Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Tisane Description:
South African Red Bush or Rooibos Tea is a pure and natural herbal blend. Freshly harvested and finely chopped rooibos goes through a process of oxidation with the aid of the oxygen from the atmosphere and subsequently dried int he sun to produce a deep mahogany red cup of which is one of the most popular and healthy herbal drinks today.
“Tea of Life” is proud to introduce five New Naturally Caffeine Free Rooibos Teas combined with Dark Chocolate with delicious natural fruit and mint flavors for your enjoyment – all day and into the evening.
Taster’s Review:
The scent that is coming out of my teacup right now is evoking thoughts of chocolate coconut cake! Yep, my mouth is watering right now, just thinking about chocolate and coconut! Mmm! Some of the most difficult moments of my life are those few minutes that I wait after I’ve brewed a cup of tea and I’m waiting for the cup to cool a little bit so that I can begin sipping. I mean, I don’t want to burn my tongue, but, this smells so yummy that I’m growing impatient.
But the flavor is worth the wait. As I’ve said on numerous occasions, I’m not big on rooibos, but, I’ve actually found quite a few that I enjoy. And I’ve really been enjoying these Dark Chocolate blends from Tea of Life. This one features luscious notes of Dark Chocolate and sweet and creamy notes of coconut. Yum!
As you’d expect, this is a sweet tisane. The chocolate notes are deep and rich and bittersweet. The coconut notes are a little more subdued than the chocolate, but, not by much. There is a pretty good balance of flavors between the two components here. Lots of chocolate and lots of coconut.
What I’m not getting lots of is rooibos flavor and that’s alright. I do get some warm, nutty tones from the rooibos and some of the sweetness of the cup I also attribute to the natural sweetness of the South African herb. But overall, there isn’t a strong rooibos flavor to this cup. This tisane is all about the chocolate and the coconut, and you won’t get any complaints about that here. Chocoholic: satisfied!
Citrus Hibiscus Herbal Tisane from Simple Loose Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This lovely and colorful blend of hibiscus, rose hips, lemon grass, orange peel and organic rooibos infuses a ruby red herbal with a refreshing citrus and tart flavor containing light spice tones. Excellent over ice for a zingy citrus treat, and enjoy hot to help punch out a cold or flu.
Hibiscus Flowers, Rose Hips, Rooibos, Lemongrass, Orange Peel, Juicy Lemon and Orange Flavors
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This smells AMAZING! I love the bright citrus-y scent of this tisane.
Now, as you can imagine, the name of this tisane scared me just a little bit. Citrus Hibiscus Herbal. Hibiscus just isn’t my thing. But, I’ve had some really positive experiences with hibiscus lately, and the last hibiscus based tisane that I tasted from Simple Loose Leaf turned out to be alright. And this smells really good … so with those things in mind, I kept my fingers crossed and I brewed myself a cup of it.
OK … there is a bit more hibiscus in this than I would like there to be. That said, there are some other flavors in this that appeal to me. I like the citrus-y notes to this, and I do like how the rooibos lightens up the thick body that would normally accompany such a hibiscus-heavy tisane, making it much more palatable.
While this isn’t my favorite tisane , I found it tastes better served iced. Some of the hibiscus zing seems to chill with the cold, making this much more enjoyable, and just like the Cranberry Breeze from last month, my youngest daughter found these two drinks to be especially enjoyable, and hey, I’d rather her be drinking this than something sugary.
Another tasty way to enjoy this: add a couple of cloves and some cinnamon to the teapot before you pour in the hot water to start steeping. Let the spices steep with the tisane … it doesn’t end up too spicy, but the warmth of the cinnamon and cloves add some delightful contrast to the tart citrus and hibiscus.
It’s not a bad tisane, but it isn’t my favorite tisane, either. Then again, I didn’t expect it to be. But that’s the beauty of the Selection Club from Simple Loose Leaf. I get to try out five different teas every month and if there’s one in that five that doesn’t make me do the happy dance, that’s OK. It’s a sample size, and I still have four other teas that I can enjoy.
It’s all about the power of choice!
At the beginning of every month, I receive an email from Simple Loose Leaf that details the teas that will be featured in the next month’s box. I can choose to receive two large packages of two teas that appeal to me. I can choose which two teas I want from their menu of five teas. What if I want to try all five? Well, then I can choose to receive the sampler package, which offers five samples, one of each tea of the five on the menu.
That’s what I usually choose, because I’m a taster. That’s what I do. I taste a tea … try it out, and then I tell you about it. Most of the teas and tisanes from Simple Loose Leaf, I’ve really enjoyed! Occasionally, I’m going to encounter one or two that just doesn’t excite me, like this one. And that’s OK because I do have the power of choice with this program!
And whatever you choose to do – that’s OK too. This program gives you the power of choice!
Use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get a 25% discount when you sign up for the selection club. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
Want even more incentive to join the Selection club? Then, check THIS OUT! Now through June 20th, all new subscribers will receive a FREE teapot with their first shipment. WOW! What an awesome deal!
Campfire Blend from Whispering Pines Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Whispering Pines Tea Company
Tea Description:
It was late autumn in the upper peninsula of Northern Michigan. I had the campfire going steady with pinewood and maple leaves. A slight breeze off of the lake brought me closer to the embers while the call of a Barred Owl and crickets echoed through the empty lakeshore. The wind pushed the smoke towards the full moon. The smoky haze in the air played like the moonlight across the water, giving life to an empty sky. Then, as if rehearsed a hundred times, the entire landscape went silent. All I could hear was the crackling of the fire and my own steady breath. The wind had stopped, the owl and crickets wouldn’t dare make a sound. Even the haunting call of a loon was cut short, echoing across the silvery glasslike waters for what felt like forever. There was only the popping of a fire and the lonely breath of a woodsman. At that moment, sending chills down my spine not even the hottest fire could have warmed, the cry of a lone wolf sang out from the pine forest behind me. The silence was broken and, moments later, the orchestra of nature began singing once again.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Campfire Blend from Whispering Pines Tea Company represents a first for me, because I don’t think I’ve ever tried a tea with roasted cedar leaves before. If I have, I certainly don’t recall it, and I have a feeling that I would have remembered trying a tea with roasted cedar leaves!
