Before I get started on this review, I have to disclose that I designed this Miss-Davenport-from-Space-Cases-themed tea myself. I don’t get any proceeds from it. Those go to a charity I think the character would have supported.
ANYWAY.
Making this tea was an adventure. I don’t know how to design or proportion a good tea. Adagio doesn’t really give guidance; it just lets you jump in there and throw stuff in the pot in whatever ratio you’d like.
I just put some stuff in this blend that felt appropriate to the character. She’s English (Earl Grey) and obsessed with waffles (caramel rooibos) and strawberries (strawberry tisane). This is a low-caffeine tea because the character is stressed out pretty much all the time. The last thing she needs is more zing in her fret.
The result smells like CRACK. You should smell this thing. Creamy and Earl-y and rich with berries.
The taste, however… is okay… but not great. I think that all the strawberry I hurled in there might have too much hibiscus lurking in it.
The flavor is, like, tangy? And not in the best way?
When I swallow, it’s great. But when it’s actively being sipped and in my mouth, it’s both bland and a bit much.
This might actually be good iced. Hot, it’s meh.
I feel like I might have messed this up a little bit, but you live, you learn. Feel free to try it, though, and all of the other Space Cases themed teas I made. Every single one has proceeds that go to charity. I am not taking your money, which is for the best, because I can’t promise any of them are good.
Ah, Adagio. You are the tea world’s Willie Wonka factory, and I appreciate you.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
This tea is a signature blend.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Heavenly Hazelnut from BlendBee. . . .
“ A rich and decadent blend that will leave you euphoric!” Interesting. I’d like to be left euphoric!!! Today really isn’t the best day I don’t really feel great and i’m just really tired and kind of cranky. So, naturally, I will turn to tea to give me some relaxation and happiness. I am a stay at home mom to a beautiful and lovely 8 month old baby and it’s tough and really weighs down on you. But anyways, tea usually brings me some peace….especially Blendbee. Not only does Blendbee deliver great taste but the teas also have many added health benefits and they are all listed on the packaging. For Heavenly Hazelnut, it looks like some of the benefits are easing of stomach ailments, immune system support, and eases allergies and helps to cure colds. Sign me up!! This is perfect for me for today because for some reason i’m feeling slightly sick. Maybe this will help.
I brewed up a nice mug of this tea and snuggled into the couch while my daughter played with her toys and made cute cooing noises (I love babies!). The first thing I noticed about this blend was that I wasn’t smelling hazelnut in the dry leaf. I could, however, smell it in the steeped liquid. Oh, yum! Yes this is definitely heavenly! So heavenly, so hazelnut, so vanilla, so relaxing. I am officially euphoric! This tea totally lived up to its name and description. It’s creamy and sweet, with notes of vanilla. It’s nutty and earthy, with notes of hazelnut and honeybush. I am just sipping this down, drinking and breathing it in! The delectable taste mixed with the health benefits IS euphoric. I will totally recommend this blend 100 times over, but I also really recommend the company. They have other great teas and I just love the cute packaging and the fact that they are health-conscious. Definitely give them a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
A delightful and highly beneficial Honeybush tea blend. Paired with rich ingredients like Chicory Root and Carob Bean. Rounded out with super nutritious Agrimony Herb and infused with exquisite and nutty Hazelnut & Vanilla extracts.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Blueberry Custard customized from BlendBee.com
Confession: I’m completely fine with drinking alone…. Tea, of course 😉 But drinking with friends offers some undeniable benefits – laughter and memories made, more importantly a spread of tastebuds that offers better insight than just one picky tongue.*
There are so so many beautiful ingredients in this custom Blueberry Custard from Blendbee, I needed all the help I could get to do it justice! First off, I highly recommend using a clear brewing system (gravity steeper or mason jar) to be able to fully enjoy the making of this majestic Purple infusion. (Fortunately I had just cleaned the hard-earned tea patina off mine with baking soda and vinegar, so it was even more beautiful than my usual cuppa!)
Between the three of us sipping, only one added sugar and it really took away from the innate sweetness of this mix, hmmm better off just trusting the blend maker on this one. Some of us were crazy about this tea, but others found the herbals to be unpalatable. So we looked into what exactly were imbibing…
With Blendbee, you can create your own mix weighing anywhere from 1 oz to ½ pound. You start with a choice from 15 tea bases, and here they chose the China Green tea.
