Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Tisane Description:

For this week, we’ve decided to create a new honeybush blend, this time a fusion of raspberries and bananas with real freeze dried raspberries and banana slices and natural flavors. It’s a great fusion of sweet and creamy, tart and smooth. Of course, it’s also caffeine- and calorie-free!

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

OK, the moment I tore open this pouch, I knew I was in for a treat.  It smells AMAZING and tells of the banana raspberry yumminess inside.  As I scooped out the tisane into my Breville, I saw tiny bits of freeze-dried raspberries and big slices of freeze-dried bananas.  YUM!  Now the hard part… waiting!  I typically steep honeybush blends for 10 full minutes to extract as much flavor as possible.  And while it’s difficult to wait for 10 minutes sometimes, my patience is usually rewarded.

Wowza!  This is very flavorful.  My first reaction was “this reminds me of a smoothie, only hot,” which tells me that this is going to be amazing iced.

The honeybush is sweet and slightly nutty and offers a delicious background for the flavors of banana and raspberry.  The raspberry is sweet yet tart, and what I like best is how the banana flavor really mellows everything out and makes it all taste remarkably smooth and sweet and very yummy.  Very fruity and sweet, but just enough tangy flavor and nutty notes in there to keep it balanced and from tasting too much like an overly sweet kid’s drink (although, I’m pretty sure kids would love this too).

It looks like there are only 2 pouches of this tea left in stock, so, if the idea of juicy raspberry and sweet banana flavor appeals to you … you should definitely not wait any longer to order some for yourself!  This one’s going to be GONE soon!

It’s Christmas Eve!  Wow!  I can’t believe I’m almost finished with my sampler box.  I did enjoy it, though. It was fun to revisit these wonderful teas.  And I am very excited to find out what tea Frank came up with for tomorrow!

For the most part, I have not been surprised by any of the teas that 52Teas put in this box.  Frank made really good choices, choosing some of the best teas that he crafted over the past year or so.  I do wish that the Gingerbread Chai was a part of this box, but I do understand why it wasn’t (since it was the Christmas Day sampler last year).  It would have also been incredibly cool to find my Tomato, Basil and Black Pepper tea in this box.  And since there was one or two blends that I haven’t tried over the last year or so, I wish that those were part of this box, only because I would have liked to have tried them.

But, besides these few minor details, this box has been a real winner with me.  And today’s tea comes as no surprise to me, because this was definitely a hot seller.  So, for the eleventh tea of Christmas, it’s …

CINNAMON ROLL HONEYBUSH

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Frank has a way with honeybush.  I may not always love other blends he creates, but, usually, his honeybush blends are absolutely amazing.

This Cinnamon Roll Honeybush is a dieter’s dream, because it has the flavor of a freshly baked cinnamon roll without the fat and calories.

I reviewed this tisane in September, and I am really glad that this was in the sampler box, because I’ve finished my pouch of this already.  It’s so good, and it’s nice to revisit it.  I hope that Frank will eventually make this tisane part of his Sweet Honeybush line, but until then, you can visit the in-stock page as Frank is reviving all the teas that he’s featured in this sampler.  If you haven’t tried this one yet, you really should!

I was pretty confident that this blend would appear in this 12 Teas of Christmas box, because it is probably one of 52Teas’ top 3 sellers this year, if not of all time.  (Note:  I don’t know this for sure, it’s a guess based only on the response to the tea on Steepster as well as the fact that it had been reblended several times before it was made a permanent part of the My Sweet Honeybush line).

This is also one of the only tisanes out there that I’ve purchased multiple pouches of, as this became a daily beverage for my daughter for a while.  As much as I love most of 52Teas’ blends, if I were to purchase multiple pouches of all of them, well, I just wouldn’t have any room in my kitchen for anything but tea… and my family would disown me.  As it is, they’re getting pretty frustrated with the amount of tea that I own now.

But, I digress.

