Cotton Candy/The NecessiTeas- VariaTEA-

I have heard such amazing things about this tea. It seems to be loved by so many people on Instagram and it has taken years for me to get my hands on some since it always seems to be sold out. However, our sister, CuppaGeek came through for me with a sample of this tea.

I brewed the sample per the NecessiTeas recommended steeping parameters. I steeped the tea in boiling water for 5 minutes. The smell of cotton candy filled the air.

I think it is safe to say that given the hype and the smell, I had pretty high expectations going in. Unfortunately, it did fall a bit short for me. It’s top note is definitely a sugary candy. It could be cotton candy but it could also be pixie sticks. It’s a nostalgic flavor. However, it is not the only flavor. There is a lot more fruitiness here that I did not expect. Under the sugary top note, I am getting a lot of the apple flavor. That apple flavor is a touch waxy and thus distracting.

At the end of the day, this has a bunch of potential and I can definitely see why people enjoy it. However, I would want to explore some other steeping parameters and brewing techniques to coax out more of the cotton candy while toning down the fruitier notes.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Herbal/Fruit Tisane

Where to Buy:  The NecessiTeas

Description

Ohh Sugar Sugar

Cotton Candy reminds me of the county fair. The long strands of pink and blue spun sugar are a special treat. My kids and I have always been fans of the sugary novelty which inspired me to create a tea blend that would be just as delicious and sweet.

 

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Cinnamon Plum Berry Organic Botanical Blend/Storehouse Tea

Tart hibiscus and zesty cinnamon join forces with sweet plums and currants to form Storehouse Tea’s Cinnamon Plum Berry. The result is a very spicy brew with juicy notes in the background. It’s basically a berry chai.

The smell is delicious; however, the resulting drink doesn’t do it for me.

I was hoping for sweetness with a dash of spice — perhaps like a mulled cider — but the spices are like 90% of the flavor.

If spice is your jam, though, this might be the one for you!


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Storehouse Tea

Description

Currants, succulent hibiscus, hints of plum, cinnamon and naturally sweet licorice root create a warm, full bodied and soothing Organic, caffeine free tea. Perfect served hot or brewed as mulled tea.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Limoncello from The NecessiTeas. . . .

When I started up the kettle I had a plan. I was going to brew up Magic Potion by DAVIDsTEA, get a cool timelapse video for my #365daysoftea challenge, and write a kickass review about the tea and its magical color changing effects. Although I can say that it was pretty to see the rich blue of the butterfly pea flower give way to a deep purple when mixed with lemon juice, I have to say everything else was a bit of a mess. The timelapse wasn’t all that interesting and the tea was undrinkable as a result of my distaste for stevia. I scrapped my first tea plan and went for something else I thought I might enjoy more…Limoncello by the NecessiTeas.

I steeped two perfect teaspoons of the dry leaf in a 16 ounce mug. I brewed the tea for 5 minutes in 200F water, per the recommended steeping parameters.

I have to say, after the disaster that was Magic Potion, this tea felt like making a new friend after being stood up on a first date. My first attempt at a tasty evening tea may have been a bit of a disaster but this tea was there to pick up the pieces.

The lemon is front and center – crisp and true to the fruit without being bitter or overly sour. I think that is due to the combination of lemongrass, which is a bit more savory than lemon, and lemon peels which bring the bright lemon zest flavor. What surprised me as I drank is that this tea has a lot more body than just a typical lemon tea. I think the addition of the brown sugar gives this an almost baked good vibe and that is where the body and richness is coming from. Moreover, the tea has a bit of a vanilla creaminess. I should say that in light of my description, this tea that has body and cream is not at all heavy and in that sense “lemon meringue” feels like an accurate description.

All in all, I quite enjoyed this tea. It is both new and different from teas I’ve had and yet at the same time it feels very familiar. I would most definitely classify this as a dessert tea but not one that is overly sweet, which is surprising given there is sugar right in the leaf.

Ultimately, this tea might have been the second tea I grabbed but it is by no means anyone’s second choice.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green Rooibos
Where to Buy:  The NecessiTeas
Description

The Italian dessert drink has made its way into a tea. Imagine lemon meringue teasing your taste buds, while sweetly melting in your mouth with a blend of vanilla and brown sugars. The lemony brightness shines through with lemongrass and a sprinkling of golden marigold petals, all topping a green rooibos tea.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Heavenly Hazelnut from BlendBee. . . .

