Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said before, I don’t drink a lot of alcohol. There was a time though, that I drank my fair share (some might suggest it was more than my fair share), and one of my favorite beverages back then was Jack Daniels and Pepsi. So, I was excited to try this Whiskey & Cola Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas.
When I opened the package, I could definitely smell the cola notes. They were strong. The whisky was not quite as apparent, but I could pick up on softer whisky notes.
The same proved true once the tea was brewed and chilled. I can certainly taste the cola aspect here but I found the whisky notes a little more difficult to discern from the first couple of sips. Once I had consumed about half a glass of this iced tea, though, I started to pick up on the flavor of the Whisky.
The black tea is smooth and mellow, and melds really well with these flavors. It’s as if the three flavors are made for each other. The aftertaste I can definitely taste the flavor of Whisky and Cola. This is actually tastier than I remember my Jack Daniels and Pepsi from my younger days.
Overall, this is tasty and refreshing. Not my favorite from SBT, but certainly one I’d enjoy now and again.
Cherry Limeade Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
I was really excited when Southern Boy Teas/52Teas announced this new flavor (as part of their kickstarter incentive program) because although I very rarely drink soda, one soda type drink that I do like to indulge in now and again are Cherry Limeade drinks (like you might get at Sonic), but the one thing I don’t like about those soft drinks is how sugary they are. This Cherry Limeade Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas seems to be a perfect solution to that – I get the flavor of the Cherry Limeade but I can control how much sweetener goes into the pitcher. I don’t like a sweet iced tea … or any drink that’s too sweet for that matter.
And this is pretty good. I’m a little disappointed, because the cherry and lime flavors are not quite as sharp as I’d like them to be. 52Teas usually offers masterful “soda” type drinks that taste effervescent, and I guess I was kind of hoping for some of that effervescence here. But while I do taste cherry and lime, neither of these flavors are really as strong as I’d like them to be, and I don’t taste much of a soda-ish type quality here either.
It’s still really good though. The cherry and lime flavors are there. This tastes more like … a limeade that’s been flavored with some cherry juice … rather than a Cherry Limeade drink that I might order from that drive-in soda shop. The cherry is sweet, the lime adds a bright tartness to the cup, and I like that I can taste the black tea flavor too. It’s a very refreshing glass of iced tea. Not my favorite from SBT, but it’s still tasty.
Honey Ginger Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
During their recent fundraising campaign, 52Teas/Southern Boy Teas had a few “flavorful” initiatives that once certain fundraising goals were achieved, new flavors were created. This is one of the flavors that customers of Southern Boy Teas could vote on – and they did! – and have created. And I’m really glad this Honey Ginger Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas was created, because I’m loving it.
To be honest, it isn’t a flavor that I would have really thought of to vote on. Not that I have anything against the flavor combination of honey and ginger, it’s something that I turn to whenever I’m sick. A cup of hot tea with ginger and honey always makes me feel a little better when I’m down for the count. But as iced tea? I wasn’t as thrilled with the flavor.
But I was wrong, because this is really yummy! The flavors come through just right. The ginger is a softer, sweeter ginger, which I contribute as much to the presence of the honey as I do the way the flavor was added to the tea. The honey softens the usual zesty, peppery ginger so that it is a warm taste, but not a spicy one. It is a very refreshing change to the way I usually experience ginger.
The honey is the strongest flavor of this tea, but I like that also. I don’t usually add honey to my tea unless I am feeling under the weather, because I find that it adds too much of it’s own flavor to the cup and I want to experience the tea and not really the honey, you know what I mean? So, I usually refrain from adding honey to my cup – but this tea allows me to enjoy the taste of honey and I’m liking that.
And the brisk, bold flavor of the black tea is perfectly balanced with the flavors. I taste tea, I taste honey and I taste a hint of ginger. It’s really a tasty glass of tea. This is one that I’m going to put on my re-order list.
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, Southern Boy Teas Edition!
Well, this is it, everyone! The last day of the 12 Iced Teas of Christmas. And I really love the tea that was especially created for today!
Candy Cane Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the tea that we’ve been waiting for … the newest tea to the Southern Boy Teas lineup. And I do hope that Frank (of 52Teas/Southern Boy Teas) does decide to keep this Candy Cane iced tea in his Southern Boy Teas collection because it’s so good!
It’s got a crisp, cool mint taste to it with just a hint of sweet vanilla-y flavor. These flavors are balanced with the rich tasting black tea. I like that the mint is strong and minty but it isn’t taking over. It’s a strong mint flavor but it doesn’t taste like someone added mouthwash to my glass of iced tea.
The creamy undertones add just enough sweetness to make this taste like a candy cane without making it come off as too sweet. While one doesn’t usually associate iced tea with Christmastime … this glass of iced tea does indeed taste like Christmas! It makes me think of the day after Christmas, when it’s alright to start taking the candy canes off the tree and enjoying them.
Just the right amount of all the components to create a really refreshing glass of iced tea that I’d be happy to enjoy year ’round!
Well, that’s it … that’s the end of this year’s 12 Iced Teas of Christmas from Southern Boy Teas. I had fun with this countdown, I hope you did too.
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Southern Boy Teas Edition!
Wow … it’s day 10. This countdown is rapidly winding down! Getting close to the 12th day of Christmas!
Grape Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
Of the different teas that Southern Boy Teas recently introduced, I think that this was the one I was least excited to try. I’m not real crazy about grape flavored things – I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that at least once on this blog! I love grapes, especially the seedless “holiday grapes” that are available this time of year in Whole Foods. But, I don’t really care for grape flavored things. I really dislike grape soda, I’m not crazy about grape flavored candies or grape ice pops. I don’t even really care for grape juice.
So, I guess it goes without saying that the idea of a grape flavored tea isn’t all that exciting to me. But I have tried a few grape flavored teas in the past few years and I’ve enjoyed those that I’ve tried. So … there is a glimmer of hope for this tea!
The aroma of the dry leaf is that of grape flavored candies, reminiscent of the grape flavored sugar powder that you might find in the pixie sticks. Or perhaps grape flavored jolly ranchers. Neither of which are very appealing to me.
But this tea doesn’t taste as bad as I thought it would, or as bad as I worked myself up to think it would be. It’s sweet, and it tastes like sweet grape. But, I think that the addition of the black tea helps even out the flavor so that I don’t just taste grape candy. I think that this tastes a bit like what a black iced tea might taste like if it were sweetened with the aforementioned grape flavored pixie stick powdered candy.
Not bad … certainly something I’ll enjoy drinking. But, I don’t think it would be something that I’d add to my must order again list, you know? I like it, but I don’t love it.