Next there are over 90 categorized ingredients to choose from (though it’s recommended to stick below 8). Must be a tough decision from all those options! This blender chose 7:
Earthy and pungent category: yarrow flower;
Mild and fruity category: elder berries;
Herbaceous herb category: strawberry leaves;
Mild and nutty category: ashwaganda root;
Mild and herbal category: agrimony herb, and coriander seed;
And one uncategorized, marshmallow root.
Next the website offers additional extracts and flavors (up to 3 per blend). Here the blueberry and custard flavor extracts were used. (It was argued at one point that this put the ingredient count to 9, above the recommended 8, but that person is a stickler for semantics and didn’t like the tea anyway, so read that with a grain of salt).
Some of these herbs strike me as acquired tastes, beyond that, I would’ve preferred having actual blueberries instead of the extract, though I didn’t see it as an option (yet) and the extract probably consistently offers more flavor in a smaller space.
This organic blend featured so many different flavor profiles, it was a… memorable… experience for well-developed sippers, and newbies alike.
*The best part of sharing with friends is finding a loving home for leaves that aren’t your favorite (yet). Thanks H.R.!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description:
Create custom teas, with more than a hundred quality and organic ingredients to choose from.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Red Suspenders. . .A Torchwood Blend from Adagio Teas. . .
Adagio Teas offers such a unique service for geeks/nerds like myself. Being a huge Doctor Who/Torchwood fan, I had to check out Adagio Teas Signature Blends to see if anybody had created a blend dedicated to Captain Jack Harkness. . .and was I ever pleased when I saw that someone had created such a blend.
Red Suspenders is a blend of Vanilla Green, Orange, Mocha Nut Mate, with Chocolate Chips as an added accent flavor. Right off the bat, this tea had a strong hazelnut chocolate flavor. Not being a huge hazelnut fan or really a big chocolate guru, I wasn’t sure how I would feel about this tea, but thought this would be a great way to start my day off.
Since this is a tea made up of different tea blends, I stayed on the side of caution and brewed this tea with water prepped up at 190F and allowed to brew for three minutes and cool for two more. I took my first sip and wow, was I ever glad I decided to drink this first thing in the morning.
This tea delivers a solid sweet yet nutty flavor that really gets you moving. The vanilla green tea adds a sweet start, while the flavored black orange tea provides a malty touch. I can’t say I really was able to get much of the orange flavor. A well balanced nutty finish ends each sip which is eagerly provided by Adagio’s Mocha Nut Mate. Even though I can smell the chocolate aroma, I can’t say I really can pick up much of a chocolate taste. Another flavor that is hidden in this blend.
I brewed myself up another cup and enjoyed this round as a latte and I have to say that is where this tea shines. The frothed milk really gave this tea a touch of creaminess that really made my morning.
Being that this tea is one of Adagio’s Signature Blends, you really never know if this tea will be a hit or a miss. Being that this tea is one created in Captain Jack’s honor, I’m glad it was a total hit!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black/Green/Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Everyone loves a man in red suspenders- just take Captain Jack Harkness’ word. Now your tea can have red suspenders, too. Melty chocolate and orange meet vanilla in this blend- how could you resist?
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Caramel Apple Fun from Blend Bee. . .A Custom Blend. . . .
Who else was a big Charlotte’s Web fan in their younger years? Stay with me a second– I promise I’m going somewhere with this. You know the scene in the book (and movie!) where Templeton the rat has a hay day at the fair and dances around, gluttonously digging his little rat teeth into all the leftover treats and goodies that he can get his tiny talons on? Sipping this tea turned me into a human-Templeton, you guys.
This delightful caramel apple blend is like the best day at the fair– slightly sticky-sweet, with heavily spiced apple in the background and warm, sugary caramel straight up at the front. With a bit of cream and sweet (I highly recommend condensed coconut milk and a tiny splash of maple syrup for a SUPER decadent treat), it’s sugar-magic in a cup. The allspice and cinnamon elevate things just a bit– perhaps this is Templeton’s more refined older adult relative’s fair-food-binge instead.
Regardless, whether you fancy yourself a caramel apple aficionado or a junk-food-lovin’ human embodiment of our favorite loveable trash rat, this tea needs a home in your cabinet!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Custom Blend
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Create your own custom blends at Blend Bee. Click below for more options.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
