Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
One taste and you’ll believe Connemara Morning was mixed up by some leprechauns.It starts with a blend of black teas that a full bodied, rich, malty, and earthy taste. This is combined with Irish cream flavoring that gives it a sweet decadence. Then petals and shamrock sprinkles are added as a bit of whimsy.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened the package of this Connemara Morning Black Tea Blend from Trail Lodge Tea, the scent of the Irish cream flavoring took me by surprise. It’s really quite fragrant! I really looked forward to pouring my first cup and taking a sip … it smells so good!
The dry leaf is very attractive with the yellow flower petals and the whimsical shamrock candy sprinkles tossed amid the dark tea leaves. Candy sprinkles are certainly NOT a buying point for me when it comes to tea, personally, I think that teas are better off without them, but I have to admit that they certainly add a pleasing visual appeal to the dry leaf, and as one who used to create my own tea blends, I can see why companies have taken to add these little additions. Without them, the tea looks pretty much like every other tea out there. The sprinkles help the tea stand out and give it some interest … and really, even though they do add just a hint of sweetness to the brewed tea (as they do melt and add just a touch of sugar to the tea) their contribution, flavor wise, is really very insignificant.
But what does add some flavor to this cup is the Irish Cream! Wow! So good!
The flavor of Irish Cream really marries quite nicely with the rich black tea blend used as the base for this tea. The two seem made for each other! The black tea blend is a combination of Indian and Chinese black teas, and based on what I’m tasting, I suspect that there is some Assam in this blend. It has that rich, malty flavor that Assam tends to bring to the cup. The blend is very satisfying and provides a very solid taste for the backdrop of this flavored tea.
The Irish Cream tastes sweet and creamy. Creamy enough, I would say, to be enjoyed without the addition of dairy, if this is something you prefer to avoid, but, it is also quite lovely when served as a latte. (Just a splash of milk makes this happen) As I said, I found this quite enjoyable without any dairy, and I think I prefer enjoying the strength of the black tea without the creamy addition. But if you’re looking for an extra creamy treat … the latte is the way to go!
This flavor of this tea does improve by letting the freshly brewed tea cool ever so slightly before you begin sipping. The piping-hot cup is delicious, but, let it sit for two minutes, and the flavor of the Irish Cream really develops nicely. It’s worth waiting for … even though I found myself sitting here, rather impatiently, for that two minutes to lapse, because the scent wafting from my cup was almost too much to resist!
A really lovely cup of tea – definitely worth a try … especially for those who love the flavor of Irish Cream!
World Bird Sanctuary Tea Blend from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
This black tea blend has a full bodied and smooth taste. For every 2 oz package that is purchased, $2 is donated to the World Bird Sanctuary. If you purchase a 4 oz package, $4 will be donated. The World Bird Sanctuary is based in Valley Park, MO. It’s mission is to preserve the earth’s biological diversity and to secure the future of threatened bird species in their natural environments. It does this through education, propogation, field studies and rehabilitation. Now you can enjoy a great cup of tea and help preserve threatened bird species at the same time. Ingredients: Black Tea, Cornflower and Safflower Petals, and Natural Flavors.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This World Bird Sanctuary Tea Blend from Trail Lodge Tea is an interesting blend. The aroma of the dry leaf is earthy and slightly smoky, with hints of flower and fruit. The brewed tea smells a little less smoky, but maintains its earthy, floral, and fruity fragrance. I still am picking up on hints of smoke, but, they are very distant.
Because this is a black and green tea leaf blend, I used a lower temperature to steep the tea, opting for a 185°F temperature and a 2.5 minute brew time. The flavor is primarily a black tea taste … earthy, somewhat sweet, with floral notes. It has a moderate astringency to it.
The green tea is not as noticeable as the black tea … but, where it is noticed is in the body … it is not quite as heavily bodied as a tea comprised of only black tea. It is still certainly what I’d consider a full-bodied tea, but it is not quite as hefty as, say, a straight up Assam or even a straight up Ceylon. There is also a vegetative note to this that is more noticeable as I continue to sip that is definitely ‘green tea-like’.
Trail Lodge Tea does not elaborate on the flavoring that is used to create this blend, but as I continue to sip, a definite fruit note seems to emerge … it tastes peach-y … or possibly apricot-peach-y. It is sweet and quite lovely, actually. I like that the flavor here isn’t overdone. It is mild and allows the blend of black and green teas to be the focus.
The floral notes here are delicate, which isn’t surprising to me, as I tend to find both Cornflowers and Safflower petals to be very mild petals and are often used not so much to flavor a tea but rather, to color the blend with some visual appeal. And these petals certainly do that … and they do add just a hint of floral taste to the cup too.
This one is especially good as an iced tea!
Eggnog from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White and Green
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
This is our own holiday creation; green and white tea combined with the flavors of eggnog. The combination of China Green and white tea brews up to a light and sweet liquid that combines perfectly with the flavor of eggnog. Real pieces of vanilla beans and nutmeg turns it into a truly guilt free decadent treat. Be sure to get some for gifts and to sip while you decorate the tree and listen to holiday music. Ingredients: Fair Trade Certified TM Organic China Green Tea, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Pai Mu Tan, and Organic Vanilla, Organic Nutmeg, and Organic Natural Flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Eggnog from Trail Lodge Tea has a distinct aroma of spices and custard when steeped. From the visual aspect, white tea, is my favorite tea. The dry leaf is beautiful, downy, and whole.
