Graham Slam from Herbal Infusions

graham_slamTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy: Herbal Infusions

Tea Description:

Premium Ceylon tea hand blended with organic coconut shred and natural flavourings. Thanks to everyone that came out to our Yelp! Speakeasy tea event to help name this tea. We would like to think we definitely hit a graham slam with this tea. .

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

With a new like this one, you can’t help but have high expectations.  I adore graham crackers and the flavor they yield.  I recently devoured a box of Star Wars Graham crackers so I’ve got a taste for them right now.

I’m not sure where this tea came from, but I was excited to try it.  I’ve heard good things about teas from Herbal Infusions and with a tea that is a mix of coconut and graham crackers. . . what could be better?

Brewed this up in my little tea pot with the help of my Breville One Touch to prep the water to the correct temp.

Poured the brew into my tea cup and sat down to enjoy some relax time.  First sip in and your taste buds are enveloped with this fabulous coconut flavor.  Like intense coconut fresh flavor.  The secondary flavors hit you with a gentle and subtle manner.  A lovely brown sugar like flavor.

This tea is a delicious black flavored tea for those who enjoy coconut flavors.  I would recommend added two scoops instead of just one.  With one, the coconut flavors were strong but that was about it.  With two I think the other flavors would start to really come thru and pop.

First experience with this company and I’m quite happy!

Mint Cacao Herbal Tea from Herbal Infusions

MintCacaoTisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Herbal Infusions

Tisane Description:

A Mint and Cacao infusion that blends premium organic cacao shells and 2nd flush organic peppermint leaves. 

Learn more about this blend here.

Taster’s Review:

Mmm!  This Mint Cacao Herbal Tea from Herbal Infusions is AWESOME!  Decadent and chocolate-y with just the right amount of crisp mint.

I’ve read a few reviews/complaints by tea drinkers who state that they don’t get enough chocolate flavor from cacao shell tisanes.  My recommendation to them is to steep the cacao shells longer.  So long as the blend does not contain tea leaves (camellia sinensis) or hibiscus, you should feel safe in steeping the cacao shells in 195° water for 10 – 15 minutes (or longer!)  I steeped this tisane for 15 minutes, and I’m getting a really satisfying, chocolate-y flavor.  And you know how I am when it comes to chocolate!

The chocolate flavor here is rich and smooth.  It is a dark chocolate flavor, so it is sweet, but there are some bitter tones to contrast with the sweeter notes.  Like milk chocolate better than dark chocolate?  Just add a splash of milk to the brewed tisane, and you’ll have creamy, indulgent milk chocolate and mint treat.

As I mentioned above, the mint here is “just enough.”  By that, I mean that this has a cool minty note, but, the mint does not overwhelm the cup.  This doesn’t taste mouthwash-y.  This definitely tastes more of chocolate than it does of mint, and I’m quite happy with that arrangement.  

A very satisfying, dessert-y sort of beverage, something you’ll want to curl up to and savor every last sip.  I do find that just a little bit of raw sugar brings out the chocolate flavor, so, try about a quarter teaspoon of sugar to elevate the chocolate-y goodness in this one.  Not a lot of sugar is needed here, because the tisane has a pleasing sweetness without the sugar.  The sugar just sort of pumps up the volume on the chocolate.

YUMMY!