Drinking tea for me has two phases: the morning ritual of a cup of black tea, often with cream and sugar and the mid-day or evening cup which relaxes and centers me. My Morning Blend from The Necessiteas is a beautiful blend for your morning routine! It has a sweet floral aroma, and smells nothing like your standard “breakfast” or morning blends, but provides a bold pick me up for the start of your day
I recommend brewing this in either a t-sac or an infuser with very small openings. Though the leaves are large, there are some leaves that can get through the infuser, so this will be a preference for each person. Once brewed, this tea had a beautiful smooth finish rather than the bold and bitter flavoring you typically get with morning teas. This blend features roasted cocoa beans, and the chocolate taste is present, but not overpowering. If, like me, your morning cup consist of cream and sugar, this tea supports those additions beautifully. With cream and sugar, the boldness of the black tea is still present, but the chocolate aftertaste is enhanced.
Overall, I think this is a tea that black tea drinkers will truly enjoy. It adds some sweet and floral variety to standard breakfast and flat black blends. This is a great way to change up your morning routine flavor profile without having to give up your morning cup of black.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
If you are looking for a wake-me-up, perk-me-up cup in the morning, that’s off the beaten path of coffee, look no further. This strong black tea has the smoothness of chocolate, and the boldness of roasted cocoa beans. Doctor it as you would a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar to start off your day!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fraser Tea Trappist Monk
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!
Easter Egg Nests from Bluebird Tea Co.
I had to try Easter Egg Nests blend from Bluebird Tea Company as soon as I heard about it: marshmallows, puffed rice, cacao shells? It’s the dessert tea of my dreams! This blend is based on an Easter dessert of rice krispie treats with chocolate, shaped like bird’s nests with a few mini chocolate eggs or marshmallow peeps for good measure.
Springtime and puffed rice or marshmallow teas are all the rage. There are lots of sweet and festive peeps-inspired teas available this time of year. This blend from Bluebird Tea Co. is a slight rarity, in that it is a puffed rice tea with a half black tea half green tea base instead of the full green tea base more traditionally found in genmai cha.
This tea tastes like equal parts marshmallowy rice krispie treat and sweet and creamy milk chocolate. The natural nuttiness of the cacao shells is a perfect match for the toasty puffed rice, and I’m glad for the bolder black tea to provide a solid base for all these delightful dessert flavors. I love this tea just as it is, without sugar or milk; it has a tasty balance of starchy rice with smooth vanilla that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, like salted caramels.
However, I’ve seen some amazing pictures of this tea as a latte, complete with whipped cream and Easter candy and that might just have to be my next dessert concoction! Happy Spring!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black tea and Green tea
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Description:
The best Easter treats to make as kids: crispy, gooey, chocolatey, goodness! Whether you decorate with chocolate eggs or fluffy chicks we’re all fond of a home-made Easter Egg Crispy Nest (or two!). That’s why our limited edition Easter tea blend is packed with crispy toasted rice, chocolate pieces and (vegan) marshmallows!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Breathless from August Uncommon . . . .
August Uncommon is churning out some very unique blends. Some…amazing! Others…not so much (I’m looking at you, Black Lodge!). Yet with each new August Uncommon tea, it is clear that you are about to experience something different, at least something different from other tea companies and this tea, Breathless, is no exception.
*PSA:* If you’re already intrigued and want to check out the tea, please note that the images on the Breathless page might be a little NSFW if you are employed in an uppity office like I am. Just saying. You’ve been warned.
Anyways, back to the tea…
The smell here of the brewed tea is creamy and dessert-like thanks to the white chocolate and hazelnut brittle. That creaminess comes through in taste as well with the overarching flavor being the brittle. There is also a booziness here that blends seamlessly with the stonefruit flavors that make up the body of this tea. At first it feels like a rich and creamy dessert, a little bit boozy and a lot sweet. However, I will say the more you drink, the nuttiness builds and it almost begins to take on burnt quality that I just don’t enjoy.
This is a nice tea, though probably best in smaller doses. It has a nice flavor and one that you won’t find anywhere other than August Uncommon. For that reason, it is a fun tea to try, though maybe not one I personally will keep stocked.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: August Uncommon
Description
This tea has a boozy aroma with soft tannins, and a touch of fruit and leather. It is inspired by our favorite ice cream flavor in the world: Agenaise. It’s a luscious ice cream laced with armagnac-soaked prunes made by the incomparable Parisian brand Berthillon. White chocolate gives it a super silky mouthfeel and a creamy finish reminiscent of ice cream melting over hot pie. This tea practically begs for milk to turn up the richness of its flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Maple Raisin Oatmeal from A Quarter To Tea. . .
I’m sure you’re familiar by now with the cultural phenomena that is “pumpkin season”. I can’t judge– there certainly was a time in my life where the crack of September first heralded all sorts of pumpkin’ified lattes, baked goods, scented candles– the list goes on and on. But you guys. Does anyone else feel like we are missing out, collectively, on SO MANY other great fall flavors? Cinnamon, apples, oats and smoke and spice and stone fruits and and and– I want it all! Enter A Quarter to Tea’s seasonal blends.
This little beauty popped up in my most recent monthly box from AQTT, and I’ve been properly obsessed. AQTT does unusual flavors magically, and there’s something about her rolled black tea blends that I find myself sipping like a madwoman until my samples are cashed. This blend in particular harnesses all those “outlier” fall flavors, like oatmeal, cinnamon, dried fruits– and whips them all together into a delightful cuppa that is simply made for cool and rainy morning sipping.
Served as a latte, this one captures its namesake even better– the creamy, frothed milk in my mug tastes just like sweet, spiced, fruity oatmeal. The notes of malty bread-iness balance out the dried fruit/cinnamon spice beautifully, and make for a perfectly autumnal treat.
No offense, pumpkin spice, but if this is what you’re up against, you’re gonna have to up your game. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got another cup of fall to brew!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for black teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
