Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
One of the things I always love doing with our flavored teas is creating combinations that might be really messy or not look as pretty as something attempted in a real dessert. Case in point, this week’s tea. Caramel apples are abundant. Everyone knows about caramel apples, but why couldn’t you have a caramel banana? I imagine it might be messy and probably the texture would be odd–chewy, gooey caramel on the outside of a sweet, ripe banana. So maybe it wouldn’t be pretty and maybe the contrast of textures might be a bit odd, but I bet the flavors would be amazing. In fact, I’m so sure of it, that I’ve gone ahead and created a caramel banana flavored tea for this week’s tea. We combined caffeine-free organic honeybush, freeze-dried bananas, marigold petals and organic caramel and banana flavors.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane smells pretty amazing. Caramel Banana? YUM!
And it tastes even better than it smells! Wow! The honeybush adds just the right amount of honeyed, nutty flavor. I love the way the honey notes meld with the caramel flavor. I’ve only had honey caramels a couple of times (here’s one of my favorite honey caramel confections) but those few experiences with honey caramel has left a very memorable impression. And I love the way the sweet, honey-esque notes of the honeybush marry with the luscious caramel tones of this tisane.
I love the idea of a caramel banana. This should be a candy that someone comes up with, like instead of peanut butter cups, how about caramel banana cups. Make like a creamy banana caramel custard with a thick ribbon of gooey caramel on top, and the whole thing is “cupped” in a dark chocolate cup. Or milk chocolate. I’d need to try both to figure out which tastes better. The top of the chocolate cup would be sprinkled in chopped almonds for a little bit of texture and maybe just a little bit of “salty” to go with the sweet. Does that sound amazing or what? I should work in the idea department of a candy company.
But I really like my “job” as a tea reviewer. I love trying new teas and tisanes, and it’s because of genius flavors like this. The banana is sweet and tastes amazing with the flavors of nutty, honey-sweet honeybush and indulgent, creamy caramel. Completely and totally yum!
This is delicious hot and it’s also really good as the tisane cools – it would make a great iced tea. To brew it, I used 195°F water and let it steep for 10 minutes. Remember, with honeybush, you don’t have to worry about it becoming bitter because of oversteeping, because it doesn’t have the tannins that Camellia Sinensis has … so you can steep it longer and get a lot of flavor out of the steep.
A brilliant cuppa!
Product Review: Chai Caramels from Big Picture Farm
Product Information:
Where to Buy: Treatsie
Product Description:
Big Picture Farm’s goat milk chai caramel won the gold medal in the prestigious 2013 Good Food Awards. The team at Big Picture makes this exquisite caramel with organic chai supplied by their friend Neil Harley of Chai Wallah.
Learn more about Treatsie’s Subscription Box here.
Product Review:
As you may be aware, I previously reviewed another product that I recently purchased from Treatsie. I bought these caramels at the same time, because … hello, Chai Caramels? Yeah! I gotta try ’em!
I’ve previously tried (and reviewed on my now inactive foodie blog) the goat’s milk caramels from Big Picture Farms, and I really enjoyed those. Goat’s milk caramels do taste a little different than caramels made with products other than goat’s milk, and it’s a taste that isn’t to everyone’s liking. I personally like the flavor, because goat’s milk has a certain “tangy” quality to it and I like that contrast to the sugary sweetness of the caramel.
And these caramels are not only made with goat’s milk, but also organic chai tea supplied by Chai Wallah, another product that I’ve previously reviewed! I was happy to see that Chai Wallah was the supplier of the chai for these confections, because this company makes a very memorable chai. I’ve tasted a lot of chai in the past, and Chai Wallah makes some of the very best that I’ve tried.
So, I was confident that I’d enjoy these treats from Treatsie! The caramel is super-fresh, I can feel the freshness as I unwrap the candy: it feels soft and gooey, and there isn’t even a trace of hardness on the exterior of the candy. It’s soft and pliable. When I bite into it, it seems to melt in my mouth (and of course, stick to my teeth a bit – hey, it’s caramel, it’s supposed to do that!)
The first notes I experience are the caramel notes, you know, that “burnt sugar” taste that’s sort of … incredible and delicious? Then I pick up the tangy notes of the goat’s milk. Then I start to taste the notes of chai. The spices hit the palate as I’m chewing on the confection, and they linger in the aftertaste. Now that I’ve finished the bite of chewy, delicious, caramel-y goodness, I can still taste notes of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, cardamom and pepper. Mmm! So good!
Yeah … you gotta try these! If you’re a fan of chai, you’ll love them. If you’ve got a sweet t00th, you’ll want more than just the 10-piece pack! (Trust me on that.) If you just want to try something that’s a little different than your average caramel … get some of these!
Nina’s Japon Tea Blend from Nina’s Paris
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green Teas
Where to Buy: Nina’s Tea Store
Tea Description:
Black tea, sencha, genmaicha, caramel, vanilla
A marvelous blend of black tea and roasted green tea from Japan. An irresistible dreamy concoction made with crispy rice, vanilla and caramel.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This tea is TASTY!
I’ve said before that as a rule, I have my reservations about a tea blend comprised of two different tea types like this one which is composed of both green and black tea leaves. It makes deciding how to brew the tea a little more difficult, because you aren’t entirely sure the best way to proceed in a way to get the most flavor out of the tea. Generally, boiling water is the way to brew black teas for the best flavor, but, green teas require a lower temperature to avoid scorching these tea leaves as they are more delicate.
When I have a blend like this one, I usually opt to go with the lower temperature requirements of the more delicate leaf, because it is possible to achieve flavor from the black tea at a lower temperature, and I’d rather lose a little bit of flavor from the black tea than to possibly scorch the green tea and have bitter flavor. So I used 185°F water and steeped the tea for 3 minutes.
