Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
This is one of Trail Lodge Tea’s own blends.Tart cherries and slivered almonds are combined with a combination of rooibos and honeybush. Caffeine free. Ingredients: Fair Trade Certified TM organic rooibos, and honeybush, and dried cherries, sliced almonds, and organic natural flavor.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Cherry and Almond Rooibos from Trail Lodge Tea is really delicious! I’m loving this!
I’ve had a lot of flavored rooibos blends … and some I like better than others. One thing I’ve noticed is that almond flavor works very well with rooibos, I suspect this has something to do with the fact that rooibos has a natural nutty flavor to it, and when paired with almond flavoring … the sweet, nutty flavor really shines through nicely.
And when you add cherry flavor … this cuppa becomes sensational! I love the flavor of almond and cherry together … and the base of rooibos and honeybush works so well with these flavors. The end result is a cup of naturally caffeine free tisane that tastes sweet and nutty with just enough contrasting tart flavor from the cherry to keep the taste buds happy.
What I’m liking best about this is that the flavor of rooibos is not a strong, obvious flavor. I taste the nutty notes from the rooibos, but not that weird sweetness from the rooibos. I taste the warm honey notes from the honeybush, but not that sour wood note that sometimes comes with rooibos. This is just a warm, wonderful cup of yumminess!
A delightful tisane … great for any time of the day.
Jennifer’s Chai – a Custom Blend from Ovation Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Ovation Teas
Tea Description:
Black tea blended with cinnamon chips, cloves, ginger, cardamom, almonds, nutmeg, black pepper, and safflowers with chai flavoring and almond & vanilla extract.
Taster’s Review:
I debated with myself whether or not I should write this review, because I recently learned that Ovation Teas is closing their business. I am very saddened by this news for several reasons. The first, and most obvious to many of you, I’m sure, is the fact that they’re a tea business and I don’t want tea businesses to go out of business! They are a local company, and I love to support the local businesses. But one of the main reasons I’m sad is that Ovation Teas had some pretty spectacular blends … and I barely scratched the surface at trying them all (and yes, I wanted to do that!)
I ordered this particular custom blend just before Christmas as a gift for a recipient in a gift swap in which I was participating. My recipient liked chai, vanilla flavored teas and almond flavored teas, so I asked Ovation teas if they could combine all of the above in one amazing blend! And they did … AND in addition to the full-sized portion that I ordered for my recipient, they were nice enough to send me some of the tea to try too!
It brews up dark and fragrant, smelling of alluring spices with hints of almond and vanilla with a rich backdrop of earthy black tea. And that’s what I taste, too. The black tea has a strong presence here, and I appreciate that because often with chai blends, the black tea tends to take a back seat and is often overwhelmed by the spices. That didn’t happen here, and I’m glad. The spices are very harmonious … the cloves do stand out a bit which kind of surprised me, because usually with chai blends it’s either the cinnamon or the ginger that is prominent. Here, the other spices seem pretty evenly matched, with the cloves coming out as the prominent flavor.
And these flavors are nicely accentuated by the flavors of vanilla and almond which offers a sweet, creamy, nutty note. I like that the nutty tones of the almond are further highlighted by the nutmeg in the chai … a really nice touch (I think that this might have been an addition that I requested, and I think I did right to request it, this blend would not be the same without the nutmeg).
This is a really delicious chai that I’m enjoying served straight with just a little bit of turbinado sugar to emphasize the spices a bit. It doesn’t need a lot of sweetening though, because the sweetness of the vanilla and almond are very satisfying. And because of the creaminess of these two flavors, it doesn’t need milk to make it taste creamy … although this would be very tasty with a drop or two of milk just to enhance the creamy tones.
To Ovation Teas, I lift my tea mug up and toast you, I will miss you!
Sweet & Sassy SororiTea From Uniq Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Uniq Teas
Tea Description:
Sweet caramel notes are accented with a touch of spice and hint of almond. This is LiberTEAS blend.
Learn more about creating your own blend here.
You can order this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Not too long ago, we (the SororiTea Sisters) were contacted by Uniq Teas and invited to each create our own blend which we could then sample and review. Well, of course we took them up on it! It sounded like fun!
And it really is fun! The Uniq Teas website is so easy to use! You just create an account, then choose from their selection of 40 different Organic and Fair Trade teas to create a blend. You choose the teas, and you choose how much of each blend is used to come up with your own unique blend. Then, you name the tea, design the label, and you write the description. You even decide if you want the tea to be a public tea (available for everyone to purchase) or a private one.
It was a blast to put this blend together. It is a blend of black teas: Caramelicious, Black Chai, and Almond. I then chose the name Sweet & Sassy SororiTea because caramel and almond is sweet, and I thought that the spices would add a certain sassy attitude to the cup without coming off as being too spicy.
And I’m really happy with this! The black tea offers a strong background of flavor – it is rich, assertive and slightly astringent. I’m not experiencing any bitterness, but, I also think that this is a tea that you don’t want to over-infuse, because I think it could become bitter if it’s left to brew too long. I steeped this for 3 1/2 minutes and it came out just right.
And even though the black tea base is strong, it doesn’t overwhelm the flavors which I find to have just the balance I was looking for. The caramel comes through as the strongest flavor, and there are hints of almond in the background. The spices are loud and indeed sassy, but they aren’t overly spicy. It was my intention that even though a chai blend was being used as part of my tea blend, I didn’t really want it to come off as a chai. I wanted it to come off as a spiced caramel blend with a touch of almonds, and that’s just what I got! This blend is great served straight … but I like it even better as a latte as it helps to bring out the creamy notes of the caramel and the sweetness of the almonds.
