When I first started drinking loose leaf tea, someone sent me a sample of a monk’s blend. I don’t remember what company made it, but I wasn’t terribly impressed with it. I never did seek out any to buy, but I didn’t hate it. It just didn’t do much for me.
A traditional monk’s blend tea is black tea with vanilla and pomegranate, or grenadine, if you will.
This Trappist Monk Blend is far more complex. Blueberries, Michigan cherries, caramel flavor instead of vanilla, and lots more!
Did I mention that it is ORGANIC? This is a real point of passion for the brothers who founded this company. That raises the price, as would be expected with quality ingredients, but I resteeped my sachet and got a really great second cup, with almost no noticeable decrease in flavor or color.
The base is a smooth assam, so a nice bit of caffeine but not at all rough enough to need sugar. I thought it was delicious just as it is. I am guessing it would make a great iced tea, with or without sweetener, as well.
I found it to be more full-flavored than the monk’s blend from years ago. The assam and caramel lay down some nice deep bass lines, the stone fruits give us our sparkling middle notes, and calendula provides the treble. Cornflower makes it all a little sweeter.
This is a variation on monk’s blend that I can get behind!
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!
Popcorn Tea from Teapigs
Who can resist the idea of Popcorn Tea, especially when the label has little film reels on it for your next movie showing? Teapigs isn’t the first tea company to package genmaicha under the pretense of popcorn, but they have some of the cutest packaging.
Genmaicha is a type of green tea blended with puffed rice. This makes it so that the dry leaf and the brewed tea has a distinct toasty popcorn smell. It is a unique tea, sometimes slightly savory, but always supremely cozy. I highly recommend trying green tea with puffed rice at least once and see how it goes. Teapigs Popcorn Tea is a great place to start.
The overtones of the tea are warm bready notes, the roasted grain flavors of the puffed rice leading the way in scent in taste. Beneath that first burst of popcorn, the green tea comes through with slightly more vegetal notes like gentle celery or bok choy. Alongside the puffed rice, the tea pleasantly reminds me of sauteeing green vegetables in sesame oil.
I love drinking this tea in the late afternoon (or maybe even before a movie in the evening!). With lower caffeine than black tea, Popcorn Tea makes for a warming and soothing pick-me-up on a busy day. Even if you can’t snuggle in under a quilt with a bowl of popcorn, this tea can help you imagine you’re there.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Genmaicha
Where to Buy: Teapigs
Description:
This tea has flourished from humble beginnings – Japanese peasants used to mix green tea with toasted rice to make it go further. It is now celebrated in its own right as Genmaicha tea, or Popcorn tea. “Sugar Puffs in a cup” – a truly unique blend with an almost nutty undertone.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peppermint Bark from Republic of Tea. . . .
When you go out shopping for Christmas fruitcake and Christmas cookies, you almost HAVE to look for Christmas tea, right? How excited was I to find Peppermint Bark from The Republic of Tea? Very! Because it is an herbal that I can have anytime I want, and it is made with green rooibos which I enjoy instead of red rooibos which I…let’s just not go there.
The tin said “Cool Winter Herb Tea” and under that it said “Organic Green Rooibos with Organic Peppermint, Vanilla, and Cocoa.” All good, right? Until I get it home and get ready to make it and on the back the ingredient list adds “organic stevia leaf.” Argh! WHY?????
I don’t just dislike stevia leaf. For some reason, it makes my reflux flare and my stomach stays ticked off for days. In the interest of tea reviewing I will go ahead and try it since I am already in the midst of a flare anyway. Surely a few sips will be okay…
Six minutes, boiling water, and I have a minty smelling cup. The vanilla is not pronounced and the cocoa is almost undiscernable. This is mostly just mint, but I suppose a white peppermint bark would taste more or less like this. There must not be a lot of stevia because it isn’t particularly sweet, at least, no sweeter than mint already makes things taste to me.
If you are into mint and you don’t mind stevia, you might love this tisane. I don’t hate it, but I wouldn’t go looking for a stevia free version. Honestly, the pretty tin would make a great stocking stuffer. Since I have already opened it, I will pass it on to a friend.
Note to self: Don’t go by the blurbs on the front of tins. Check the ingredient list carefully before you buy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Description
Cool Winter Herb Tea – Fill your home with the aromas of peppermint and chocolate with this sweet herbal tea. Green rooibos mingles perfectly with the flavors of organic cocoa and peppermint. This caffeine-free cup is best savored by a roaring fire after a holiday meal to settle the tummy and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fennel Licorice from Hampsted Tea and Coffee. . . .
Fennel and licorice go hand-in-hand in my opinion. The fennel bulb has very licorice-like notes among its green herbal flavors, complementing the black-jellybean anise flavor we recognize as licorice. This blend from Hampstead Tea & Coffee also adds a touch of peppermint to provide a more dynamic flavor profile.
In order for me to drink tea all day long, I need naturally caffeine-free herbal teas to balance out the menu. I love popular herbal tea flavors like ginger and mint, but I am always on the lookout for more unusual herbal teas to add to my cupboard. Fennel and Licorice certainly qualifies as a less traditional herbal blend to keep in the rotation.
Beyond the flavors, these herbs offer some healing effects. Fennel helps with digestion and is said to promote feelings of comfort and relaxation. Licorice root works as a natural sweetener, helping you cut down on the sugar, as well as serving as a sore-throat soother if you are coming down with a cold, or if you need to prepare yourself to perform an opera.
If ginger teas are too spicy and mint teas too much like menthol, try this Fennel and Licorice blend to invite a new set of herbs into your teacup.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Hampstead Tea & Coffee
Description:
Keeping harmony within you is important to help balance the demands of a busy and impactful life. Fennel and Anise seeds in with selected Liquorice root and Peppermint leaves will keep you focused and posed for action.
Fennel is an excellent digestive and breath freshener, valued for its comforting and balancing effects. Our unique infusion blends fennel seeds, liquorice root and peppermint leaves to help regulate the digestive system.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Downton Abbey Christmas Tea from Republic of Tea. . . .
Downton Abbey Christmas Black Tea is a delicious blend that tastes like chai-meets-mulled-cider. It’s spicy, rich, wine-like, and a little bit fruity.
“Wine like?” you ask anxiously. “If it’s Christmas… I am looking for wine-like.”
Yes! Unfortunately, there is no liquor within it, but it tries. It gets pretty close.
And trust me, folks: I understand the holidays making you want to reach for the booze.
I type this post from my family’s home in Virginia, where I violated a Time of Tea Law. I settled in with a novel and this book at around 7 p.m. after dinner, and was admonished.
“Tea is with dessert,” my mother said. “We have that at 8 p.m.”
“I could make myself another tea… at 8 p.m,” I said, confused.
My father, who came back from walking the dogs, spotted the mug in my hand and said, “TEA? ALREADY?”
And I said “WHY SO MANY LIMITS ON THE TEA AROUND HERE?”
THAT is the kind of family interaction we celebrate at the holidays! Granted, this is Thanksgiving week, but I’m sure there will be similar interactions on my husband’s family’s side at Christmas.
Feel free to drink this whenever you get frustrated with your family and imagine it’s something stronger.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Description
This blend is a holiday blend but click below to learn more about all of Downton Abbey Blends that Republic of Tea offers.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
