Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
Whether you fancy hot or cold with a spoonful of honey or rock sugar, this French Vanilla Bean creamy tea is great either way. This tea offers an impeccably smooth blend of organic black loose-leaf tea and sweet vanilla bean flavor.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! I was excited to try this French Vanilla Bean Black Tea from The Persimmon Tree. I really love vanilla teas – the sweet, creamy notes of the vanilla meld beautifully with the camellia sinensis, and I find this to be particularly true with a black tea such as this one.
The black tea base is a robust and full-flavored black tea. It has some malty notes and a rich, earthy taste. The natural, caramel-y sweetness of the black tea together with the creamy sweetness of the vanilla is really yummy. It’s a very luxurious and cozy kind of flavor.
The tea has some dry, tingly astringency. I’d classify it as a medium astringency.
There are some almond slivers and coconut shreds in the blend, and I’m not sure if these ingredients are present to offer more visual interest to the dry leaf or if they’re there to provide additional flavor to the cup, but, I really don’t taste a lot of almond or coconut in this blend. If I slurp the cup to aerate it, I find that these flavors reveal themselves slightly, but neither the almond nor the coconut are really profound flavors to this blend.
And really, with a name like French Vanilla Bean – one really shouldn’t expect anything but a really rich vanilla flavor with a strong, flavorful black tea base, and that’s exactly what this tea delivers.
I’ve brewed this tea twice now, the first time I brewed it, I think I may have either added too much leaf ~or~ I steeped it a tad too long, because I found that it was not only astringent but a wee bit bitter. The second time I brewed it, I was careful to steep it for only 2 1/2 minutes and keep the leaf at just 1 heaping teaspoon, and this second cup was much better. Some teas are a little more persnickety than others, and this is one of those teas that it’s important to pay attention to the details to get the most out of your cup. And once you taste this tea – brewed properly – you realize it’s really worth the little bit more effort.
It’s a good one!
Coconut Peppermint Patty Flavored Black Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This tea was a suggestion from our friend LiberTEAs. Am I the only one who thought the white stuff in the peppermint patties was coconut? I really wish I had some of this with me right now, but it’s all at the office, I’m afraid.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Yep, you read that right … I suggested this flavor. So, needless to say, I had high hopes for this Coconut Peppermint Patty Flavored Black Tea from 52Teas when I brewed it. What inspired me to suggest this flavor is a chocolate bar that I received in my December Knoshy box. The candy bar was amazing, and I loved the flavor combination of peppermint, coconut and chocolate, that I wanted more of it. And what would be better than to enjoy those flavors with a cup of tea … or perhaps, in a cup of tea!
I’m not particularly fond of the dry leaf aroma. I can smell the coconut and mint and those two components smell nice, but there is also a slight chemical odor to the tea that I don’t find appealing. I could smell it while the tea brewed too. I overlooked it though, hoping that the brewed tea would smell – and more importantly taste! – better than what I was smelling as the tea brewed.
Thankfully, I don’t smell that chemical-y note now that the tea is brewed. It doesn’t have an especially strong scent at all, which I find kind of odd since it’s a supposed to have coconut and peppermint flavors and they tend to be aromatic (especially peppermint!) Oh, sure, I can smell the coconut and the peppermint (as well as notes of black tea and chocolate!) and it smells delectable … but it’s not a strong fragrance.
I waited a few minutes to allow the temperature of the tea to drop slightly (no need to burn the tongue!) and YUM! This is good. I’m happy to report that the tea doesn’t have the chemical flavor that I feared it might have when I smelled the dry leaf. I’m tasting chocolate, I’m tasting coconut and mint, and I’m tasting black tea!
Yay!
The black tea is a nice, solid base. Recently, there’s been a conversation on Steepster about 52Teas’ black tea base. I personally like this base, I think that the base that was utilized previously by 52Teas was a tad too harsh depending upon what it was blended with. Sometimes, the blend came together just right and the flavor was delicious, but sometimes, there was just a bit of harshness to the cup. I can’t say that I’ve experienced a similar “harsh” flavor from the newest blend of teas – a recipe that was created a couple of years ago that combines Keemun, Darjeeling and Assam. Personally, I like this blend, but, I think the base would be even better if 52Teas dropped the Darjeeling and added a Fujian black tea instead.