I am definitely going to be returning to Uniq Teas in the future to create another blend … maybe a twist on Earl Grey next time!
Pleine Lune from Mariage Freres
Pleine Lune from Mariage Freres
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mariage Freres
Tea Description:
The splendour of a ‘Full Moon’.
Inspired by that heavenly body and the realm of dreams, this poetic blend combines fragrances evoking the feast of the full moon: fruits, rare spices, and the sweet taste of honey.
A true moonbeam.
PREPARATION ADVICE FOR 1 CUP :
Amount of tea leaves: 2.5g
Best water temperature: 95 °C
Infusion time: 3-5 min
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I first heard of this tea I wanted it! I am in love with the moon and spend hours under the moon meditating, relaxing, and relishing in its beauty. The name of the tea alone had me sold. I could only hope that it lived up to its namesake, and it has beyond my wishes!
The smell is heavenly, the taste is dreamy.
I get a distinct cherry note on the top of the sip. Almond comes through perfectly, not too strong, not too weak. The flavors are all perfection, nothing tasting artificial. There are hints at cinnamon and vanilla, but again no one note stands up deamding for your full focus. A truly well mastered blend! No wonder it is one of Maraige Freres best sellers!
Now yes there are some flowers in this tea and there is a subtle floral note within it but I would not call this a floral tea personally. To me floral teas are far more floral in flavor this one just has these delicate pretty petals dancing around in the steeping basket that add only a slight hint of a note of flowery goodness. What I taste more so is a fruity cup with vanilla and spice and of course nuttiness. It is so delicious!
I have to thank my Steepster friend for sending me this from France. I felt so fancy getting a package from France! It may seem silly but I did. I squealed with delight and I can’t even tell you how wonderful the box smelled even before opening it! So thank you my friend for this wonderful tea. I know it is her all time favorite and I can absolutely see why!
Its sweet but many add sweetener and creamer to the cup. I have enough left to try it that way myself and I am sure it will be amazing. I love it straight however and see no need to mask any of these beautiful flavors!
While this is absolutely a tea for grown ups who can appreciate all the lovely notes within the cup, I could see this easily being loved by kids and non tea lovers alike. It would be a wonderful cup to serve to guests who do not normally have tea.
The mouthfeel is somewhat bright, not heavy, but yet it is robust enough to make you feel you are having something hearty and serves well as a morning wake up cup, to an afternoon tea, to a dessert tea yet perhaps if you want it to fill the dessert tea slot it would be better with some cream and sugar. To me it is not as sweet as some dessert teas and definitely not cloying. They do say there is honey in the tea but I personally am not picking up on that note too much at this time.
The black base is perfect for this blend. There is absolutely no astringency. I have no idea what base they are using, I would guess a Ceylon but I am can’t be sure. If anyone has opinions or knowledge on this feel free to comment!
This tea comes in sachets, loose, and in different sizes, etc. I have linked the loose leaf but if you do a search on the site you can find the other forms it comes in.
Amaretto Matcha (White Base) from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White Matcha
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Amaretto, with its distinct taste can be made truly special by adding a spalsh of exotic oriental Matcha. The resulting Amaretto Matcha has a new fresh flavor that is more heightened and very pleasurable for the adventurous palate. When wanting to make many snacks or desserts to stand out in an assortment of their equals, adding a touch of this exceptional Matcha treat can both surprise and delight it many takers with its sweet sharp taste. With Amaretto Matcha, any culinary delight can be a special experience in new tastes and adventures for the palate.
Although Amaretto Matcha can be restricted to mainly adults, it is very adaptable depending on the quantity and where it is being used. Its hint of almonds and apricots can make it acquire a large following of delighted fans. In any social setting this delectable treat can quickly become the party favorite because of its deeply satisfying taste and flavor. Its mellowing effect makes it the perfect early evening treat when a person just wants to unwind and rewind the successes of their busy day. Amaretto Matcha can be considered the silver lining in any day where a healthy boost of tastiness is required to turn it around.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This matcha flavor is very true to the Amaretto Liquor without the heavy liquor aroma or flavor / burn. I know that may not make a lot of sense. Alcohol has a burn to it, a warmth, and its own aroma as well as flavor. What I am trying to evoke is that with this matcha you get everything you would expect from a true amaretto flavor without the alcohol. I probably should have just said it like that.
Regardless, this is an excellent flavor selection.
Now I got mine in a white base. I prefer green matcha base in all flavors I have tried thus far, and I have tried a lot of them. However it is nice to have a couple of your favorite flavors in white base for when you want a matcha in the evening like I did today.
The white base does not mix as easily. I will say that. It takes a bit more whisk work than green, and does not whisk up as frothy. Other than that, there is no problem with a white matcha base. It just takes a tad bit more effort.
If you are not familiar with Amaretto flavor it is predominantly nutty. Amaretto is made with almonds and apricot, specifically the pits. Interesting isn’t it! I love fresh apricots but care for only a few apricot flavored teas. I love amaretto matcha! Now with that said I personally do not detect much if any of an apricot flavor in amaretto, this or any other amaretto. To me its more of what the blend of almond and apricot creates which is something wonderful unto itself.
I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s and if you are from that time era you may recall the oh so often sipped on Amaretto Sour. I used to drink those down like water. That however is another story. The point is this matcha flavor is excellent, in a white base, green base, or for the more adventurous, Red Leaf Tea also offers oolong, and black tea bases as well.