I am really glad that this tea was in the sampler box, because I’ve been out of it for a while now, and I’ve missed it.  It’s nice to revisit it!

COCONUT CHEESECAKE FLAVORED HONEYBUSH

As I mentioned above, this was my daughter’s favorite tea for quite a while.  And, one sip will tell you why:  it’s really delicious.  Sweet and creamy, with a delicious coconut flavor that lingers.  The cheesecake flavor here is very well pronounced with a tangy cream cheese and sour cream kind of flavor in the background.

The nutty flavor of the honeybush ties in well with the pastry-like flavor.

I find this just as delicious now as I did back in February when I wrote my full-length review of this tea.  It makes a wonderful late-night treat that will satisfy my sweet tooth without calories, and since it’s honeybush, it’s caffeine-free too!

Tea Type:
Honeybush

Where To Buy:
Red Leaf Tea

Product Description:

This is one of the most original takes on Earl Grey tea available, Honeybush Earl Grey, takes the classic taste and puts it with a honeybush based tea instead of the traditional black tea. True to its name, this is one sweet tea that takes the addition of bergamot orange perfectly for a fruity and sweet cup of tea that is sure to please any palate. Made with only premium South African honeybush tea and true bergamot the taste is a distinct Earl Grey that will become a staple in your day. Perfect for a treat, or to satisfy the sweet tooth of the sugar lover in your home.

Tasters Review:

“How good could this be?”   I asked myself as I opened the package and took my first sniff.  Well, it smelled like Earl Grey and Honeybush…but was it going to be an “average” EG imposter?

The answer was NO.  This was NOT average!  This was above the rim of anything I thought it could be!  The product name and description couldn’t be any more accurate!  It’s PURE Honeybush and Earl.  I ended up REALLY liking the Earl Grey paired with the Honeybush and think more companies should try this combo.  But I will give you a heads-up…it will be hard to beat as Red Leaf Tea hit this one out of the ballpark!

This is certainly one of the better nontraditional EG’s I have had and I LOVE the fact that Red Leaf Tea is schooling so many other companies to think outside the box when it comes to different Earl-Offerings!  They have a great selection of everything from traditional to “out there”…and I for one…LOVE the ones in left field!  Great job, Red Leaf!  Great job!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Fusion Tea Room

Product Description:

Close your eyes and smell the aroma of this fantastic Honeybush tea. It will instantly take you back to all the celebrations you have had while enjoying a piece of decadent chocolate cake. Honeybush is the perfect pair with this type of flavor. The simple refreshing taste of the honeybush stands aside to let the chocolate chips and caramel cream pieces take center stage. The rose petals offer a very light floral taste that is also a decorative touch. Impress your guests or simply enjoy this with your sweetheart.

Taster’s Review:

Does anyone remember the Bill Cosby routine when he talked about having to fix his kids breakfast one morning, and he fed them all chocolate cake?  Every time I think of chocolate cake, I always hear that song in my head:  “Dad is great, give us chocolate cake.”  As I brewed this tisane, I was singing that song!  (Fortunately, nobody was around)

This tisane tastes delightful.  Chocolate and caramel … oh my!  The honeybush base is sweet and slightly nutty, which seems to play to the cake-y flavor.  The caramel seems to be more of a background flavor, but it adds a nice sweetness and interesting dimension of rich, creamy flavor.  I can even taste a very subtle hint of rose.

Because honeybush tends to be a somewhat thinner bodied tisane, I find myself really appreciating the addition of the caramel and rose.  They add interest and depth to what otherwise might be a rather thin-tasting cuppa.

But when it comes right down to the subject of chocolate cake – what really matters is the chocolate.  Am I right?  And I am loving the chocolate-y taste in this tisane.  It is sweet and decadent.  To get the most chocolate out of this tisane, I recommend steeping it for a minimum of eight minutes (longer if you can).  Honeybush lacks the tannins of tea leaves so it won’t get bitter, no matter how long you brew it.  And the longer it steeps, the more chocolate-y it becomes!  Let it steep for 10 – 12 minutes and you have some serious chocolate-y deliciousness in a teacup!

