Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Licious
Tea Description:
Pan fired green tea, shredded coconut and pineapple bits.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
As I sit here, readying to write this review, the aroma wafting from my mug is absolutely divine! It is deliciously pineapple-y and coconut-y. YUM! I have never been a big fan of the alcoholic cocktail, but, I am pretty sure I’m going to love this Green Pina Colada Tea from Tea Licious!
And I do! This is really yummy! The flavor of the green tea base is light and refreshingly smooth, with whispers of a vegetative tone that tastes faintly of lightly buttered, steamed green vegetables … something mild, like spinach. This vegetal tone marries nicely with the flavors of pineapple and coconut.
The fruit flavors are sweet. The coconut has a slightly creamy taste and texture, and I think that this plays well to the hint of buttery taste from the green tea. The pineapple has a hint of tartness that is noticeable towards the tail and this lingers into the aftertaste.
Overall, the tea is deliciously fruity and sweet – just like the cocktail itself. But what makes this better than the cocktail, at least in my opinion … is that it’s a tea! The sweet presentation of this tea would make this a nice choice for a dessert alternative – something light and gently sweet – not cloying and heavy. It requires no sweetener to enjoy this tea, but, if you want to bring out the pineapple notes a little more, I found that about half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar did the trick. Without the sugar, it’s still really delicious, but the sugar really enhances the sweet pineapple notes. This is delicious served hot or iced – it will be a really refreshing tea to choose as the warm weather approaches!
Royal Yunnan from Tea Licious
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Licious LLC
Tea Description:
Malty and sweet tasting black tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a pleasant, somewhat mild Yunnan. But don’t let the word “mild” turn you away, this tea still delivers a full-flavored, deliciously malty cup, just in a somewhat mellower way than you might expect from a typical Yunnan.
It has an earthy taste to it that melds beautifully with a wine-like fruit flavor. The sweetness of the cup comes not only from those fruity tones, but also the delicious malty tones that give it an almost caramel-y kind of taste. Nice!
And this does have a peppery taste to it too, but, it is more of an undertone of spice than a foreground flavor. Like a mere hint of spice, teasing the palate as it weaves in and out of the sip. The spice develops a bit as the tea cools, but it never becomes a strong, well-defined flavor.
There is a hint of bitter to this tea too – but not a foul-tasting kind of bitter – this is more like a mild savory note that helps to balance the sweeter flavors of the cup. The astringency here is also quite mild.
So, yes, mild is the word of the day when it comes to this Yunnan, but don’t let that word fool you into thinking it lacks anything, because it does not. It is still such a lovely Yunnan and certainly worth a try. I think this tea would appeal especially to those who often find Yunnan teas to be a bit too bold and aggressive, this one has a smoother, mellower approach that is quite nice.
Assam Sessa Hajua Estate from Tea Licious
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Licious LLC
Tea Description:
Our finest Assam estate black tea. Winey and malty.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very interesting Assam. I don’t think I recall having a strong wine-like character in an Assam prior to tasting this one. It’s quite surprising … but a wonderful surprise!
Of course, this has other characteristics that I would expect from an Assam: a deep, rich flavor and color, a malty tone and a sweet caramel-like undertone, as well as that sort of freshly baked bread kind of flavor in the background that peeks its way into the foreground every now and then.
It is pleasantly full-bodied, and because of the wine-like flavor there it adds smoothness to the cup, and the transition to the astringency toward the tail seems less harsh. The finish is sweet with a tangy note that tastes a bit like black currant, and this flavor lingers into the aftertaste.
Truly a unique Assam, one I’d recommend to Assam fans out there – this one’s quite unusual but delightful in its own way! I think that this would also be a good Assam for those who may have found other Assam teas to be a bit too much for them … this may be the Assam that turns them around!
Yuzu Fruit Sencha from Tea Licious
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Licious
Product Description:
Sencha green tea, safflowers and yuzu fruit.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I brewed this tea, I did not read the description of it, I just brewed it the way I would any other flavored green tea (low temperature, usually around 170°, steeping for 2 1/2 minutes in my Breville One-Touch). My first few sips were really enjoyable, I could taste the bright, sunny taste of the Yuzu fruit as well as the fresh, slightly vegetative taste of the Sencha.
The Sencha is very light, but with a soft mouthfeel that reminds me of the smooth, creamy sensation of melted butter. Fortunately, the taste isn’t that thick, otherwise, that would be all that was tasted. That might be fine for Paula Deen, but I like green tea to be a little lighter so that I can enjoy the many complex flavors it offers. And, yes, this Sencha is light and complex, not to mention delicious.
There are sweet, fresh notes that remind me of freshly cut grass … but without the bitter grassy aftertaste. It is more like a sweet grassy note. And a creamy taste and texture that is very complimentary to the citrus notes of the Yuzu fruit.
What I think I like best about this particular tea is its balance. It would be hard to determine which flavor is stronger – the tea or the yuzu – because they both seem equally balanced. At times, I think I taste more yuzu than tea… but others, I think the tea is stronger, and it all has to do with which flavor I’m trying to focus on.
A lovely tea. If you’re looking for a flavored tea with a good balance between tea and flavor, this is certainly worth trying.