Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
Do you love chocolate but hate the calories? This tea may be the answer! Made from all organic and natural ingredients, this black tea blend tastes decadent with no residual weight effects. The aroma of this tea reminds me of my grandma’s kitchen when all of us kids were able to coax her into baking us brownies … delicious….
Ingredients: Organic China black tea, organic cocoa nibs, organic cinnamon pieces and natural flavoring.
Taster’s Review:
Are there teas that you fall in love with before you even open the package? I mean, you just read the name of the tea and you love it? I experienced that with this tea. Cinnamon Chocolate Brownie? Um… YES please!
The aroma right out of the bag is spot on. I smell cinnamon, I smell chocolate, and I smell rich, gooey fudge brownies. Once brewed, the fragrance softens a bit, but I still smell the chocolate and the cinnamon, as well as the distinct scent of freshly baked brownies. I am salivating just sitting here smelling the aroma that is wafting out of my tea mug as I type.
The flavor is also spot on. The only difference is that I can also taste the black tea. There is a really good balance of flavors – it doesn’t seem like any one note is competing with the others for the spotlight. It’s more like a very solid quartet of flavors, singing their way onto the palate and I’m loving every moment of the performance.
The cinnamon offers just a hint of heat to the cup. It isn’t what I would call spicy-hot, but, it does deliver a little bit of warmth. The chocolate is rich and inviting. The black tea is strong, and it has a baked-good/bread-like taste to it that melds perfectly with the chocolate flavor and completes the brownie like taste. This really tastes like brownies that have been enhanced with a touch of cinnamon.
The cinnamon notes in this tea give it an autumnal character and because of that I prefer it hot. It is warm and cozy … very comforting, and absolutely delicious.
Almond Sugar Cookie from Simpson & Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
Heavenly! That’s the best word to describe this black tea blend. You’ll think you’re in a bakery when you open the bag and the aroma of nutty goodness wafts out. The brewed tea is divine – with no calories!
Ingredients: Black teas, almonds, flavoring and safflower blossoms.
Taster’s Review:
Wowza! As I sit here, preparing to write this review, my favorite tea mug is filled to the brim with this tea. The aroma is almost too much to take. It smells like freshly baked cookies, and it’s making my stomach growl! My tummy thinks that cookies are sitting in front of me, not tea!
So, finally, I must cave in and take a sip. YUM!
There are several “almond cookie” type teas out there, but I can’t recall any that I’ve tried that were better than this one. The flavor is sweet – but not too sweet – and there is a baked cookie kind of taste to it too. It’s slightly buttery. The black tea base is strong without overpowering the sweet almond flavor.
And it is the almond that is the star of this cup. From the aroma that is experienced before even taking that first sip, right down to the last sip and the aftertaste, the almond is front and center. It is sweet, nutty and has a pleasant roasted/toasted kind of taste to it.
I think that the perfect temperature for this tea is hot, but not freshly-brewed, still piping-hot hot. Allowing this tea to cool ever so slightly will allow some of the cookie taste to emerge without losing any of the almond or black tea flavors. The slightly cooled tea tastes like a bit like my favorite almond biscotti that has just been dunked in black tea. Delicious!
Groovy Guava Tea from Simpson & Vail
Tea Type: Green Tea
Where To Buy: Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
A wonderful afternoon tea! This fabulous blend of delicious fruits is melded with colorful herbs and our delicate White Monkey tea. The pale ecru cup emits a scrumptious fruity taste that is certain to please.
Brew 2 tsp per 8 oz. cup for 2 minutes @180ºF.
Contains: Green tea, Orange Blossoms, Raspberry pieces, Cornflower petals and flavorings.
Tasters Review:
I totally LOVE this tea and I have a lot to say about it!
First, I’ve had more than one person call me a hippie before so I often associate HIPPIE with the word GROOVY. Groovy MEANS “highly stimulating and attractive, excellent” and that certainly fits the bill here.
In addition to this being one GROOVY Tea…I love that it’s Guava. I’ve had a few Guava Teas before and I have been left wanting. This is a nicely flavored Guava green tea.
It’s awesome hot or cold.
The taste is sweet and it’s a nice mix of fruity-flavors with a smooth and mellow green tea!
Green Tea BLISS. Delightful! GROOVY, man!
Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake Tea from Simpson & Vail
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
A new addition to our flavored tea line and already a huge hit with all of us here! This slightly sweet, scrumptious blend has a lightly toasted flavor with the delicious taste of apples and cinnamon. Sipping this tea reminds me of the Sunday morning breakfast treats of my childhood. Now that I’m all grown up I could have those treats every day of the week; however, I think I’ll stick to this tea blend instead. It’s full of the sinful tastes of childhood but, with no calories, it suits my adult metabolism!
Ingredients: Black teas, organic cinnamon chips, apple pieces, orange blossoms and flavoring.
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
Tasters Review:
I prefer this flavored tea to the real thing. I’m not much of a pastry person. This smells just like the name states. The flavor is RIGHT ON, too! It’s a gently roasted black tea with juicy apple notes, hints of citrus, a nice even cinnamon flavor, and that stereotypical coffeecake taste that you would expect! It has a smoother aftertaste, too, which was a nice surprise!
S&V continue to amazing me with their flavored black teas! Check them out!
Almond Sugar Cookie Tea from Simpson & Vail
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Simpson & Vail
Product Description:
Heavenly! That’s the best word to describe this black tea blend. You’ll think you’re in a bakery when you open the bag and the aroma of nutty goodness wafts out. The brewed tea is divine – with no calories!
Ingredients: Black teas, almonds, flavoring and safflower blossoms.
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
Tasters Review:
Simpson & Vail is really knocking my socks off lately with their newest HEAVENLY TEAS! These are truly amazing!
The Almond flavor is perfect! It tastes very MUCH like you were to walk into a Bakery! And it tastes more like Sugar Cookie like as it cools a bit. This is terrific both hot and cold. It’s a nice medium-strong black tea base and I find it just lovely!