Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black/Oolong
Where to Buy: Verdant Tea
Tea Description:
This blend is inspired by the connection we see between fine chocolate and fine tea. Our Laoshan Black and Wuyi Big Red Robe have strong natural notes of cacao that we wanted to bring out and play with. The end result is a rich, sweet and sparkling brew that brings out the best in both the tea, supported by the cacao nibs. Marigold provides a richness that complements the sweet flavors of chamomile, cinnamon and fennel, while the mint gives just enough of a clean sparkle to counterbalance the flavor of raw cacao. Enjoy this curious brew hot or cold and add a touch of buckwheat honey for a real treat.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Thanks to my SororiTea Sister TheLastDodo for the sample! I’ve actually been quite curious about this one for a while (pun not intended), but Verdant isn’t a company I’ve had much chance to explore and I’m wary of blends with chamomile so getting the chance to try a small quantity of this one was just perfect!
The dry leaf smells faintly of milk chocolate, and has even fainter fennel and mint notes as well. I know from the ingredients list that the mint in this blend is Spearmint; but based on scent I wouldn’t be able to differentiate.
Steeped this one up hot; it’s a lot softer than I expected and very, very smooth. The chocolate is the focus here and it’s accented quite nicely by the cinnamon and the fennel which are subtle but add a delicate, sweet spicyness. The natural malt from the Laoshan Black is delicious; and the spearmint creeps in right at the finish to add a lovely, refreshing coolness. Also, thankfully, I can’t taste the chamomile!
All in all, this was a great tea! It had a rich flavour, but not an in your face one and with the chocolate and mint pairing it made me think of a really fancy, well executed tea version of an After Eight chocolate. Mmm!
Storm In A Teacup Herbal Tea from Cupan Tae
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal/Tisane
Where to Buy: Cupan Tae
Tea Description:
A stormy, spicy herbal blend with a breeze of anise taste.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This one has a very, very pronounced dry aroma; the leaf practically oozes with the scent of sweet, black licorice! Not licorice root or anise, mind you, but black licorice. While I have no problem with either anise or licorice root – I love black licorice and I’ve found few teas that convey it well.
That love for black licorice probably comes from my Grandpa; before he passed that was his absolute favourite self indulgent treat in the world. He kept huge tins of licorice allsorts by his lazy boy that he’d snack on during Blue Jays games, and he’d buy black jellybeans in bulk and sometimes he’d just let me grab big greedy hand fulls of from the tins. It’s a really good memory I have of him from when I was a child and the smell of the dry leaf of this tea is making me so nostalgic for it. I know there’s not actually black licorice in the blend and it’s a trick that the fennel, combined with the aniseed, is playing on me. But I’m gonna try and be willfully blind to that; because I want this to taste like black licorice.
Hmm, now that this one’s steeped up there’s a very thick, powdery white residue all along the inside of my mug and I can’t figure out why – I’ve never had that issue with any of the listed ingredients I’m familiar with – and the only one I’m not familiar with is ribwort, so unless it’s from the ribwort I can’t explain it. It’s annoying though; almost as bad as gross melted down chocolate goop from blends that use chocolate chips instead of nibs or shells.
Steeped up, sadly, it doesn’t taste like black licorice though. Not in the same way it smells like it, anyway. I do get heavy doses of both fennel and anise flavour which is sweet and delicious, but it’s fairly overtaken by a very dominating savory, herbaceous note and then milder notes of peppermint and a supple fruit note that I suppose could be apple like is listed in the ingredients. Visually I didn’t see any apple in my measured out tea leaf though. That strong savory note tastes very, very weird to me; and I’m wondering if that’s the ribwort leaves. I’ve never had another tea with ribwort leaves and after a very quick Google search I’ve learned that apparently they can have a mushroomy flavour. I have really, really minimal exposure to what mushrooms taste like given that I am pretty allergic to them; any time I’ve had them it’s been really involuntary and, upon realizing I’ve ingested them I’ve had much more pressing things on my mind other than the flavour.
It’s a fascinating experience for me even if it’s not the one I expected to be having and in that regard I’m a little disappointed this isn’t as black licorice-y as I wanted it to be but I also know I was projecting unfair expectations onto the tea. It’s definitely not a bad tea; just so weird. Am I actually tasting mushrooms!? I’d honestly be interested in going back and having this one all over again; I feel like without the expectation of a more licorice-y tea I might be more observant of the herbaceous qualities that are present. Overall, surprisingly sweet and savory!
Body Tea from NudiTea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: NudiTea
Tea Description:
Take control of your weight with our natural body blend. The rich combination of hawthorn berries, dandelion root and fennel actively assist in burning excess fat and reducing fat storage in the body throughout the day and into the night. This delicious brew also helps suppress your appetite, reducing those pesky cravings. This is the perfect aid to help you look good in the nude.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said before, I have my reservations about teas that claim to help you lose weight. I have never drank a tea based on its health claims, I drink tea because I love tea.
So, I won’t be reviewing this Body Tea from NudiTea based upon what it claims it can or cannot do. I’ll be reviewing it based on what it tastes like.
