Shortly after discovering Tea Taxi, I found out they were starting a monthly subscription program. Each month they send 10 tea samples, all selected to fit the particular theme chosen for that package. At just $7.45CAD per month (for 12 months, it is slightly more if you order for fewer months), I found myself signing up. Now I have a giant pile of Tea Taxi blends that just keeps growing as I am slowly making my way through the many different choices.
This particular blend is a green tea with cherry and pineapple. It brews up a bright yellow and the smell of fruit is strong. The base, though slightly vegetal, is rather timid in flavor. What stands out is the cherry. It is the star of the show and though it is quite sweet at the start of the sip, it has a tart zip at the end. The pineapple is not particularly noticeable but this tea does have a distinctively beach-type flavor to it and I think that is in large part a result of the pineapple in the leaf. At times, this can get a little cough syruppy because of the cherry but that is really quite fleeting and inoffensive.
All in all, this is a nice blend. Bright and flavorful with a lovely cherry quality to it. It screams summer and the beach, which provides a nice escape from the snowy Winter Wonderland that is Toronto right now. I don’t think I will be stocking this blend anytime soon since I just don’t drink green tea that often but I certainly would not turn down another cup.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Taxi
Description
Come visit Barbados and have a sip of this exquisite blend! Barbados cherry, from the acerola tree, and pineapples will have you travel south to discover the most amazing beaches in the world!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
On the 10th Day of Christmas, 52Teas Sent To Me. . . (Spoilers!)
We only have two more teas left in our 12 Days of Tea countdown from 52Teas. I’ll miss this countdown when its gone! Such a wonderful way to enjoy the holidays.
Today is the 10th Day of Christmas tea. And again, if you don’t want to know what the flavor is you may want to stop reading here. For the rest of our lovely readers, keep reading because this tea is something else!
10th Day of Christmas Tea is. . . . . White Christmas Black Tea!
This tea blend just makes you happy. A whiff of the dry leaves and I was greeted with a mixture of milk chocolate (possibly cocoa nibs), black tea, peppermint, marshmallow root, and maybe spearmint? That is my guess. Below is the actual description that Anne@52Teas provided to me. A lovely and decadent black flavored tea for sure. One that I couldn’t wait to try and was very impatient for my tea kettle to prep the water.
Now to be 100% honest, I oversteeped this tea. By several minutes. But to my surprise, this tea is absolutely forgiving. You really wouldn’t have known I wasn’t paying attention to time and let the tea steep for probably more like 6-7 minutes.
First sip I prepared myself for an overwhelmingly bitter or astringent black tea flavor but that is not what I had. Decadent chocolate notes mingling with a fresh minty base along with that familiar marshmallow root flavor that I adore but can’t describe. I almost can pick up a hint of vanilla here and there as well. The black tea base is incredibly light and only noticeable every couple sips or so.
Another gorgeous and well balanced tea out of this set.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Flavored Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for the teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Dear Santa Letter . . . From VariaTEA
Dear Santa,
We haven’t had much contact in the past. As a young Jewish girl, I wasn’t allowed to send you letters. But I am older now and my mom doesn’t have to send my mail for me anymore so here we are.
I am not sure how to do this but I asked some kids and they told me I could ask you for anything I wanted, like anything, no matter how big or small.
So I guess I should start small. I would love a Gaiwan or some other tiny teaware to finally try Gong Fu style steeping. I have never had it yet and every time I go to buy one, I end up spending the money on tea or pretty infuser mugs from DAVIDsTEA.
Speaking of pretty infuser mugs, I would like one of the gold tip mugs that DAVIDs is currently selling. Preferably the teal but I am not picky. And it would be an added bonus if it were magically made dishwasher safe. I would also settle for an eclectic assortment of teacups to put on display along with my teas.
To brew in this different teaware, I probably wouldn’t say no to a tea vacation…teacation? Exploring the world one tea producing country at a time with an unlimited tea budget. From places like France to China and so much more, I would love the opportunity to travel the world, indulging in one tea at a time :).
Or, if travelling isn’t in the budget, I wouldn’t say no to a variety of fandom blends from the many various tea companies that make them. There is just something a little more exciting about a tea blend inspired by your beloved shows. Oh, or monthly subscriptions to 52 Teas and A Quarter to Tea so I can try all the flavored teas as they are released.
Finally, if you know of a teamaker that can somehow fill the Butiki-shaped void in my heart, I would love to know who. The delicate yet flavorful blends are severely lacking in my tea stash these days and they are definitely missed.