Apricot Amaretto is part of the Herbal Retreat Collection from Tea Forté

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush & Rooibos

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

A double delight of sweet apricot and juicy peach with nuanced notes of almond, artfully evoking Saronno, Italy, the birthplace of amaretto. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.

Taster’s Review:

Recently, I was asked to review the newest collection of herbal teas from Tea Forté, called Herbal Retreat.  This blend is one of those herbal teas, and so far, I think it’s my favorite.

There is a really nice balance of flavors between the honeybush and rooibos.  I can taste the nutty flavors that accent the almond flavor of the amaretto well without tasting the weird sweet taste of the rooibos.  A sweet honey-esque tone in the background from the honeybush.

But what I taste more than anything is the apricot!  It is sweet and tastes like a fresh, juicy apricot.  It’s very nectar-like.  There are hints of peach as well as almond, but the apricot is definitely the main event in this cup.  It is smooth and sweet and delicious.  And it’s naturally caffeine free, so it’s great for a late-night treat.

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Product Description:

Yeah, we went there. And I’m going to warn you guys now, I DO not have all of the ingredients I need to reblend this one right now–though I imagine I will be ordering them soon–so don’t drag your feet or you’re going to miss out on something incredible.

We took our caffeine-free African honeybush and blended it with organic cinnamon chips and natural flavors (including the essences of butter, brown sugar and cream cheese frosting to name a few). This is the real deal: You’ll swear someone just baked a batch of ooey-gooey cinnamon rolls.

Taster’s Review:

Yep… another amazing blend that proves that Frank is the best at what he does.  This is so good!  It tastes like a fresh, warm cinnamon roll from the cinnamon roll stand at the mall… liquified!   But this is even better because this cinnamon roll won’t make you feel like you need to go jogging afterward.

The honeybush base is perfect for this blend.  It is sweet and just a little bit nutty, and together with the butter flavor it tastes a bit like a pastry!  It is a mild background for these flavors, and because it’s naturally caffeine-free, it makes the perfect late-night snack when you’re craving something sweet.

The cinnamon is warm and spicy.  It isn’t a spicy-hot cinnamon.  The essence of brown sugar combined with the cinnamon gives this tisane a flavor that is very much like the filling of a cinnamon roll:  sweet and spiced just right.   The cream cheese flavoring just pushes this over the top – making it creamy, sweet, and oh-so-sinful!

This one sold out quickly … and I can see why.  It’s AWESOME!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Product Description:

I think it’s about time for another Honeybush blend, and not just any honeybush blend, but a CHEESECAKE honeybush blend. I fully expect this blend is going to be every bit as popular or more popular than our Coconut Cheesecake Honeybush, so don’t drag your feet about ordering this one; I used up the LAST of our honeybush creating it, and I’m still waiting on my supplier–whose shipment is stuck in customs at the moment.

We’ve blended our organic caffeine-free African honeybush with organic lemon myrtle, some marigold petals and all natural flavors to create a truly mouth-watering batch of deliciousness. The scent of this blend alone is enough to send some folks into paroxysms of joy, but the flavor is beyond stunning. Hot or iced, this is a serious TREAT.

Taster’s Review:

OK, by now it’s no secret that I love 52Teas.  But I think it goes a little further than that.  I am addicted to 52Teas, and Frank is my dealer.  Frank and his tea company, 52Teas, is total tea awesomeness!  And this Lemon-Lime Cheesecake Honeybush is absolute deliciousness!

I can’t recall ever actually tasting a lemon-lime cheesecake.  But, here, I can taste the lemon and the lime.  I can taste the cheesecake.  And I can even taste the buttery pastry.  The nutty sweet honeybush marries perfectly with the flavors to complete the cheesecake-like profile.  This is what lemon-lime cheesecake SHOULD taste like.

