Another lovely tea from the crafty world of Etsy, this time it’s Lady Mendl blend from Sunshine Cottage. The Lady Mendl tea blend is based on a cocktail of the same name. The alcoholic beverage was all pink pizzazz, served in a martini with grapefruit juice, cointreau, and gin.
With so much pink citrus in the mix, this tea is surprisingly creamy, with delicious, juicy grapefruit at the forefront, and sweet, candied orange in the undertone. There are even passion fruit pieces in the dry leaf, adding to the popping, tropical flair of these flavors.
The black tea base is nutty and rich, nicely balancing the strong citrus tones. There’s even a hint of black pepper in the smell of the leaf, and it comes through in the brew the longer it is steeped. I find the hint of something savory and spicy to be an appealing counterpoint to the luscious fruit.
This would be a great blend for fans of earl grey who want to get outside their usual bergamot flavor but still want a citrus-inspired drink, fit for a lady. Look no further than Lady Mendl from Sunshine Cottage and start brewing up something perfectly pink.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Sunshine Cottage (Etsy Shop)
Description:
This blend is based on my mother’s favorite cocktail – the Lady Mendl. A delightful blend of orange and grapefruit, this black tea is perfect for an afternoon tea while listening to the legendary Cole Porter – who sang the praises of Lady Mendl in ‘Anything Goes’.
Just as an aside, Lady Mendl (or Elsie DeWolfe) was a fascinating woman and well worth reading about – perhaps while sipping a cuppa of this blend. I enjoy mine with milk (it smooths out the citrus) and a dash of maple syrup (another of my mother’s favorites).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Kick Back and Relax with Hammock Blend from Plum Deluxe
Brewed hot, this tea is smooth and bright, with the fullness of black tea and crisp orange, and just enough vanilla to smooth out any astringency. The tea is creamy even without milk and sugar, but not so sweet or over-flavored to come off as artificial orange-creamsicle. In many ways this is definitely still a classic black tea.
With a name like Hammock Blend, this tea is meant to be a cold summer beverage, so I brewed a batch hot with sugar and let it chill. Iced and sweetened, I will say that the sugar complements the orange and cream flavors, though they weren’t any bolder after the iced brewing style. Maybe I’m just a bit out of season for this tea and I’ll have to give it another go when I’m sweltering in July.
Overall the flavors of this tea were a little subtle for my tastes, but would be a great choice for someone looking for a traditional black tea with just a little non-traditional twist. It’s hard to go wrong with a splash of orange and cream.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description:
When we set out to make the perfect loose leaf iced tea blend, we knew one of our favorite flavors was orange. With a hint of “creme” vanilla flavor, it makes the most delicious iced tea, the perfect thirst quencher on a sunny day. As the name implies, grab a cool glass of this tea and relax. Reminds you of an orangesicle without all the calories!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tropical Storm Warning: Coconut Blizzard – Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery
Wow look at those curls of fresh coconut! There’s more flaky, white goodness in this tea blend than all the snow we have had in this New England winter. Teana Colada is a simple blend with a cute name and quality ingredients: red rooibos tea and coconut chips. Brewed hot, there is so much coconut, the buttery blend is almost savory, like butter on toast. As it cools, the tropical notes of the coconut shine through and mingle with the nutty red rooibos. This isn’t a true pina colada blend, as there isn’t any pineapple or fruity flavors, but it is a coconut dream tea.
As a cold brew, the rooibos comes through more strongly, making the blend taste like a creamy, vanilla rooibos tea. On its own, the cold brew is a little one-note, but it might be a winning secret ingredient in a tropical iced tea summer blend. The upside of a rooibos blend is that it is naturally caffeine-free, so you can steep a cup of this blend at any time in your schedule.
