Red Chocolate from Shanti Tea

by liberteas

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Rooibos

Where to Buy:  Shanti Tea

Tisane Description:

Inviting and rich, the warm smell of chocolate greets you as you open the tin and settle in for a cup tea. A rich and smooth blend of Rooibos and cacao, this tea is a refined take on the comforting feeling of sipping hot chocolate on a cold day.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

YUM!  This is so rich and chocolate-y that it even manages to satiate the chocoholic in me!  And trust me, that’s not easy to do!  It tastes LOTS of chocolate … and this tisane has got it!

It is rich and chocolate-y with hints of cacao bitterness.  It’s a bittersweet chocolate taste, but the emphasis would be on the SWEET rather than the bitter, in my opinion.  If you prefer milk chocolate, this would go nicely with a splash of milk, but I would recommend steeping it at double strength first so that you don’t lose any of this magnificent flavor.

The rooibos base is barely discernible amid all this chocolate-y flavor, but, I do taste some of the hints of wood and the distinct nutty tones of the rooibos.  But mostly what I taste is CHOCOLATE … so much chocolate in fact that I think that this just may be the most chocolate-y rooibos blend I’ve yet to encounter.  And that’s saying something, because I’ve tried quite a few chocolate rooibos blends.

If you’re an insatiable chocoholic like me, try this tisane.  You’re going to love it!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Rooibos, Shanti Tea, Tea Company, Type Of Tea

Dark Forest Chai from Townshend’s Tea Company

by liberteas

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Townshend’s Tea

Tisane Description:

Dark Forest Chai is made up of honeybush, cacao, carob, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, red clover, rosemary and roasted chicory.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

This tisane smells incredible.  As I was pouring the tea into my favorite mug and the amazing aroma wafted through the air, it was as though I had been magically transported to a donut shop – believe it or not, this smells like a cake donut that’s been dusted with cinnamon and sugar!

And while it doesn’t taste exactly like a cinnamon and sugar donut, there are elements in this that give it a similar (and very sweet-tooth satisfying) flavor.  A strong cinnamon essence, pleasantly sweet, with a somewhat savory, freshly baked cake sort of element to it, which is further enhanced by the presence of the cacao and carob.

The roasted chicory gives this cup a satisfying depth and a toasty element that is very harmonious with the other ingredients, and I think that this ingredient is what gives the cup that rich, freshly baked flavor.  It also lends a hint of coffee-like flavor to the background.  Coffee and donuts!

I like that this doesn’t taste strongly of any one ingredient, instead, it is a medley of all the ingredients.  It is mildly spiced, and while there is some heat to it which continues to develop as I make my way to the bottom of the cup, I would not categorize it as spicy.  It is warm, though, and I don’t know that I’d recommend this to someone who is extremely sensitive to spice, but, if you like a medium-warm heat to your cup, this tisane provides that.

I figured I’d like this chai – as I do love chai! – but, what a surprising treat it turned out to be!  I love this!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Honeybush

Coconut Truffle from Inspired Leaf

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black Tea & Honeybush

Where to Buy:  Inspired Leaf

Tea Description:

Cocoa nibs and indulgent flavors of the islands. Brew up a vacation!

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

YUM!

This is the first tea that I’ve tried from Inspired Leaf, but I must say that I’m a fan.  My experience with them has been very positive, and this tea is like the cherry on top of the sundae!  I would say coconut on top of the sundae but that didn’t seem as illuminating as cherry on top.

The base is a blend of black tea and honeybush which I find enjoyable because I have the rich flavor of the black tea – lightened somewhat by the presence of the honeybush, but not too much.  It is light enough to enjoy the complexity of the tea while adding a delicate sweetness from the honeybush.  There is a hint of nutty flavor to this as well, and this compliments the coconut in this blend.

