Chocolate Cherry Bomb!
It’s a special day when you get to drink a tea with an exclamation mark in its name!
I loved the aroma of this one as soon as I opened the pouch. The first impression I got from this deep black tea was that it was boozy, rather than sweet candy. Then I was reminded of the smell of cherry pipe tobacco, which is one of my favorite scents ever. When I see Haley Mills sniffing her grandpa in “The Parent Trap” to ‘make a memory’ as she put it, this is the aroma I imagine, even though she said he also smelled of peppermints!
Steeped, this is a strong and brisk black base with chocolate foremost and cherry after. And hallelujah! The cherry tastes like cherry instead of like horrific cherry cough syrup!
This would be a good breakfast tea thanks to that hefty base, and can easily handle milk and sugar. I do recommend that you let it cool a little before you sip. When I sipped it piping hot, I tasted chocolate but no cherry. With just a little cooling, the cherry flavor came out very well.
Don’t overleaf this one! The base is strong enough to stick with a level teaspoon for eight ounces.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Description
Think hand-dipped chocolate cherry truffle… sweet, plump, juicy, decadent – without the calories. Its cherry scent and velvety smooth chocolate notes work to enchant, but not overwhelm. Handcrafted from two black teas this is a dessert that you can enjoy for breakfast.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Keemun Chinese Black Tea from The Tea Spot
I love the discovery of new tea flavors, finding their nuances, comparing and contrasting from a baseline. I started educating myself on tea with subscription boxes, and still have a soft spot for them. Looks like Tea Spot will be my next choice. They offer a monthly subscription box for $16 for about an ounce worth of 5-6 teas and also a quarterly loose leaf club at $45 for 3+ teas of one chosen style, in larger portions obviously. This selection seems to be from the former.
The dry Keemun smells very gentle, a bit like the coriander in my cupboard. There are uniformly tight, straight, leaves, appearing medium on the spectrum of browns. I see some broken bits in wet leaves and a tamarind color brew. It smells subtly sweet, and reminds me of cherries – cheerful but with a slightly tart finish. 1 heaping tsp per 8 oz from the brewing instructions, does not make a strong tea, which some people prefer. I’m not the type to drink this flavor straight, because tannins and I are frenemies. I think it is It may leave a slight orange taste in my mouth but, this tea is still excellent at its job of caffeinating me!
Just like the Beastie Boys, I like my Sugar with [Keemun] and cream, too sweet to be sour, too nice to be mean.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Description:
A splendor of toasty flavor and aroma! The most refined and perhaps the most well-known of Chinese black teas, this Keemun is handpicked in Anhui Province. This tea has an indescribable flavor, with the most delicate hints of smoky pine, orchid, crushed apple and a rich, sweet body.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Candied Chestnut from The Tea Spot
The Tea Spot is one of those places you just know you are always in for a treat when you check out their blends. I recently had a subscription to their monthly tea plan and this lovely was part of one of the shipments.
Candied Chestnut is a blend of white tea, jasmine flowers, and chestnut flavorings, a unique gathering of teas for sure. I wasn’t sure about the chestnut piece but the rest- I’m always ready for a white jasmine tea.
Per the steeping parameters for this tea- I boiled water and allowed the water to cool for 3 minutes. Then I poured my water into my tea pot and allowed the tea to steep for 3 minutes. While I was waiting, I was for sure picking up the gorgeous floral notes coming from my tea pot. I couldn’t wait to dive in.
First sip and I have to say this tea is unique. At the beginning of each sip, you for sure get the floral notes, towards the middle of the sip, there is this nutty undertone that starts to announce its presence and towards the finish there is the familiar soft tendrils of a white tea base mingling with that nutty flavoring. I really did enjoy that floral sweet nutty twist this white tea blend is yielding. I can’t say I picked up chestnut or really a candied chestnut, but this unique flavor has me gulping this tea down cup after cup.
This is one of those amazing no nonsense teas. Simple yet full of flavor. What I love the most about this blend is that I get the best of both worlds- my beloved white tea and my jasmine but with a nutty twist.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
flDescription
This tea is not currently on the website but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Clouds and Mist from The Tea Spot. . .
How amazing would it be to sip tea while in a tea garden with a cool mist rolling in around the tea trees?
One can picture that vividly when sipping this tea.
This organic green has vegetal and some gassy flavors with hints of earth and an interesting touch of smoke. The wet leaves also retain this smokiness in aroma which I find somewhat interesting for a green.
The clear, yellow liquid has a smooth mouth feel and a wonderful grassy after taste. For those who are not fans of grassy flavors but would like to drink more green tea this is a good one to add to your cupboard.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Description
Clouds and Mist organic green tea makes a lasting impression. Also known as ‘yunwu’, the subtle aroma that comes from its clear, golden yellow infusion is a compelling mixture of smoky, citrus and vegetal. Its earthy taste, reminiscent of sweet, roasted artichokes, is well-rounded, with a slight note of toasted pecans. Clouds and Mist is very structured in its flavor – assertive and smoky in forward body, and developing over time to a softly sweet, buttery finish – making it a perfect green tea for morning. The curly silver-speckled leaves are harvested in the spring from tender tea buds. Praised as ‘green gold’ for centuries, it is one of China’s traditional imperial tribute teas. Clouds and Mist takes its name from the seas of mystically shrouded peaks on which this prized green tea is grown, using USDA certified Organic farming methods. Brews well for three to four infusions.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Climber’s High from The Tea Spot. . .
Though working out isn’t my favorite activity, I can understand the uplifting physical feeling that comes with good old-fashioned exercise. With a name that refers to an athletic euphoria, it’s no surprise to me that Climber’s High tea from the Tea Spot has yerba mate in the blend. Yerba mate is technically an herbal tisane, not made from the same stuff as black tea, but it contains a high amount of caffeine and is often cited as a better caffeination choice than coffee, with fewer jitters and crashes.
Yerba mate on its own has a dry hay, fresh-mowed-field fragrance, and a gently earthy taste. This blend is no exception, with the dried grass scents mellowing out as smooth and earthy in flavor.
This blend also has its fair share of chai spices like licorice root, black pepper, fennel, tulsi, and cardamom. I love spicy chai teas so I made sure to scoop a big cardamom pod into my cup. That said, the spices are understated, very gentle and unassuming. Personally I would have liked a little more pop, but I understand that spicy teas aren’t for everyone. Don’t be discouraged by this ingredients list if you aren’t into chai teas, this might just be the right blend for you.
I don’t always need the caffeine kick that yerba mate provides, but if you’re looking for a powerful alternative to coffee or black tea, Climber’s High is a great blend to check out.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate/Herbal (caffeine)
Where to Buy: The Tea Spot
Description:
A super-charged blend of teas, spices and herbs formulated to provide a refreshing daily lift for people with active, high-energy lifestyles. Climber’s High is a high-powered way to increase your intake of beneficial antioxidants such as flavonoids and catechins, as well as a host of healthy vitamins, trace minerals, beneficial phyto-constituents, and caffeine. It was originally conceived to assist people in adjusting to higher altitudes. This spiced yerba mate chai tea is both good for you and a pleasure to drink.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
