Wild Blueberry Green from Fava Tea. . . .

by Sophia

Sometimes it’s nice to go back to basics. There are so many funky and unique tea blends when it comes to flavored tea that sometimes I crave something simple. In this case it’s blueberry green tea. Sencha, gunpowder green, white tea, and elderberry, eucalyptus leaves all come together to form this blend. In truth I was nervous when I saw two ingredients. Can you guess which? Eucalyptus leaves and gunpowder green! Eucalyptus can taste kind of medicinal sometimes and the last time I had gunpowder green tea I thought it tasted and smelled like old cigarette smoke. Weird, I know. So I was a bit hesitant but I forged on, curiosity peaked.

I’m telling you, if I hadn’t read the ingredients I wouldn’t even had known that my two “scary ingredients” were in this. In fact, I wouldn’t even have know that this was a blueberry flavored tea. The main quality I noticed in both smell and taste was vegetal sencha green tea. Through and through that’s what I got from this one. That’s not to say that this was a bad blend, the green tea was delicious and would have been great iced! But as far as blueberry goes, it just wasn’t very present. However if you’re a fan of bold green tea, this one’s for you!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Green
Where to Buy:  Fava Tea
Description

Enjoy the taste of fresh blueberries in your cup! This is a smooth, flavorful cup of healthy green tea. Delightful!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Fava Tea Company, Green Tea

Dirty Girl Scout from The NecessiTeas. . . .

by Sophia

I was a Girl Scout for a long time. I’m not 100% certain how long, but it was all throughout middle school. I actually really enjoyed it, but of course my favorite part of the whole experience was the cookies. How could it not be? This fabulous blend by The NecessiTEAs was made with a certain cookie in mind- Thin Mints….but with a twist: irish cream! And as we speak, I am eating some Thin Mints and sipping on my Dirty Girl Scout tea! What a combo. Y’all I am in chocolate mint heaven right now! I also think that at this moment I am the best judge of whether this tea embodied a twist on these cookies properly, and the answer to that is absolutely! The best part? It is a black tea blend, which means that not only are my taste buds happy but i’m getting caffeinated at the same time! Win/win situation for me!

This tea was not overly minty or overly chocolate. I appreciated that. The mint to chocolate ratio was definitely balanced. The flavors of cookies and irish cream really set this tea apart to other chocolate mint teas. I feel like sometimes teas that include mint end up tasting medicinal, but that was not the case with Dirty Girl Scout. Another aspect I really enjoyed about this tea was that although it was blended with a dessert cookie in mind, it was light enough on taste that it can be drunk anytime of the day and not just as a dessert. So you can technically have cookies for breakfast without the guilt! I really enjoyed this blend and I totally recommend grabbing a pack of Thin Mints to go along with it! Yum!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black Tea
Where to Buy:  The NecessiTeas
Description

We want to commemorate the solemn and depressing end of Girl Scout Cookie season with a tribute tea, the Dirty Girl Scout! We have put a twist on this treat by flavoring black tea with natural flavors of white chocolate and Irish cream then sprinkled a generous amount of organic peppermint into the blend and topped it off with real Andes mint pieces. If you want to get real dirty, add sweetener of choice and a splash of milk.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, The NecessiTeas

Oregon Breakfast from Plum Deluxe. . . .

by Sophia

I really am in love with anything that includes hazelnut, hazelnut makes everything better. However, if you follow any of my reviews you’ll know that i’m not always too keen on orange or citrus. The ingredients in this delectable blend by Plum Deluxe include: black tea, honeybush, orange peel, and hazelnut essence. Tell me that doesn’t sound yummy and i’ll be looking at you like you have ten heads! It sounds heavenly, so of course I bought it. Typical me.