So there you go. My hopes and wishes for my tea future. I hope I am not asking too much of you, Santa. I hear you can make miracles happen so I am putting my faith in you and in return I have tried to be on my very best behavior.
Yours very truly,
VariaTEA
Cocoa Rouge by The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co
Hello tea friends!
Today I will be drinking Cocoa Rouge, a herbal blend from The Jasmine Pearl Tea Co. Two of the ingredients are organic (Cocoa nibs and Rooibos) so it’s a partially organic and mildly caffeinated blend. With the cold weather on the way I have the desire to drink hot chocolate, that is why this blend caught my attention. Cocoa with vanilla and chicory sounds like a warming and sweet blend.
Opening the sample packet I can smell toasted chicory with a sweet vanilla undertone. The Rooibos is also rather heavy in this blend, in appearance and smell.
Steeping Parameters: 13g of loose leaf tea in 600ml of boiling water for 3 minutes.
Once steeped the tea bares a very dark brown tea liquid with a sweet vanilla and Rooibos scent. Not as toasted or chicory like as the raw scent.
The first few sips reveal a sweet and creamy vanilla tone that balances the natural sweetness from the Rooibos. Behind that there are dark, toasty cocoa nib and chicory notes that quickly lightens in the after taste. A few more sips bring out some dryness in the after taste but the velvety vanilla makes up for that. It is a Rooibos heavy blend but it’s not the main flavour and a lot of it has been toned down, so while I can taste it it’s not too sweet or chemical like which it tends to be. If you’ve had Rooibos before you will know what I’m talking about. As it cools slightly I am getting a real hot chocolate vibe from it. It’s sweet and the cocoa is thicker, plus the vanilla makes it more chocolate like.
Overall it was a pleasant blend, though I admit guilt for underestimating it from the start. As soon as I saw it was a Rooibos blend I immediately thought it’s either going to be too Rooibos heavy (which I severely dislike) or too chicory heavy to block out the Rooibos taste. I was wrong on both accounts. I can taste the Rooibos but the vanilla keeps the sweetness creamy and the chicory and cocoa give it depth and flavour.. The ingredients work well together to give an imaginative hot chocolate tea. It goes to show that you can never judge a tea by it’s ingredients alone.
Until next time, Happy Steeping!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: The Jasmine Pearl Tea
Description:
Cacao nibs and hearty roasted chicory add lots of body to the rooibos base in this rich, satisfying blend. Vanilla extract helps give the mixture its warm flavor and adds depth to its enticing aroma. As a dessert blend, Cocoa Rouge can be drunk by itself, but the addition of milk and sweetener makes for an extra-delicious treat. Due to the cacao nibs, the blend does have some caffeine in it, so best to enjoy it well before bedtime.
Ingredients:
Cacao Nibs, Rooibos, Vanilla Beans, Carob, Chicory Root, Vanilla Extract.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Organic Vanilla Almond Sachet from Boston Tea Company
This morning my tea infusers are all full of teas that I plan to re-steep but don’t currently feel like drinking, so I decided that now is the perfect time to try this tea, which comes in a handy and elegant pyramid-shaped sachet. I steeped it for five minutes, which I spent wondering if it would taste like a baked good. I mean, vanilla and almond flavoring are two of the most common flavorings for cookies and stuff, right?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Boston Tea Company
Description
As you open the envelope of this certified organic tea, the luscious scents of vanilla will surround you. A silken sachet filled with our premium organic blend of Chinese and Inidan black teas, slices of organic almonds and vanilla. This tea will soothe your soul with every sip. CONTAINS 15 Silk Sachet Pyramid Tea Bags Individually Wrapped in Envelopes to Preserve Freshness HEALTH Rich in anti-oxidants, including favonoids, ie: catechins and polyphenols, these substances in tea provide many health benefits, such as preventing tooth decay, lowering cholesterol, and assisting in the prevention of heart attacks. Boston Tea’s Loose Leaf Tea reflects the passion projected in our company’s motto: “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Tea”. Our Full Leaf Tea embodies natural beauty, rich aromas, and the finest quality that our worldly Master Tea Blenders ardently seek. Found in the lush planataions of Sri Lanka and South Africa to the mountainous regions of China and India, Boston Tea blends its tea to create the heartiest, strongest, and most flavorful cup. Double your tea-drinking pleasure; try and of these flavors hot or iced! Gluten Free Yes Kosher Orthodox Union (OU) Ingredients Premium Blend of Organic Chinese and Indian Black Tea, Almond Slices, Marigold Petals, Vanilla Flavor Tea Bag Count 15
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
