I love black tea with unusual combinations of spices, so I was very excited to try Arabian Kismet from Swallowtail Tea. This is a blend based around orange pekoe special Assam black tea with added sage and cardamom.
The full flavors of the black tea itself pair perfectly with the fresh and earthy sage, and the sweet and mellow cardamom. This is one of those teas that will work for any occasion. It has classic black tea for those staunch pekoe drinkers and a little bit of spice for chai lovers. But without the classic chai spices like cinnamon and ginger, this tea is much more versatile and unexpected.
Sage always makes me think of Thanksgiving, so this feels very much like a fall tea to me. The cardamom helps that image, bringing up spicy visions of the upcoming winter spice cookies. This tea smells like a classic kitchen or herb garden, but its flavor combination in a tea blend is a new and exciting change of pace for me. Great for breakfast or afternoon, or anytime you want to feel a little cozy and a little dreamy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Swallowtail Tea
Description:
This delightful blend of Assam, sage, and cardamom might make you believe in Kismet after all.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Marshmallow Assam from 52Teas. . . .
Let’s talk about campfires for a sec. (Stay with me, this is going somewhere.)
It’s a summer night. You’re sitting around a crackling fire with friends. Lightning bugs are buzzing around, filling the dusk with a whimsical twinkly glow. The smoky woodsiness of the fire fills the air, and you’re blessed out on late-summer good vibes.
And what else has to be there? (This isn’t an easy one, friends.) Toasted marshmallows, of COURSE. And what do you do when you can’t be living in this midsummer fairytale? You sip this tea, of course.
This Assam is bold and malty, as they should be– but it also perfectly captures the perfect, spun-sugar-vanilla flavor of marshmallows. Beyond that, it brings that delightfully toasted, starchy flavor of a toasted marshmallow straight to the surface (especially when served with cream) in a way that’s way more layered than just aspddinf vanilla to a tea and calling it “marshmallow”. 52 Teas has truly knocked it out of the park with this one. If you’re a marshmallow lover (or a campfire enthusiast, as I so clearly am), this one needs to live in your cabinet!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Assam Black Tea by Mana Organics
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mana Organics
Description
A brisk tea with a malty, honey-sweet aroma followed deep character of taste and a pleasant pungency that will please even the most discerning of palates.Only Tippy Golden Flower Orange Pekoe Premier Grade (TGFOP1) Assam tea direct from our family’s estate, Chota Tingrai. Healthier for you and the environment thanks to our USDA certified organic practices. Packed onsite in re-sealable bag so you get that garden-fresh taste again and again. Tastes, smells, and looks so delicious that we got an award in the Global Tea Championship 2017
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mayfair by Bruu Tea. . .A Monthly Tea Subscription Box
This tea came from the February 2017 Tea Club box from Bruu Tea. Unfortunately I got a little backlogged due to a hellish couple of months. While this tea is not for sale on the website, it may be in the near future.
Thanks to the card I have a little more information on this blend:
A careful blend of Assam and Kenyan black teas are mixed with a sprinkle of calming Safflower petals to produce a wonderful, full bodied tasting tea with a slight mellow astringency. It’s a high-class breakfast tea that should be savoured and enjoyed. Origin: Assam, India (2016 2nd flush) and Kericho, Kenya (2016) grown 6500ft above sea level.
Opening the packet I see the leaves are small and loosely chopped with bright red safflower petals scattered throughout. It bares a strong, sour wood scent.
Brewing Instructions: 1tsp – 100C – 3 minutes
Once steeped the tea is burnt red/orange in colour and bares a sour wood scent, similar to it’s raw form.
The first few sips reveal a rich body with some sourness and a dry finish. Pleasant enough without milk nor sweetener.
The dry aftertaste increases to become moderate, which is perhaps the most negative aspect of the tea. The sour wood is nice though and has some natural sweetness.
It’s a nice, strong tea but I think a splash of milk is probably for the best. It’s too dry for me but the strength is desirable so it just needs a little help to be a great tea. This would be perfect for a breakfast tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Bruu Tea (Mayfair is not currently for sale)
Description:
A high-class breakfast tea that should be savoured. A luxury blend of Assam and Kenyan black tea that is produced at over 6500ft above sea level.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nutty Healthy Butter Pecan Tea Hand Crafted by BlendBee. . .Pecan Assam
This blend is interesting…and healthy! I like healthy teas, who doesn’t? The product description says that it includes black tea, milk thistle seed, dandelion root, eleuthero root, and butter pecan flavor. I was really curious about what all these healthy ingredients do and what they would taste like. Apparently, milk thistle seed is mild and nutty and detoxes, dandelion root is earthy and nutty and also is good for detoxing, and eleuthero root is mild and sweet and is good for detoxification as well. My assessment: this tea is great if you’re looking to detox and also seems to be a good source of energy.
Smelling the dry leaf, I could definitely smell the nuttiness from the herbs and flavoring. Smelling the brewed liquid, marzipan came to mind. I am going to attribute that to butter pecan flavoring. I would describe this tea as woodsy, nutty, light, sweet, and buttery. I think it definitely embraced butter pecan flavor, but also added to it with the sweet and nutty flavors of the herbs.
It’s really interesting because healthy teas do not generally taste good. Oftentimes they taste quite medicinal and you kind of have to gulp them down and then move on. With this blend, I actually enjoyed drinking it. The sweet, nutty, and buttery flavors reminded me of butter pecan ice cream with a hint of woodsy herbs. I definitely recommend this blend whether you are looking for a healthy concoction to drink or not. If you are looking for a detox tea, this is definitely one of the better tasting options for sure. But, if you just want something yummy to give you a boost of energy, this tea with deliver.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Filled with roots & seeds designed to help cleanse your body and soul. This butter pecan infused Black Assam Tea will be the perfect go to tea after a night of fun, or anytime you want a pick me up.