And I’m quite happy with the result.
I taste the rich notes of the black tea, the warm, toasty notes of the genmaicha green and the sweet, fresh notes of the Sencha. And these flavors meld beautifully with the caramel and vanilla notes of this blend. It’s really quite yum!
The sip starts out sweet. The first notes I recognize are the roasty-toasty notes of the genmaicha’s brown rice, and I love how the roasted rice harmoniously marries with the sweet, luscious caramel flavor. These two flavors were made for each other. Then I notice the vanilla, it’s a top note here, but it’s not an intrusive flavor. It sort of gently blankets the flavors with it’s soft, creamy sweetness. Delightful!
The rich, smooth flavor of black tea starts to work its way into the sip shortly after I experience the rice and caramel, and the black tea adds a whole other dimension of sweetness and flavor. It adds a real depth to the flavor that makes this tea special.
The freshness of the green tea notes arrive on the palate at about mid-sip. While Japanese Sencha teas can sometimes taste bittersweet, right now I just notice sweetness. There is a slight bittersweet note that I experience in the aftertaste, and I like that savory element.
A delight to sip, from start to finish!
Duchess’ First Love Black Tea Blend from Tay Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Tea Description:
This is reminiscent of a creamy earl grey, but has the added bonus of sweet caramel and honeyed rooibos notes. The black tea lends backbone to the blend and the hazelnut creme caramel keeps you sipping. Even when the cup is empty the flavours keep lingering.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Usually when I get my box from Amoda, I grab the tea that appeals to me most and try that one before I sample the others. But this time, I decided to save the one was certain to love for last. And I’m glad I did. This Duchess’ First Love Black Tea Blend from Tay Tea is an exciting blend!
When I opened the packet of tea, I was enchanted by the scent. Maybe enchanted isn’t the right word. I felt my mouth water when I experienced the aroma of this tea. It smells … SCRUMPTIOUS! The vanilla notes are almost palpable – they are so strong and delicious smelling and it’s as though I can taste and feel them as I smell them.
And YUM! This is one of the tastiest Earl Grey Creme teas I’ve tasted. The bergamot is sweet and tangy, and the sometimes sharp notes of the Italian orange has been softened by luscious, creamy vanilla tones.
I’m not sure if the addition of the rooibos in this blend is what makes the difference in this tea, turning it from a good Earl Grey Creme to an exceptional one. But, I am pretty sure that the rooibos has something to do with it. I taste a honey-esque sweetness that enhances the vanilla in a really beautiful way. I don’t taste a lot of contribution of flavor from the rooibos, but I do taste that honeyed note, with a slight nutty intonation.
The bergamot is not the strongest bergamot I’ve tasted in an Earl Grey tea, but that’s to be expected with an Earl Grey Creme. The creaminess softens the flavor of the bergamot so that it’s not as sharp. And I’m also getting a distinct “caramel-y” note to this cup as well, and it’s quite an indulgent flavor. Notes of sweet hazelnut accentuate the caramel notes in a really delicious way. This tastes like something you’d serve for dessert!
The flavors here are seamless. The black tea has a deep, rich flavor. I would classify this as a medium bodied tea, but not really because of the black tea base, because it is a full, well-rounded tea. The rooibos lightens the cup up just a tad, but, I think that it works because the vanilla doesn’t feel so heavy. It is a very synergistic cup of tea, with every component complimenting the others to get the best out of each flavor profile.
Of the three teas that I tried this month from Tay Tea, this one is by far my favorite. A definite must try from this company, especially if you’re an Earl Grey fan!
Autumn Chai Custom Blend from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
This blend combines candy apple tea with spiced apple chai and caramel tea for an autumn explosion! Add sugar for a Halloween treat too. I added a pinch of cinnamon black tea and this chai completely rocked! If you’ve got some cinnamon tea on hand, add it for an extra kick; or blend freshly ground cinnamon for an autumn adventure.
A Carolynne Keenan Custom Blend.
Learn more about this custom blend here.
Find more Carolynne Keenan blends here.
Taster’s Review:
As I was brewing this Autumn Chai Custom Blend (created by Carolynne Keenan) from Adagio Teas, I was surprised by the scent of apple! Yeah, it says in the description that there is Spiced Apple Chai in the blend, but, with the other ingredients, I didn’t expect the apple to offer such a prominent fragrance.
I could also smell notes of cinnamon, cloves and ginger, with the cinnamon being the most pronounced of those aromatic spices. The brewed tea smells strongly of spice with hints of apple in the background.
This is pretty good. As I’ve said more than once before, I’m not crazy about the black tea base that Adagio uses as it tends to come off tasting harsh. And even though the custom blends seem to be less harsh (and sometimes not very harsh at all), I’m getting some of that harshness here. Not as much as if I were drinking one of the single flavored teas from Adagio (as opposed to the custom blends), but, there is still some of that brash astringency to this cup.
Fortunately, that harsh note isn’t too aggressive, and I am enjoying the other flavors that this drink has to offer. The cinnamon and other spices are fairly well-balanced. The cinnamon is the strongest flavor, but it doesn’t overwhelm the other spices. I taste notes of ginger, clove and cardamom. Then I get a smooth, silky sweet note of caramel. Mmm! The apple comes through shortly after I notice the caramel. In the distance, I notice a bright note of orange.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable chai. Not my favorite, because even though the harshness isn’t terribly assertive, the fact that I’m detecting it means that I’d rather it not be there. And the orange … while it does perk up the cup a little bit, it seems a little out of place. It is certainly tasty though and something I’d be willing to drink again.