An interesting twist on Monk’s blend.
Cherries are one ingredient you don’t see often in tea. Though I honestly don’t taste as much cherry flavor as I thought I would it does produce a nice undertone for the vanilla and caramel flavors.
It has a velvety mouth feel. The wet leaves remind me of the smell of coffee creamer. Go figure. For those who enjoy flavored black tea this is definitely one you need to try. It has unique character with flavors that aren’t too over powering but still deep enough for those who like a little punch with their tea.
If you like to support tea companies that focus not only on quality but sustainability I invite you to check out Fraser. They are a company from Michigan that look to enhance the lives of their framers while providing a truly unique blend of teas.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fraser Tea
Description
A unique twist on the tradition of Monk’s Blend tea, our Trappist Monk Organic Black Tea melds Michigan cherries with exotic vanilla and sweet caramel organic flavor and is crafted from the highest quality Assam tea. Through bold flavors, that are tempered with zesty orange peel, pomegranate and grenadine, the essence of this tea takes on a rich sweetness. We named this blend after the Trappist monks whose order our father was a member. Choose this organic black tea to help increase alertness and focus, we wish you a healthy mind, body and spirit with each cup.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tricera-Tips Assam from Tea Historic. . . . .
I LOVE DINOSAURS! Seriously, I am obsessed! Land Before Time, Jurassic Park, Dinosaur…doesn’t matter…if it has dinosaurs in it, I am likely to read it, watch it, listen to it, etc. Between dinosaurs and Chris Pratt, I think Jurassic World might have been the highlight of my 2015. I blame my generation…actually my sibling’s generation and their influence on me. Some people had vampires, some people had zombies, and some people had dinosaurs. I fit into all those groups actually but dinosaurs have a special place in my heart.
So, now that I established my love of dinosaurs, and I would hope my love of tea is also pretty apparent, let’s talk about Tea-Historic, an awesome company that combines two awesome things. A site that specializes in mostly black teas with wonderfully dinosaur-inspired names.
Today Tricera-Tips Assam is what fills my mug, an Indian Assam tea mixed with cacao husks. Trust me, you will for sure know the cacao is there because this is one chocolatey tea. A little too much for my tastes, though I am not the biggest fan of cacao husks as I find they create a more earthy/dusty chocolate flavor. Underneath the cacao is the assam base, which contributes a whole lotta honey but there is also an underlying briskness and astringency that I don’t love. In fairness, this tea cooled a bit before I got to it so the astringency might just be a reflection of that.
A little while back I tried the Yunnan Tricera-Tips tea and if I am being honest, of the two, I think that is the one I preferred. Though this is still tasty, the Yunnan version, in my opinion, is smoother and with less cacao. I suppose ultimately that could be good or bad depending on what you’re looking for in a tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Historic
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Waking Up With A Strong Cuppa Chai from Chai Safari. . . . .
Assam Masala Chai from Chai Safari. Rarely do I need to step back and have multiple go-arounds with a tea before I come to a conclusion of how I feel about it. But this was in that rare group of teas that I had to put in that basket.
I literally couldn’t BELIEVE just how strong this chai was when I tasted it! I thought maybe I used way too much of the loose leaf. That isn’t unusual for me – because I LOVE a really LOUD tea – so I tend to double the amount of loose leaf and cut the steep/infusion time in half. Word to the wise…YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THAT WITH THIS CHAI! You don’t even have to do that with this chai if you think you should! Seriously! It’s peppy enough on it’s own! Low and Slow here people! Low and Slow! Use the suggested amount of loose at the appropriate time and ENJOY! No need to over shoot! It’s EXTREMELY SPICY on it’s own! If this isn’t the spiciest chai I have had – it’ HAS to be up there!
The Assam is strong but the chai spices are even stronger! It infuses to a VERY dark cup with EXTREME aroma to match! This chai isn’t for the wimps, the wusses, and the faint of heart! This is for the seasoned chai crowd! It’s for the bold and the strong! It’s for the durable and daring! If this chai sounds like your cup of tea – I know you will enjoy it!
It was a surprise for me – it opened my eyes and my senses! I’m proud to be among those who have been awakened by Assam Masala Chai from Chai Safari!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Chai Safari
Description
The Robust CTC from Assam is even more perfect with the savoury taste it offers with the combination of Ginger, Cloves and Black Pepper. The ginger and back pepper provide the strong base of spice in the tea where as the cloves give a distinct flavour and aroma to it. Its as close as one can get to having summer in a bowl. This drink is also an amazing combination for ailing cold, headaches and sore throat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
