The name Peppermint Bark evokes memories of the crisp scent of mint with the sweet smell of white chocolate in a certain kitchen goods store I love to visit. I can almost feel the big bar breaking raggedly in my hand as the strong scent of mint stings my nose! Then you carefully gather all those little bits that broke off and pop them in your mouth before taking a big bite, and the white chocolate melts on your fingers.
The scent of this tea hit spot on with that memory. Fresh, sharp mint and rich, creamy white chocolate tickle your nostrils. The white chocolate is less obvious in the scent of the steeped tea but its sweetness is there, keeping this from falling into being a ho-hum plain peppermint.
Even though it is still winter as I drink this, we are already having some spells of hot weather where I live, but that’s okay because nothing refreshes quite like mint when you need to cool off.
A cooling cup it is, too! In winter, a hot cuppa will always warm you, but this is so very minty that I can also drink it hot OR cold on a hot day for refreshment. I have only had it unsweetened, but for those who like sweet tea, I really think this would be amazing that way.
The mint really is the star of the show in this tea, and even though I usually favor spearmint over peppermint by a long margin, the peppermint in this tea had delicious flavor, really sweet and fresh tasting without the edge of bitterness that sometimes creeps in with peppermint.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Sunshine Cottage
Description
Creamy white chocolate and crisp mint make this holiday tea a real treat. Perfect for a toe thawing, pick me up after an afternoon on the slopes, or for sipping by the fire after a wonderful meal!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Emily Dickinson’s Jasmine Tea Blend from Simpson and Vail. . .
I think it must be very rare to meet a tea lover who is not also a book lover. The Simpson and Vail Literary Blends are an incredible way to celebrate both of our passions – drinking tea and reading. Good books are always better with tea!
This blend is inspired by the flowers Emily loved to grow. The base is listed as jasmine tea, and my best guess is that this is a pouchong. There are jasmine flowers, rose petals, marigold petals, and blue cornflowers as well, making an absolutely stunning presentation. This is a tea that needs to be displayed on the table in a tea scoop or in a little glass before steeping, because it makes a beautiful display to begin your tea time, and shouldn’t tea time engage all of your senses? Your eyes will feast on this one!
The steeped tea is a medium gold color. It is a smooth and lightly brisk tea, which is very fitting for Miss Dickinson. The floral taste is surprisingly light. This isn’t a heavy jasmine and rose blend, but rather a confident green base with light floral notes sweetening it.
“Bring me the sunset in a cup.” Yes, thank you. This is lovely and comfortable with hubby and daughters sipping away and draining the pot as we wind down for the night.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Emily Dickinson was born on December 10th, 1830 and lived in a home that was central to Amherst political society thanks to her father and brothers. Growing up around powerful men prepared Dickinson for a life of the same, but society dictated that, as a woman, she was relegated to seemingly less meaningful ventures. Her anger at this slight comes across in her poetry and letters where she explored complex ideas of meaning and self while examining the smallest details of the world around her. She withdrew herself from society and lived in relative solitude until her death. Only a few of her poems were made public during her lifetime, but four years after her demise, a collection of poems was published and met with popular and critical acclaim. Her poems reveal a complicated mind that examined itself with as much attention to detail as it examined the world. Dickinson’s defiance of categorization and simplification make her a popular poet to study even today.
In the years she spent away from society, Emily Dickinson cultivated an extensive garden. In it, she grew jasmine flowers, cornflowers, roses, and many other flowers, plants and herbs. These flowers appear repeatedly in her poetry so our blend had to be floral. We created a delightful combination of jasmine tea and rose petals that brews to a light ecru cup with long green leaves and rose petal accents. This delicate tea hits you with a strong jasmine taste that’s sweetened and mellowed with the subtle flavors of the rose petals.
Ingredients: Jasmine tea, rose petals, jasmine blossoms, marigold petals and blue cornflower petals.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Carrot Cupcake from The NecessiTeas. . . .
This is an herbal blend of apple, carrot, almonds, walnuts, cinnamon, coconut, pineapple, crystallized ginger, cloves, and natural and organic flavors. In the packet, it smells sweet, light, and fruity, with only a little of the clove coming through – a minor miracle since clove so easily overpowers other flavors.
