Keep reading to learn how you can win TWO bags of Greek Mountain Tea and a mug from Klío™!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Klío™
Tea Description:
Greek Mountain tea (pronounced “Tsy-Too-VooNoo” in Greek, accent on the “voo”) is made from the dried flowers, leaves and stems of the native Sideritis plant which grows throughout the mountainous regions of Greece at very high elevations – typically over 3,000 feet. It is known for its high levels of antioxidants and contains large amounts of essential oils and more than 60 other compounds, including saponines, flavonoids and polyphenols.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a bit apprehensive (and yet, excited!) to try this tea/tisane. To my recollection, I haven’t yet tried Tsai Tou VouNou – or Greek Mountain Tea – so I didn’t know what to expect from the flavor.
The dry leaf aroma is interesting. It’s herbaceous, earthy and somewhat floral. I am picking up on hints of something that makes me think “eucalyptus.” The appearance of the dry leaf reminds me (as a tea drinker) of a White Yabao type tea. Or perhaps a Yabao with lots of LARGE white silver needle tea leaves. The leaves feel like a silver needle too, they’re soft and covered with a fluffy down-like fuzz.
Because this tea is totally new to me, I decided to check out the brewing parameters recommended by Klio. I figured, hey, if I want to adjust it after that, I can always brew another pot. But for now, I thought it was a reasonable and maybe even a good idea to go with the people who know this tea just a bit better than I. From what I could gather from the brewing instructions on the back of the pouch, it looks like I should boil the tea leaves in a pot on the stove for 3 – 5 minutes and then allow to steep for an additional 3 – 5 minutes. OK.
So, I grabbed a small pan and brought 12 ounces of water to a near boil and then tossed in a “small handful of flowers and stems” (as stated in the instructions) into the pan and then I allowed this to come to a boil and boiled for 3 minutes. Then I covered the pan and took it off the heat. I allowed it to steep an additional 3 minutes.
I let the tea cool for a few minutes before taking my first sip. This was mostly out of fear of what I was about to taste more than it was out of fear of scalding my taste buds. Finally, I plucked up the courage and took that first sip. Then I took another. And another. Hmm … this isn’t so bad.
It’s actually pretty tasty!
It has a distinct herbaceous quality to the flavor. It’s sweet and a little grassy, with notes of earthiness. Notes of a lemon-y flavor. It has a little bit of a honey-esque note to it. It’s a warm taste, not abundantly “spicy” but it has a warmth to it that reminds me a little bit of sage.
It’s quite unique from anything I’ve tasted before, but at the same time, the herb-y flavors taste somewhat familiar. It’s a comforting and cozy drink, I feel it warming me inside and there’s more to it:
It has a very soothing quality to it too, as I sip it, I feel it relax me from the inside out. I have anxiety disorder and I feel the anxiety starting to slip away as I sip this, WOW! I really like that. I feel the anxiety leaving my body. I like that I can accomplish that while drinking something that is pleasant to taste.
I highly recommend trying this – it’s something that is well-regarded in Greece for it’s health benefits. Here’s something that I found on the Greek Medicine website:
Shepherd’s Tea is a very warming, stimulating beverage most known for its beneficial effects on the upper respiratory tract in relieving coughs and lung congestion. It also benefits the stomach and digestion, as well as the immune system. Scientific studies have shown that Shepherd’s Tea has considerable immunomodulatory activity in reducing excessive inflammation and edema, as well as antimicrobial activity. Shepherd’s Tea also relieves mild anxiety and contains many antioxidants.
Overall, I’ve had a very enjoyable experience with this tea from Klio! And check this out … you can WIN some of this amazing tea!
GIVEAWAY
This week’s giveaway comes to us courtesy of Klío™! They are offering a very generous prize package: TWO bags of Greek Mountain Tea plus a mug!
How to enter: It’s simple, just comment on this blog post! Include in the comment a way for me to get in touch with you if you’re the lucky winner!
Bonus entries: And of course, we’ll offer you a way to get bonus entries in this giveaway!
- Follow us on twitter!
- Follow Klio on Twitter!
- Tweet about this contest. Be sure to include #SororiTeaSister and #KlioGiveaway in the tweet so I can see it.
You’ll get a bonus entry for each of these.
This contest will run through December 4th. I will contact the winner on December 5th to obtain shipping information that will be forwarded on to Klio.
Good luck!
Karigane #22 from Tea Wing
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Wing
Tea Description:
A blend of stems and leaves which are shaded 20 days prior to harvest. This kabuse is naturally sweet and bright with a beautiful aroma. The shaded leaves are a deep green and the steeped liquor yield has an almost “chewy” mouthfeel. Lots of flavor.
