I usually drink black tea from China, but today I am making a little excursion to Nepalese black tea! My expectation is that it will taste more similar to tea from India than from China, and I was correct. It even had a tiny darjeeling vibe!
This is a high-grown tea from an estate that has been in operation since 1989 and has been processing their own tea since 2004. They are currently converting their operations to all organic, so I am looking forward to trying it again in the future!
This is indeed a broken orange pekoe with shades ranging from golden tan to deep brown. In the photo online it shows a lot of green like a darjeeling but my own sample is more tan and almost a cream color mixed with the darker leaves.
I kept the steep on the short side (two minutes) in case this was more reminiscent of an Assam, a tea that is tasty but wreaks havoc on my tender tummy, but I must say it was very well-behaved and perfectly drinkable without additions.
Being high-grown, I thought it might be a bit on the astringent side, but it is only pleasantly brisk. It has a truly classic black tea aroma and taste, mild but not wimpy, lightly brisk but not tart and puckery, and I would call it all around a good basic black tea. It is not overly complex drinking it western style as I am, but at this price I do not expect complex tea. It was a very good accompaniment to my lunch.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea
Description
In hues ranging from light to dark brown, the small, neatly made leaves of this Nepal black tea offering are sprinkled with silver tips. The golden amber liquor is fragrant with a light, fresh aroma. The flavor is rich with floral notes and a sweet, lingering finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Holy Mate/ECOTEAS
This is only my second time having mate. The first time was about seven years ago. I was drinking a roasted mate and was not smitten with it, so I gave the rest of the box away.
Today I am drinking an UNroasted mate, and an organic one at that. It is ethically sourced in South America, with consideration for the biodiversity of the area where it is grown. And in my opinion, it is an awesome price for an organic tea that has so much going for it.
There are a number of blends available from this company and this one, Holy Mate, contains Tulsi, also known as Holy Basil. I enjoy Tulsi and often mix it with lavender or mint, so I was interested in trying this to see what the mate adds to the mix. This also contains peppermint.
I have been shy of mate because I don’t need and don’t drink a lot of caffeine, but reading their very informative website, I discover that mate has about the same amount of caffeine as green tea. The difference is that there are three different kinds of caffeine in mate. This is why long lasting energy is apt to result! Also, the instructions for making it are quite different from what I did long ago, which may make it less jitter inducing.
I steeped it at 170F as the site recommends and am rewarded with a surprisingly mild tasting cup. I taste the tulsi most, I think, and the peppermint very little, which suits me as I prefer spearmint to peppermint and so I like for peppermint to be milder in blends. Since I haven’t tried unroasted mate that I can recall, I am not able to tease out which parts of the flavor are the mate and which the tulsi, but the tulsi flavor is pretty mild.
All in all, this is a nice beverage that I feel good about drinking and recommending to others, especially for the nice boost of niacin and the perks of having more energy and boosting metabolism.
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Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: ECOTEAS
Description
Experience the fusion of two herbal traditions with Holy Mate! Unsmoked yerba mate provides lasting stimulation. Tulsi inhibits cortisol, reducing stress. A pinch of peppermint brightens the blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Nettle/Republic of Tea
I have had a few of the SuperHerb teas sitting around to be tried but kept putting it off. If it’s good for me, it’s going to taste nasty, isn’t it? I want a lovely evening cuppa, not something medicinal that builds character! But it is time to take courage and go for it!
Nettle is traditionally used to combat inflammation and allergies. And pollen and dust allergies really are inflammation, in a way, aren’t they? I am plagued with allergies so much that I don’t really know what it is like to hear clearly or breathe without feeling stopped up. But can I stand nettle tea well enough to drink it often and hopefully put these allergies at bay?
I lift my cup to my lips. Wait, what’s this? This smells like….CAKE. Really. Bless their hearts, they have added vanilla and mint to nettle and pulled off a relaxing, soothing aroma that smells like vanilla cake. Vanilla is the strongest component of the aroma, and the taste is mint and nettle with a touch of vanilla. Mint does relax me, and vanilla is always a “feel good” flavor, so this is a good bedtime choice for me.