As soon as I opened the package and took a whiff of this mix, I knew id love it. In all honesty, the orange was so subtle I don’t think I could have picked it out if I didn’t know it was on the ingredient list. What I could smell was the hazelnut- nutty and creamy right off the bat. I’ve got to say that their addition of honeybush to their black tea blends really is smart, especially when the blend has a nut inclusion. Honeybush and nuts is a great combo, they accentuate each other and bring out the best in each other- a match made in heaven! The orange here is so subtle on taste just like on smell and I really can just barely detect it, which is more than okay with me. This blend is absolutely amazing and it is the PERFECT summer (or fall) tea for a sunny morning drive to work (or wherever you may be going on a sunny morning). I completely recommend you give this blend a try!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Honeybush
Where to Buy:  Plum Deluxe
Description

This breakfast tea is how Plum Deluxe folk like to start their day. The earthy base helps center you; the ping of orange helps wake you and get you excited about today’s possibilities. It’s a simple tea and yet it is rich with subtle flavors.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Plum Deluxe

Vanilla Latte Tea from Plum Deluxe. . ..

by Sophia

There was a while there during my tea journey that I was terrified of cardamom. Sometimes it has this overwhelming flavor that can get really old, really fast. When I saw this vanilla latte tea, which was previously named Cardamom Vanilla Creme, I was a little intimidated by the cardamom. I wasn’t sure how it was going to pan out, but i’m definitely glad that I gave it a chance.

The main component here is definitely the vanilla. It smells fluffy and creamy and tastes even more so. The second component is a mixture of the cardamom and black tea. The black tea is strong but smooth. If you’ve never tried cardamom before, the best way to describe it is an herbal-y/citrus-y spice. Its not “hot” or “spicy” per se. To me it is more so herbal/grassy tasting, but it can sometimes make cinnamon and nutmeg taste spicy and it can be overwhelming depending on what it is mixed with. In the case of Vanilla Latte Tea, however, it is spot on!

There is something about vanilla and cardamom together that truly makes me wonder why there aren’t more teas that utilize this brilliant combination. The vanilla is sweet and creamy, and the cardamom is herbal with a slight hint of citrus. It doesn’t need anything else and I love how the blender let the vanilla and cardamom shine on top of the black tea and honeybush. This blend is truly dreamy and is highly recommended by yours truly.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black Tea/Honeybush
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description

Vanilla tea lattes are the comfort food of tea lovers. It’s one of our personal favorites, so we’ve created a tea that is a delightful balance of sweet and spice, perfect for latte time. The base is a fresh black Ceylon tea paired with our favorite nutty honeybush tea, and topped with the lightest touch of creamy, dreamy vanilla extract.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Honeybush, Plum Deluxe

Kokomo Cooler from Fava Tea. . . .

by Sophia

So I know that this one is probably supposed to be drunk iced, but I was too lazy and too impatient today to ice it. I like cooling the tea down a lot before pouring it over ice, otherwise the ice melts and its too watered down. Anyways, the reason I ordered this tea was because of course the name made me think that it would be a great summer blend, and also because of the ingredients. I’m always down to try something different and unique. Black tea with blueberries, pineapple, coconut, caramel, and freeze dried yogurt pieces all sounded like a combo I haven’t tried before. The only thing that made me hesitant and slightly disappointed right off the bat was the inclusion of hibiscus. I have only tried one tea that included hibiscus that I enjoyed thus far. Anytime hibiscus is listed I usually don’t buy it, but Fava didn’t use “tart” as a descriptive word to describe this blend so I decided to give it a try.

Once steeped I could smell the caramel, pineapple, and coconut. It smelled like DAVIDsTEA’s Caramel Corn blend. In all honesty it tasted like it, too, except with blueberries. I was immediately in love after the first sip and I know for a fact I will be stocking up on this one. It is fantastic hot and I am now eager to try it iced!

The first thing I notice is how creamy it is and I wonder if that is from the yogurt pieces. The next thing I notice is that I would not peg this as a black tea blend, it tastes more like a fruit infusion and I love it! It is creamy, fruity, nutty, and not the least bit tart. It isn’t overly sugary though, and I did add agave still. The blend of pineapple, coconut, and blueberry is so good and so unique. The added ingredients of caramel and yogurt pieces give the blend a smooth, creamy, and sweet aspect that leaves you wanting to continue going back for another sip. It’s addicting because there is so much going on in each sip that you have to keep trying it! I really really like this one. I know I say it a lot, but this is truly a must try this summer…no matter what you think you like or what flavors you usually gravitate towards, everyone should try this at least once.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black Tea
Where to Buy:  Fava Tea
Description

This black tea blend will set you thinking of palm trees and beach-side afternoons. The flavors of pineapple, blueberries, and coconut all complement each other in an endless circle of deliciousness. It’s refreshing and perfect for porch lounging, or for mermaids drinking tea in their lagoons!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Fava Tea Company