  I also taste the pomegranate here, as well as hints of other berries.  I taste an apple-y kind of taste as well.  It is a very ambrosial kind of flavor, and it is just perfect for the holiday!

I would like to take this moment to thank you, our readers, for making this such a happy year for the SororiTea Sisters.  We love tea, and we are so glad to have the opportunity to share our love of tea with you.  I am very thankful for each and every one of you!  Enjoy your day with your family and dear friends, if you can’t be together on this day then let it be a day that you are with them in spirit… and of course, don’t forget to enjoy some tea, too!  ~Anne aka LiberTEAS

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit Tisane

Where to Buy:  Fusion Tea Room

Product Description:

Everyone’s favorite – blueberry muffins fresh from the oven. Our exciting composition captures this aroma perfectly. The intense taste of sweet ripe blueberries in combination with the natural colorful ingredients result in a taste experience, which seems to come straight from heaven.

Taster’s Review:

When I poured this tisane into my mug, I was a little worried after seeing how dark and thick it was.  It looked like it was going to be a very hibiscus-heavy tisane.  Fortunately, though, I recognized the hibiscus as I was measuring it into my tea maker, and I knew that it was better not to brew it for the recommended steep time of 10 – 12 minutes.  Instead, I set the timer for 5 minutes and crossed my fingers.

The fragrance of the brewed tisane is really incredible.  It smells like warm blueberry muffins.

And, actually, this is pretty tasty, despite the hibiscus.  Actually, the flavor of the hibiscus is less noticeable than its contributions to the color and texture to the liquor.  I can still taste it, but it isn’t nearly as strong a flavor as I thought it might be.

The flavor isn’t as “blueberry muffin-ish” as the aroma might lead one to think.  It is blueberry, but not muffin.  I can also taste the apple and the caramel.  That’s right.  I said caramel.  And I think it is the caramel that makes this tisane rate so high on the YUM scale.  The ingredient list shows yogurt pieces as one of the components to this tisane as well, but I don’t really taste much from it.  Perhaps a little bit here and there, but, it isn’t a strong presence.

Overall, an enjoyable cup.  I can’t say that this is my favorite blend from Fusion Tea Room, because it isn’t, but, it is tasty.  I think I might have enjoyed it more if it had more of a cake-y/muffin-y flavor in there, and while we’re at it, it would be better if there was less hibiscus.  Nevertheless, I enjoyed it, and I guess that’s what really counts, right?

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Souvia

Product Description:

A nutritive blend that will please your taste buds. Refreshing and cooling on a hot summer day.

Ingredients: apple bits, hibiscus, black berry leaves, peppermint, bean peels, chamomile, raspberry leaves, flavoring

Country of Origin: Germany

Taster’s Review:

This is really quite nice.  I was a little unsure about it when I first poured it into my cup, because the color was a deep, ruby red and the liquor was a bit thick, and my thought immediately was “too much hibiscus!”  However, while the hibiscus has colored and thickened this tisane, it really hasn’t adversely affected the flavor.

Yes, I can still taste the hibiscus.  But this is not an overly tart tisane.  The hibiscus seems to round out the flavor of the raspberry, enhancing the tartness without going overboard.

For me, the real star of this tisane is the peppermint.  I really enjoy the refreshing, crisp taste of the peppermint, and the way it provides contrast to the sweet/tart flavor of the berry notes.  And it is just the right amount of peppermint:  minty undertones without tasting like toothpaste.

This is a very satisfying tisane … one I wouldn’t mind drinking every now and again.  I was unable to find this tea on the website, so I don’t know if it is still available.  I hope so, because I’d like to add it to my shopping list!