Anyway … as it is, I like this black tea base with this particular blend of flavors. The background flavor is flavorful and not overwhelming. The malty notes of the Assam work nicely with the creamy notes of the coconut and the chocolate.
And I love that I’m tasting chocolate. There is a nice level of chocolate here (although, as I’ve said before, more chocolate is always better. I’m telling you, if I ever move to Wichita and go to work at 52Teas, I’m going to be adding an extra scoop (or two) of cacao nibs to the chocolate blends. And, I’ll probably be accidentally adding cacao shells to the inventory and adding a few scoops of those to the chocolate blend too. Frank: cacao shells add an amazing chocolate flavor. 🙂
With the exception of a desire for more chocolate flavor in this blend, this is JUST what I was hoping for with the combination of these flavors. It’s very yum, and I’m loving it.
Winter White Chai from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
A soft, delicate version of traditional Indian chai, Winter White Chai features our fine Shou Mei white tea amongst the backdrop of customary chai spices, with one surprising addition: coconut. Delicious served in the traditional chai manner with milk and sugar or untouched for a more simplistic and delicate cup.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s NEW Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I love the aroma of the dry leaf of this Winter White Chai from Simple Loose Leaf. It smells so delightfully spicy with notes of cinnamon, clove and pepper with a high note of coconut. My mouth began to water when I smelled it.
The brewed tea doesn’t have an overpoweringly spicy fragrance, instead, it smells warm and mildly spiced, like spice cake baking in the oven. And that’s the first thing I thought of when I took my first sip: spice cake! The spices come together in a very pleasing way in this chai – they’re warm and comforting.
Of the spices represented in this blend, the cinnamon and cloves are the most prominent. I taste a light kick of pepper from the ginger and the pink peppercorns, and there is a very gentle cardamom flavor to this too. I think that these spices were very thoughtfully blended: it’s a well-balanced masala chai blend that pairs well with the light Shou Mei base.
And I do taste the Shou Mei. When it comes to white teas, I think that Shou Mei is the least delicate tasting, and I think that it was the right choice for this particular blend because it needed something that could be tasted beneath the spices and other components of this blend. It has a subtle earthy tone, but the biggest contribution that I’m getting from the tea base is a refreshingly crisp note that enlivens the palate.
The coconut and vanilla notes work in unison to offer a soft, creamy note. I don’t taste a really obvious “coconut” flavor, but I taste more coconut in the aftertaste than in the actual sip. I find my thoughts debating among themselves as I’m trying to decide if I’d want more distinct coconut flavor to this tea. On the one hand, I do like the creaminess from the coconut and vanilla; it sort of gives a “latte-ish” taste to the cup without adding milk or cream to the tea (milk in white tea? No, that just seems wrong!) and I think that a stronger coconut presence might shift the focus off the lovely spices of this blend. I really like the blend as it is … then again, I really like coconut and there’s that part of me thinking “more coconut might be nice.”
The lemongrass adds a very light citrus-y note to the cup. It isn’t a strong presence, but it brings a little brightness to the overall flavor.
I really liked this Chai. It’s light and crisp, but still pleasantly spiced.
Key Lime Coconut Black Tea Blend from Herbal Infusions
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Herbal Infusions
Tea Description:
If you can’t escape from the day to day grind this season then we’ve got the perfect blend for you! Dan has crafted a refreshing and full bodied tea that blends the best of the islands (key limes and coconuts to be specific) with the exotic flavour of a full high altitude premium Ceylon tea.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
As I type this, it’s snowing outside. In this part of the Pacific Northwest, we don’t get a lot of snow. We get rain, but, snow we get maybe once a year, and usually, a big snowstorm like this one … we get maybe every other year or every third year. I guess it’s pretty much what most of the rest of the country is experiencing, right? Lots and lots of snow.
