Greetings fellow tea drinkers! I come with a review that is from my ancestor’s homeland of the Emerald Isle. After a good search, I found that Barry’s Tea is one of the most popular Irish tea brands. And being that it has been family owned since 1901 I believe this was the best way to taste my Irish heritage. And as a bonus, this brand is from County Cork which is where most of my family is from!
Now I believe that this blend has the typical blend of black teas featuring Assam. But this tea has a lot smoother finish to the malty flavor. Now I am not saying that is better any of the other Irish Breakfasts that I have had but it is definitely different in its flavor compared.
Now I bought my box from Amazon for $7.84 for a 40 count box of bag tea. And it seems for US customers Amazon seems to be the best option. It also not surprising that you can’t get samples of this tea but I don’t think spending about $8 for a 40 count of tea is not too bad. Also looking on the official site they don’t seem to have samples either so if you are not in Ireland I would just use Amazon to order the tea. So doing the math it is basically .20 cents a cup of tea if you get the 40 count box.
In summary, this was a good tea to help me experience my heritage and also to enjoy what I believe to be a true cup of Irish Breakfast. While this tea won’t be replacing my other Irish Breakfasts I believe it still belongs in the ranking of a good Irish Breakfast tea.
See you for the next cuppa!
Kara
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Barry’s Tea
Description
Blended for the Irish Palate, our Irish Breakfast Tea has a brisk refreshing taste and a bright golden colour. We select this blend from the Assam Valley of India and the gardens of Rwanda and Kenya, but it’s the bright freshness of the African leaves that make this tea so refreshing. It’s the perfect blend to enjoy anytime of the day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Malty Biscuit Brew/Yorkshire Tea
Hello, my dear tea lovers. I will admit that I spend way too much time online looking for new teas to try. I almost have a mountain of teas but somehow I obtain more. And this time on my search I have found a very interesting blend, a blend that mimics the indulgent practice of biscuits and tea by Yorkshire Tea.
Now I want to say that this brew has no actual biscuit in it for the biscuit flavor comes from the natural vanilla that they use in combination with a blend of black teas. The vanilla that they use is of the nutty variety and it does actually taste like I have eaten it with a biscuit! It is nice and comforting without having too much of the vanilla flavoring (it only makes up 3% of this blend) to the point where it is just a hint of “biscuit” flavor.
Now sadly, this brew isn’t sold in American markets all that often so the easiest way is to get this brew from Amazon and I got a 40 count box for about $7. Now keep in mind, this seems to be a UK exclusive so if you do decide to order, you will have to wait a bit because of overseas shipping. But mine (I ordered from the Amazon seller Spellbound from England) came nicely packed and the box is brand new and has a best by date of 08/2020 though I doubt it will last till then.
If you want the tea and biscuit experience on the go I say this is a great option! It is warm and cozy and even if you are not the biggest fan of vanilla, like myself, I am sure you will enjoy it. It is also versatile as well for you can have it with milk for more of a biscuit-like flavor or without. So if you are after a cup of cozy but don’t have the biscuit or you are on the go I fully recommend this tea!
See you for the next cuppa!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Yorkshire Tea via Amazon
Description
A proper satisfying brew Meet our Biscuit Brew – all the happiness of tea and biscuits, without the biscuit! It’s the comforting taste of Yorkshire Tea with a smattering of malty sweetness, for a satisfying treat that doesn’t get crumbs on your jumper. Especially lovely with milk. By Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales Suppliers of Beverages, Taylors of Harrogate North Yorkshire
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Watermelon Oolong/Fraser Tea
Hello my fellow tea drinkers, I come with another of cup tea that offers a different experience than the normal oolong Tea experience. This tea features the completely natural flavor of watermelon. Which is indeed a feat for being that I am a lover of watermelons and melons, in general. I have had many teas and treats that feature a grossly overpowered artificial watermelon flavor. But I believe that this tea actually has captured the true essence of that summertime fruit.
The really interesting thing about this blend’s composition is that it features no watermelon at all. Now the reason is that watermelon is, of course, very hard to dry out. This blend’s ingredients are as follows; oolong, green tea, blueberries, coconut, mango, papaya, pineapples, lemongrass, osmanthus, and cornflowers. With all these flavors combined it is hard to believe that it tastes just like a cup of watermelon! With the first sip, you get that kick of sweet, refreshing watermelon and then the blend of oolong and green tea mellow it out while still carrying that flavor all the way through. I will also say that I was very skeptical of this blend for I have never been a fan of mango and papaya but I am happy to be surprised that my tastebuds can be fooled!
For the prices on this blend, for 12 sachets it is $8.98, for a 4-ounce loose leaf tin it is $11.95, 8 ounces $21.95, 12 ounces $28.95, and for 16 ounces it is $34.95. Now it does look there is a way on their site to get specific samples and I believe that you add the item designated as “samples” to your cart and in the “notes” section of the checkout then you list your desired teas. They also have specific tea blend samplers that features a handful of black teas to their rooibos tea blends.