YUM!

As I write this, there are only 4 pouches of this tisane left in stock… I highly recommend getting some before they run out!

Herbal Retreat from Tea Forté

Tea Information: 

Leaf Type:  Rooibos & Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

A tropical oasis of lush citrus with refreshing notes of spearmint and the natural sweetness of high-mountain grown South African rooibos. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.

Ingredients:   organic honeybush, organic spearmint leaves, organic orange peel, organic rooibos, organic sunflower petals, natural flavors

Taster’s Review:

This tisane from Tea Forté is part of the “Herbal Retreat” collection – a beautifully boxed set of elegant pyramid sachets or “single steeps.”  What’s a single steep, you ask?  Well, not long ago, I reviewed one of my favorite tea products of all time, the KATI tumbler.  The single steeps were made to go along with the KATI tumbler, and they are loose leaf teas and tisanes that are packaged with just the right amount of tea in each package for a single steep in the KATI tumbler.  I love these single steeps because they offer the ultimate convenience with no measuring and no fuss, but I still get to enjoy the quality of loose leaf tea.  And you can be sure the next time I’m planning a trip, I am going to get myself some of these single steeps so that I can bring loose leaf with me and not have to settle for those horrible tea bags provided by the hotel.

But I digress…  I’m supposed to be telling you more about this Mojito Marmalade.  This is a rooibos/honeybush blend.  The aroma of the dry leaf has a pleasant minty note and a citrus-y tone.  I can smell nutty hints from the rooibos and honeybush as well, but these aren’t as strong as the orange and spearmint.

The brewed liquor is sweet with a tangy orange flavor.  What’s really interesting to me is that this really does taste like marmalade.  It has that candied orange peel taste to it.  The taste is so spot-on that I can almost feel the texture of the marmalade as I sip this.

While spearmint can be a very dominating flavor, I like that here it is more of an accent flavor rather than the main focus.  That is not to say that the flavor of the mint is muted – not at all!  But, it isn’t so aggressive that it overpowers the sweet marmalade-y taste that I’m enjoying.

The rooibos and honeybush are tastes that are less apparent, and I sometimes catch myself trying to taste it.  There are faint notes of sweet, nutty tones, and there is a slight woody tone toward the finish.  The aftertaste is sweet with a tart citrus note.  It even tingles a little bit on the tongue!

This just may be my favorite tisane from Tea Forté to date.  It’s really delicious!

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Rooibos & Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

The sunny scent of fresh picked citrus complemented by the comfort and taste of ginger with a lingering finish of the topics.

Taster’s Review:

I was a little worried about steeping this single steep in my KATI tumbler for fear that the thin, needle-like leaves of the rooibos would filter through the mesh infuser basket.  But I am happy to report that no rooibos leaves (or any other particles) managed to fall through the basket!  Yay!

Prior to infusing this tisane, I could smell the lime and kiwi very prominently, with mere hints of ginger lingering in the background.  It was a little surprising, actually, as ginger tends to be a very aggressive spice that often overthrows the other ingredients in a tisane blend.  And while I do enjoy ginger, I am glad that I could smell the lime and especially the kiwi here.

The aroma that I’m experiencing after brewing is slightly medicinal.  I can still smell the citrus notes, and a softer note of kiwi.  While it does smell slightly medicinal (sort of like eucalyptus), it isn’t exactly off-putting – but it does give me cause to approach it somewhat apprehensively.

This is tasty!  The lime and kiwi are prominent in the flavor, as is the ginger.  It is only mildly peppery, and it is a very pleasing contrast to the sweet kiwi flavor and the tangy lime.  The combination of the honeybush and the rooibos provides a nice background – one that is nutty and slightly sweet.  It melds well with the other flavors of the cup.

Another winner from the Herbal Retreat Collection from Tea Forté!