Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Tea Description:
This is reminiscent of a creamy earl grey, but has the added bonus of sweet caramel and honeyed rooibos notes. The black tea lends backbone to the blend and the hazelnut creme caramel keeps you sipping. Even when the cup is empty the flavours keep lingering.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Usually when I get my box from Amoda, I grab the tea that appeals to me most and try that one before I sample the others. But this time, I decided to save the one was certain to love for last. And I’m glad I did. This Duchess’ First Love Black Tea Blend from Tay Tea is an exciting blend!
When I opened the packet of tea, I was enchanted by the scent. Maybe enchanted isn’t the right word. I felt my mouth water when I experienced the aroma of this tea. It smells … SCRUMPTIOUS! The vanilla notes are almost palpable – they are so strong and delicious smelling and it’s as though I can taste and feel them as I smell them.
And YUM! This is one of the tastiest Earl Grey Creme teas I’ve tasted. The bergamot is sweet and tangy, and the sometimes sharp notes of the Italian orange has been softened by luscious, creamy vanilla tones.
I’m not sure if the addition of the rooibos in this blend is what makes the difference in this tea, turning it from a good Earl Grey Creme to an exceptional one. But, I am pretty sure that the rooibos has something to do with it. I taste a honey-esque sweetness that enhances the vanilla in a really beautiful way. I don’t taste a lot of contribution of flavor from the rooibos, but I do taste that honeyed note, with a slight nutty intonation.
The bergamot is not the strongest bergamot I’ve tasted in an Earl Grey tea, but that’s to be expected with an Earl Grey Creme. The creaminess softens the flavor of the bergamot so that it’s not as sharp. And I’m also getting a distinct “caramel-y” note to this cup as well, and it’s quite an indulgent flavor. Notes of sweet hazelnut accentuate the caramel notes in a really delicious way. This tastes like something you’d serve for dessert!
The flavors here are seamless. The black tea has a deep, rich flavor. I would classify this as a medium bodied tea, but not really because of the black tea base, because it is a full, well-rounded tea. The rooibos lightens the cup up just a tad, but, I think that it works because the vanilla doesn’t feel so heavy. It is a very synergistic cup of tea, with every component complimenting the others to get the best out of each flavor profile.
Of the three teas that I tried this month from Tay Tea, this one is by far my favorite. A definite must try from this company, especially if you’re an Earl Grey fan!
Hazelberry Pu’er Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
The earthy smoothness of Pu’er creates a warm foundation for the rich flavor of hazelnut while playful, tangy-sweet strawberries peek through the nutty opulence. A hint of cream adds a soft, dreamy note to the blend.
Pu’er Tea, Strawberries, Cocoa Nibs, Natural Strawberry Flavor, Natural Creme Flavor, Natural Hazelnut Flavor
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened the pouch of this Hazelberry Pu’er Blend from Simple Loose Leaf, I didn’t smell a strong earthy aroma. Instead, what I smelled was hazelnuts! Hints of fruit in the background, along with a slight earthy tone that mingled with the hazelnuts in way that was agreeable to the olfactory senses. The brewed tea smells strongly of hazelnuts with notes of earth and a berry note.
This is a really tasty Pu-erh blend! The hazelnut flavor is well-defined and stands out. The earthy notes of the Pu-erh meld with the nutty notes to create this really intense nutty flavor that is quite yummy. It has a deep and mellow flavor, something that you just want to curl up with and enjoy.
The strawberry notes are not as strongly pronounced as the hazelnut, but, they are sweet with a tart note toward the finish. I don’t know that I’ve ever had a hazelnut and strawberry blend before, but these two flavors work well together. There is a creamy backdrop to the cup, and this seems to bring out the cacao flavors a little bit (as does the earthy tones of the Pu-erh and the hazelnut). If I were to change anything at all about this blend, I’d want a little more chocolate. But when do I ever want less chocolate? Never. More chocolate is always better.
This is really good. I didn’t brew it the way I traditionally brew a Pu-erh (in my gaiwan) but I did take it for a quick rinse before the first steep, and I do recommend doing this to help wash away some of the stronger earthy qualities of the tea.
I got this tea in my April Selection Club box and I am just thrilled with it! Wonder what it’s like to get a Selection Club sampler box? Click here to see what teas I received this month! Awesome, right? Well, I’ve got even more good news: Simple Loose Leaf has a special April promotion. Get your first month of the Selection Club for just one dollar! Use this code: 1DOLLARMONTH and enjoy up to five samples of different teas next month for just one dollar! You can also opt to receive a larger quantity of one or two teas rather than the sampler box that I usually choose. Interested? Check it out here and enjoy some great teas at a really great price next month.
Crème Brulee Black Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This luxurious tea is almost as fun to drink as it is to crack the crust of the famed dessert. A crisp black tea balances the creamy, caramel-like flavour of Crème Brulee for a delectable cup of tea, perfect for an after-dinner treat. This creamy tea is best served hot.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s NEW Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
My fifth installment of my customized subscription with Simple Loose Leaf arrived the other day! It’s a happy mail day whenever there’s tea in the mailbox! And I was really looking forward to this package from Simple Loose Leaf because I had a feeling that I’d love this Crème Brulee Black Tea from Simple Loose Leaf Black Tea!
I’m sure I’ve probably mentioned this once or twice on this blog: crème brulee is my favorite dessert. I’ve tried a few different teas that have attempted to capture the flavors of crème brulee and some have been pretty successful at bringing the decadent flavor of the dessert to the teacup.