“ A rich and decadent blend that will leave you euphoric!” Interesting. I’d like to be left euphoric!!! Today really isn’t the best day I don’t really feel great and i’m just really tired and kind of cranky. So, naturally, I will turn to tea to give me some relaxation and happiness. I am a stay at home mom to a beautiful and lovely 8 month old baby and it’s tough and really weighs down on you. But anyways, tea usually brings me some peace….especially Blendbee. Not only does Blendbee deliver great taste but the teas also have many added health benefits and they are all listed on the packaging. For Heavenly Hazelnut, it looks like some of the benefits are easing of stomach ailments, immune system support, and eases allergies and helps to cure colds. Sign me up!! This is perfect for me for today because for some reason i’m feeling slightly sick. Maybe this will help.

I brewed up a nice mug of this tea and snuggled into the couch while my daughter played with her toys and made cute cooing noises (I love babies!). The first thing I noticed about this blend was that I wasn’t smelling hazelnut in the dry leaf. I could, however, smell it in the steeped liquid. Oh, yum! Yes this is definitely heavenly! So heavenly, so hazelnut, so vanilla, so relaxing. I am officially euphoric! This tea totally lived up to its name and description. It’s creamy and sweet, with notes of vanilla. It’s nutty and earthy, with notes of hazelnut and honeybush. I am just sipping this down, drinking and breathing it in! The delectable taste mixed with the health benefits IS euphoric. I will totally recommend this blend 100 times over, but I also really recommend the company. They have other great teas and I just love the cute packaging and the fact that they are health-conscious. Definitely give them a try!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Honeybush
Where to Buy:  BlendBee
Description

A delightful and highly beneficial Honeybush tea blend. Paired with rich ingredients like Chicory Root and Carob Bean. Rounded out with super nutritious Agrimony Herb and infused with exquisite and nutty Hazelnut & Vanilla extracts.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sunset in Seattle from Market Spice. . . . .

Wow! This tea is so cool tasting. It tastes like cream soda. Ingredients include rosehips, vanilla, chamomile, spearmint, raspberry, lemon grass, hyssop and herbs. This blend is very soothing, and very mellow. The taste is so unique and interesting. I want to keep taking another sip because there is just so much going on and I want to keep trying to figure it out. I can see why this tea has won awards and is a “fan favorite” at Market Spice

The first thing I noticed was that it smelled really sweet, so I skipped the agave (this is happening a lot lately! So unusual for me). I’m glad I went without sweetener because naturally it is already sweet enough. The second thing I noticed was vanilla and herbal flavor- spearmint, chamomile, and lemongrass. I could taste the raspberry at the end- but it really just added extra sweetness and nothing tart, which is great in my opinion because I don’t like tart. When I saw spearmint and lemongrass in the ingredients, I got nervous because I really dislike anything minty or lemony. I found that these ingredients were not overpowering and I quite enjoyed the little symphony they created, even if I don’t generally enjoy them on their own.

One thing I would like to mention- as a breastfeeding mother I am apparently not supposed to ingest the herb “hyssop”. It also shouldn’t be ingested if you are on any kinds of medications, like antidepressants. I realized this after I had finished about half the mug. Once I read the warnings on a few different medical sites, I dumped the remaining tea (sadly, because I really wanted to drink it). Please check with your doctor (or at least google interactions) before ingesting any herbs, it can be really dangerous. However- if you aren’t breastfeeding, pregnant, or on medications- go ahead and enjoy! This blend is dang good!


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Herbal
Where to Buy:  Market Spice
Description

One of our sweetest and most popular herbal teas, Sunset in Seattle is a blend utilizing a myriad of herbs that are soothing and mellow. Ingredients: Rosehips, Vanilla, Chamomile, Spearmint, Raspberry, Lemon Grass, Hyssop and herbs. Contains no sugar and is caffeine free.
This tea is a 3rd place winner in the North American Tea Championship for Flavored Herbal Blends category.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!