I love teas inspired by pop culture and media. Fandom teas are a thing of beauty because they can take flavors that may not be otherwise appealing and make them all the more interesting by naming them for a beloved book or tv show. This tea, for instance, is not one I would ever buy myself since I don’t usually love marzipan and I am indifferent to rose, but name it after a classic book like Alice and Wonderland and you got me signed up for a taste. Perhaps I am easily sold by a gimmick but somehow connecting teas to pop culture just makes the experience more exciting.
As far as the tea goes, the smell of marzipan in the dry leaf was incredibly powerful and had me worried that it would take over but in the brewed tea, it is quite balanced. Present and flavorful but not in-your-face. The rooibos imparts a bit of a medicinal taste while the black is almost smokey in flavor. It is a bit astringent but not terribly so, though I will say it gets more bitter as it cools so best to have this hot. The rose is a little more perfumey than I would like (probably since this cup has cooled quite a bit) but also candy-like in its sweetness which compliments the marzipan nicely.
All in all, this was an alright tea. Not my favorite though I did enjoy it more than I expected I would. Like I said, this is not the flavor profile I would normally pick for myself so at the end of the day I am probably not the target audience here. I will be passing this on for the other sisters to try though so hopefully this will be more to their tastes.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Rooibos
Where to Buy: First Edition Tea Co.
Description
It’s always tea time. Indulge with this sweet and floral blend of rooibos and black tea, filled with rose petals. A candy sweet blend that just says “Drink me!”
Ingredients: Rooibos, black tea, papaya, almond pieces, rosehip pieces, rose petals, blackberry leaves, natural flavours. CONTAINS NUTS!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Topsy Turvy Tea Blend – DisneyParks Tea
Hello, all! At first, I like to start off by introducing myself. My name is Kara and I am incredibly excited to be included in this delightful tea family! I have been a tea lover for a good 14 years and counting and I look forward to including my opinion with all of these amazing ladies! And if you would like to keep up with me I have my social media links down below.
Now on to the tea! I will not lie but when I saw this tea I gasped in delight! For Alice in Wonderland is one of my favorite classic Disney movies. And the packaging is adorable and it encompasses everything that I love about Wonderland. First, I will start off with the specifics. The ingredients are as follows; bergamot, black tea, and citrus. The (adorable) instructions recommend to steep it for 3-4 minutes. And if you on the hunt for this tea it is, unfortunately, a Disney Parks exclusive but I am sure you can find a seller on Amazon or eBay.
Now the taste of the tea – which took me by surprise. Now I am used to the flavors of this tea because my favorite is Lady Grey but just like Wonderland, this tea was not what it seemed. The color and the smell of tea was also alike a perfect cuppa but when I took a sip I was hit with a slightly fruity flavor aftertaste. Now I can’t put my finger on it but it was either a blueberry or raspberry taste. And to my amazement, I thoroughly enjoyed it. For I usually don’t like teas that have fruity notes. And before I knew it, my cup was empty.
All in all, this tea is very reflective of that classic and kooky Wonderland that I grew up with. I couldn’t help imagining myself at the Mad Hatter’s table drinking this blend while singing the “Very Merry Unbirthday” song. I definitely want more of this tea and this will be a purchase (if I can find it) that I will make in the future.
P.S. I will have pictures of this magnificent packaging posted on my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (official_karatics) respectably.
See you for the next cuppa!
Karatics
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Disney Parks
Only available at Disney Parks.
Lewis Carroll’s Black Tea from Simpson & Vail
Is there anything in the world better than snuggling up under a blanket with a good book and a cup of tea?
Right. I didn’t think so.
So when this tea arrived for me to sample on the SAME day as my copy of the new book, Heartless, by Marissa Meyer (a reimagined origin story for the Queen of Hearts from Carroll’s own Alice in Wonderland) I knew they had to be paired together.
Now, I’m going to be honest– I’ve never read Lewis Carroll’s original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (GASP).
But I am familiar with the movie, and any story centered around a tea party is a-okay with me. I do, however, know that no matter what– if there are any ties to Wonderland, there needs to be some whimsy. And both this tea and the book deliver on all accounts!
This delightful blend from my beloved Simpson & Vail elevated your traditional black tea with bright, floral notes and a little ethereal sweetness. The perfect cup to sip while reading all about Lady Catherine’s (that’s our Queen of Hearts, in her pre-royalty days) journey from young and in love to cold, calculating and off-with-their-heads-ing all around Wonderland.
I preferred this tea with milk and a touch of sweet– and if I’d had my way, I’d have had the Hatter outfit me with some fanciful millinery for my own little tea party. Maybe on my next trip down the rabbit hole!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description:
The man who would become Lewis Carroll was born as Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in January 1832. He spent his happy childhood under the tutelage of his Reverend father, and enjoyed creating fantastical stories for his ten siblings. It was not until after he had graduated university and became a lecturer of mathematics that he met Alice Liddell. He would entertain her and her sisters with the absurd stories that he later published as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. His most famous novels conveyed a childlike look at the seemingly arbitrary rules and customs of adult society.
A tea party plays a memorable role in Carroll’s most celebrated novel as the setting for Alice’s nonsensical meeting with the Mad Hatter and the March Hare. “A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden” where, as the Mad Hatter told Alice earlier, “it’s always tea time.” To make our Lewis Carroll blend, we added our fragrant violet flavor to an Indian Black tea and Rose Congou tea, a China black that has been scented with rose petals during the drying process, to create a deep amber cup with an incomparable bouquet and a flavor that is absolutely heavenly.
Ingredients: Black Tea, Rose Congou tea, flavoring, malva flowers.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