The cup steeps to a golden yellow and is clear.
Trail Lodge Teas are organic and Fair Trade Certified which is always a plus in my book!
The flavor is quite creamy, but the spiced notes do not come out in the taste as much as in the aroma. There is a nutmeg spice in the flavor, its not strong, but there is enough. In the aroma I get more of the clove spice as well.
There is a lacking in the sweetness for me personally, yet I did not try it with any added sugar, so I can’t say if that would have helped or not.
I keep looking for the white or green tea base flavor to jump out at me because it is not as if the spice or other flavorings are overdone, and I do get a touch of vanilla in the flavor, yet I keep straining to find the base tea. I get a tad more of the green base than the white, but I think I would enjoy the tea more if the base were a bit more outstanding.
Overall this is a good eggnog blend and it does indeed taste like eggnog. Its creamy, and it has the right flavors with the spice and vanilla bean. I don’t know if this is one I would personally go right out and order, yet I would suggest if you enjoy this flavor profile to try some. I know Trail Lodge Teas has several other teas in their arsenal that I adore, so now and then I would probably add this to my cart before checking out.
Strawberry Mango Green Tea from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
This a Trail Lodge Tea Blend. It combines strawberries, mangos, and green tea. It makes a refreshing and fruity iced tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Strawberry Mango Green Tea from Trail Lodge Tea smells INSANELY good! From the moment I opened the pouch, I can’t seem to stop smelling it. The dry leaf smells sweet and fruity and fresh … reminding me of fruit candy. And as the tea brewed, it filled my kitchen with the luscious aroma of strawberry and mango. The brewed tea smells much less like “candy” and more like fruit. Still very sweet, but not quite as sugary sweet as the dry leaf. (Hey, I’m not even complaining about the sugary sweetness … I’ve got a sweet tooth that was trying to convince me to just start munching on the dry leaf!)
With as good as the tea smells, I was sure that the tea tasted good too. I mean, if it only tastes half as good as it smells, I knew I’d love this. And fortunately, it does taste as good as it smells. The flavor is sweet strawberry with hints of tartness from the berry … luscious and tropical from the mango, and the green tea tastes sweet and fresh.
The strawberry is the most prominent flavor, but, the mango comes in strong as well. It’s almost an even balance of the two flavors, but I think it’s in the aftertaste where the strawberry ultimately wins out, because I taste that tingly berry note in the aftertaste. You know that sensation you taste and feel on your tongue after you’ve eaten a fresh berry? Yeah, that.
The green tea is a little overpowered by the flavors here, but it can be tasted, and it adds a certain buttery creaminess to the cup that melds well with the fruit flavors. It also adds a light vegetative note that I notice especially toward the finish. There is very little astringency to this cup, and no bitterness. Just wonderfully sweet, delicious, fruity taste.
The flavors are indeed sweet … it is almost too sweet. Some might find cloying, but, as for me, I love the sweetness. But I do recommend trying this one before you add sweetener because I think it’s plenty sweet without any addition. It is a perfect sweet-tooth kind of treat when you’d rather not over-indulge in something fattening!
High Country from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
After a lot of sampling and mixing various teas, we have come up with our very own “house” blend (or maybe I should say “Lodge” blend). The most inspiring places I have ever visited is the Rocky Mountain National Park and the High Country of Yosemite. The mountain springs and lakes were sparkling and the views were magnificent and serene. Visiting these places filled me with tranquility. We can’t often get away to places like this, but you can relax with a simple cup of tea that hopefully can bring some tranquility in your life. That is the inspiration for High Country Tea. It has a clear brisk taste, great for ice teas. The Yunnan gives it a smooth, creamy taste that is perfect for a latte. This tea is a mixture of three Fair trade certified black teas and has a medium body and several golden tips. It is the perfect tea to keep on hand since it is so versatile.
Ingredients: Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Ceylon Black Tea, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic China Black Tea, and Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Indian Black Tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
High Country from Trail Lodge Tea is a mix of Ceylon, Yunnan, and Darjeeling that provides a robust yet bright cup for the morning.
I feel as though Trail Lodge Tea really captured their own House Blend in this tea. Sipping on this tea makes me feel like I am snuggled up in a warm blanket inside of a lodge somewhere in the mountains. I can almost feel the snowy winter right outside of my imaginary lodge’s windows.
Within this tea is a slightly smoky flavor, along with a bright cheery fruitiness, and a light sprinkling of cocoa and malt.
The mouthfeel is on the thick side, a little creamy but more akin to a coffee texture or thickness.
This tea would definitely give you the kick start one would want in the morning!
There is an astringency in the sip, and learns toward a slight bitterness so don’t over steep!
This is my first experience with a tea from Trail Lodge Tea and I would be happy to try more.
The more I sip on this tea the more character it develops. It reminds me of something that my son and his friends would drink while getting up to go skiing in the morning. Its bold, robust, yet has that fruity kick to keep the cup interesting.
Since I was new to this brand of tea I decided to check out their site, I looked under the “sale” tab. I am seeing teas like Black Forest Cake, Pecan Fudge Tart, Maple Cream, Banana Cream, to name only a few, wow I really need to consider getting more from them soon!
