I have to say I have being having so much fun going thru the Hope & Glory Shipment that was sent and Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is one of those teas that I am VERY MUCH enjoying thus far!
I LOVE the packaging! It goes along with their brand. It’s colorful and clean. The packaging also explains a lot with very little wordage. It’s eye-catching and easy to comprehend while on-the-go! On the back of the package I am looking at for the Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory offering I noticed the ingredient breakdown and ratio.
The leaf grade of the Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is Orthodox Leaf – FBOP. This blend of ingredients are 70% Organic Ceylon Black Tea, 30% fresh blend of organic spices which are made up of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg, and black pepper.
I really appreciate the fact that Hope & Glory used 70% for the ratio of black tea base to the 30% chai spices. The chai spices are perfectly done to my own personal liking. The spices are not over powering nor are they too weak – they are JUST RIGHT! Rajah Collection Organic Masala Chai from Hope & Glory is quite thrilling and certainly a tea I will be sharing with MANY.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Chai (Black Tea Base)
Where to Buy: Hope & Glory
Description: A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Whole Leaf Green Tea with Essence of Lemongrass & Chrysanthemum from Eden Grove
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Green Tea with natural Lemongrass & Chrysanthemum flavors.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
What I’m enjoying most with the teas that I’ve received in this Eden Grove Prism Collection is that many of these blends are very unusual. Take this Whole Leaf Green Tea with Essence of Lemongrass & Chrysanthemum from Eden Grove for example. This isn’t a blend that I’d probably find just anywhere.
Oh sure, I’ve tried many lemongrass blends, and a few teas with Chrysanthemum … but a tea that focuses only on these two essences? No, I can’t say that I’ve found a tea quite like this one before.
And I’m enjoying this. I can’t say that I’ll be out there looking for another Lemongrass and Chrysanthemum blend because I probably won’t. But if I do happen to find one, I wouldn’t be opposed to trying it. I like the light citrus-y note from the lemongrass and the soft floral notes of the chrysanthemum.
The green tea is a sweet and slightly grassy tasting tea, and I think that the natural buttery taste of the green tea accentuates the light buttery taste of the lemongrass. It makes for a pleasant taste and texture. The lemongrass has a sweet citrus taste that is reminiscent of lemon and lime, but without the pucker-y sour notes of the fruits.
The chrysanthemum is a very subtle taste with just a hint of floral taste that contrasts nicely with the tea and lemongrass.
Overall, it’s a pleasant cuppa. I enjoyed about half of my cup while it was still hot, and then I was distracted by other things, and came back to my cup and it was cold. I was surprised to find how tasty it is cold – this would make a really nice iced tea!
Lingonberry Green Ambessa Tea from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
Years of Japanese and Scandinavian tradition come together in this elegant blend. The fruit-forward notes of tart Nordic lingonberries strike a delicate balance with the refreshing green tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I found to get the level of flavor that I wanted from this Ligonberry Green tea from Harney & Sons’ new Ambessa Tea line, I needed to make a stronger brew. This is where loose leaf shows up the bagged or sacheted tea, because I could have easily added a little extra leaf … but for a sacheted tea like this, it’s either use less water or another tea sachet. I used two tea sachets for my cup.
The first time I brewed this (with just one bag), there was certainly flavor, but it was just a little too delicate for my liking. But now, with two tea bags, the flavor is THERE, and I’m liking it.
The lingonberry is a unique flavor … not one that is often found in tea blends. I think I’ve found lingonberry as an ingredient in one or two other teas … it’s a rare thing, though. Usually, the only other place I can find lingonberry at all is at IKEA.
And I like the flavor that the lingonberry brings to this cup. It is mostly tart, but there’s a little bit of sweetness to it to and it adds a really bright, enjoyable flavor. I’m not one who usually rejoices in tart flavors, but I am really liking the flavor of the lingonberry here.
The green tea offers a sweet taste with a soft texture. It’s a nice contrast to the sharp, tart notes of the lingonberry. It’s really a very pleasant culinary experience … and it’s almost like I can taste the mastery of a chef (in this case, Chef Marcus Samuelsson) behind this cup because it’s no ordinary tea!
I have tried all four of the Ambessa Teas now, and I really enjoyed all four, and overall, I’d say that this tea is a win. It does lose points, however, because I needed two tea bags to satisfy my palate flavor wise. For me to be thoroughly impressed by this Ambessa line, I would like for it to be offered in a loose leaf format.
I was just thinking that I’d love to experience another Chef Marcus Samuelsson tea creation now … but what flavor should he attempt next? He’s done Earl Grey, he’s done Chocolate … I guess … I’d love to try a Chai from Chef Samuelsson!
Golden Yunnan from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Product Description:
Black tea from the Yunnan province of China, the birthplace of tea itself. Yunnan black tea is easily identified by its abundance of soft golden tips, and savory cocoa and black pepper flavors. It is a very forgiving tea; will not taste bitter when over-steeped. Our ‘Yunnan Gold’ is milk chocolate creamy and sweet, with pleasant pepper notes. The flavor becomes earthier and more layered as it cools. Soft, rounded cup, silky and perfect. Allowed to take only one tea to a desert island, ‘Yunnan Gold’ would be our clear choice.
Taster’s Review:
I do love a good Yunnan, and this one certainly qualifies as good. Even though it is a “bagged” tea (these are those silky pyramid-shaped pouches), I clearly see that the leaves are whole and beautifully golden. There is plenty of room in these pouches for the tea leaves to expand; allowing the tea to express itself fully and give you a full-flavored cup.
The flavor has a somewhat rustic appeal to it, with earthy notes and it’s peppery tone, and yet it is also remarkably smooth. It has a well-rounded flavor, appealing to the sweet with a honey-like sweetness. As the above description suggests, I can taste hints of cocoa, and there is a certain creaminess associated with it. There is even a note of fruity-sour that hits about mid-sip. Such a pleasant complexity.
A very enjoyable Yunnan, especially nice now that I can have it on-the-go!
Jasmine Pearls from Adagio Teas
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Product Description:
Exquisite Pearls infused with the sublime aroma of delicate night-blooming jasmine flowers.
Taster’s Review:
This is a bagged jasmine pearl which is part of the Artisan Comfort Collection (box is shown above) from Adagio Teas’ new Travel Tea collection. And while I generally prefer my jasmine pearls loose and steeped in my gaiwan, I have to admit that the idea of being able to enjoy my beloved jasmine pearls while traveling is certainly enough of an incentive to try them as a bagged (or should I say sachet pouched?) tea.
And these “pouched” pearls are definitely not a disappointment. The flavor is fantastic. Lightly vegetative with a strong jasmine presence. The jasmine is sweet and smooth and delicate tasting. It doesn’t taste perfume-y or soapy. It doesn’t have that sharpness that I sometimes experience with jasmine teas. These are perfectly delightful pearls!
This is a very uplifting, luxurious-tasting tea that had I not brewed it myself, I would have never guessed came from a teabag. Usually I experience my jasmine pearls while only at home, but these new travel teas from Adagio will give me the ability to take my jasmine pearls where ever I go!