Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Herbal Blend
Where to Buy: The Cozy Leaf on Etsy
Tisane Description:
(Organic Caffeine Free Rooibos Tea) This tea blend has a sparkling-like lemon flavor which gives this blend a fresh and lively character – terrific served hot and sensational served iced! This tea is very soothing when served hot with a little honey, perfect for those winter sore throats! Rooibos is an ultra fine, delicate tea and once brewed it will produce a hearty red color with a warm scent. Rooibos holds a superior, natural sweetness that is unsurpassed with a smooth and aromatic after taste!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Organic Soothing Lemon Wellness Herbal Tea from The Cozy Leaf is indeed a soothing blend! As I’ve said before (and will no doubt say again in the future), rooibos isn’t my favorite tisane, but, I find that I do like it better when it’s organic (and yes, there is a difference that’s discernible in the taste!)
I also like how the nutty and earthy tones complement the lemon-y notes here. The lemon isn’t an in-your-face kind of flavor … just as the name implies, it’s soothing. It’s a calm, gentle flavor that is a little bit tart, a little bit sweet and even a wee bit bitter. I find that this tends to be true of blends with the citrus peel in them. Not a bad thing – the contrast keeps the cup interesting.
The lemongrass enhances the citrus tones in a sweeter way, and adds a hint of smooth, buttery taste to the drink. I like that this is a relaxing cup of tea that warms me up when I drink it hot, but is also tasty when served iced. I feel good when I sip it – it’s a very uplifting sort of tisane.
The Cozy Leaf was previously known as Teas and Tapestries, and we have reviewed a couple of their teas here on this blog. They have a very impressive line up of teas, I think I might have to visit them again when my tea budget allows! A really nice company and a really good product.
Vanilla Bean Honeybush from California Tea House
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: California Tea House
Tisane Description:
Honeybush is made from the Cyclopia sessiliflora plant from the mountains of the South African Cape. It is very similar to Rooibos in taste and health aspects, yet it is naturally a little more sweet. We took the highest grade Honeybush and blended in vanilla bean pieces and marigold petals to create our naturally caffeine-free Vanilla Bean Honeybush.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I had my doubts, but this Vanilla Bean Honeybush from California Tea House is really tasty. It is sweet and it is loaded with real vanilla flavor. I love that the vanilla notes here don’t taste artificial. This tastes like true vanilla. It’s sweet and creamy deliciousness!
The vanilla is the strongest flavor that I’m tasting here. And like I just said, it’s deliciously sweet and creamy. But the honeybush can be tasted too, and it adds a hint of honey and a nutty tone to the background.
I love the simplicity of this blend – it’s just vanilla and honeybush (plus a little bit of marigold petals to add some pretty color to the blend.) But it’s also a really smart pairing, because honeybush – as well as it’s South African cousin, Rooibos – tend to produce a somewhat thin textured liquid, but with the creaminess of the vanilla … it doesn’t feel thin. This feels pleasantly soft and smooth to the palate.
To get the most out of this tisane, I recommend steeping it at a just below boiling point (195°F) for 10 minutes. I go with the slightly lower temperature because this helps to avoid the sour wood taste that sometimes accompanies rooibos and honeybush … while still achieving the maximum amount of flavor out of a honeybush (or rooibos) blend.
Vanilla fans … this is your answer for those late at night cravings! This will satisfy those sweet tooth cravings without any caffeine!
Mirabelle Cream Rooibos Tisane from Hale Tea Company
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: Hale Tea Company
Tisane Description:
The aroma is something of a cross between a peach and an apricot. To taste, this tea really does mimic eating an actual Mirabelle plum with it’s tart skin and sweet flesh. The green rooibos brings an interesting savouriness that interacts delightfully with the Mirabelle flavour.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mirabelle Cream Rooibos Tisane from Hale Tea Company is the last of the three teas that I received in September’s tea tasting box from Amoda Teas. The fragrance is to die for! My mouth was watering the moment I smelled it – it smells luscious … like fresh peaches and apricots … and evoked memories of my gramma’s kitchen during the month of August and beginning of September, when the last of the peaches and apricots were being harvested from her prolific trees, and she would be making peach and apricot preserves, as well as pies and cobblers. YUM! I think my stomach just growled from thinking about it … now I want a peach/apricot cobbler with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream!
But I suppose a cup of this tisane will have to suffice since those days have long since past (and I’m not nearly the baker that my gramma was!) And this is tasty … not nearly as tasty as my gramma’s cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream, but, this also has less fat and fewer calories.
