Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green & White Teas
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
This is one of our own tea blends. Green and white tea is combined with black raspberries.The combination of China green and white tea brews up to a light and sweet liquid that combines perfectly with black raspberries. Ingredients: Fair Trade Certified TM Organic China Green Tea, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Pai Mu Tan, and dried black raspberries,and Organic Natural Flavoring
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
YUM! OK, first of all, I have to admit that I found the name a little confusing. I form a lot of pre-tasting conclusions and/or opinions about a tea just by reading the name of the tea, which is probably something I shouldn’t do. But I can’t help it. And when I read “Black Raspberry,” I jumped to the conclusion that this would be a flavored black tea blend. So imagine my surprise when I opened the pouch of this Black Raspberry Tea Blend from Trail Lodge Tea and immediately recognized the Pai Mu Tan and Green Tea leaves! Not so surprising were the big, whole, dried black raspberries … but I expected to find black tea leaves, not white and green tea leaves!
The aroma is positively delicious. It’s one of those fragrant teas that just got my taste buds excited by taking a whiff and taking in the amazing black raspberry notes. My mouth was watering, and I could hardly wait for the three minutes infusion time to pass. (I infused this tea using a low temperature water – just 170°F and steeped the leaves for three minutes, and I’m very pleased with the results!)
This is YUMMY! The green and white teas pair up to create a delicious base that is smooth and slightly creamy. The creamy notes accentuated the raspberry tones very well. The tea tastes a little vegetative, a little earthy, and very crisp and refreshing! It has a light taste that sort of dances over the palate; it’s invigorating … but not in the same way that a black tea invigorates and energizes… this is more of a gentle, inspiring invigoration. Like a sweet cleansing of the palate.
The raspberry is the star of this show, but, even though it is the “key note” here, it does not overwhelm the base of green and white teas. Trail Lodge Tea has achieved a delightful balance with this tea. This is one of the nicest raspberry teas I’ve tasted in a while. The raspberry is sweet yet tart, and there is that tingly, tart note that rests on the palate in the aftertaste … but, it isn’t as powerful as *other* raspberry teas tend to be. And as one who is not typically a big fan of tartness, I find this gentle tingly sensation to be quite refreshing and enjoyable.
My only complaint? This tea disappeared way too quickly from my teacup! It is one of those teas that I just can’t seem to stop sipping until it’s gone! Delicious!
Organic Sencha Green Tea from Aiya
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Aiya
Tea Description:
Organic Sencha is one of the highest in quality in the Japanese internationally certfied organic Sencha category. This grade of Organic Sencha is rare even in the Japanese market. This tea is grown to meet strict organic regulations while maintaining a light refreshing flavor and aroma with a clear green appearance.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Aiya is one of those companies that I have complete confidence in – one of those companies that I know will always provide top-quality products. Like this Organic Sencha Green Tea! This tea is absolutely wonderful!
It is very much what I’d expect from a Japanese Sencha: light, vegetative, and refreshing. However, one thing that I’m not finding in this Sencha is that hint of bitterness that I find in some Japanese Sencha teas. This one is so smooth and sweet – and I detect not even a hint of bitterness and no astringency either!
The flavor is crisp with a pleasant sweetness. It has a mellow, vegetative taste that teeters the line between sweet-grass and steamed spinach. There is a vague softness to this … almost creamy, but not in a buttery creaminess kind of way. Rather, it’s what I’d describe as a smooth, round flavor. The aftertaste is pleasantly sweet.
I love this Sencha – and I appreciate that it’s certified organic! It tastes great – one of the nicer Sencha teas I’ve encountered recently. That’s what I mean when I say that Aiya is one of those companies I can trust to deliver top-notch products. This Organic Sencha is a perfect example of their quality!
Organic Masala Chai Blend from Fashionista Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Fashionista Tea
Tea Description:
Organic blend of Assam tea with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and other spices to create a finely balanced aromatic blend. Excellent infused with milk and sugar, hot or iced.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said it before, but I’m going to say it again: I love spiced chai blends! And this Organic Masala Chai Blend from Fashionista Tea is fantastic! It is delicious!
It has a good amount of spice to it – it’s pleasantly spicy – but there is a certain sweetness to this that is grabbing my attention. I can taste the sweeter side of the cinnamon, of the cardamom and of the cloves, and these sweeter notes are really delightful, and a lovely contrast to the spicy, peppery notes of the ginger, and the zesty notes of the other spices. This chai is a really lovely balance of sweet and spicy.