The chocolate flavor is at a pleasing level, but, I (being the chocoholic that I am) still find myself wanting MORE chocolate.  Some cacao shells would give this more of a truffle-ish flavor, I think.  As it is, it is quite delicious, but even more chocolate would make it over-the-top indulgently awesome.  (Remember my simple equation?  more chocolate = better)

The coconut is creamy and sweet and luscious … and definitely the star of this cup.  Sure, I love the chocolate, but, its the coconut that makes this so remarkably good.

And that’s exactly what it is!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Honeybush

Organic Turkish Delight from The Rabbit Hole

by liberteas

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  The Rabbit Hole

Tisane Description:

Exotic rose and luscious chocolate mingle to create a decadent herbal brew worthy of your harem. Go on, treat yourself to a little luxury and for a completely decadent hit, add honey.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

Mmm!  This is really good!

This seems to be a fairly simple blend of cacao nibs and rose.  But out of such simplicity comes a true delight.  Upon opening the pouch, my olfactory sense was greeted with a heady fragrance of rose and the tempting aroma of chocolate.  The brewed tisane offers mere hints of the rose but a very delicious chocolate scent.

I recommend steeping this for at least ten minutes – and longer would probably be even better.  Since there are no tea leaves in this blend, there is no threat of bitterness by over-steeping, the flavors will just intensify with the longer steep time.  I would also recommend adding a little more than the recommended 1 teaspoon of leaf per cup, and I will explain why.

After steeping according to the recommended parameters, I found the tisane to be a bit thin in flavor.  Yes, the chocolate and rose flavors were there, and they were INCREDIBLE; however, I – being the chocoholic that I am – happen to think that more chocolate = better.  And I think that a richer chocolate flavor here would have been much more satisfying, and this can be easily remedied by simply adding an extra teaspoon of leaf before infusing, and be sure to infuse it a minimum of ten minutes, and fifteen would be even better, if you can wait that long!

As it is, it is still very delicious.  The cacao nibs give the cup a tasty bittersweet, dark chocolate kind of flavor.  The rose adds a touch of exotic flavor to the cup, tasting floral but without tasting like perfume.  The finish has a dry cocoa powder kind of taste, with lingering notes of rose.

This combination of flavors reminds me very much of a decadent chocolate truffle that I might find in a high-end chocolate shop … even though the flavor is thinner than I would like, I still consider this to be a highly enjoyable cup.

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Organic Fiery Temptress from The Rabbit Hole

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  The Rabbit Hole

Tea Description:

Chilli and chocolate, such strange bedfellows. Throw a black tea in the mix and you’ve got one mind-blowing brew. Perfect for when you need to spice up your life.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

When I shop for snacks and treats, one thing I find myself looking for is flavor contrasts.  My favorites are salty and sweet  – like chocolate and bacon, or salted caramel – and spicy and sweet – like chocolate and chili … as in THIS tea!  I find the palate is much more satiated when I appeal to different taste receptors, and right now, this tea is satisfying a certain “hunger” for flavor by appealing to the spicy and the sweet taste receptors on my tongue.

With the first couple of sips, I didn’t notice much of the chili or the chocolate flavors.  But by the time I was taking my third or fourth sip, I began to notice the spicy-hot sensation on the back of my throat.  This quickly spread to my tongue, and now I am feeling the full effect of the chili pepper in this tea.

The same is true of the chocolate … it wasn’t until about the third or fourth sip that I began to pick up on the cocoa flavors which are more like a dark chocolate-y flavor than a milk chocolate.  It is rich and bittersweet and delicious, and helps to balance the spicy hot chili thing going on in my mouth!  A fantastic contrast, indeed!

Despite the explosion of heat and sweet in my mouth, the flavor of the black tea is not going unnoticed.  It is smooth and richly flavored.  It has a solid kind of flavor that this tea needs for a back drop, something even-tempered and mellow to allow the bold flavors of chili and chocolate to express themselves fully.

Another awesome offering from The Rabbit Hole!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Black Tea