Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Guayusa
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Tisane Description:
Energy boosting Guayusa tea is blended with cola nut and linden leaves in this lime and cola flavoured tea blend. Guayusa is another one of those Amazonian energy charged super plants and Linden leaves (Lime) has been used for centuries to treat colds, fevers and inflamation.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a guayusa tisane, so when I saw that Bluebird Tea Co. had this Lime Cola Guayusa, I knew it was something that I just had to try!
Guayusa is an herb that has a high caffeine content, so it’s one of those tisanes that you should consume earlier in the day so that you’re not overstimulated as the day comes to an end. I find that after I’ve consumed a cup of Guayusa, I’m much more alert and energized!
This is a tasty blend. I don’t know if I’m getting a true “Lime Cola” taste out of this, but it does taste good. Guayusa tends to have a slightly coffee-esque taste to it, but its smoother and not bitter the way a cup of joe tends to be. And I do get that thinned coffee taste from the Guayusa here.
Then I taste lime! It’s a bright, uplifting flavor that elevates the cup. I taste the citrus notes throughout the sip and well into the aftertaste where I’m getting a little tarty tingle on the tongue.
I do get a slight cola-like flavor and this is especially noticeable as the drink cools. While the drink is hot, though, I could barely taste any cola notes at all. This definitely tastes better chilled!
Even though I didn’t get as much “Lime Cola” taste as I thought I would based on the name of this tisane, I did really enjoy this. I found it tasty and of course, invigorating! A really tasty blend!
Good Morning Sunshine from Butiki Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Guayusa
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tisane Description:
Feel like a zombie in the morning? Then we highly recommend our refreshing Good Morning Sunshine guayusa. The lemon aroma and high caffeine content awaken the spirit. This guayusa has a zesty lemon flavor that is sweet, tart, and creamy.
Learn more about this Guayusa blend here.
Taster’s Review:
OK, I am LOVING this!
I generally do feel a bit zombie-ish in the morning. Morning is absolutely my least favorite part of the day. I’ll never be accused of being a morning person. In fact, I’ve pretty much structured my day so that I can sleep through morning! I’m much more productive late at night, so I stay up late enough so that I can wake up around 11 or so (sometimes later), and not feel guilty about sleeping the morning away … and still be rid of that bothersome morning thing. I still have to get up – briefly – in the morning, just to make sure that my soon-to-be-teen daughter gets up and gets on her way to school. But as soon as she’s out the door, I’m headed back to bed!
But there are sometimes when I have to get up early and stay up. Some things won’t wait until later, and on those days, if I don’t want to look like a dead girl walking, I need something energizing to wake me up. I can’t drink coffee, and really, with as wonderful as tea is, I don’t want to drink coffee! But sometimes, I need the caffeine of coffee. Fortunately, I’ve discovered Guayusa! It offers that same caffeine burst of energy that coffee does, but without the sick feeling I get after I drink coffee. Guayusa even tastes a little bit like coffee – only its smoother and not bitter like coffee can be. This really is the best of both worlds.
I love the combination of flavors that Butiki chose for this Good Morning Sunshine Guayusa blend. It is pleasantly citrus-y, providing the sunny flavor of lemon without the acidic flavor of it. It’s a little bit tart, but not overly so. There is a creamy element to the blend too, which curbs much of the tartness, making for a sweet, brightly flavored cup of morning goodness, with just enough tartness to keep it lively.
On the days that I have to wake up early (or early for me, anyway), this is the kind of tisane I want waiting for me. It energizes me and helps me to shake that sleepy feeling. After a cup of this, I feel like I can face whatever the day brings!
Organic Black Andean from Drink T
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Drink T
Product Description:
In the high slopes of the Andes Mountains where they meet the Amazon Basin is a region of sub Andean valleys called Yungas. The unique soil of the high altitude rain forest covered mountains, where the cool air from the snow capped mountains combine with the warm moist air from the Amazon, is ideal to cultivate superior quality tea. This black tea has an original flavor unlike traditional black teas from India and Sri Lanka. Large jet-black organic tea leaves yield an exquisite bright amber cup with a garden fresh aroma that is full-bodied and has a tantalizing apricot peach after taste
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Earlier this week, I had realized that I hadn’t yet reviewed this tea! How could that be? I have enjoyed this tea for quite a while now. But, I shall remedy that.
