I have never been a lover of floral teas. Normally rose or lavender or jasmine or any other floral ingredient got me groaning. However, that all changed when my university roommate bought me teas from Camellia Sinensis for the holidays. Among the teas she bought me was a blend called Des Roses et Des Bonbons. It was a cherry rose tea and it was amazing. One of my favorite teas EVER! And it’s sadly been discontinued.
Since trying Des Roses et Des Bonbons, I have been all the more open to rose teas. Since its discontinuation, there has been a hole in my heart (and stash) and I have been in search of a cherry rose tea to fill it. Perhaps Tea Sparrow could end my search with their delivery of Cherry Rose Green by Elmwood Inn Fine Teas in one of my monthly subscription boxes…
Cherry Rose Green is a Japanese Sencha Green Tea blended with rose petals, cherries, and natural cherry flavor. I steeped the tea for 2 minutes in 175F, the temperature my kettle recommends for green teas given the company suggestion was a rather vague “not quite boiling water” instruction.
At first sip I am disappointed to report that this is not the replacement I have been hoping for. Des Roses et Des Bonbons was a sweet candy-like black tea blend. Cherry Rose Green is just that…a green tea. Where I want candy, I am getting nature. It’s not bad, just different.
Cherry Rose Green has a fair quality green base, its a little grassy and slightly bitter at the end of the sip. The rose does provide a natural sweetness that is fresh like the green tea base but brighter. The cherry comes in at the end and is a little medicinal when combined with the bitterness of the base tea.
It is not a bad tea but it is not my favorite either. I think the bar was set too high going into this tea because what I wanted and what I got were two drastically different things. I could see this being a nice transition tea for those trying to make the leap from flavored to plain teas. It has flavor but the base tea is really the star here.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
Description
We’ve blended Japanese sencha green tea with rose petals and cherries to give you all the flavor and aroma of a springtime orchard. Try it cold-steeped as well!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Bourbon Black Tea from Elmwood Inn Fine Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Elmwood Inn
Tea Description:
Enjoy the flavors and aromas of Kentucky’s best-known beverage infused into a custom blend of handpicked Chinese and Indian teas. Vanilla and caramel notes with a hint of char from the bourbon barrel. Make mine a double!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Another blogger that is more into lifestyle recommend this tea for me. She purchases tea from them and thought I would enjoy them. So of course I instantly checked them out and couldn’t believe the variety of tea they had. This one instantly caught my eye and seems to be one of their best sellers. I jumped on the chance to try this unique blend.
Brewed this up like a black tea with the help of my Breville One Touch and poured myself and Jason a cup. He was more excited to try this one than me I think. Before I even took a sip of the tea you could definitely pick up the char that they hint at in the description.
Took a sip and we both smiled. The tea is definitely bourbon inspired. The vanilla and caramel notes are delicious with a mix of a woodsy malty flavor. The char is a bit stronger than a hint like the description suggests and can be overpowering at times. But overall this tea is unique and is one that demands your attention. Such a rich deep smooth flavor that is very reminiscent of the title of the tea. I just adore those vanilla and caramel notes mixed with that char note.
I found that my cup was empty at no time and was wanting more. Jason on the other hand wasn’t a big fan of the char aspect of the tea. He adored the flavor of the tea-he just isn’t a fan of smoky teas. I’m typically not either but I really like the combination of flavors. This is one cuppa I could drink all night!
For my first experience with this company, I’m extremely pleased!
