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
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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!
Cranberry Betty from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
I’m not exactly sure who Cranberry Betty is, you guys. But here’s how I imagine her: wild, curly white hair. A very sensible cardigan. Fan-TASTIC red shoes. Spitfire wit. A big old mug of this tea, named after her, of course– piping hot in her hand.
(Okay, fine, Google tells me it’s some sort of baked good. My fictitious Betty is a pretty great baker too, Google.)
This white tea from A Quarter to Tea is pretty much everything I imagine my Betty to be– bold, flavorful, sweet (that brown sugar note, though) and just a touch sour (hello, cranberry and tiny twist of lemon!). I have vehemently proclaimed myself a white tea hater in the past (or at least, white tea apathetic), but I think AQTT is turning that boat around. Every single white tea blend I’ve had from our friends at AQTT has been knocking it out of the park lately, and I’ve been demolishing every single sample bag I’ve got.
This is another one that won’t sit languishing in my tea cabinet for very long– Betty’s got places to be, friends. (My teacup, for example.)
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for white teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Walnut Orange Scone from DAVIDs Tea. . .
Something’s happening to me, you guys. I think I’m becoming a white tea convert. *INSERT GASP HERE*
Now, for the white tea purists among us… maybe skip the rest of this review. I’m certainly not sipping them plain, austere and floral, out of my finest china with my pinky up. But whereas I always though white teas just weren’t for me, I’ve been especially enjoying a few fun blends from my favorite tea purveyors lately, particularly when they’ve got some fun fruity notes blended in the mix.
This walnut orange scone white from David’s Tea is totally hitting all of those marks. It’s nutty, it’s bright and fresh and floral and citrusy and fruity– it maybe doesn’t taste too much like pastry to me, but I’m willing to forgive the slightly misleading name because this one is just so dang delicious.
I also have a fondness for teas that don’t require any sweetener to accentuate their flavors, and this one is simply perfect as it. Big, bold, bright, a little sweet from the fruit– like biting into the perfect wintry treat right out of the oven on a Sunday morning.
Maybe someday, I’ll graduate to finally become a fancypants white tea drinker. In the meantime, though, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy exploring these new doors opened to my tea-lovers’-palate (though my burgenoning tea cabinet may be slightly less thrilled).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Cap Chai from Beach House Teas. . . .
When I see those lovely spiced teas, I always get so jealous. Being one that just doesn’t care for overly spiced teas or chai blends, I always feel like I’m left out of some cool kid’s tea drinking club. I look at them longingly and try them on occasion, but always find myself having to add in a ton of agave or cream to help offset the brew. And yes, I know that is part of the chai tea latte set up, but I want to be able to taste the actual tea itself, not just the add ins.
Enter White Cap Chai from Beach House Teas.
First off, this chai tea doesn’t have your traditional tea base. Instead of having a black or even green tea base, this blend has a lovely white peony tea base that sets the tone in a more subtle way. No fear of having a very bitter or astringent brew where you have to add in sweeteners or cream- no, this tea base has an all around lighter feel.
Add in your traditional spices like fennel seed cloves, peppercorns, cardamom pods, star anise, ginger, orange peel and my favorite part- cinnamon chips- not just a dusting of cinnamon but honest to goodness large enough so you can see cinnamon chips. I should say that about all of the ingredients. No need to squint your eyes to see that these inclusions are high quality and might I add organic.
The brewing parameters on the package had me a bit scared-1 heaping tsp with 6-8 oz- allow to steep for 6-8 minutes at 212F. White tea is more delicate so I was worried about brewing at boiling but after timer went off at 6 minutes worth of steeping, I was so very happy I did. I should have know that Beach House Teas would have my back and not steer me wrong.
Right out of the gate there is this lush slightly floral silky feel and some very bright flavors that provide this wonderful first sip. I instantly fell in love with the cinnamon flavor that has a soft twist of ginger and a hint of the fennel undertones. As this is still a chai tea, those more noticeable chai flavors like cardamom and clove notes are present but they are more apparent towards the end of each sip. Towards the end of each sip and after the sip is over, you are left with this spicy peppercorn touch on your tastebuds.
I eagerly sipped down my first cup and went back to brew more. I’m a huge fan (if you couldn’t tell) of this tea and highly recommend anyone who isn’t a chai or spiced fan to check this tea out. The flavors are light and crisp and are not heavy like a traditional chai or should I say the chais I’ve experienced in the past. Heavier chais do have their time and place, but for me- White Cap Chai has stolen my heart. This may be my new morning tea!
If you are interested in checking out this (and I highly recommend you do!) blend or any others, Beach House Teas is offering a 20% discount for our readers- just enter tealover3 at checkout!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Beach House Teas
Description
White Cap Chai is a lighter version of the traditional chai making it delicate and unique. This beautiful chai is made with 100% organic white peony tea leaves and organic spices. It’s a modern twist on a sweet and spicy classic. The chai gives you a smooth, mellow taste with subtle layers of flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Strawberry? Yum. Champagne? Yum. Cupcake? YUUMM! So when A Quarter to Tea put those all together and made it basically calorie-free, you can bet your Aunt Fanny I was all over it.
The dry leaf is interesting because somehow the smell, though mostly smelling of strawberry candy, also manages to capture the sparkling effervescence of champagne. Don’t ask me how you can smell effervescence because I honestly have no idea but trust me, you can.
Because of the scent of the dry leaf, I was all the more excited to try the tea itself. At first sip, I was in love as the bright strawberry flavor burst in my mouth. However, my excitement might have led me to be a bit hasty with my affections because as I continue to drink, I have to admit that I am actually underwhelmed. Turns out the strawberry, though slightly present in the flavor of the tea, is far more noticeable in smell. The white tea is a little buttery but also floral and other than that, the only hint of “cupcake” I can detect is a fluffiness from the marshmallow root. Unfortunately, no champagne to be found.
The nice thing about this tea is that it manages to only be slightly sweet for a tea with a name like “Strawberry Champagne Cupcake”. However, that is also it’s downfall as it doesn’t exactly deliver on what’s promised.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is not currently available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