The dry leaf smells very herbaceous, a bit like an herb garden. The brewed liquid has kind of a weird smell. It’s not the most appetizing smell, either. It’s unfortunate to me because I usually inhale the fragrance of a tea before sipping and this generally enhances the overall experience. Since I’m not digging this scent, I don’t want to deeply inhale the fragrance and I feel like part of the experience is lost.
As for the taste: it’s actually kind of tasty. I’m surprised to say it! I might not enjoy the aroma of the brewed tisane but the flavor is quite pleasant.
I love the warmth of the fennel and I am enjoying the way the five ingredients – Alfalfa, hawthorn berries, dandelion root, fennel and nettle – interact with each other. It’s a warm and comforting beverage. Not really spicy but there is some warmth from the fennel, as I said, and while it does have somewhat of an herbaceous taste, given the ingredients, I expected it to taste a little more herby than it actually does. There seems to be a palatable balance of flavors in this tisane.
As I said at the start, I’m skeptical about any claims of weight loss that a tea might make. But, if I were going to try to embark upon a weight-loss-by-tea regime, I wouldn’t mind making this particular tea part of my daily routine. It’s actually quite pleasant and it’s surprises me just how much I’m enjoying this!
Fenouil Tisane from Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Description:
Fennel, magical blend of flavors! Who can resist its sweet anise, its sweet and sugary notes? It is a symphony of flavors of the South, who said at first sip and do not easily forget. This is indeed the mark of a great deceiver.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I absolutely LOVE the aroma of this tea. Licorice! Love! The dry leaf has a stronger fragrance than the brewed liquid (not surprising) but they both smell absolutely amazing.
I steeped the bag at 195°F for 8 minutes and while it was steeping, I enjoyed the delightful licorice aroma that filled the kitchen. Fennel is not an herb that I usually keep in the kitchen, mostly because I’m the only person in this household that enjoys its sweet, licorice-y taste. I used to keep it on hand back when I was blending my own tea blends (it was one of the ingredients of my Masterpiece Chai blends), but since I closed my business, I haven’t had much need to keep it around anymore since, as I said, I’m the only one who really likes it here, and when I’m cooking, I’m cooking for more than just me.
So, it was a real treat to have this tea and enjoy the smell of fennel in the house again! Although, I have to admit that I have never actually had a cup of infused, 100% fennel before. I’ve had it in teas and tisanes as part of a blend before, but never have I consumed a 100% fennel infusion before.
But it’s really tasty! It tastes like black licorice, and since I’m a huge fan of black licorice, I’m loving every sip of this Fenouil Tisane from Les 2 Marmottes. It’s sweet – almost sugary sweet – and it doesn’t have quite as much sharpness or snap as the black licorice that I’m fond of generally has. This is a “softer” version of black licorice … black licorice’s sweeter younger sibling.
But it is very enjoyable. I found it to be very soothing – this would make a great tisane to reach for if you’ve an upset stomach. If you’re not particularly fond of the taste of black licorice, you probably won’t enjoy this either. But if you like black licorice, you’d really enjoy this tisane.
Spring Fever Oolong Blend from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
This tea blend features the lively taste of a bright green oolong with spring flavours including citrus, berries and a hint of fennel
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Spring Fever Oolong Blend from Shanti Tea is a lovely celebration of spring in a teacup. I have often said that my favorite season is autumn because I prefer the cooler weather (I find that hot teas just seem to taste better when it’s chilly outside), but after as many cold, wet days as we’ve had here in the Pacific Northwest (NorthWET) lately, I find myself longing for a little warmer weather. And the bright, sunny flavors in this tea seem to be expressing those desires for me.
The Oolong is smooth and silky, with a light buttery texture and a sweet, floral tone. The citrus and berry flavors complement the Oolong base nicely. The citrus brightens the cup with its sunny flavor, and the berry tastes sweet with just a hint of tart. The osmanthus enhances the natural peach-y notes of the Oolong, and I can taste that in the background too.
There’s a really lovely, warm undertone of fennel. It’s snappy and spicy but it doesn’t overpower the cup, instead, it offers a gently warm, spiced flavor that is pleasantly understated. The medley of flavors simply works. It’s a little warm and spicy, it’s a little sweet and juicy from the fruit notes, it’s soft and buttery from the Oolong with notes of flower in the distance. It’s a really beautiful harmony of complex notes.
And because this is an Oolong, that means that it’s good for at least a couple of infusions (if not more!) The second infusion was creamier than the first, the buttery notes of the Oolong are really coming through at this point. The fruit notes are more melded now, tasting like a hybrid fruit of citrus and berry rather than distinct, individual fruits. The fennel is not as pronounced in this cup, the warmth and licorice-y sweetness still lingers in the background but it’s a very soft flavor.
The third infusion proved to be still quite flavorful. I’m surprised that I’m still experiencing strong fruit notes of citrus and berry. As in the second cup, these two flavors are melded together to taste like a citrus-y berry fruit, but the fruit notes are still going strong. The Oolong is soft and smooth, not quite as creamy as the second but still offers a silky, luxurious texture. The fennel is more of an afterthought now, offering some warm background notes but it’s no longer an obvious note.
Overall, this was a very lovely flavored Oolong. Usually, an Oolong is quite delicious, flavorful and complex on its own (without the flavoring), but I liked the dimension the flavors added to this Spring Fever Oolong! Two thumbs up.