When I first opened the pouch of this tea, I noticed the beautiful dark chocolate colored leaves – long, twisted and wiry – and their distinct fruit-like aroma that evoked images of summer when fresh peaches and apricots are ripe and bursting with flavor. After brewing, the dark coppery cup offers mere hints of the delicious fragrance of the dry leaf.
The flavor is very rich and pleasant. It is a full-bodied, robust flavor that has some gusto to it. I am noticing a deep, baked-bread kind of taste and notes of malt, as well as an enjoyable chocolate-y flavor in the background. Remarkably smooth, and agreeably sweet with lovely fruit undertones.
Flavor wise, I would classify this tea from the Amazonian rainforest as somewhere between an Assam and a Ceylon, but also with notes that are reminiscent of a rich Fujian black tea. There is a fair amount of astringency to this tea, a slightly dry astringency that readies the palate to enjoy the aftertaste that has hints of sweet apricot.
This is an excellent tea that I’d recommend to anyone. It has that “agreeable” kind of flavor that even someone new to tea can appreciate, and possesses a complexity that will please tea enthusiasts as well as the occasional tea drinker.
Guayusa Spice from Runa
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Guayusa
Where to Buy: Runa
Product Description:
An Amazonian blend of energizing guayusa with full-bodied cinnamon and aromatic lemongrass.
Taster’s Review:
At first sniff, this became a blend I was not too sure about. I mean, I like cinnamon, and I like lemongrass, and I have also really been enjoying the guayusa that I’ve been trying. But what caught me off-guard here was the aroma of the dry leaf. It smelled cinnamon-y, sure, but I think I was expecting more “spice” from it. Perhaps I’ve been a little too spoiled by all the masala chai blends I drink!
Even though the dry leaf fragrance was not quite what I was thinking it would be, I am loving the scent of the brewed tisane. It smells warm and cinnamon-ish, reminding me a bit of cinnamon toast!
And it tastes really good. The cinnamon is strong, but it isn’t that spicy-hot kind of cinnamon taste, this is more of a savory cinnamon: warm, sweet and lightly spiced. The lemongrass comes through like a whisper throughout the sip, showing itself here and there. It is in the finish and aftertaste that the lemongrass takes its moment to shine with a crisp, citrus-y note.
These two flavors are a perfect match with the earthy/vegetative note of the guayusa. The earthy notes of the guayusa play well to the earthy tones of the cinnamon, while the vegetal taste of the guayusa enhance the lemongrass notes. It is a symphony on the palate – very enjoyable, indeed!
Traditional Guayusa from Runa
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Guayusa
Where to Buy: Runa
Product Information:
Known for its stimulating effects, indigenous hunters drink guayusa to sharpen their instincts. They call it the “Night Watchman” because it helps them stay awake and alert all night.
Taster’s Review:
I haven’t consumed much Guayusa, but what I’ve tried thus far I’ve really liked. I was certain I’d enjoy this offering from Runa, since Runa is one of the principal suppliers of Guayusa within the United States. This is FRESH from the source!
This Traditional Guayusa is the plain, unflavored Guayusa – and it’s really good on its own. It has a pleasant flavor. It is earthy and vegetative, and the immediate product that comes to mind to compare it to would be green Yerba Maté – but the earthy/vegetative taste is not as prominent with the Guayusa as it is with Yerba Maté. It also has a coffee-like taste to it, but without that coffee bitterness.
Guayusa is a powerful stimulant, so I recommend drinking this one early enough in the day so that it’s not keeping you awake when you should be sleeping. But, even though it is an eye-opening cup, it doesn’t pack that caffeine JOLT that coffee (and sometimes Yerba Maté) does. It is remarkably smooth with a pleasant undertone of sweetness.
I like this with just a tiny drizzle of honey to bring out some of the sweeter notes of the Guayusa, although it is tasty served straight up too. And if you want a creamier cup, it takes the addition of milk well. If you’ve been curious about Guayusa, this Traditional Guayusa from Runa is a perfect place to start!