If you were to judge me by my kitchen alone (which, wait– don’t look under the fridge. I’ve literally never cleaned down there. WHOOPS.), you’d probably call me a bit of a coconut fanatic. I never liked coconut flavors as a kiddo, but as I grew (and my food allergy list grew along with me), coconut began finding its way into my kitchen via any manner of ingredients– shredded, as flour, as milk, as a replacement for soy sauce (yup, that’s a thing that exists), as treats– and definitely in tea!
This blend from the Necessiteas claims to be a creamy, tropical treat, and it certainly lives up to the hype. A green rooibos base sets the stage for flavors of coconut, pineapple and vanilla to blend together seamlessly, and blend they do. I’ve so far been enjoying this one iced, where I end up getting more of the creamy + rooibos notes than I am the tropical one-two-punch of coconut and pineapple, but they are there– I think personally, I just wished that I could taste the tangy fruitiness more predominantly in balance with the creaminess of the base. That said, this tea is still delightful for a coconut-lover like myself, and makes a perfect warm-weather treat!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Pop open this tea canister and let the wonderful aroma awaken your senses and refresh your spirit. You may not have a lei or hula skirt handy, but as this remarkable green rooibos tea blend steeps, you might want to put on your bathing suit and grab your sunglasses! From your first sip of this delightful blend, your senses will transport you to the Hawaiian islands. Close your eyes and taste the bright citrus, creamy coconut and sultry sweet pineapple blended with a perfect amount of rich vanilla. As you sip your freshly steeped elixir, you’ll have all the tastes and delights of a perfect, healthy, re-energizing tropical treat. A perfect Hawaiian retreat, without the sand! When you need a quick “getaway,” just say, “Aloha!”
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Summertime White from 52Teas. . . .
90% of the time, I’m not really a white tea fan. It’s kinda floral, it’s a little too light for me, I’m not entirely sure I’m fancy enough to be able to claim it as my own– etc., etc. But the other 10%? Meaning, the few months out of the year that I bust out my white tea sample backlog and put it on ice? White tea and I are bffs, you guys.
This particular blend from 52 Teas claims to be orange-cream-y, a bit fruity, perfect summertime sipping (as the name would suggest). It may have just been my sample, but I’m not positive that I picked up on the orange/cream, but there were delightful, fresh and summery hints of citrus undertones, a slightly vegetal-honeyed note that was at once light and reminiscent of syrup-y gold. I paired this iced cup with a splash of lemonade, which only enhanced those notes, and friends– it was to die for.
Leave it to 52 Teas to make a white tea believer out of me yet!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
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!
Garden Therapy from The Tea Can Company. . . .
This tea is a stroll through your garden. It’s a sunny, quiet morning at the farmer’s market, stashing bundles of herbs in your reusable bag. It’s floating through a sun-soaked kitchen, plucking green leaves from your window-box and muddling them in steamy water for a fresh, herby cup.
“Garden Therapy” is the perfect name for this particular brew. Packaged in a pyramid bag, the herbs are visible and present, and I get that familiar golden-brown brew from my beloved tulsi and lemon myrtle, accented with a slight sweetness from the rose and berry, balanced beautifully by the bright, fresh spearmint. Truly, each and every one of these herbs shines through the flavor, and I’m wholly transported to garden-side sipping.
While I drank this one hot, I’m guessing it’d be absolutely delightful iced with a splash on lemon as you meander through the vines and blossoms of your very own garden-therapy-session!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Tea Can Company
Description
Holy basil, spearmint, rose hips and lemon myrtle combine to enlighten the soul. This tea helps naturally strengthen the immune system. Elevates mental clarity and lowers stress.
Ingredients: Holy Basil (Tulsi) Spearmint, Rose Hips, Lemon Myrtle and Linden Blossoms, Caffeine-free
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Creamsicle from BlendBee. . . .