To conclude, this tea great to drink cold or hot at any time of the year! It provides that watermelon flavor without being artificial. So if you are curious and want to try something a bit different I will give this blend a try, I certainly don’t regret it!
See you for the next cuppa!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Fraser Tea
Description
A virtual summer picnic in your glass, Watermelon Oolong Organic Oolong Tea combines fresh berries and tropical fruit flavors together with lemongrass for a crisp and refreshing taste. This superior grade organic oolong tea offers numerous nutritional benefits including weight management, diabetes management, and mental health. Think wellness; embrace flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Touch of Grey/Dem Bones
Hello dear readers, I come bringing a brew that is more than welcome in my ever growing tea shelf. It is from a brand that has captured my heart in its macabre design and its quirky humor. Their first product that caught my eye was their sugar skull cubes but when I found out that Dem Bones also had tea I just had to try it.
This tea features an invigorating blend of orange pekoe, bergamot oil, the dried flower petals of marigold, cornflower, and rose. The pekoe is the jolt of energy at the start and then it mellows out with the trio of flowers with the hint of bergamot oil keeping that citrusy flavor all throughout each sip.
Now on the prices, on Etsy and on her site DemBonesShoppe, you can only purchase a 2-ounce bag of tea for $11. Which I believe is a really good price considering that most of the bigger names in tea sell a 1 ounce tin of tea for about $5+. Additionally, as far as I know, you cannot purchase samples outright but I do believe that you can message Dem Bones, either on the site or on Etsy, for more information.
All in all, I believe this tea is a new staple in my tea lineup. I like to look at it as a sister to my other all-time favorite, The Picture of Earl Gray by Noveltea Tins. So if you like the sound of a flowery tea but don’t want to sacrifice caffeine I say that this a great mix of both worlds.
See you for the next cuppa!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Dem Bones
Description
Party with the dead and lift your spirits with this insanely aromatic floral tea blend.
The Orange Peoke hold it’s own to the citrusy fruitiness of Bergamot Oil. Rose, cornflower and Marigold petals grace the blend not only with a burst of color but enhance the citrus notes. This is a classic!
Try it with a dash of cream and Dem Bones Sugar Cube Skulls.
INGREDIENTS: Black Tea Blend (camellia sinesis), Marigold Petals (calendula officinalis), Cornflower Petals (centaurea cyanus), Rose Petals (rosa canina), and Bergamot Oil.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raven’s Blend from Friday Afternoon . . . . . .
Hello dear readers! I have recently come across a quite delightful tea company that was sent to me as a secret Santa gift and I was amazed by the quality and of course with the tea selection. I had a whole lot of tea to chose from in the care package that was sent to me but after some consideration, I picked up Raven’s Blend.
For starters, this tea is very light given its black tea base and I believe that is thanks to the white tea wingman. There is also blue cornflower in this tea which adds a delightfully light floral taste. To those who are familiar with the taste profile of Lady Grey, it is like that but more delicate. I feel like I say this a lot because most teas are relaxing but I find that this one can be paired with just about any relaxing activity. But it also can spark creativity, giving your brain a needed boost. Which makes sense because its namesake is derived from the Ravenclaw house in the Harry Potter series. Which, funny enough is my actually my house.
Now on to the pricing of this beautiful blend. There are a total of four sizes to choose from; 1 oz which is priced at $10, a 2 oz which is priced at $14, 4 oz for $25, and 8 oz for $45. There aren’t any individual samples that you can order outright but I do know for certain that you can email the shop and ask for individual samples at $2 per sample. If you want to be more adventurous there is a mystery sample pack for $13 with four options (high caffeine, no caffeine, moderate caffeine, mixed caffeine) and an educational sampler pack for $35 that comes with steeping notes that has five options to choose from; black teas, green teas, oolong teas, pu-erh teas, and medicinal teas. Lastly, if you are in the Harry Potter fandom, there is a Wizarding Collection that you can purchase for $25 that features .5-.75 ounces for each of the teas from each of the four houses.
For the final thoughts on this tea, I believe it is well worth the money for the taste and the woman behind it is also great from my experience. From what I can tell she is very active with her consumers and is constantly adding new products to her online and physical store. There is also an option to make your own custom tea blend for $35 either by email or at the physical location. Also, as I was writing this review, I made a fresh cup of Raven’s Blend and I will possibly make another one! I fell in love with this tea company and you better be ready to see more reviews of this company in the near future!
See you for the next cuppa, Kara
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Friday Afternoon
Description
In wise old Ravenclaw house, “Wit beyond measure is man’s greatest treasure.” This medium-bodied, floral black tea is designed especially for you bibliophiles. High caffeine levels prepare you for those all-night study sessions and sharpen your focus while you devour the written word. Also fabulous while you read (or reread) your favorite novel, curled up in your favorite armchair or reading nook.
Ingredients: Black tea, white tea, and blue cornflower
All of our teas available online are gluten-free and sourced from organically certified farms. Most are vegan, but some may include honey (indicated in ingredients).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!