I can’t believe I am enjoying a ginger tea to the point that I am happily resteeping! I NEED ginger for digestive issues but I have never enjoyed it, especially when there is enough of it to actually do you some good. It is hot, it is spicy, and I am a plain vanilla kind of gal.
One thing I do hold dear is licorice root. I know a lot of people don’t care for it, but I love the sweetness and body it gives to a blend and I prefer it to stevia…and that’s an understatement.
I have the loose leaf version of this tea and the website warns that the pyramid version may have slightly different ingredients so keep that in my mind if you decide to try it.
The aroma is GINGER, first, foremost, front and center. Since it is the first ingredient listed I assume it constitutes more of the blend. The first sip is soft and sweet, and the more you drink, the more the ginger builds.
Pear is a delicate flavor to me even when eating a fresh pear right out of hand, so pear with ginger is no contest. Ginger is definitely going to dominate. The nice thing is that you get little fruity flavors peeking now and again, adding another dimension to the tea. The white tea base is a nice little boost of antioxidants.
The tin lists all of the ingredients as being organic, so another bonus! Finally, a ginger winner for me! This is one I would definitely restock and consider it a treat to drink when feeling under the weather, or just a cup to enjoy.
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Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Forte
Description
Delicate white tea leaves plus a hint of pear and spicy ginger.
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Green Tea Masala Chai/Vahdam Teas
I have been seeing Vahdam Tea in the news lately and thought a spicy cup of chai would settle me right in for the night.
This isn’t your traditional black tea boiled with water and milk and heavily sugared. This is a fine darjeeling green with cardamom (YUM!), cinnamon, and clove. When I pour the dry leaves out to investigate them, it LOOKS like black tea, but don’t be fooled. Darjeeling tastes best to me prepared with slightly lower temperature water and a short steep to keep astringency low. If you like very brisk tea, increase your temp and time.
The green darjeeling is a tad brisk. The long boiling time of traditional chai makes the tea strong and bitter or astringent, and that is why milk and sugar are added, and a good dollop of milk, too! I am not adding anything to this, though, and it is enjoyable just as it is. The spices are at a great level for me. I have never been a fan of chai made with tons of black peppercorns, and I really feel that the cardamom and cinnamon lead the spices in this one. The scent of the dry leaves and the steeped tea is scrumptious.
And it is working! The strong flavors of the tea are keeping my cravings at bay and I don’t feel deprived at all.
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Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Vahdam Teas
Description
A superior green tea blend with the finest, aromatic Indian spices for a unique Chai experience!
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Strawberry Black Tea/Adagio Teas
Strawberry teas are favorites with my crowd and we love how well they pair with chocolate and decadent desserts. Some of the ones we have tried have been very finicky and others forgiving. I think this one might fall in the somewhat finicky category, but I didn’t realize it at first.
This is a Ceylon base, and I usually find Ceylon tea to be still palatable at four minutes steep time, but this one says to only give it three. I do prefer low grown Ceylon to high, as the high elevation tea tends to have strong lemon notes and higher astringency.
When I first tried this tea, it was with cookies. It went very well with them and the strawberry flavor was a good strength. I was pretty shocked to see reviews ALL OVER THE PLACE. Too tart, too dry, too astringent. Not enough strawberry, not enough tea flavor. Then others said it was their perfect strawberry tea, there was plenty of tea flavor, their favorite strawberry tea, so much strawberry aroma.
So what’s up? Lots. Different people may have made it differently. People who called it too astringent may have been drinking it plain while folks saying it was perfect were adding milk and/or sugar. Some batches may have been freshly purchased and other reviews may have come from people who were sent a sample by a friend and the tea was no longer fresh. And opinions differ because people differ.
My take on it was this – it was great with food with no milk or sugar added. The strength of the base and the strawberry flavor helped it to “stand up” to the food and not disappear. When I tried it by itself, I did find it to be very drying and to have a bit of tartness. A tiny splash of milk and a sprinkle of sugar fixed that. If you don’t want to add anything, try dropping the temp just below boiling and keep your steep a little shorter. Or just do like me and eat a cookie.
While I enjoyed it with sweets very much, I would prefer to have it on a Keemun base if I were planning to drink it by itself.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Strawberry black tea combines the succulent taste of sweet strawberries with bright Ceylon black tea. Fresh sweet-floral and berry flavor, smooth and sugary texture. It’s a treat you’ll want to keep for yourself!
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Chorange Puerh/Adagio Teas
I
have seen this tea compared to those chocolate oranges that you see for sale around Christmas. Would you believe I have never had one? After drinking this tea, you can bet I am going to try one this year!
This tea combines three things I really like – good chocolate, orange, and puerh. When I opened the bag, a rich, deep chocolate aroma wafted out and beckoned me like I was in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. First steep was served with breakfast, second is a leisurely cup after.
I often cut the steep time on puerh and did so with the Puerh Poe by Adagio with excellent results for many, many steeps. Watching the color of this one in the glass teapot, I decided to let it stay for three minutes. I generally steep puerh by observing color.
Oh my. Oh yes. I am not disappointed. First taste is chocolate, orange on the swallow, chocolate in the aftertaste. The puerh flavor is not very strong and is mainly earthy rather than horsey or fishy. I debated as to whether in a blind taste test someone could convince me that this was a flavored black tea instead, but I think there is enough earthiness to indicate puerh without turning off people who are not familiar with it.
I did find that aerating the tea in your mouth (by opening and closing the jaw without opening the lips) intensifies the orange flavor. On the second steep I felt that the orange was more pronounced and the chocolate less intense until it cooled a bit, and then the chocolate strengthened again. I don’t think this one is going to go seven steeps like Poe, though.
Would I buy it again? Oh yes, I would buy it again.
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Leaf Type: Puerh Tea
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
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English Breakfast/Steeped Tea
This tea was my first exposure to Steeped Tea, and from what I can discern looking at their website and online catalog, you can “join” and become a Sipologist, selling their products through hosted parties, catalogs, etc. They have a variety of products from tea (including white, green, matcha, black, herbal tisanes, etc.) to teaware, scone mixes, cookie mixes, kombucha supplies, and even hot chocolate. A lot of the teaware is very modern with bold, fun colors, but there are also elegant, classic tea sets.
The English Breakfast tea is simply listed as containing organic black tea without any information as to origin of the tea, and they do not provide this information as it is protected as a proprietary blend. The herbal blends and flavored teas do specify all additional ingredients other than tea, though. I am pleased to see that the herbal selection does NOT contain stevia, as I really don’t enjoy stevia and it has become almost omnipresent in herbals.
If I had to guess, I would say this is Indian tea, and may have a touch of Darjeeling in it. There is a prominent lemony note, which is sometimes indicative of high grown tea, usually a Ceylon like Uva Highlands. It is quite brisk and bright and it tingles the tongue. If you like milk and sugar in your tea, this may be right up your alley. I am a Keemun kind of gal, and I take my tea straight, but I found it drinkable even without additions if you like lots of high citrus notes in your black tea. Don’t expect the deep base notes of Chinese black tea in this one.
The liquor is very clear and has nice color, and didn’t cloud even after cooling down to room temperature.
Many companies now have a chosen charity that receives a portion of the profits, usually from specific products that change periodically. Steeped Tea supports the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, and they will also help you set up a findraiser with their products.
Check out their catalog online and see if you find something special that is just right for you!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Ingredients: Black tea.
Contains Naturally Occurring Caffeine
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