This is a tea for you cream/sugar tea drinkers. Not that us purists won’t enjoy it but I find this one is lacking the appeals of a cup that can manage on its own. No dry aroma.
This is a gifted review tea so I suspect some of the other teas have leached.
However, the wet aroma is quite nice! The smell of wet peeled twigs! I love that smell. The flavor is good but just not what I would expect after smelling the leaves.
The malt is prevalent with this one. Subtle woodsy notes make an appearance at the beginning but they disappear with a bit of astringency at the end. The liquid is dark amber.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description
The black, slightly tippy leaves brew to a dark amber cup with a woodsy aroma. The brewed cup has the malty flavor profile that characterizes Assam teas with a pleasing, light peppery finish.
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Apricot Brandy/Spice & Tea Merchants -TeaEqualsBliss –
Apricot Brandy from Spice & Tea Merchants – based out of Michigan – is an organic flavored black tea that is labeled “More Caffeine” on their website and “Most Caffeine” on their package! More OR Most Caffeine…AND Apricot Brandy flavor? I’m game! Bring it on!
This tea has been infused with apricot pieces and natural brandy flavor. It’s full, delicious, sweet, and LUSH! It’s appealing to all of the senses!
The origin of this tea – India. The suggested brewing instructions – 1 teaspoon per 8 ounce water at 212 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes. I, for one, doubled it up to 2 teaspoons, and steeped for 3 and a half to 4 minutes and it was pretty stellar!
When I bought this I only purchased 1 ounce. I should have grabbed at least 5 or 6 ounces so it would last me a while because it’s already gone! It was terrific while it lasted! A definite THUMBS UP!
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Spice & Tea Merchants
Description
Our apricot brandy tea had been blended with apricot pieces and infused with natural brandy flavor which gives this black tea blend a delicious full flavor and luscious sweetness.
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Lemon Tea/Indias Tea – Teaequalsbliss-
This is the first tea I have tried from Indias Tea and I have to say I really enjoyed it! You can’t go wrong with a hefty black tea base and a lovely, puckery lemon flavor to pair along side with it!
Indias Tea says their Lemon Tea ‘swirls up your mood to the brim with its tongue tickling taste alongside a squash of freshness’ and I would have to agree with that!
They also say that their ‘Lemon Tea is here to set your mood rolling with an instant gush of thrill through its tangy surprise in every sip and a hint of spices as you relish on the drink towards entirety’…but I have to say my FAVORITE part of what they have to say about this offering is that it doesn’t have a ‘time stamp’ and can be enjoyed any time of day! YAY!
I achieved the amber hue in my cup after infusing about a tablespoon of the loose leaf for about 3 minutes – just as suggested!
This is a real winner from Indias Tea and a great way to start (or finish) the day!
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Indias Teas
Description
This swirls up your mood to the brim with its tongue tickling taste alongside a squash of freshness.
Lemon Tea is here to set your mood rolling with an instant gush of thrill through its tangy surprise in every sip and a hint of spices as you relish on the drink towards entirety.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Palas Supreme/BOH Tea – VariaTEA-
Palas Supreme is one of two BOH Teas I got to try courtesy of my Sororitea Sisters. The other tea was Bukit Cheeding No. 53. Both are orange pekoe teas and since that isn’t necessarily my favorite kind of black tea, I decided to have some fun with this one.
This tea was made both as a plain tea and also as an iced tea using tangerine lemonade ice cubes as a play on the classic black tea with lemon. Both preparation methods were steeped for 3 minutes in 200F water.
The plain hot tea is very floral and much smoother than Bukit Cheeding No. 53. The Assam in this blend gives this tea that little touch of malt while the Ceylon keeps it bright and citrusy. At times that citrus can get pithy and astringent but typically it is sweet and smooth. A really nice and clearly high quality orange pekoe. One that needs no additives.
The tangerine lemonade iced tea is an interesting experience. Unfortunately, the lemonade really takes over, drowning out the black tea. This might have been better to try with a stronger tea such as Bukit Cheeding No. 53 because this tea is really taking a back seat to the lemonade additive. More than anything, the tea is making the lemonade more floral and brisk, which is weird given the plain tea is not particularly brisk on its own.
I have to say I am surprised by this tea because I did not expect it to be as smooth as it is. Having tried Bukit Cheeding No. 53 first, I expected something more akin to that tea which was on the robust and drying side. It is interesting how both teas are so different despite both being orange pekoes. This really has a high quality to it and it certainly puts the “supreme” in Palas Supreme.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: BOH Teas
Description
Click below to view BOH Teas offerings.
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Banofee/A Quarter To Tea – VariaTEA –
I feel like it has been forever since I wrote a review and that mostly has to do with the age of my stash. Majority of my teas are now two or more years old and I don’t want to review blends that are likely past their prime. However, while I have been trying to save money and work through the teas I own, A Quarter to Tea announced they were closing their business for an undetermined duration and there were just some blends I needed prior to that happening. Some of my friends felt the same way so we ordered together. My one friend ordered Banofee from A Quarter to Tea and I snatched a sample from her before passing on the teas because Banofee is a flavor that is nostalgic for me and I had to try it.
I actually never heard of a Banofee Pie until my sister went with her husband (her boyfriend at the time) to visit his grandmother in Calgary. We had heard horror stories about her husband’s family’s cooking abilities so when my sister returned with a new dessert recipe courtesy of his grandmother, we were all a bit hesitant to try it. That recipe was for Banofee Pie. Since we trust my sister though, we decided to give it a try and thank goodness we did because it was delicious and became a favorite in our household. In fact, it is one of two things my brother requests for his birthday meal.
This tea captures that same deliciously caramel banana smell that her pies have. Literally a mouthwatering scent. I wish I had it as a candle because it is that good. That scent transfers into the flavor of the tea but the flavor has more going on. For instance, the delectable caramel banana scent is the flavor that hits your tongue first but then the caramel extends past the banana and lingers above the black tea base which causes the caramel to be a bit less sweet than I would want. The black base also comes through throughout the sip and adds a touch of leather to the flavor profile. While the base isn’t offensive, I wish it was more of the caramel banana because the base detracts from the sweetness and banofee should be sweet.
This tea is good. Very good. But not exactly what I hoped it would be, which is good for me because it means I am not utterly heartbroken that I won’t be getting more than just this one cup. A Quarter to Tea has a way with banana teas and this is no exception. It’s a shame they are going on hiatus but should they return, this could be a great tea to revisit.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This company has taken hiatus but we hope they come back soon.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