The aftertaste of this tea is very herbal but pleasant, with a mineral flavor mixed in, like the smell of water on stone in a forest. This is definitely on my “to buy” list now to see if it drinking it regularly will help with my allergies. And I will look forward to it without fear now!
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Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Description
Nettle leaves have been known to support the body in a variety of ways. Studies have shown that it can help reduce joint inflammation and can help support kidney function.* Nettle tea has also been popular as a tonic for centuries to help women through all phases of life, from menstruation, through pregnancy and breastfeeding, to menopause.* A touch of mint and vanilla makes this tea a joy to sip.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Dragon Pearls/Rivertea
Looking for a little cup of calm this evening, ready to sit and sip on the porch in the cool evening air, I decided to make this new (to me) jasmine dragon pearl tea. I will be using a small tetsubin and using the whole sample of pearls.
Like most jasmine dragon pearls that I have tried, this calls for one teaspoon per cup. Unlike most, it calls for much cooler water at 158F and a 2-4 minute steep. I like to follow instructions for new teas and then change up the steeping parameters to suit my taste. I gave it just two minutes.
The first steep is almost completely clear. It really looks like water with the tiniest tinge of gold if I really use my imagination! At first sip, I think it is far too weak, but as I keep sipping and really pay attention to the tea, I find that it has lovely subtle flavor, nice jasmine taste, and is indeed a very calming cup. (I have had some jasmine green that was a bit arresting and harsh to me.) As subtle as it is, I would never serve this with food as it would simply taste like a cup of hot water. I really did enjoy it by itself, though.
For the second steep, I decided to go with my usual parameters. I raised the water temp to 175F and gave it a three minute steep. Now I have tea with a decidedly golden color and more flavor. As I drink, a pleasant briskness is building. Now THIS is how I would make it to serve with a meal.
As a stand alone sipping tea, I think my perfect cup would happen at their recommended temperature of 158F but for a longer time than I gave it, probably three to three and a half minutes.
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Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Rivertea
Description
For those moments when you need some inspiration, this Jasmine Dragon Pearls will bring your imagination to life. Dragon Pearls green tea is a rare specialty from China. Only the youngest and most tender leaves are repeatedly blended with fresh, very fragrant jasmine flowers, a process that is repeated at least 8 times, at the end of which the flower petals are removed and the tea leaves are carefully hand rolled into small, tight pearls. The jasmine aroma is closed in and unfolds fully when infused giving the tea an exquisitely fragrant perfume and taste. Its colour is so intense and palpable that the tea almost appears like a syrup. A pleasure for the eyes, nose and palate, a fragrance that will inspire your days!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Very Berry/Stash Tea
The product description for this herbal tisane begins, “If you like your teas tart, this zingy, triple berry combination is for you!”
I don’t like my teas tart. So why did I drink it? Because a lot of hibiscus blends taste pretty good as a sweet iced drink to me. The tartness comes mainly from the organic hibiscus and organic rosehips in the blend, though the berry flavors probably add plenty, too.
Also, hibiscus blends are usually so pretty. They look gorgeous in a clear glass on a hot day, bright red and promising refreshment. It looks like cherry Kool-Aid from childhood. Though I don’t like the tartness of hibiscus, it becomes quite palatable with sugar.
This was all overshadowed by the rooibos, though. Once in a while, a company makes a rooibos blend that successfully covers the rooibos taste. That’s a bad thing if you love rooibos, but I don’t. I rather strongly dislike it. Even with all the other ingredients, this like cherry cough syrup with cinnamon added to me, which is basically just how I describe red rooibos. Maybe someday it will grow on me.
If you like rooibos, you would probably like this blend, and it is all organic, which is awesome! It does look gorgeous in a pitcher or glass, and would really make a nice presentation with some fruit slices or berries floating in it.
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Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
If you like your teas tart, this zingy triple berry combination is for you! We’ve combined natural flavors of strawberry, cranberry and raspberry with hibiscus and rooibos to create a tangy burst of flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!