Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where To Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tisane Description:
A cup of this brewing “tea” imparts a heavenly aroma of chocolatey goodness. The aroma is truly awesome. And the taste? This “tea” strikes the perfect balance of chocolate, rooibos and cupcake. So brew a cup, sit back and relax, knowing that the goodness in the cup is also good for your waistline!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
When served fresh-out-of-the-teapot-hot, I find this to be a little too rooibos-y for my liking. I tasted hints of chocolate and another indistinguishable sort of sweetness, but, really, what I tasted was rooibos – that nutty, woody, sweet taste of rooibos.
As the tea cools in my cup slightly (for just a couple of minutes!), I find that the chocolate-y notes begin to develop and they come together with the rooibos notes nicely, although, I can’t say that this tastes so much like any red velvet cupcake that I’ve tasted. I haven’t tried a lot of red velvet cupcakes, as they don’t tend to be my favorite cupcake (when I want chocolate, I want CHOCOLATE, not a hint of chocolate that’s been swathed in a red velvet-y color, although there are times when I love red velvet, I like the slight tang of the red velvet combined with the creamy, sweet-tangy frosting). But, of the red velvet cupcakes that I have tried, I can’t say that this tisane that is in my cup tastes much like any of those.
That’s not to say that it isn’t a tasty cup of tea. It is. When it’s really hot, I am not a big fan of it, but, after a few minutes of cooling time, the chocolate flavors pick up a bit and it becomes a nice, slightly chocolate, rooibos tisane. I taste a very subtle note of coconut as well as an ever so slight raspberry taste here, but these flavors are pretty inconspicuous and difficult to discern unless you really tune in to the tea.
Pleasant, but I must say that Simpson & Vail does have better dessert teas. Right off the bat, I would recommend their Cinnamon Chocolate Brownie. That one is amazing!
Velvet Oolong from Tea Chai Té
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Chai Té
Tea Description:
GREAT NEWS! This tea was a 1st Place Winner – Oregon’s First State Tea Competition – Sept. 2, 2011
Called a Taiwanese milk oolong, our Velvet Oolong has a wonderful aroma that is rich and buttery with subtle floral notes. Light and smooth brew.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a lovely milk Oolong, so creamy and rich!
When I first opened the pouch, before reading anything about this tea, I knew it was a milk Oolong. It has that lovely, buttery scent to the dry leaf. I was excited when I realized it was a milk Oolong as I do enjoy them, and I don’t drink them often enough … at least, not often enough for my liking!
The flavor is sublime. It is sweet and even just a little tangy, tasting a bit like fresh cream with a drop or two of buttermilk added to it. It even has a thick, creamy texture (although it is certainly not as thick as fresh cream!)
The taste also presents hints of flower in the distance … orchid, maybe? Perhaps even a whisper of honeysuckle. With the subsequent infusions, I noticed that the cream and buttermilk combination became smoother and mellower while the floral tones emerged. It is still sweet and creamy, but I notice more distinct floral notes now.
A very interesting and complex cup of tea. I can see why this tea won the Oregon State Tea Competition in 2011. It is certainly worthy.