Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Téanzo 1856
Product Description:
Delight your senses with the tropical aroma of coconut blended with the flavors of chocolate and vanilla. Your palate will come alive with this union of black and rooibos teas. The blending of the two teas, makes it a “half-caf” tea, since the rooibos portion doesn’t contain caffeine.
Taster’s Review:
This is delicious. It is very well-balanced, with each flavor represented well without one ingredient attempting to overpower the others.
The first flavor I notice is the chocolate. It is strong … and yes, the chocoholic in me says it could be stronger, but I think that the amount of chocolate here works well. The coconut flavor sort of weaves its way in and out of the sip, providing it’s creamy sweet flavor. There is but a hint of vanilla in this blend, but, it is just enough to accent the other flavors.
The black tea is a flavorful black tea – it isn’t particularly bold but it holds its own. The rooibos are probably the least noticeable of the flavors in this cup, but that’s alright with me. They do add a bit of nutty flavor to the background, but, really, what I think they do more than anything is help to lighten the overall cup. I think that the rooibos displaces some of the black tea, which if it were stronger it would overwhelm the flavors of chocolate, coconut and vanilla. The rooibos seems to be there to keep everything else in check.
A very pleasant tea that is light enough to enjoy any time of the day!
Bountiful Black Tea from Tea Addiction
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Addiction
Product Description:
Ingredients: Black tea, rooibos, cacao nibs, coconut, apple, and vanilla flavoring.
A unique blend of coconut scented black tea, smooth rooibos, cacao nibs, vanilla, and apple make Bountiful Black most pleasing to the palate.
The flavor is rich and sumptuous. Trust us when we say you’ll enjoy every delightful sip.
Taster’s Review:
Looking at the dry leaf of this tea, I wouldn’t have guessed that it is a black tea … it looks more like a rooibos blend than a black tea blend. But, interestingly enough, it tastes more like a black tea blend than a rooibos blend!
In fact, the rooibos are not a strong, distinguished flavor in this blend. Sure, I am able to discern the flavor of the rooibos, but, it isn’t nearly as apparent as the flavors of black tea, chocolate, coconut and even vanilla.
All of these flavors meld together very seamlessly. It is difficult to determine where one ingredient ends and another begins. What I taste is a medley of flavors that is sweet, rich and bold, with notes of chocolate, creamy coconut and vanilla, and a nutty flavor that rests in the background.
This has a sweetness all its own and doesn’t need additions, although if you wish to enhance the creaminess, a splash of milk will do just that. This is a very decadent treat in a teacup, suitable to serve as a dessert tea, or anytime you’re craving something a sweet indulgence.
Sweet Desert Delight (aka Desert Blend) from Zhi Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Zhi Tea
Product Description:
Sweet Desert Delight, Another Zhi Signature Blend that takes flavor to new heights.
We blend our organic red rooibos (pron. “roy-bos”), coconut pieces, cacao nibs, anise pods, cinnamon, safflowers and stevia leaf to create a world-class organic taste sensation.
This is truly an oasis for the senses. Relish in the heady aroma of the steeping brew.
Inhale deeply. Pour a mug. Savor. Imbibe. Repeat. Indulge. Relax!
No sugar and no caffeine. Naturally sweet and healthy; from Zhi to you.
Taster’s Review:
My tin of this tea says “Desert Blend,” but the ingredient lists are identical, so I’d say that they’re the same blend … just perhaps a misprint on the label. Hey, it happens.
I’ve reviewed this tea previously, but, it’s good enough to deserve a second write-up. Really, though, I can’t say that my thoughts about this blend have changed all that much since that first review. I am still really enjoying this tisane.
The base of this tisane is rooibos, and while rooibos isn’t my favorite tisane base, here, it seems to work. The rustic, nutty flavor of the rooibos melds well with the flavor of the coconut and the deep chocolate-y tones from the cacao nibs.
The coconut is the strongest flavor, and it is sweet and creamy. The chocolate flavor is a bit more subtle, and it gives the cup an interesting dimension with its bittersweet taste. The cinnamon isn’t a spicy, “red-hot” kind of cinnamon; instead, I’d describe it as warm, mild spice. The anise gives a licorice-y kind of snap to the flavor and is a nice accent to the warmth of the cinnamon. Together, these ingredients all play off each other very well, making this a tasty cup to curl up to on this cold autumn night.
If I were to offer any criticism about this tea, I would say that I’d rather it not contain stevia, because I just don’t care for it. It has an off-putting aftertaste. Fortunately, it isn’t a particularly strong flavor in this blend – and the other ingredients here do their part to make this an enjoyable cuppa.
Chocolate Orange Bliss from Ovation Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Ovation Teas
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Product Description:
Black tea blended with cacao nibs, orange peel, and safflowers with chocolate and orange flavoring.
Taster’s Review:
Chocolate Orange Bliss … sounds incredible, doesn’t it? Immediately images of those chocolate oranges that are available around the holidays come to mind. Yummy!
And this tea is indeed yummy. The black tea is brisk but not overly aggressive. It doesn’t attempt to overpower the flavors of orange and chocolate (and that’s a good thing because when you’re a chocoholic like me, nothing should stand in the way of the chocolate!) The black tea base is very smooth and mild … and even a little comforting. There is no bitterness to this tea. It is lightly astringent which accents the tangy flavor of the orange quite nicely.
The chocolate and orange are powerfully represented. The orange is vibrant and sweet. The chocolate is rich and creamy. The overall cup is delicious, very dessert-like. I like that this tea is strong enough to be enjoyed at breakfast (dessert for breakfast? Count me in!), and mellow enough to be enjoyed later in the day, and delicious enough for a mid-day respite when you just need to get away for a few moments of peace and enjoyment. This tea fits the bill!
And, if that wasn’t enough to entice you, how about this? Daily Gourmet is currently offering a 50% savings on five of Ovation Teas’ finest offerings, including this tea! This offer is only for a limited time, so now is a great time to try this amazing tea – as well as some other remarkable teas with these tantalizing savings!
Secret Weapon from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Product Description:
This blend just might give you the edge you need to stay healthy. It’s a white Bai Mu Dan, so it’s naturally high in immunity-enhancing antioxidants. Plus it contains licorice and goji berries, a Chinese wonderfood reputed to have 500 times more vitamin C than oranges. The best part? The almonds and cocoa nibs. They don’t fight colds, but they make this an amazingly tasty weapon of choice.
Taster’s Review:
After quickly reading the description, I couldn’t help but think that this tea had a lot going on … maybe a little bit too much. The beautiful mix of nuts, berries, tea leaves and petals did little to assuage those thoughts.
But somehow, it works. The strongest flavors are the almond and chocolate – and that’s quite alright with me. The flavor of the goji berries is a distant note until near the end of the sip, where its tartness emerges and lingers into the aftertaste.
The licorice was barely noticeable until after the first few sips. And even now, I’m about halfway through my first cup, and I find that the licorice is still a bit hidden. It reveals itself in the aftertaste with a pleasant sharpness, but I can’t help but wish that there was just a little more licorice flavor. Then again, more licorice might upset the delightful flavors I’m experiencing now, so maybe not.
One might think that the white tea would be lost in this sea of strong flavors, but, to my surprise, it isn’t. The white tea comes through, very crisp and clean. It seems to add a taste that I’d compare to a breath of fresh air wafting through the other flavors. It adds a refreshing lightness to the cup that I really like.
If this is “health food” – consider me a health food junkie! YUM!