That’s one of the things that I really appreciate about Whispering Pines – their blends are crafted without artificial flavors and they utilize locally sourced ingredients like the roasted cedar leaves to create something completely unique, something that you’re not likely to find anywhere else.
And this blend is really quite tasty! I like the cedar! It lends a very rustic, woodsy sort of flavor – as does the chicory and cloves. These three ingredients work very harmoniously together. This tastes like a walk through the woods. Leaves crackling beneath your feet as you walk, the air is crisp and fresh. There is a log cabin not too far away and a fire is burning in the fireplace, scenting the air with notes of wood that is roasting in the fire. But mostly what fragrances the air is the smell of the trees that surround you.
This tea has a very autumnal sort of taste with it’s resinous cedar leaves, and the warmth of the cloves and chicory. The black tea adds a rich, flavorful backdrop. I don’t taste a lot from the rooibos … maybe just a hint of woodsy flavor from the rooibos, but it seems to lighten up the black tea flavor just a little bit so that the flavors of the cedar, chicory and cloves can be experienced.
A really nice cuppa to curl up to – any time of year! Any time you want to evoke the thoughts of an autumnal walk through the woods, that’s the time to break out this tea and let it take you on that journey.
Gemini Rooibos Blend from Nina’s Paris
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea Store (to be open soon!)
Tisane Description:
Rooibos means ‘red bush’ in Afrikaans. Rooibos infusion from South Africa provides a deliciously light drink. It is caffeine-free and contains numerous health-promoting ingredients. It can be enjoyed throughout the day and is a perfect beverage in the evening. Rooibos can be served with milk and sugar, depending on your preferences. Served as iced tea, it is absolutely delicious!
Gemini Rooibos: Strawberry, vanilla and grapefruit
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I was interested in this Gemini Rooibos Blend from Nina’s Paris because of the fact that it was the astrological tea for my sign. And while I’m not sure what strawberries, vanilla and grapefruit have to do with the “twins” … I’m liking this tisane anyway.
While it’s hot, I could really taste the creamy vanilla notes. This flavor softened as the tisane cooled, but I noticed more of the strawberry and grapefruit with the cold tisane, and I think I actually prefer this iced.
The flavor of the rooibos comes through, but it isn’t a really powerful flavor. I taste gentle notes of nutty, woody flavors with a honeyed sweetness from the rooibos, and the nutty flavors meld well with the creamy, sweet vanilla notes. The strawberry and grapefruit actually work quite well together, although I must admit that I would not have thought to ever combine these two fruits together. But, like I said, they work – and they taste really quite good together.
The strawberry is sweet and it is the primary fruit note throughout the sip, with the tart notes of grapefruit arriving at the finish. The citrus lasts long into the aftertaste, but it’s not an extraordinarily tart flavor, as its tartness has been softened by the other flavors. Instead, it’s more like a bright, sunny citrus note that perks up the taste buds as the sip nears the finish.
A really enjoyable cuppa – this Gemini is happy with it!
Just A Taste of Spring Tisane from Just.Organic.Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Just.Organic.Tea
Tisane Description:
Our blend of spring fruits and flowers combine the first pink roses, vibrant magenta hibiscus, blue and white cornflowers, and a sprinkling of blueberries, in a base of pure organic green rooibos. Tastes great hot or iced. Naturally caffeine free.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Just.Organic.Tea’s Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve never really made any big secret of the fact that I’m not a big fan of hibiscus in tisane blends. If it’s steeped too long, hibiscus can brew to a thick, syrupy liquid. If there’s too much hibiscus in a blend, the result can be a very tart beverage and I don’t care for drinks that make me pucker. So, I wasn’t all that excited to see hibiscus in this blend.
But, I brewed it with care and hoped that there wouldn’t be too much hibiscus in it. Having really enjoyed Just.Organic.Tea.’s Orange Spice Black Tea and appreciating their skillful blending of that tea, I hoped that just as much skill was put into the blending of this Just a Taste of Spring blend.
This is alright.
There are things that I like about it, and there are things that I’d change about it if I could. For example, I like the green rooibos in this. It adds a fresh, light flavor to the cup and the natural sweetness of the rooibos softens the tarty notes of the hibiscus.
There is a bit more hibiscus in this than I’d like there to be (but let’s face it, I’d rather there be no hibiscus in it). But on the plus side, it doesn’t have a thick, syrupy texture (I only steeped it for 6 minutes, which is probably one factor to the lighter texture).
I love the juicy blueberry taste to this. Sweet and a little tart – and the hibiscus does emphasize this tartness a bit – I like the blueberry flavor. I find myself wishing I could taste more of the rose. As it is, the hibiscus seems to mask the sweet floral notes and I am missing those.
Overall, it’s not a bad blend. It’s not my favorite, and as I said, there are things that I’d change about it if I could. I liked it alright … didn’t love it. On the other hand, my youngest daughter loved it! She’s a blueberry lover, and she loved the tart, tingly flavor of this tisane.
If you’re able to, please consider contributing to Just.Organic.Tea’s Fundraising Campaign on Kickstarter. With your help, this new tea company can get up and running!