Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Product Description:
Luscious currants and delicious forest berries complement this fruity and balanced blend with a wonderful scarlet red infusion that refreshes and rejuvenates.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said on several occasions, I’m not a big fan of hibiscus. Generally speaking, it is too tart for my personal taste. But, I know that some people out there love the stuff (otherwise, the tea companies wouldn’t be selling it, right?) so when I decided to give this tisane a try, I did so on the premise that I would be fair and objective about the tisane and try not to let my own personal feelings get in the way.
But you know what? I’m actually enjoying this! I am surprised that I am actually enjoying it.
I steeped it for just five minutes. I find that steeping hibiscus-laden tisanes any longer results in a very thick, syrupy, tart cup. But, five minutes is just long enough to extract flavor and a little bit of body out of the hibiscus without going overboard on the tartness.
And while this IS a tart tisane, it isn’t too tart. I don’t pucker up when I take a sip, but I do feel that sourness hit the back of my tongue – and its ALMOST a pucker. I did add a dollop of honey and I am sure that helped to curb the tartness a bit, but it also did something else too; it added definition to the blueberry, currant and mango flavors.
I love that I can taste the sweetness of the mango, and the thickness from the hibiscus makes the mango flavor almost nectar-like! I can also taste the blueberry peeking through. It’s a very flavorful, fruity cup and it is one that I am sure kids will LOVE (and this is much better for them than soda pop, even with the honey!)
So, it just goes to show you, don’t let the name of a tea affect your decision to try it. If I had done that, I wouldn’t be drinking this tea right now, and I am liking it!
Acai Matcha from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Matcha (Green Tea)
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Product Description:
Matcha tea is kind of like a super-powered green tea—since you’re ingesting the whole leaf instead of just the brewed beverage, you get up to ten times the antioxidant effect and nutritional value of your standard green. Matcha’s rich in antioxidants, as well as chlorophyll and fiber, and has been found to have natural mood enhancing effects. All in all, matcha’s got no match when it comes to healthy teas.
Taster’s Review:
This is a really good flavored Matcha. Flavored Matcha is not as common a product as other flavored teas, so it’s an exciting thing to find one.
The flavor is a bit different than other flavored Matcha teas that I’ve tried, I don’t know if that is because this is intended to use to make Matcha Lattes. The first time I tasted it, I enjoyed it as I would normally prepare Matcha – that is with some hot water in my chawan and whisk with my chasen. And this results in a pretty tasty tea.
The flavor is smooth and rich, with very little bitterness. It is a lot less bitter than I usually experience with Matcha (which is typically a little bitter and a little sweet – a delicious contrast). It is also not quite as vegetative. Prepared traditionally, what I taste mostly is a creamy, sweet and rich tasting tea with mere hints of a vegetative taste (it’s kind of in the background!) and a tart note from the Acai berry. It isn’t an unpleasant tartness, though. I’m really enjoying it.
But because I didn’t feel like I was truly experiencing this tea as it was intended, I decided that I should also try this as a latte. I put a few heaping scoops (I used my Chashaku) of the Matcha in my Chawan, and then I made a thick paste using two tablespoons (I eyeball it) of hot (not boiling) water. Then I added steaming milk and whisked it until blended and frothy.
As a latte, I notice that I get more froth than I did preparing it traditionally. The flavor is much creamier, and I notice more of the vegetative notes as a latte, but less of the acai berry, which slowly creeps up to the palate in the finish and imparts a lovely tart note. Not a pucker-y type of tart, just a pleasant, fruity tart taste.
After trying it as a latte, I decided to get a little more adventurous and try it with some orange juice. So using the same method as before (a few heaping scoops, a little hot water, thick paste), I replaced the hot milk with a little bit of cold orange juice. This may be my favorite way to enjoy this particular matcha because I like the way that the acai berry and the orange flavors mingle. There is very little vegetative taste, it is sweet, slightly creamy, and pleasantly tart.
This Matcha is incredibly versatile. It would also make a great addition to a smoothie, if you’re so inclined! I like that the acai berry is subtle, but just enough to help smooth out some of the bitter notes of the Matcha. I really enjoyed my time with this Matcha!
Tea Merci Berry & Rose from Blue Q
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Blue Q
Product Description:
You make me blush. Elegant India black tea with organic strawberries and a rose petal or two.
Taster’s Review:
This is really good – surprisingly good for a bagged tea!
This tastes like a delicious Rose Congou tea that has been livened up with strawberry flavor. The black tea base is a pleasant tasting black. It is fairly mellow, but there is a hint of bitterness toward the end of the sip. There really isn’t a whole lot to say about the black tea because really, the rose and the berry are the real stars of this show!
The rose is very well pronounced (like I said, it tastes like a Rose Congou). I really like rose in tea so I am finding it rather lovely. The strawberry is a bit more delicate than the rose, but the flavor develops as I continue to sip. There is very little tartness from the berry; just fresh strawberry sweetness melding with the feminine notes of the rose.
There is an interesting contrast between the rose and the berry. Such a unique and flavorful combination!
Goji Berry Blue from Praise Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Praise Tea
Product Description:
An antioxidant explosion of sencha green tea, gojiberries, blueberries, lemon grass, and pomegrante seeds.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve professed before, I have somewhat of a ingrained response when it comes to Goji Berry. That response is a hesitant recoil based upon the first time I tried a tea with Goji Berry. The tea was incredibly tart – far too tart for me to enjoy it. Since that time I have been less than enthused to try Goji Berry flavored teas.
And really, that’s an unfair response because since that time, the Goji Berry flavored teas have been quite delicious. Like this one, for example. This green tea is flavored with goji berries, blueberries, pomegranate and lemongrass. And it’s absolutely amazing!
The fruit flavor is sweet with just a hint of tart. The lemongrass adds a certain citrus-y element that accents the flavor of of the berries without overwhelming them. There is a buttery note to the cup that I attribute to the green tea base as well as the lemongrass, it is a soft, creamy kind of note that doesn’t impart a strong buttery presence onto the palate – just a smooth sweetness that is quite delectable.
This tea is not what I would classify as “tart” even though there is a hint of tartness that hits the palate in the finish. It is a pleasant note that sort of completes the overall taste profile.
While this would be absolutely amazing served over ice in the summer, I am finding it quite enjoyable as a hot beverage in the winter. I found that a tiny bit of agave nectar brings out some of the sweeter qualities of the tea – especially the blueberry notes!
Queen Catherine Tea from Harney & Sons
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Harney & Sons
Product Description:
We created this blend of three Chinese black teas in honor of Queen Catherine, who introduced her love of tea to the British. We are privledged to have this tea featured in the Museum of Tea in Hangzhou, China. Harney & Sons is the only Western tea company to receive this honor.
Tasters Review:
Thus far – Queen Catherine – is one of my favorites from Harney & Sons! I think it’s a great tea for mornings and afternoons as well as hot or cold. It’s just one of those black teas that is good to have on hand at all times!
My first impressions of this tea?
Once I first started infusing this tea I could smell a very faint hint of smoke. It’s a deep burgundy brown.
The taste isn’t what I expected and that’s not a bad thing…it’s certainly your typical black tea taste but then I found a semi-bitter/semi-sweet berry type taste at the end of the sip! It was a surprise but I liked it! YUP! The tea description that I read didn’t mention that it had berries in it but I can certainly taste hints on the tongue. And they are subtle, beautiful hints!
