Lately I have had a serious obsession with pistachio ice cream. Like, I have eaten almost 3 quarts of it in the past 2 weeks. Well, pistachios themselves have a very mild flavor. Subsequently, the ice cream itself is actually flavored with almond. Have you ever noticed that pistachio ice cream kind of smells like biscottis? Well, that’s because of the almond flavoring.
Unfortunately, I haven’t seen many pistachio ice cream teas circulating around in our little “tea-world” as of late. So, when I saw Almond Cookie by Tea & Tins I figured that it may help curb my craving for pistachio ice cream because of the almond flavor.
Upon opening the bag, the sweet smell of almond and coconut filled my nose. Yum! I could see coconut shreds and almond pieces scattered about the green tea. Once steeped the smell of cookie was much more prevalent, but the almond and coconut was still very much there. I steeped this tea with hot water for about 3 minutes. It was very smooth and light, with a prominent taste of green tea. I added agave to add some sweetness, but it was also sweet on it’s own. I could taste the coconut and almond flavor, but unfortunately the flavor of “cookie” did not translate from smell to taste.
Nonetheless, this tea was still very well done and tasty. I don’t think I could say that it will be replacing my love for pistachio ice cream, but it is something that I will continue to enjoy and would purchase again. Another “win” for Tea & Tins!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Tea & Tins
Description
Loose leaf green tea with almond and coconut.
Ingredients: green tea, almond coconut taste with grated coconut and almond flakes, and flavoring.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Almond Sugar Cookie from Simpson and Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Tea Description:
Heavenly! That’s the best word to describe this black tea blend. You’ll think you’re in a bakery when you open the bag and the aroma of nutty goodness wafts out. The brewed tea is divine – with no calories!
Ingredients: Black teas, almonds, flavoring and safflower blossoms.
Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am generally not one who cares for a murky cloudy cup of tea but Almond Sugar Cookie from Simpson and Vail is the exception. When I looked into my cup I thought someone was messing with me and had dipped some cookies in my tea. I have done that myself on occasion. The steeped tea looks like there are little floaties in it but I have determined they are indeed supposed to be there. I was hesitant though because I wanted to be sure I was not sipping from a dirty cup. Now don’t let all of this turn you off because the flavor is outstanding! Sweet, but not cloying, almond, vanilla, which made me think of my favorite Almond Cookie Tisane but I needed to wake up and so a black tea base was in order!
The base in this tea is a good one, I can’t say it is outstanding, but it holds up to the rich flavors within the blend. I get no astringency or bitterness in the sip, and I can taste the black base well. I realize this is considered a dessert tea but some mornings I just want something a little sweet and having tea in place of bad breakfast selections is a great way to start my day. I had this tea with some oat nut bread and it made both the tea and the bread really decadent, they complimented each other beautifully.
There are a multitude of flavored teas out there to try, but this is one that truly does taste exactly the way you would expect it to and I respect that greatly. There also are no nasty artificial after tastes from the flavorings. The mouthfeel of the tea is not really creamy but it is heavier giving you a feeling of fullness upon drinking which is really nice when you are trying to satisfy a sweet tooth!
A really delightful flavored tea.