This is a tea for nutty coconut fans, or someone who is looking for an exceptionally creamy, buttery rooibos blend. If you really want to take this tropical theme to its height, drink Teana Colada out of a tiki mug with a big wedge of pineapple on the side!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Geek’ery
Description:
This herbal tea is naturally sweet with hints of cream & nuts. Phenomenal blended with ice & your favorite coconuttie adult beverage.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Anxi Tie Guan Yin from Teasenz
I can’t remember the last time I drank a Tie Guan Yin, which is something of a surprise as it’s become one of my favourite oolong varieties. I was more than pleased when I came across this one, not least because it’s a good opportunity to reacquaint myself. This particular Tie Guan Yin is from the Anxi Nature Reserve in Fujian Province, a major Chinese tea growing region (although one I seem to associate more with black tea than with oolong, strangely enough!)
I used 1 tsp of leaf for my cup, and gave it 3 minutes in water slightly cooled from boiling. The resulting liquor is a clear, pale green with a light yellowish tinge. The leaves are beautifully variegated, encompassing pretty much all shades of green from the palest to the darkest, and just a hint of brown. It’s like walking through a forest in the sunlight! The leaves are rolled, and after three minutes they haven’t entirely unfurled, suggesting that this one might be good for at least another couple of steeps.
The scent of the brewed tea is light but noticeably floral. It reminds me primarily of orchids, lilies, and jasmine – heady, scent-heavy flowers. This carries through into the taste, which initially is very heavily floral. So floral, it almost tastes thick. It doesn’t cross over into territory that’s too perfumey or cloying, but it’s definitely distinctively floral. The mid-sip brings a green beany sweetness that helps to freshen up the overall flavour profile, and towards the end of the sip there’s a hint of nuttiness that puts me very much in mind of hazelnuts. It’s an interesting flavour combination, but one that ultimately works well.
I’m also pleased to find that it very smooth in terms of mouthfeel, with an almost-silkiness about it. There’s no bitterness or astringency at all,
even though the water was quite hot and the brew time reasonably long. As the cup cools, it develops a creaminess that complements the flavours (and particularly the lingering nuttiness) beautifully.
This reacquaintance with a Tie Guan Yin has reminded me why I enjoyed these teas so much in the first place. I’m impressed with the quality of this tea, and I’ll definitely be checking out more of Teasenz’s offerings in the future. Impressed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Description
An all-time favorite of Chinese oolong tea lovers. This beautiful emerald green tea is named after the Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin. Poets of the Middle Kingdom have described this premium tea for its purifying taste, bringing you into a peaceful, meditative state of mind.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
#FanaticFriday: Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends
I’ve been going thru Stargate withdrawals and just might have to go back and re-watch all of them AGAIN from the beginning until then I can reminisce with this tea…Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends. Won’t you join us in celebrating #FanaticFriday: Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends is the tea I have chose for the occasion. Dr Daniel Jackson was one of my favorite characters!
This Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends is something I have had in my personal stash for a while and just noticed recently that it is one of the signature adagio blends from Jeffrey McWhirter. The tea gods must have been talking to me because Woodie (Jeffrey’s partner) and I have been chatting about possibly featuring some of their signature blends in the near future! Heck YES! Especially if Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends is any hint of what is to come!
Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends infuses to a very dark brown which I LOVE. The aroma is very chai-like with the addition of cocoa nibs, cocoa nibs, and more cocoa nibs! The flavor is an enhanced chai taste on tongue with your standard chai flavors paired with slightly sweet, creamy, and cocoa hints. Okay…there are more than just HINTS of cocoa there is quite a bit and I think that is pair of why this blend shines!
Stargate(SG1) Dr Daniel Jackson from Adagio Fandom Signature Blends is much like the character I adore on the show… strong, sensitive, geeky, smart, and intriguing!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Chai/Black Tea
Where to Buy: Adagio
Description:
ingredients & lore- blended with black tea, cloves, ginger root, cardamom, natural vanilla flavor, natural creme flavor, natural cinnamon flavor, cinnamon bark, teas: vanilla, cream, masala chai, accented with cocoa nibs, cocoa nibs and cocoa nibs
This is for entertainment only. I have no affiliation with the Stargate: TV-Movies brand etc. steep at 212° for 4 mins
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
