Foggy Coconut blend was inspired by a coffee shop London Fog. First you need to know what a London Fog is, if you don’t know already! There may be variations but usually a London Fog is made with Earl Grey tea, lots of milk, and some vanilla and sugar, sometimes brown sugar.
The creator of this blend was ordering her London Fog with coconut milk instead of cow’s milk and loved the creamy coconut flavor. Hence, Foggy Coconut came into being.
When I served this tea, the reaction was instant. “Wow! I smell coconut!” And yes, that is the first you notice about this tea. Fortunately, we were all coconut lovers drinking it!
I love that you can still TASTE THE TEA, as a lot of flavored teas major on the flavors so much that the tea itself gets lost. This blend uses Assam and Yunnan tea that can stand up to plenty of flavors without going into hiding.
As for the bergamot, (which haters love to call blergamot) it is very refined. It comes through almost as a fruitiness rather than as edgy harsh citrus. I think the vanilla softens it wonderfully.
I drank this with no additions, but if you wanted to make a London Fog with it you could. You don’t need to, though, as all the flavors we look for in London Fog are right here. It is creamy and sweet, and the coconut lends it the full body usually provided by milk – dairy or otherwise – in a London Fog.
This was a delightful afternoon tea, and I will definitely be serving it again.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
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Sleep/The Virginia Tea Company. . . .
This tisane is going to be a bit difficult for me to describe because there are things in this blend that I have never tasted on their own. What I have tasted on its own is chamomile, and I find that this is the predominant flavor here. I do pick up on the spearmint but it isn’t terribly strong. I like the inclusion of spearmint because I find mint tisanes to be very relaxing and I prefer spearmint to peppermint.
I do not recall having skullcap or passionflower before, though I know several people who use passionflower supplements to combat anxiety or to improve sleep with success. An article on skullcap says that it is in the mint family but has a slightly bitter taste. I do taste something unfamiliar in this, but I do not find this hard to drink or bitter.
I went to bed after drinking it and slept well, but since I generally do rest well I can not say for certain that the tisane had an effect. I will say that if I were having trouble sleeping or felt anxious and this worked, it would not be a chore to drink it for relief. As something to drink for pure enjoyment, it isn’t something I would reach for first. It tastes much like many chamomile blends I have tried, so if you like chamomile and need soothing or some help going to sleep, I think this is worth a try.
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Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Virginia Tea Company
Description
After a long day, the best thing we can do is allow our bodies and minds to relax. The ingredients in this tea help do just that. They create a beautifully relaxing tea to help you unwind and focus on what matters most: you. Ingredients: Organic St John’s Wort, Organic Lemon Balm, Organic Lavender, Organic Passion Flower, Ginkgo, Organic Eleuthero Root, Organic Peppermint Brewing Instructions: Bring fresh water to a boil. Then pour over tea. Steep 10 minutes.
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Raspberry Almond Coffee/A Quarter To Tea. . .
I think that of all the new teas I have in my “to review” box, I was most excited about this one. I am not a coffee drinker but I was so excited about the white tea, the raspberry, and the almond, that I was willing to compromise on that last flavor note of its title!
I need not have have worried, though. There is really no coffee flavor in this. The roasty flavor is coming from houjicha, a Japanese green tea that is roasted in ceramic vessels until the leaves change from green to brown or reddish brown, taking out any grassy or sour taste and replacing it with a dark, roasty goodness that is lower in caffeine than the starting product.
The first aroma when I sniff the dry leaves is ALMOND, and it is such a boozy scent that I felt it was full-on amaretto. Next is the fruit, then finally the very lightest hint of roasted leaves that makes up the coffee-like component here.
In the cup, again almond dominates, which is okay by me because I love the stuff. It is mixed with the sweet and summery raspberry flavor, and at first I think there is no coffee flavor or even roasted flavor at all. The more I drink and the longer I drink, the houjicha flavor builds and lingers, mixing beautifully with the sweet and boozy almond flavor.
I even tried this one cold and unsweetened, and guess what? It is still awesome, and I think if you are after the coffee (or houjicha) flavor, you will love it as an iced tea because I feel that the houjicha comes forward just a bit more than when it is served hot.
Another winner in my book from A Quarter To Tea!
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Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is sold out but click below to learn more about this blend and others!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
The Dragon!/52Teas. . . .
The Dragon! is a blend of Chinese Dragonwell tea and Japanese Sencha. It is blended with marshmallow root and lime, blackberry, and raspberry.
I have tried a lot of flavored green teas that frustrate me no end. The flavors will be nicely done but there is something grating about the green base. I wish I could tell what exactly it is that puts me off, but I only know to describe it as a sour taste and I have found it across brands and price ranges. My heart breaks a little when a tempting blend of wonderful flavors turns out to be ruined by whatever base it is that I dislike.
This blend, however, is LOVELY. Since the green base I dislike has an effect like pure unsweetened lime stabbing my tongue I thought I may not like this one, and that it might be too astringent. Instead, it is quite smooth and drinkable, not bitter or sour, and the flavorings are very little and amiable.
I find the berries flavors to dominate and the lime is quite subtle. It is sweet and fluffy and goes down quick and smooth.
This tea was a special blend for the anniversary celebration of 52teas. It is not available at present, but check them out for scrumptious teas that are!
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Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Turmeric Glow/Pukka. . . .
I bought this on a recommendation. The person who recommended it did not say it was delicious. She said it had turmeric in it and she liked that for health reasons. Also, you can steep it for fifteen minutes with no harm done, and she forgets that she is steeping tea a lot. So win/win. Ha ha!
So I bought it! I saw the three main ingredients listed on the front and figured there was only a little turmeric (maybe) and surely the lemon covered up the turmeric. Then I looked at the full ingredient list, the proportions, and the instructions. Boiling water on green tea? Fifteen minutes? Okay, I am going to trust you, Pukka! Don’t let me down!
My eyes grew wide at the full list. Silly me, thinking it was just turmeric (40%), lemon, and green tea (20%). There is cardamom, lemon verbena, and licorice root as well. I made a small pot using three teabags. I didn’t go for a full fifteen minute steep, but having tried this tea, I think you definitely can. When I poured my first cup, the color was already a rich gold. Howdy, turmeric!
My eyes grew wide at the full list. Silly me, thinking it was just turmeric (40%), lemon, and green tea (20%). There is cardamom, lemon verbena, and licorice root as well. I made a small pot using three teabags. I didn’t go for a full fifteen minute steep, but having tried this tea, I think you definitely can. When I poured my first cup, the color was already a rich gold. Howdy, turmeric!
My youngest daughter is drinking this with me. She doesn’t get the broth comparison. She says it just tastes savory to her and she likes it. And I suppose I like it, too. But I feel a strong compulsion to add rice and carrots and onions.
Bottom line – 1. I can drink this easily to see if the turmeric will do me as much good as friends tell me it does for them. 2. I will almost certainly try using it in cooking. I think it would be awesome for a small pot of soup. And 3. it will be fantastic when you are sick because it has a rich and savory satisfying flavor for when you don’t really feel like eating.
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Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Pukka
Description
Golden turmeric – the queen of protective herbs whose nourishing yellow sustains life’s majestic glow. This is a tea to celebrate life – lemon fruit, aromatic cardamom and whole leaf green tea expertly blended with one of nature’s most powerful herbs. The elegance will leave you feeling renewed as each cup lets you don turmeric’s shield.
A golden tea that will colour your life but not your teeth. Good news for bringing a golden glow to your day.