Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Functional Tea/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Teas and Botanicals
Tisane Description:
A great herbal tea blend boosting the body’s immune system. Its natural antibiotic and virucidal properties eases symptoms and discomforts associated with colds and mild fever. A good detox for the entire body, a great herbal drink for people with diabetes, ulcers, bronchitis, and various sickness and disease. Rich in vitamin C and has the ability to reduce high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.
Learn more about this functional tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
OK, I’m not a huge fan of functional teas … I mean, flavor wise, they leave a little to be desired, you know what I’m saying? But as far as the function they serve, I’m all for turning to herbal remedies in the form of tea if it helps promote health. So it is with this Herbal Immune Booster from Teas & Botanicals – it isn’t the tastiest thing I’ve had recently, but, it isn’t horrible either. And if it boosts the immune system, well, I’m all for that.
The ingredient list is short: just three ingredients:
Ingredients: Pau D’Arco, Astralagus, Hibiscus.
Pau D’Arco is a bark, and it looks like bark. It actually looks a bit like lapacho and so I did a quick check and found out that Pau D’Arco actually IS lapacho. You learn something new everyday. Although I doubt that my intake of lapacho will ever be such that I would ever need to know this again, but, hey … who am I to knock knowledge? Lapacho is supposed to help infections, fever, and stomach issues. Astragalus is supposed to help the immune system, and hibiscus is a diuretic and is rich in vitamin C as well and some minerals.
As far as taste … what I taste primarily is the hibiscus. I’m glad that the hibiscus does not have a syrupy or thick consistency, and it doesn’t taste too tart here. Perhaps the other ingredients thin the hibiscus enough to allow it to just give off an agreeable berry-tarty kind of taste without coming off as TOO hibiscus-y.
This tastes medicinal … as many functional teas do. I’m not about to sit here and try to convince you that this is the best tasting herbal tea I’ve ever tried because it isn’t. However, as far as functional teas that help promote health and boost the immune system … this ain’t bad. I think this does taste better as it cools, so if you’re going to drink it … I’d recommend trying it iced.
Real Red Paradise Tea from Tea & Botanicals
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea & Botanicals
Tisane Description:
Red Tea is naturally caffeine-free red tea blended with colorful flower petals and tropical flavors. Red Tea has reputed health benefits, as it is antioxidant rich and also contains vitamins and minerals.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Visually, this is a very pretty tisane. Amongst the needle-like reddish-brown rooibos leaves, there are beautiful petals of blue, red, and yellow. There is really very little aroma to the dry leaf, which is a little disappointing because with a name like “Real Red Paradise Tea,” I was kind of hoping for a beautiful, exotic fragrance. The brewed tea has a slightly stronger scent, smelling of a tropical fruit medley – not like any one fruit in particular, its more like a tropical fruit punch.
The flavor is surprisingly good. I say that because, with most rooibos blends I want a strong flavoring, because I don’t usually like to taste the flavor of oxidized rooibos. They are nutty, a little woody, and there is often this really funky sweetness that lingers into the aftertaste. It’s not really the most pleasant flavor.
But, somehow, this all works together very well. F0r starters, I don’t taste that funky sweetness nor do I taste a funky lingering aftertaste that I normally associate with red rooibos. I do taste the nutty tones, but somehow these typical rooibos flavors just work well with the flavors and more importantly with the level of flavoring that this tisane possesses. I taste sweet, nutty flavor, and unlike some other red rooibos blends I’ve tried in the past, this tastes very pleasant!
The tropical flavors are very light. I don’t know that I taste any one type of tropical fruit specifically. Every once in a while I think I taste pineapple, but, it tastes more like a harmony of fruit notes … and it’s a very delicate taste, like it’s off in the distance, just barely tempting the palate with sweet, fruity goodness.
And what I’m really enjoying most of all is how well these whispers of tropical fruit mingle with the floral notes … the rose is especially noticeable. The sweet notes from the rose together with the soft tropical fruit is really quite delightful.
Not a bad tisane, quite enjoyable. Nice for a quiet evening, when you just want to sit back and relax.
Real Ambrosia Tea from Teas & Botanicals
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teas & Botanicals
Tea Description:
Originally designed as a loose leaf ice tea blend, but great served either hot or iced. Blend of three flavored black teas producing sophisticated nectar with hints of cinnamon and citrus.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
When I hear (or read) the word “Ambrosia,” a very distinct image pops into my head. That of a fruit salad composed primarily of canned fruit, fresh sliced bananas, coconut shreds and mini marshmallows, all mixed together with a tub of Cool Whipped Topping to create a very fruity, sweet, white cloud of a salad that I would devour eagerly as a youngster during family gatherings. An ambrosia salad was certainly at most of these family gatherings, especially if my stepmother was hosting it.
So when I received this tea, that is immediately what I though of. But I must say, this doesn’t taste much like the ambrosia salad that I remember as a kid… this actually tastes better. It’s not quite as cloyingly sweet as the salad was, and while I do still have a sweet tooth as an adult, I do like the sweet flavors to be balanced with something to temper it. This tea provides that balance – with a taste that is sweet from the various fruit flavors, but, also a little something more. The cinnamon gives it a little bit of warmth and contrast, as does the black tea.
And with so many fruit flavors going on, one might thing that the black tea base might be a bit overpowered, but it isn’t. It is the strongest flavor, the first flavor that I noticed with my first sip, and each sip that has followed. It is a good, solid tasting black tea, not overwhelmingly strong and not a lot that stands out about it, except that it is pleasant and nicely round.
I taste the apricot flavor probably more than any other fruit note in this, and it is a smooth, sweet kind of taste. The orange seems to come through toward the tail end of the sip, and seems to linger on through the aftertaste. The other fruits seem to meld together in the background, offering more of a combined “fruit” flavor rather than several individual flavors, sort of like “fruit punch” tastes like a medley of assorted fruits rather than one distinct fruit flavor.
The cinnamon is blended skillfully here. Too much cinnamon and you’d end up with another of those cinnamon-orange type of teas with the majority of the other fruit flavors overpowered by the strength of the cinnamon. Too little and well … it wouldn’t be noticeable in the midst of the many fruit flavors. But here, it’s just right. It offers just enough gentle, warm flavor to the cup to perk up the flavor; to give it just a little bit of pizzazz without going overboard.
As this tea cools, I notice that the fruit notes begin to emerge stronger – not as individual fruit notes, but more of the combined fruit flavor that I discussed previously. The cinnamon emerges a little more also, but, still maintains its gentle presence and never becomes too strong.
Overall, a very enjoyable cup, makes for a lovely afternoon cuppa, it would be equally as nice served over ice on a hot summer afternoon (like today!) as it is served hot. In fact, I am allowing the rest to cool so that I can indeed enjoy this iced – because I’m wanting some cool liquid refreshment – this might just be the thing I need!