Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
Creamy, spicy, warming with a hint of vanilla and a malty tea base
Ingredients: Black tea, orange peel, clove, cinnamon, ginger root, cornflowers, chrysanthemum petals, natural essences
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Not only is Winter Wonderland Tea from Shanti Tea one of my favorite teas this time of year but I also enjoy it year-round for the delightful quality and taste, too!
The black tea base is of medium strength and combined well with orange peel, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and a variety of flower petals. It’s pleasing the palate and the eye! My favorite part of this flavor combo is the orange. The spices are just an added plus. This is warming for the heart and soul and is perfect for sharing with friends when the holiday chill is about. It has a bit of creaminess, spiciness, and malt to it. I’m curious what this would taste like with the addition of a speck of mint. Regardless…Winter Wonderland Tea from Shanti Tea is certainly for me! Could it be for you, too? I wouldn’t be surprised.
Smoked Maple Oolong Tea from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
A lightly smoky blend of dark oolong and maple, a best-selling breakfast Oolong.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oolong is not a tea that I would ordinarily think of as a “breakfast tea” but this tea changes things up a bit for me and is making me think a little outside of the box. While it isn’t quite as hefty as, say, an Assam or a Yunnan tea, the Oolong base of this blend is a robust, full-bodied tea that would make a really nice alternative to the typical breakfast tea.
And did I mention the delightful maple-y note to this? Mm-mm!
Even though this is a flavored Oolong, I decided to brew it the way I would typically brew an Oolong: in my gaiwan. I combined the first two infusions to create my first cup, and it’s a cupful of gently smoked, maple-y joy! The dark Oolong base is smooth and lightly smoked. It has a rich, buttery undertone with nutty mid-notes. There is some dry astringency to the cup that arrives toward the finish.
The rich, flavorful Oolong melds really nicely with the sweet, maple notes. It has a really delightful flavor that’s smoky and sweet and tastes just like breakfast in a teacup! It’s really good.
With my second cup (infusions 3 and 4), I started to notice less of the maple notes while other flavors began to emerge. I noticed the nutty flavors of the first cup were a little stronger this time, and I started to notice a hint of peach to the background. The smoky tones were still present but not quite as powerful this time.
The third cup (infusions 5 and 6) was a very smooth tasting cup. It tasted lighter though, reminiscent of a Oriental Beauty now, but with hints of smoke. The maple notes are quite distant now, and almost indistinct. The smoke notes are not nearly as strong as they were in the first and second cup, but there are still “wisps” of smoke to this. I still taste notes of fruit and nut, but, these are also quite a bit softer than they were in the previous cup.
Overall, a really flavorful cup. The first two infusions would make a really nice alternative to the standard breakfast tea, with the subsequent infusions tasting lighter and making a nice way to transition from the stronger cup of tea in the morning to the lighter taste in the afternoon.
Spring Fever Oolong Blend from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
This tea blend features the lively taste of a bright green oolong with spring flavours including citrus, berries and a hint of fennel
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Spring Fever Oolong Blend from Shanti Tea is a lovely celebration of spring in a teacup. I have often said that my favorite season is autumn because I prefer the cooler weather (I find that hot teas just seem to taste better when it’s chilly outside), but after as many cold, wet days as we’ve had here in the Pacific Northwest (NorthWET) lately, I find myself longing for a little warmer weather. And the bright, sunny flavors in this tea seem to be expressing those desires for me.
The Oolong is smooth and silky, with a light buttery texture and a sweet, floral tone. The citrus and berry flavors complement the Oolong base nicely. The citrus brightens the cup with its sunny flavor, and the berry tastes sweet with just a hint of tart. The osmanthus enhances the natural peach-y notes of the Oolong, and I can taste that in the background too.
There’s a really lovely, warm undertone of fennel. It’s snappy and spicy but it doesn’t overpower the cup, instead, it offers a gently warm, spiced flavor that is pleasantly understated. The medley of flavors simply works. It’s a little warm and spicy, it’s a little sweet and juicy from the fruit notes, it’s soft and buttery from the Oolong with notes of flower in the distance. It’s a really beautiful harmony of complex notes.
And because this is an Oolong, that means that it’s good for at least a couple of infusions (if not more!) The second infusion was creamier than the first, the buttery notes of the Oolong are really coming through at this point. The fruit notes are more melded now, tasting like a hybrid fruit of citrus and berry rather than distinct, individual fruits. The fennel is not as pronounced in this cup, the warmth and licorice-y sweetness still lingers in the background but it’s a very soft flavor.
The third infusion proved to be still quite flavorful. I’m surprised that I’m still experiencing strong fruit notes of citrus and berry. As in the second cup, these two flavors are melded together to taste like a citrus-y berry fruit, but the fruit notes are still going strong. The Oolong is soft and smooth, not quite as creamy as the second but still offers a silky, luxurious texture. The fennel is more of an afterthought now, offering some warm background notes but it’s no longer an obvious note.
Overall, this was a very lovely flavored Oolong. Usually, an Oolong is quite delicious, flavorful and complex on its own (without the flavoring), but I liked the dimension the flavors added to this Spring Fever Oolong! Two thumbs up.
Red Maple Spice Tisane from Shanti Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tisane Description:
A lingering spice softened by sweet maple, this is one of our favourite maple blends. The color, aroma, and flavor profile match incredibly well and create a full multi-sensory experience. A must try tea for maple & spice lovers.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This Red Maple Spice Tisane from Shanti Tea is seriously YUM! I didn’t think it would be this good – I tend to be apprehensive when it comes to rooibos blends – but I’m happy to report that this is a very tasty rooibos blend!
That might have a little something to do with the fact that the spice and maple notes dominate and I don’t really taste a strong presence from the rooibos. But I’m just fine with that. I do taste very subtle hints of a nutty taste from the rooibos and the flavor unites seamlessly with the maple and spice.
The cardamom and fennel offer a flavor that is warm and comforting. I taste hints of licorice from the fennel and hints of citrus from the cardamom, a flavor profile that is further accentuated with the addition of orange peels to the mix. The citrus-y notes are delicate and most noticeable toward the end of the sip.
The maple is sweet and tastes amazing with these other flavors. Everything is very harmonious. It is a sweet yet spicy treat that I find very cozy to sip on when it’s cold outside. I think I prefer this as a hot drink, although it tastes good when it cools too.
A really thoughtfully crafted rooibos tisane. This is one I’d highly recommend.
Lemomila Tisane from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
A simple blend, adding some noted of lemon to a sweet and calming infusion of chamomile. A nice variation for those chamomile lovers out there.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The first thing I notice when I open my packet of Lemomila Tisane from Shanti Tea is the scent of Chamomile. Peeking inside the package, I can see big chamomile blossoms. While I’ve never made any big secret that I’m not particularly fond of chamomile, I don’t hate it and I find that the larger the chamomile blossoms, the more I like the tisane. In other words: crushed blossoms = not so great, while big, whole blossoms = much better.
And in this tisane, I didn’t see any crushed blossoms at all. These were big, whole chamomile blossoms mixed with the sweet, citrus-y flavor of lemongrass.
The lemongrass adds a nice brightness to this cup. The citrus tones are sweet with a tart note that hits the palate towards the end of the sip and lingers on through the aftertaste. It’s not a strong sour note, though, just a hint of citrus-y tart. Mostly what the lemongrass provides is a nice contrast to the sweet, apple-like notes of the chamomile. Notes of honey can also be tasted.
Overall, a very enjoyable way to relax, this Lemomila Tisane from Shanti Tea!