Click on the Pic to go there.
The green rooibos base is a nice choice for these flavors, because the green rooibos has a natural fruity tone to it that accents the notes of plum. I can’t recall that I’ve actually tasted a Mirabelle plum, but I do notice some plummy notes in this tea that remind me of a sun-ripened plum with the juicy, deep red flesh. I notice the sweetness and the hint of sour to those plums. This is sweeter than most plums that I’ve tasted … but I do notice that plum-like tartness to this too.
The flavor is not as peachy or apricot-y as the aroma would lead one to believe … but then, this is not supposed to be about peaches or apricots, but the Mirabelle plum, although the photo of the Mirabelle plum (above right) … those kinda look like apricots!
Overall, I’m finding this tasty tisane to be fruity with a nice contrast between sweet and tangy, with just a hint of cream. I like the lightness of this … it’s very refreshing and it tastes great hot or iced. As it cools, the flavors do soften somewhat, but it’s still a tasty, creamy, fruity drink.
A really nice tisane, I’m glad that Amoda included this in the September box!
Cheesecake Flavored Black Tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Matcha)
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
When the much loved cheesecake is combined with exotic Matcha, the resulting Cheesecake Matcha is unforgettable and very delicious. With its creamy and buttery undertones and a hint of Matcha spiciness, a Cheesecake Matcha treat can easily take its place among the everyday favorite snack choices. This versatile treat adapts to the palate and can sometimes taste salty or creamy or sour depending on who is enjoying it. This varied taste makes this delectable treat truly exceptional and very favored among those who prefer non sweet snacks in their refreshment alternatives.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I loved the classic grade of traditional green Matcha flavored with the Cheesecake flavoring from Red Leaf Tea (see my review of it here) … so, I was a little hesitant to order the black tea version of this flavor. I mean, I was a little worried that maybe this wouldn’t be a win and that could possibly ruin the cheesecake matcha experience for me.
But, I”m really glad I decided to try this Cheesecake Flavored Black Tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … because, you know what? I like this even BETTER than the green tea variety! The black tea is the perfect companion for the sweet, creamy, luscious cheesecake flavors!
Just like the green tea version – this is sweet and creamy tasting – but there is just … something about the black tea base allows the tangy cream cheese notes to come out even better. This tastes MORE like real cheesecake in liquid form to me than the green tea variety. I’m getting a more focused “cheesecake” flavor with the black tea base, and I even taste more of the buttery, graham cracker-like crust notes with this blend … perhaps it’s the rich, sweet tones of the black tea that helps bring these flavors forward.
Oh, don’t get me wrong, I still have a lot of love for the classic green tea base for the cheesecake flavoring. Both are absolutely delightful. And if you liked the cheesecake green tea Matcha from Red Leaf Tea … you’ve got to try the black tea version … you’ll LOVE it. It’s so good!
Just … don’t drink it before bedtime, or you’ll find it difficult to sleep … because this really ENERGIZES!
Lemon Meringue Tisane from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
This is truly a classic tea! It makes a great hot or iced tea. We have finally found the perfect lemon tea. This one has a mild and smooth lemon flavor with a hint of creaminess, reminiscent of lemon meringue pie. It is naturally caffeine free. Ingredients: Rooibos, Green Rooibos, Honeybush, Lemon Bits, Calendula and Cornflower Petals, and Flavoring.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Lemon Meringue Tisane from Trail Lodge Teas is easily one of the better Lemon Meringue Pie teas/tisanes that I’ve tasted. It’s totally YUM!
The base is a combination of red (or oxidized) rooibos, green (or non-oxidized) rooibos, and honeybush. I think that this is a winning combination. I’m not big on rooibos, but, when they’re combined with the honeybush, this seems to soften that sometimes “funky” taste that goes along with rooibos. And since green rooibos is much better tasting than red rooibos … this brings out the fruity character to the rooibos rather than that woodsy/nutty flavor. Nice! The honeybush still offers some of that sweet honey-esque tone and just a hint of nutty taste that accentuates the “pie-like” quality of this tisane.
The lemon is a softer, sweeter lemon, much like the creamy curd filling of a lemon meringue pie. I taste notes of vanilla too, and this brings a meringue-like quality to the cup. And every once in a while, I could swear I taste just a hint of butter that seems to imitate a pie crust like flavor together with the nutty tones of the honeybush.
This blend works together so well. Sweet, lemon-y goodness! A nice dessert-y treat that you can enjoy any time of the day … you can even make it a late night snack since it’s naturally caffeine free!