Steeped for about six minutes in boiling water, it is still a light but flavorful cup. I have had carrot cake and this is lighter than I would expect. Tasty, but not the taste I was expecting.
Apple and pineapple are keeping it light and fresh, the ginger and clove are remarkably well behaved and sit on the back row without demanding all the attention, although that crystallized ginger keeps trying to peek to the forefront. The nutty flavors are plainly here, with the cinnamon being a bit shy and the coconut adding a bit of body overall.
While this is a lovely fall like tisane and I am enjoying it, it does not make visions of carrot cupcake dance in my head. I would love to try this again, but mix it half and half with a good black tea base. I think that could be an awesome experience.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: The NececssiTeas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Keemun Imperial Black Tea from Teavivre. . . .
Keemun Imperial Black Tea is one of the more expensive Keemun offerings from Teavivre. Spoiler alert regarding the upcoming review….I am placing it on my re-order list right now.
The instructions on my packet of leaves said to make it at 185F and steep for about three minutes. I hesitated about following those instructions because it is out of the norm for how I make my black teas, but I do usually go with 195F for Keemun teas, so I followed their recommendation and lowered the temp a bit more. Crossing fingers because oh, how I love my Keemun teas!
First sip, and immediately I heard a song playing in my head….”I’ll stop the world and melt with you…”. Oh my goodness. Stop. Breathe. Close,your eyes. Hug in a cup, comforting shawl, slipping into a warm bubble bath, whatever floats your boat as metaphor for a riveting tea experience, here it is.
This smells like TEA. Rich, lovely, calming, soothing TEA. Baked sweet potato, bread-y and malty, burnt caramel, and the lightest waft of smoke that is probably just an image coming from the gentle briskness that gives that tiny rasp on the tongue that lets you know you are having a Keemun, all somehow swimming in a very light-bodied liquor. As I sip more, the briskness grows a little, and I find this a perfect tea to sip with my chocolate chip and pecan scone.
It’s going to be a good day.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teavivre
Description
The fresh leaves for making this tea grew in the original producing area of Keemun tea, at an average elevation of 800 m above sea level. The one bud with one leaf (which just starts to open up, called Chu zhan “初展”) is hand-plucked for making this tea around the Chinese season of Qing Ming in early spring days. These fresh first-plucking leaves for making are loaded with nutrients and hence the finished dry leaves are neat and bold with high percentage of tiny golden tips. There is a sweet, mellow taste which creates a pleasant smooth sensation in your mouth. Overall, the first infusion of this tea is high in roasted sweet potato flavor mixed somewhat flower aroma, the second infusion is very mellow and the third infusion‘s lingering sweet and fragrant aftertaste will give you more enjoyment.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Magicienne from Nina’s Tea . . . .
My tastebuds have taken several sabbaticals lately
. Now that they have decided to get back to work, I plan to drink tea and savor every sip, catching up on what I’ve missed!
This green tea is a breath of summer today on this dreary day. The description on their official site says there is a hint of tartness, but it isn’t at all sour or astringent like many green teas. In fact, this is a tea i could easily chug, even from a teacup. The light briskness just makes me want more.
The primary aroma and flavor is coconut, with the pineapple coming in at a close second. The added cream flavor makes this a super smooth and creamy cuppa, a nice foil for the green base.
I am drinking it hot, but it is amazing iced as well, with or without sugar. I always go without! Now I am going to pretend I am on a beach, basking in the sun with a little umbrella in my drink!
This is available without the tin for a lower price, but spend a few extra dollars sometime and treat yourself to Nina’s beautiful red tea tins. I have a row of them on my tea shelf and they are gorgeous. Their Marie Antoinette blend comes in an exquisite pink tin – so romantic. Pour Maman is a perfect gift for a new mother, a Mother’s Day gift, or just because. Grand Amour is truly one of my great loves among flavored black tea and is a fun to give for weddings or engagements.
But the important thing is that Nina’s knows how to do quality tea and well-balanced blending. Even if you see a dozen flavors listed in the tea, it won’t be a muddy mess. It will be a beautifully blended cup of tea that leaves you wondering how the French achieve this level of mastery just as they do in their finest parfums.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea
Description
Pineapple, coconut The magical combination of pineapple and coconut. This tea, with a hint of tartness, will pleasantly surprise you. An exotic blend that will satisfy all seeking enchantment.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!