And as good as the spices are to a chai blend … a chai also needs a solid background of tea … and this blend uses an Assam blend that is rich, malty and flavorful. I like that I can taste the black tea … it doesn’t taste bitter or overwhelming … but it is strong enough to stand on its own too.
This chai is really good served straight up – with no additions! If you’re trying to eliminate dairy from your diet, this chai tastes great without the milk. But if you don’t mind adding a splash of milk … this chai is also yummy served as a latte – brew it double strength and then add a little bit of milk or cream to the brewed cup, along with a drizzle of honey or a half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar … just enough to bring out the spices without making it too sweet. I like that the milk does not mask the flavors … it just enhances the cup!
Another AWESOME tea from Fashionista Tea. And … every time I write about Fashionista Tea, I mean to make mention of their packaging … but I keep getting so caught up with the delicious teas that I keep forgetting to mention how much fun the packaging for Fashionista Tea is! Very colorful and very FUN … it’s a pure delight to receive a package from Fashionista … and I love their beautiful tins!
Rest Well (Certified Organic) from Far Leaves
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Far Leaves
Tisane Description:
Pure herbal bliss; certified organic chamomile, peppermint, lavender, and valerian caress achy temperaments and sooth minor ailments – CAFFEINE FREE
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I always tend to be a little apprehensive when it comes to herbal infusions with chamomile, but I found the fact that this Certified Organic Rest Well infusion from Far Leaves also contains lavender and peppermint reassuring. I thought there was a good chance that I’d like this one.
And I am enjoying it. The ingredients come together in a very flavorful way. The peppermint is a strong flavor, but it is not presented in a way that tastes too minty or like someone squeezed a dab of toothpaste in my cup. It tastes smooth and comforting in the cup … it doesn’t have that typical zesty, cool peppermint taste to it here. Instead, it seems to meld with the other flavors to create a herbaceous flavor that is more soothing than medicinal.
In fact, I don’t find this to taste medicinal at all. Instead, I find it … relaxing. Everything is so nicely balanced. Floral tones are sweet without being sharp. It doesn’t taste strongly of any one ingredient. I taste notes of each without feeling overwhelmed by any of them.
This is a very nice cup to cozy up to on those nights that you find it difficult to calm down so that you can get a good night’s rest.
Eggnog Tea from Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green & White Tea
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tea Description:
This is our own holiday creation; green and white tea combined with the flavors of eggnog. The combination of China Green and white tea brews up to a light and sweet liquid that combines perfectly with the flavor of eggnog. Real pieces of vanilla beans and nutmeg turns it into a truly guilt free decadent treat. Be sure to get some for gifts and to sip while you decorate the tree and listen to holiday music. Ingredients: Fair Trade Certified TM Organic China Green Tea, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Pai Mu Tan, and Organic Vanilla, Organic Nutmeg, and Organic Natural Flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This tea is quite fragrant! As it was brewing in my Breville One-Touch tea maker in the kitchen, I could smell the distinct aroma of eggnog while watching television in the living room! It smells deliciously creamy and custard-like, and the scent of nutmeg filled the house … yum!
Admittedly, I don’t drink a lot of eggnog, as I find it to be a bit much. I like it, yes, but, after a few sips, I find myself wishing I hadn’t poured myself a whole glass, do you know what I mean? It gets so cloyingly sweet and overwhelmingly creamy way too fast for me.
But, I don’t have that problem with this cup of tea. Sure, it tastes rich and creamy and very eggnog-like, but, what I’m not experiencing with this cup of Eggnog Tea from Trail Lodge Tea that I usually experience with real eggnog is that palate-crushing, smothering sensation of creamy overload.
To cut through that creaminess, many eggnog drinkers add a shot of rum or other liquor to the custard-like beverage, but as I’ve mentioned several times on this blog, I’m not much of a drinker, so I don’t think that kind of addition would serve me well.
Instead, I’m finding the way to cut through the sweet, creamy decadence of eggnog is with a combination of white and green teas! They give this cup a lightness and a fresh taste that I don’t find in a glass of real Eggnog, and I like that difference very much. I like that I can enjoy a sweet, creamy eggnog-like treat, but without feeling weighed down or on the sugar high that real eggnog can take you.
THIS is my kind of eggnog!