Often, I’ll find myself looking lovingly at my tea cabinet (not unusual) and envision myself as a tea blender. In this very particular fantasy of mine, I’m set up in a perfectly crisp, clean and home-y bright white kitchen, sunlight flooding through the windows, a gentle breeze pushing in the open windows, and I’m hand-blending delicious teas while the birds outside chirp backup as I trill, Snow-White-ing-ly.
I’m pretty sure this isn’t how actual tea blending happens. But this is my fantasy, so we’re gonna pretend it is.
Luckily, there exist some incredible companies who offer this service to fulfill all my tea-blending delusions of grandeur! I may not be in a sunlight kitchen, twirling through my own blending cabinet, but thanks to custom tea-blending services, I can almost be.
One of my very favorite companies that offers this service is the incredible BlendBee. I could wax poetic for ages about why I love BlendBee– super high quality teas, spectacular flavors, interesting blends and constant use of beneficial/healthy herbs and spices to flavor teas and support health, not just a bunch of “natural and artificial flavors” sprayed on some dry leaves. For a super reasonable price (and I’ve had great luck picking up a few groupons for this service recently, making it even more reasonable), you can completely customize your own blend, choosing everything from the base to a plethora of add-ins, flavors and other goodies.
In the past, I’ve made a custard tea (which was delightful, and I’ve already ordered more of), most recently, a blueberry Danish tart tea, and the one I’m sipping right now: Orange Creamsicle. I requested this blend be made with creamy, buttery green tea, marshmallow root, vanilla and custard flavor, lemongrass, orange pieces, and a touch of orange oil for flavor. The result s a pillowy green with dreamy, creamy vanilla flavors that is perfectly reminiscent of the favorite shopping mall Orange Julius of my youth.
Iced, this one is even better. The green is mellow, the flavors light and fresh, not at all artificial or overpowering. I love serving it up with a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice for a twist on an Arnold Palmer. It’s everything my little aspiring-blender-heart could have hoped for, and more!
Thanks, BlendBee, for making my tea-blending dreams a(n almost) reality. Now all I need are those singing birds in the background, and I’m set!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Click below to learn how to blend your own teas with BlendBee.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fruit Punch from The NecessiTeas. . . .
Often, when I’m about to review a tea, I ask myself: what does this tea make me think of? What memory is associated with these flavors? But you guys– I couldn’t even do it with this one. The flavors of “fruit punch” are apparently so ingrained in my childhood that even with thoughts long and hard, I couldn’t pinpoint one specific memory, just a flood of tasting this exact fruity mix over and over again throughout the years. (And ending up with a cherry-red-stained mouth every time!)
This oolong blend from The Necessiteas is impressive– even just by scent alone, it is spot-on, bright red fruit punch flavor. You know, the kind that comes in those little juice tubs that look like barrels? Cherry red and bursting with flavor, this is it. I of course had to brew this one iced– is there even another option? I got the same scent in the brewed tea as the dry leaf, but upon sipping, the candy-cherry had mellowed out a bit to brew into a slightly more lightly fruity brew. I couldn’t really pick out specific oolong flavors here, but I can imagine them competing with the fruit, so it’s probably better that they took a backseat. On the whole, this one was tasty iced, but with the plethora of iced tea options I have at my disposal, it’s not one I adored so much that I feel the need to make it again and again.
That said– if you’re able to pick out much more specific cherry-punch-flavored from your memory than I, I think this one is going to be delightfully right up your alley– no cherry-stained-mouth necessary!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
This blend brings back childhood memories of me at the pool with a red stained smile on my face. What is even better about this tea, you don’t have to have a red stained smile to be happy. Fruit punch is a spring and summer must have around here! If it’s a party, shower or barbecue, they just seem to go hand in hand. So obviously I had to create a punch inspired tea. If you’re anything like me and enjoyed that sweet red punch as a kid then you’ll love this refreshing combo of strawberry, cherry and orange.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!