Despite the eventual turn of the season towards something warm, there are still plenty of cold, grey days. On those days, it’s time to brew up something comforting and sweet like Almond Cookie tea from the NecessiTeas. Opening up the bag of tea, the blend has a very forward amaretto-like scent, sweet and fragrant and strong, like baked goods with almond extract. This smooth and silky flavor carries over into the smell of the brewed tea and its taste.
Just beneath all the sweet marzipan is something more creamy and buttery, clearly the “cookie” part of this Almond Cookie blend. This butteriness almost reminds me of coconut, though it’s not so tropical. NecessiTeas had a great idea combining almond and cookie together. A marzipan-driven tea can be a but too overwhelming on its own, so the nutty, butter-cookie taste is the perfect pairing against the almond flavors.
Writing this review I almost thought I had talked about this tea before. Last time I reviewed Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas, which is similar though it has a green tea base and stronger coconut tones. If you liked that blend, definitely try this Almond Cookie blend as well. My mug is almost empty and there are still clouds in the sky, so it’s time to brew another cup!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description: This bakery-style blend of black tea, sweet almond and creamy coconut is sure to satisfy your inner “cookie monster”.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
I Want Some More from Rooibos Suite
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Rooibos Suite
Tisane Description:
The taste symphony starts with soft creamy notes of Kenyan coffee followed by a fruit crescendo with an Amaretto finale.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane has a very unusual name … but it certainly piques my curiosity … will it live up to its name? We shall see!
My first impression (my first sip, when the tea is still fresh-from-the-teapot-hot): This is alright. Not my favorite rooibos blend. Not something that makes me say “I want more of this tisane.” But it might make me say “I want more flavor in this tisane.”
The description leads me to believe that I’d taste coffee, followed by fruit notes, and then an almond/apricot finish. I’m not really tasting that. I do get the coffee at the start of the sip, but it doesn’t taste creamy to me. It tastes like black coffee. Just after the coffee taste comes a sort of jumbled taste that possesses some of the left over roasted coffee notes and a woody/earthy kind of flavor. Not at all like fruit. The tail of the sip is sort of nutty, but not amaretto-ish. There is an undertone of saccharine-like sweetness throughout the sip. It’s not really bad … but, it’s not really all that good either. It’s just kind of … mediocre.
But I’m not one to simply give up on something at first sip. I’ve learned that sometimes, good things come to those who wait, so I decide to allow the cup to cool a bit to see what comes of it.
After allowing it to cool for several minutes, the flavor really isn’t improving a whole lot. After reading the ingredient list, I’m kind of disappointed, really. The ingredient list looks promising:
Ingredients: Luxury rooibos, red thistle, sour cherries, yogurt crisps, natural dried mango, natural flavors
But I do not taste mango, or cherries, or even the creamy taste of yogurt. I don’t know that I would really be able to identify red thistle if I tasted it because I can’t really recall tasting it before… so I don’t know about that. Even though I’m not a fan of sour fruit, the taste of sour cherries might be an improvement – it might brighten the flavor of the cup. The mango would add some nice dimension. But I am not getting any of these flavors at all. I taste only a roasted coffee taste that leads into a sort of jumbled taste that resembles coffee and wood and earth. Sort of.
Over on Steepster, I compared this tisane to vacationing at the in-laws (provided you actually like your in-laws) instead of going somewhere fun: It’s nice to get away and have some time off, but, really, there are things you’d rather be doing. This tisane is like that. It’s alright and certainly drinkable, but, there are other teas and tisanes I’d rather be drinking. It’s just very average, kind of boring … and a bit disappointing. I won’t be asking for more.
Rainbow Rooibos from Culinary Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tisane Description:
Rooibos is also known as Red Bush or Red Tea. Sean O’Malley! I know you only drink black tea with shamrock cookies – but this herbal tea is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow! Fruity with sweet notes, a secret flavoring gives this Rooibos a sweet amaretto like taste.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I brewed this tisane knowing only that it was called “Rainbow Rooibos” so I brewed it the way I would normally brew rooibos – with boiling water for 10 minutes. I didn’t know what the flavor had in store for me.
With my first sip, I could taste a almond-y kind of flavor, with a hint of fruit in the background. Then when I read the description and saw that it had a “sweet amaretto” taste … I like it when my taste buds are on target like that!
The almond notes mingle with the natural nutty tones of the rooibos quite well, and the two flavors together offer a very rich – almost creamy! – taste. My palate discerned the nut flavors first, and then discovered the fruit tones.
The fruit notes are slightly more delicate, but they linger through to the aftertaste, and even become a little more distinct in the aftertaste. Through the sip, it tastes more like a “neutral” fruit, but, in the aftertaste, there is a luscious apricot note. Delicious!
This is really good served either hot or cold, but with the warm months ahead I think right now is the time to be brewing up a big batch of this and putting it on ice! It’s very refreshing and deliciously sweet; something that I think the kids as well as adults would enjoy.
Apricot Amaretto from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Product Description:
A double delight of sweet apricot and juicy peach with nuanced notes of almond, artfully evoking Saronno, Italy, the birthplace of amaretto. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.
Taster’s Review:
Recently, I was asked to review the newest collection of herbal teas from Tea Forté, called Herbal Retreat. This blend is one of those herbal teas, and so far, I think it’s my favorite.
There is a really nice balance of flavors between the honeybush and rooibos. I can taste the nutty flavors that accent the almond flavor of the amaretto well without tasting the weird sweet taste of the rooibos. A sweet honey-esque tone in the background from the honeybush.
But what I taste more than anything is the apricot! It is sweet and tastes like a fresh, juicy apricot. It’s very nectar-like. There are hints of peach as well as almond, but the apricot is definitely the main event in this cup. It is smooth and sweet and delicious. And it’s naturally caffeine free, so it’s great for a late-night treat.
Apricot Amaretto Tea from Tea Forte
Tea Type: Rooibos/Honeybush Blend
Where To Buy: Tea Forte
Product Description:
Description: A double delight of sweet apricot and juicy peach with nuanced notes of almond, artfully evoking Saronno, Italy, the birthplace of amaretto.
Ingredients: organic honeybush, organic rooibos, organic marigold flowers, natural flavors
Tasters Review:
I really enjoyed Apricot Amaretto from Tea Forte…both hot and cold…I think the new Herbal Retreat offerings are more my speed! At least the offerings without Hibiscus that is…and even some with Hibiscus, I suppose! More on that in future reviews! The Hibiscus/other ingredient ratio is more pleasing to my palate (as many of you know I’m not usually into overly tarty teas or tisanes).
This is WYSIWYG…Apricot and Amaretto sums it up nicely! I’m appreciating the Honeybush/Rooibos blends very much – thanks Tea Forte! Two thumbs up on this one!