So, as it’s snowing outside, I thought I’d enjoy something warm and tropical inside to get my mind off of that cold weather. This Key Lime Coconut Black Tea Blend from Herbal Infusions seemed to be just what I was looking for! It’s a tasty blend of a classic flavor combination: Lime and coconut – with lots of black tea flavor to remind you that you’re drinking tea and not a tropical cocktail!
The black tea flavor is the strongest note of the cup, and that’s the way I usually want it to be. When I drink tea, I want to taste the tea. Here, I do! The tea used in this blend is a Ceylon, and it’s a medium-bodied, brisk tasting tea. Even tempered and pleasant to taste. There is a dry, tangy astringency toward the tail that I’d categorize as moderate or medium.
The lime notes are tart, a little bit sweet, and even a tad bitter. The bitterness here reminds me a bit of a grapefruit. The lime really elevates the cup – it perks up the flavors of the cup. The aftertaste has a very bright, citrus-y taste.
The coconut is more of a background note. It’s not a really strong, well-defined coconut taste. This doesn’t have that slick, creamy coconut flavor that many coconut teas have. It’s a softer coconut taste: sweet and reminding me a bit of toasted coconut rather than fresh coconut. Toasted coconut has sort of a dry flavor, not quite as creamy and that’s what I taste here. A sweet, sort of toasty, nutty flavor, rather than the sweet, creamy, slick and almost milky sort of coconut taste.
It’s a tasty tea and the flavor gets better as the tea cools. This would make a really nice iced tea.
Toasted Coconut Black HiCAF™ Tea from The Republic of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Product Description:
Robust black tea with the tropical flavor of coconut. A smooth and delicious pick-me-up. Try with a splash of milk.
A Better Buzz – We’ve intensified the caffeine content of this black tea by adding green tea extract and pure caffeine isolated from premium tea leaves. Caffeine and L-Theanine (often credited with reducing stress) are natural components of tea providing a state of calm alertness we call Tea Mind®.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Toasted Coconut Black HiCAF™ Tea from Republic of Tea offers an interesting concept … I don’t know if this is something that other companies have introduced but this is the first extra caffeine content tea that I’ve seen. Just the right thing for someone who needs that extra burst of energy but can’t drink (or don’t like) coffee and don’t want (or don’t need!) all that extra sugar that’s in those energy drinks.
When I opened the tin, I was greeted by a strong coconut-y aroma. Mmm! It smells amazing! I used boiling water to brew this tea and steeped the tea for 2 1/2 minutes.
I tried this tea first without any additions, and it’s really tasty! It’s got a lot of coconut flavor, and it tastes just like toasted coconut. It tastes true to the fruit. It doesn’t have an artificial coconut taste and that made me smile. It tastes sweet, a little bit creamy, toasty, and nutty.
The tea tastes STRONG. I can really taste the tea. I don’t really taste specific green tea flavors here, I do taste a different tea flavor. A stronger tea flavor. Like the flavor of the tea has been turned up to eleven. The HiCAF™ is not just something that will be “felt” by the added energy boost, but it is also something that is tasted.
However, the “extra caffeine” gives the tea a taste that veers on the side of being almost bitter. Not quite … but almost. So, I decided to do a little experimentation to see what I could do about that. I added a teaspoon of raw sugar and found that this really improved the coconut flavor. It made the toasted coconut flavors pop! Yum! This is good without the sugar, but it does have a slight bitter tone to it … the sugar helps to curb that.
But the best way to drink this tea is as a latte. I added a splash of almond milk and WOW! The milk smooths everything out really nicely. I really like this as a latte. I still get a strong coconut flavor and a lot of tea flavor, but that aforementioned slightly bitter taste is no longer present. It’s sweet, creamy and decadent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this extra caffeine tea from The Republic of Tea. They have some other flavors of the HiCAF™ teas that are quite intriguing too! Um … Caramel Black, anyone?