This one is really good! I can taste the creamy, smooth flavors of vanilla intertwined with the robust notes of black tea. These two distinct notes seem to swirl together and are present throughout the sip. The tea is strong, slightly malty, and has some distant fruit notes that are especially discernible in the aftertaste.
And then there is a caramel-y taste to this that tastes very much like the caramelized sugar that is browned on top of a crème brulee custard. All that’s missing here is that crackle of the crispy sugar crust! This tea is incredibly YUM!
Before I posted this review, Simple Loose Leaf got in touch with me to tell me about their new “Selection Club” subscription. Here is some information about this subscription:
The Selection Club is the only member curated Tea of the Month Club. Each month Simple Loose Leaf assembles a menu of 5 unique teas (a traditional green, a traditional black, a white, a oolong or pu’er, and a flavored tea) for our club member’s consideration. From this menu each member selects the two teas they want included in their next box of tea. Alternatively members can select to receive a half-weight sample of each of the 5 teas. Simple Loose Leaf also includes a list of the teas being featured on the next month’s menu and each member gets to select one of these 5 teas and we include a free 6 gram sample of the selected tea.
This allows you to try more teas each month, but you still get to customize your experience! Sounds pretty awesome, right? Well, I’ve got some more awesomeness for you! Use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 and get a 25% discount when you sign up for the selection club. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
I really like this company. They are very accessible! They respond to email inquiries in a VERY timely manner, and as I’ve mentioned before, they go above and beyond to make their customers happy! And they’ve got yummy teas too! Sounds like a winning combination to me.
Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Herbal Infusions
Tea Description:
We use a well rounded flowery orange pekoe as the base for this decadent and luxurious chai mix. Hand blended ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, peppercorn, and clove is accented by a rich creme brulee flavour.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Chai blends are among my favorite teas to drink this time of year – when it’s blustery cold outside, there’s really nothing nicer than to have a steaming cup of spicy chai in my tea mug! So, I’m glad I found this Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions in my stash today. And, YUM! It’s just what I want from a chai: warm, spicy and delicious.
There is a good level of spice to this chai. It’s spicy, but, it’s not over-the-top. It isn’t a jarring level of spice. You know what I’m talking about, right? It’s not so spicy that I’m tasting way too much spice and not enough tea flavor. Here, the spice is strong – stronger than the tea, but that’s alright – but it isn’t overpowering the tea. The tea is tasted. It’s alright if the spices are stronger than the tea in a chai, Most of the time, I prefer it that way when it comes to chai! But I don’t want it so spicy that the flavor of the tea becomes completely obscured by the spice.
I taste the clove and cinnamon above all the other spices, but the cardamom is coming through nicely too. I can even taste that subtle “citrus” note from the cardamom here. The ginger and black peppercorn offer a peppery kick that I like. And there is a subtle hint of licorice-y anise to this as well. Anise is one of my favorite spices to use in a chai, and I’m glad that Herbal Infusions chose to include it in this chai.
And then I taste the creamy, custard-like flavor of the “creme brulee” flavoring in this. Personally, I am wishing I could taste more creme brulee here, not just because the chai is called “Creme Brulee Chai” and I think if it’s going to be called Creme Brulee … I should taste the Creme Brulee front and center and I’m just not getting it that strongly here. I taste it, it’s definitely there, but I want more, because, well, Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert. I was hoping for more custard-like flavor, and also that caramelized note of the burnt sugar atop a creme brulee. As it is, I do taste some creamy notes, some custard-like notes … and barely-there hints of caramel.
This is a very finely chopped chai – the spices and tea are both finely milled into a very fine cut. And because of this, I suggest using a shorter brew time than you might normally employ. It’s good with a dollop of honey or a sprinkling of turbinado sugar to bring out the flavors, however, I found that the creamy notes of the custard flavoring gave this a satisfying latte-like taste so I didn’t need to add milk.
Overall, this is a very flavorful chai. Lots of spice flavor to warm you from the inside out! It’s just the ticket on cold days like this one.
Season’s Pick Earl Grey Crème Vanilla Black Tea from Upton Tea Imports
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Upton Tea Imports
Tea Description:
A classic Earl Grey, accented with vanilla and cream flavors. This delightful variant will appeal to most Earl Grey enthusiasts.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
While sorting through my tea stash, I was happy to find this Season’s Pick Earl Grey Crème Vanilla Black Tea from Upton Tea Imports among those teas! I’m always eager to try a new-to-me Earl Grey, and I really enjoy the creme varieties of this classic favorite.
And this is a really tasty Earl Grey Creme! The sharpness of the tangy bergamot has been softened with the notes of vanilla and cream. This is more “creme” than it is “Earl Grey” which I might otherwise be iffy about (I do love my bergamot!) but in this tea, it’s working for me.
The black tea base has a smooth, even flavor. It’s not a “weak” tasting tea – it certainly has some impact – but it isn’t an aggressive tea either. It is strong enough to hold it’s own without attempting to interfere with the flavors of bergamot and creamy vanilla. A nice balance has been achieved here.
The bergamot is not as strong as it might be in a classic Earl Grey (without the “creme” added) and while I do appreciate a good, strong bergamot flavor, I like the way the bergamot has been lightened by the presence of the cream and vanilla flavors. These are creamy and sweet and give the cup an indulgent flavor that might seem almost too luxurious to drink first thing in the morning! Then again, why not!