Read other Steepster thoughts on this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Karigane #22 from Tea Wing represents the third of the five teas that I’m tasting from the inaugural Steepster Select box. (Well, it’s the first after a year plus hiatus, anyway!)
The aroma of the dry leaf is grassy, evocative of freshly cut grass. I noticed a lot of stems and finely cut leaves, looking as though both have been finely shredded, reminding me of a Japanese Sencha. The brewed tea smells very vegetative … and tastes vegetative too.
The flavor tastes of sweet grass and lightly buttered vegetables. It is a strong vegetal taste, so if you’re one who tends to shy away from green teas with that strong leafy taste, this tea might not be the one for you. Me, I like it. It has a very clean and pure kind of flavor, and it’s pleasantly invigorating.
As the tea cools slightly, I am picking up on some creamy notes, and I find that these creamy notes develop as I continue to sip. Maybe slightly buttery, but also … tasting of sweet cream.
The finish is agreeably sweet, and it’s a sweetness that reminds me of agave nectar! At first I thought that maybe, somehow … I had added some agave nectar to the cup, but, since there isn’t any agave nectar in the house at the moment, I don’t know how that would have happened.
A very enjoyable cup of tea with a thick, brothy mouthfeel that complements the vegetal, creamy taste of the tea. Another WIN from Steepster Select! If you haven’t yet signed up for it, why not? You should get yourself here and sign up as soon as possible! You’ll be happy you did!
Butterscotch Toffee Black Tea Blend from Compass Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Compass Teas
Tea Description:
A Brand New Dessert tea! We suggest sweetening it with Amber Sugar Gems.Ingredients: Black Tea, Camellia Sinensis Stems, Sunflower Petals, Safflower Petals, Flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I measured out this Butterscotch Toffee Black Tea Blend from Compass Teas, I was kind of surprised to see all the stems in the tea. I thought to myself, this is a really “stemmy” tea … which is sometimes indicative of a poor quality tea, but, in this case, I don’t think that’s true. After reading the description and ingredient list on the Compass Teas Website, and seeing “Camellia Sinensis Stems” as one of the ingredients, I realize this is supposed to be a stemmy tea!
My first couple of sips of this tea … all I could really taste was a strong, earthy, somewhat “roasted” tea flavor, but nothing that resembled either butterscotch or toffee. Then I allowed it to cool for a few minutes (maybe five minutes? The tea was still pleasantly hot, but not piping hot), and the flavors began to pop. Now I could taste a rich, buttery taste along with a sweet, caramel-y note. YUM!
And even though this is a sweet tasting tea, and even with a name like Butterscotch Toffee … I’m not finding this to be a cloyingly sweet tea. It is definitely what I’d call a dessert tea, but, it doesn’t taste too sweet.
I’m also gratified to find that the strongest flavors of this cup are not the butterscotch or the toffee … but the tea! The tea is a robust black tea … it’s good and strong, and I think that the stems of the Camellia Sinensis gives this tea a pleasantly “roasted” kind of flavor that almost mimics a coffee-like richness. This is a tea that would be very satisfying served as a breakfast tea, it has that hearty flavor that I want first thing in the morning … and that it is a Butterscotch Toffee tea … makes it a delightful indulgence too.
I recommend trying this as a latte too … it makes a really decadent treat!
Organic Kukicha from Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Imperial Tea Garden
Tea Description:
Kukicha is a traditional beverage in Japan that is made from the roasted stems and leaves of the tea plant (Camellia Sinensis). Stems and leaves are harvested in late fall from carefully selected aged plants and dry roasted in giant cast iron caldrons. This process delivers a rich roasted flavor and aroma. Our Kukicha is certified organic and is much lower in caffeine than tea leaves and buds because it is comprised of mainly twigs and stems. Kukicha is also perfect for blending with any of our black, green or oolong teas for an interesting twist.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a delicious Kukicha, rich with roasty-toasty flavor!
I’ve had many different types of Kukicha, ranging from green Kukicha, light roasted Kukicha and even dark roasted Kukicha, along with several other roasted grades that fell somewhere between the two extremes. But, I think that my favorite are the darker roasted Kukicha like this one. I just love its sweet, toasted flavor – it is so warm and comforting.
The flavor is sweet and nutty, with a lovely smoked tone in the distance. It doesn’t taste overly smoky, but the smoked notes add a pleasing dimension to the cup. The deep roasted flavor reminds me a bit of coffee, but without the coffee bitterness.
This Kukicha has a very soothing quality as well, I can feel it calm and relax me as I sip it. Overall, a very enjoyable cup.