Madame Butterfly Jasmine from Capital Teas

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Capital Teas

Tea Description:

This connoisseur’s green tea has a stunning jasmine character with a full flavored cup and an incomparable aromatic nose; simply the absolute finest quality that there is! First flush peony silver needles are delicately hand-tied to form the shape of butterfly wings then infused multiple evenings with lightly scented jasmine flowers are laid atop the tea leaves to produce a tea as delicate as lace and elegant as Madam Butterfly herself.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

These little “butterfly” knots are so beautiful, they smell divine and they product the most incredible tasting jasmine tea!  They unfurl very slowly – it took five infusions before the leaves began to look more like Silver Needles than butterfly knots.  But that’s OK, because it means five very delicious infusions of tea!

The jasmine is strong, but, it doesn’t overpower the gentle flavor of the sweet Silver Needle tea.  It has a fresh flavor that is buttery smooth and slightly grassy.  There is no astringency to the cup, just soft, sweet flavor from start to finish.

What I like best about this particular tea is that the jasmine flavor is so abundant but it never tastes sharp or artificial.  It has a silky, luxurious flavor to it – a perfect match for the natural qualities of the Silver Needle.

If you’ve tried jasmine before but weren’t too sure jasmine tea was for you, I strongly recommend trying this Madame Butterfly Jasmine.  It’s exquisite!

Editor’s Note:  I originally called this tea a “white” tea in the leaf type, because it is a Silver Needle and it tastes very much the way a white Silver Needle tastes.  However, because the company categorizes it as a green tea, I changed the leaf type to green tea to avoid confusion.  Yeah… I know, I’m still confused.  Sorry about that.

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 Green Tea, Jasmine Tea, White Tea

Mexican Mango Chili Maté from Capital Teas

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Yerba Maté, Rooibos & Green Tea

Where to Buy:  Capital Teas

Tea Description:

A superior blend of green mate, rooibos, and green tea forms a perfect canvas for infusing the brilliant colors and flavors of chili peppers and mango. Inspired by Aztec recipes blending chili with fruits, we’ve also added a dash of coconut and an energizing pop of ginseng for the perfect combination. Try over ice for a spicy cold treat on hot days or enjoy its lingering warmth when brewed hot on a cold day.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This tea has a lot going on, but, I’m enjoying the way the flavors come together.

The title suggests that this may be a spicy blend, but, it doesn’t start out that way.  A gentle warmth, perhaps, but, I really thought that this would be spicier right from the very first sip.  The spiciness gradually builds, starting with a gentle, cozy warmth and building to that spicy tickle that hits the back of the palate and throat.   By mid-cup, it is much spicier than at the start, and my palate is quite warm long after I’ve taken a sip.

I think that the sweetness of the mango counters the spicier notes of the chili … softening the blow, so to speak.  The mango adds a distinct sweetness, but this doesn’t taste overwhelmingly MANGO.  By mid-cup, though, the mango is much more distinguishable.  The coconut adds a creaminess to the taste as well, which seems to smooth out all the flavors and bring them all together into one unified flavor.  This is not a mango tea, or a chili tea, or a coconut concoction … it is a seamless beverage that offers pleasing notes of many different ingredients, like a treasure chest of flavor, offering many surprises along the way.

The background flavors are earthy, with barely-there notes of vegetation.  I don’t taste a lot of flavor from the Yerba Maté, green rooibos, green tea or even the ginseng as individual components, but, I do taste their collective input.  It becomes more of a medley of collected flavors rather than specific flavor notes that I can pick out and say “this is the Maté” or “this is the green tea.”

From the very first sips as a mild, intriguing set of tastes to the last drop where the flavors are zesty can even be categorized as hot … this is a very enjoyable cuppa.  I really like the way the flavors present themselves, a mass medley of tastes that allow the drinker to discover the various flavors.

Definitely a fun and creative 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 Green Tea, Rooibos, Yerba Maté

Annapolis Treasures from Capital Teas

by liberteas

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black & Green Teas

Where to Buy:  Capital Teas

Tea Description:

Capital Teas began in Annapolis and we felt it would be only right to name our of our favorite teas after the place that started it all. Perfectly blended green and black tea provide the base for one of our most popular blends. To this we add marigold flowers and peach essence to balance a most delightful cup of tea. This tea makes a wonderful accompaniment for a light luncheon or bridal shower menu.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This is a very interesting blend.

Upon opening the package, I discovered the most wonderful peach fragrance!  It smells so vibrant and simply amazing … like a fresh peach that’s just been picked from the tree and is still warm from the sun!  The aroma softens quite a bit after the tea has been brewed, but it still smells delicious.  The infusion smells not only of peaches but also has the fresh notes of green tea and the earthy tones of black tea.

The flavor is very pleasant.  The peach is a prominent flavor, but, it does not overwhelm.  I like that I can taste both the black and green teas in this.  The black tea is the strongest flavor of the two tea types, but it is a lighter black tea flavor.   This is due not only to the presence of the green tea in this blend, but also due to the fact that the tea is brewed at a lower temperature than a “black tea only” blend would be. The green tea is light and fresh, and accentuates the fresh notes of the peach very well.

I am very impressed with this blend, and I also am happy that Capital Teas has included brewing suggestions for this tea on their website.  I know that when it comes to blended teas like this one, it can be confusing on how to brew it.  I brewed this using a low temperature like I would for a green tea (175°F – as recommended), and 2 1/2 minutes steep time, and I’m very happy with the flavor of this cup!  Lots of sweet, juicy peach flavor, and pleasant tea tones that enrich the cup.

Capital Teas is a company that is new to me, but, so far, I’m really impressed with what I’m tasting from them!

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, Green Tea