Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Georgia Tea Company
Tea Description:
When you open the package, you smell the fruitiness from the currants – perhaps a dark raspberry fragrance. As you take your first sip, you sense a slight tartness which is the contribution of the fruit, but it doesn’t overpower the strength of the black tea. Perhaps add some rock sugar to soften things a bit. By the way, currants are not grapes or raisins. Grapes grow on vines and are sweet. Currants grow on bushes and are tart. Research has discussed the high antioxidant level of currants and several studies indicate currants may delay onset of Alzheimer’s.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Nice! Georgia Tea Company has nailed the currant flavor in their Black Currant Flavored Black Tea, and they managed to do it without sacrificing the flavor of the black tea base.
The black tea here is rich and smooth. There is some astringency to this cup – a moderate astringency – and the dry, tangy sensation from the astringency plays to the currant notes. The tea doesn’t taste bitter, and there is an undertone of sweetness … almost a raisin-y sort of sweetness. Again, I think that this plays to the currant note in a favorable way.
The currant is a strong flavor, but, it doesn’t taste artificial. It’s rather tart, and I’m not always a big fan of tartness. However, I think that there is enough sweetness from the tea that the tartness doesn’t overwhelm my palate. This tea is definitely more tart than sweet, but, I like the contrast between the sweet notes of the tea and the tart notes of the currant.
The overall taste is reminiscent of wine. And as it cools, this tea becomes even tastier – it makes an excellent iced tea! However you choose to serve it, it makes a really nice cup of tea – one of the better currant teas that I’ve tasted over the years.
Energy Green Tea Blend from Byron Bay Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Byron Bay Tea Company
Product Description:
Brighten your day with this clean, balanced and lively infusion of Green tea, Siberian Ginseng, Gotu Kola and mixed berries. A perky and delightful tea to pick you up in the morning, inspire your afternoon, or energise your evening. A healthy alternative to coffee. Enjoy!
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I am liking this Energy Green Tea Blend from Byron Bay Tea Company, even though I really didn’t think I would like it. It’s got two strikes against it right at the start: hibiscus – yikes! ginseng – ugh! But I’m enjoying it … it would seem that it’s a hit even though it started out with a lot going against it.
The berry flavor is strong. I can taste the currants and the strawberries and hints of blackberry. And yes, I do taste the hibiscus, but somehow, when paired with berries, hibiscus is less … difficult for me to drink. Hibiscus seems to highlight the tart notes of the berry and somehow make the berries taste a little more like berries.
The green tea is tasted in there too, although I will say that the flavor is slightly obscured by the rest of the ingredients. I taste the fresh vegetal tones of the green tea though, and I like the way all these ingredients work together – yes, even those ingredients that I’m less than enthused about!
Overall, this is a refreshing drink, and it lives up to its promise as stated in its name – it’s an energizing beverage that will help get you going when you need that snap of vitality.
Organic Goddess Tisane from Shuswap Infusions
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Strong hibiscus and cassis on the nose transforms to a delicious sweet blueberry and sour currant on the tongue. Sweet to start, tart to finish and herbaceous all around.
All organic ingredients: raspberry leaf, hibiscus, rosehip chips, dried currants, blueberries, natural flavour.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! Where did June go?
This is the last of the three teas/tisanes that I received in Amoda’s June Tea Tasting Box: Organic Goddess Tisane from Shushwap Infusions. After reading about this tisane on the Amoda website, I decided to follow their suggestion and ice the tea … so I hot-brewed it and stashed it in the fridge until it got nice and cold.
This tea was included in the Amoda box to celebrate the coming of Summer. I’m not exactly sure I see the connection yet – I mean, berries, yes those are summertime … maybe that’s it. I’ll reserve my final judgement until the tea cools and I’m sipping on some iced tea.
The dry leaf smells a bit like wine to me. Like a sweet, fruity wine. That gave me some hope for this one, unfortunately, no amount of hope could really … save this tisane.
Meh … I gotta be real, this one isn’t doing a whole lot to inspire flowery prose from me. I taste the berry notes, but mostly what I taste is hibiscus. It isn’t overly hibiscus-y, fortunately, because I didn’t steep it too long. It has a tart-sweet flavor and reminds me a bit of Kool Aid.
Not all that exciting really. It’s not horrible, and I’ll be finishing the pitcher of it that I brewed. It is light and thirst-quenching. But I do think that this could really benefit from … something. Perhaps the addition of some peppermint or spearmint … or even some cinnamon, ginger, or … something. It lacks “umph!” You know what I’m saying? It lacks that excitement factor. It lacks that something that makes me want to keep sipping it.
This is the first tisane that I find myself truly disappointed by from the Amoda Tea Boxes, and since I’ve been subscribed since November, I guess that’s pretty good.
The Earl’s Garden Black Tea Blend from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
When he wasn’t in China discovering secret tea recipes, Britain’s second Earl Grey lived at Howick Hall in England, just like his ancestors had done since 1319. And also like his ancestors, he was a keen gardener and outdoorsman. This tea would no doubt have suited him, with the characteristic black tea and bergamot highlighted by strawberries and essence of black currant.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said many times before, I love it when I come across an Earl Grey blend that is a twist on the classic favorite. And I’m really enjoying this: The Earl’s Garden black tea blend from David’s Tea. It’s a delightful combination of the traditional bergamot flavored black tea blended with strawberry and black currant notes.
I’ve tried a few Earl Grey teas that have combined either strawberry or raspberry, and I’ve enjoyed those. But I think that this may be the first that I’ve tried that has combined both strawberry and black currant. And I really like the dimension of flavor that the essence of black currant adds to this cup. It gives the tea an almost “wine-like” tone, and the tart notes of the currant meld in a really interesting way with the tangy taste of the bergamot. And the sweet-tart notes of the strawberry really brighten the overall cup. It’s a really interesting amalgamation of tastes.
The black tea base is a bit on the mellow side … this is not a tea that I’d reach for in the morning as my first cup of tea. Rather, this is something that would make a nice afternoon pick-me-up … something that is uplifting in its own way but not overly stimulating. But the black tea is definitely there … it doesn’t just roll over and allow the bergamot, strawberry and black currant to get all the attention. It is strong enough to offer a pleasing, earthy background to the cup without being overly aggressive. It is a fairly smooth black tea with a fair amount of astringency, but no bitterness.
The bergamot is not overly aggressive here either. It is tangy and citrus-y, and it hasn’t been overdone. It doesn’t taste soapy the way some bergamot flavored teas can taste. It’s on the milder side, but, again, not so mild that it goes unnoticed. This is definitely an Earl Grey tea!
I really enjoyed this blend … it’s a nice variation of the classic favorite. Definitely something I’d be happy to enjoy now and again.
Black Currant Tea from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
John’s first flavored tea. It has “big” fruity, berry flavor. This full-bodied tea has become a traditional favorite in fine restaurants all over America.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have tried quite a few different currant flavored teas, but I don’t think I’ve tried this one until right now. And as I am sipping it, I find myself wondering what it is that kept me and this tea apart for so long! This is lovely!
The overall flavor is very nicely round. The black tea base is brisk and mildly sweet. There is a bit of astringency at the tail but I find that the astringency really enhances this tea experience – it does not detract from the enjoyment. I like that I can taste black tea here, and rather than it attempting to overpower the flavor of the black currant it instead melds almost seamlessly with the black currant to create a very mellifluous taste.
The black currant here is true to the fruit: tangy, tart, but with just enough sweetness to keep me from feeling the urge to pucker after taking a sip. It’s got that berry tingle at the finish, and it lingers in the aftertaste.
This is really a very lovely tea!