Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
As for this week’s tea, I kind of have a soft spot for these peanut clusters–the ones with peanuts and caramel dipped in dark chocolate? It’s making me hungry just thinking about it which is probably a good sign since I haven’t eaten much of anything for almost a week. But I think this blend of caffeine-free honeybush, peanuts, cacao nibs and organic caramel, peanut and chocolate flavors is bound to be a crowd pleaser. It’s a honeybush blend, so it probably won’t last long. Get yours today!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Peanut Cluster? Yummy! That’s a treat you don’t have to ask me twice if I’d like one … I mean, what’s not to love about a peanut cluster? Caramel peanut clusters that are drenched in dark chocolate? Yes please! And as Frank (the chief zoomdweebie at 52Teas) has a way with honeybush, I had absolutely no doubt that I’d be loving this Peanut Cluster Honeybush Tisane!
The aroma of the dry leaf was a little funky. It smelled a little bit chemical-y … but I can also smell notes of cacao and peanut as well as the nutty, woody fragrance of the honeybush, so I was hopeful that the weird smell wouldn’t upset the flavor.
Fortunately, it doesn’t taste off. Quite the contrary … it tastes quite scrumptious! I taste the notes of caramel, peanuts, and chocolate. It’s sweet and tastes like it should have more calories than it does. (I don’t know that it has any calories … but if it does have some, I’d guess that the calorie count is small.)
As I make my way to the end of the cup, I notice the flavors develop. I taste the sweet, creamy notes of the caramel and the warm, toasty flavor of the peanuts. The chocolate has a richness to it.
There is a really good balance of flavors here, including the honeybush, which hasn’t been overpowered by the other flavors of this tisane. The nutty, honey-sweet flavor of the honeybush melds very well with the other notes of this cup. I think that honeybush was the ideal base for these flavors because they seem to be made for one another. Everything marries beautifully.
This is really good. I don’t know that I’m tasting a liquefied peanut cluster here, because to be perfectly honest, I’d rather be munching on the confection than sipping the tisane. That said, this IS really tasty and makes a pleasant dessert substitute for those who would rather not indulge on a piece of candy but still want something sweet and satisfying.
Chocolate Chip Black Tea from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Dark chocolate chips melt into the infusion of this Ceylon black tea to create the ultimate coupling of two taste bud tantalizers. Dense and soft chocolate flavor – seriously, for a second you think you’re just eating a bag of cookies! Clean, slightly tangy finish brings you back to tea, and the balanced astringency compliments the dark chocolate nicely.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have often said that I’m not a big fan of the flavored black teas from Adagio Teas. And since this Chocolate Chip Black Tea from Adagio Teas is exactly that – a flavored black tea from Adagio Teas – I took extra care when I brewed it. I steeped it for just 2 1/2 minutes, hoping that this was what was needed to keep the harshness of the black tea to a minimum.
I still taste a little bit of that harshness that I usually taste with the flavored black teas from Adagio Teas … but it isn’t as harsh as some of the other experiences I’ve had with other flavored black teas from this company.
Just out of curiosity, I made a quick stop at Steepster to find out if others liked this one. And based upon my quick glance, it would seem that other Steepsterites experience much of what I am: a sweet, vanilla-y undertone with a luscious chocolate-y high note. And it would also seem that the key to keeping this from tasting too bitter is to not oversteep. However, even at 2 1/2 minutes, I am noticing some bitter notes and some of the aforementioned harshness, although, as I said, this isn’t as harsh or off-putting as some of the other flavored blacks.
I really wish that Adagio would rethink their black tea base. Ceylon teas tend to be – typically – a fairly moderate, mild-mannered tea, but I have to admit that the Ceylon that Adagio uses as their base for their flavored teas is an exception to what I know as Ceylon. This is an “ill-tempered” Ceylon, and I find that as I continue to sip, the harshness seems to build.
A splash of milk reduces the harshness further, making this a good choice for a latte. In fact, that’s my favorite way to consume this tea – with an ample bit of milk, it tastes a bit like a hot chocolate! That said, I find it difficult to recommend this tea, because as a tea drinker, we shouldn’t be trying to drown out the harshness of a tea with additions.
Kind of sad. This would be a much tastier tea if the base was not so brutally harsh.
Tiramisu Oolong Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This week we have a nice toasty oolong blended with cacao nibs, marshmallow root and organic flavors, including some coffee, chocolate, rum and vanilla cake flavors. That’s right, we made a Tiramisu Oolong. I have a feeling this one is going to go fast. It’s a special dessert blend with an extra special base tea. Get it while you can.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! Yummy! The moment I read the name of 52Teas’ tea of the week for the week of November 4 … I was confident that I’d love it: Tiramisu Oolong Tea. That sounds a little too delicious for words.
But words are what I write, so, I am going to have to come up with some as I sip on this teacup full of deliciousness.
52Teas does not say what type of Oolong they use as a base for this, but it is a darker Oolong and the toasted flavor that is mentioned in the description does come forward. It is a roasty-toasty type of Oolong which makes me think of either a Formosa Oolong or a Red Robe Oolong. The toasty notes of the Oolong meld beautifully with the roasted coffee notes to create a very harmonious taste.
The next flavor I notice is the rum. This flavor sort of weaves its way in and out throughout the sip, starting just before mid-sip and imparting a wee bit of rum flavor in the aftertaste. Because I’m seldom big on alcohol flavors, especially when other flavors are involved (we’re talking chocolate here, people), I am glad that the rum is not a really obtrusive note.
Of course, I’m wishing there’s more chocolate. But when am I ever not wanting more chocolate? As I’ve said before, I don’t think that I’d be a helper that Frank at 52Teas would want to hire: I’d always be adding an extra scoop or two (or three) of cacao nibs to the batch when he wasn’t looking. I’m a very trustworthy sort – except when it involves chocolate.
The creamy undertone of vanilla and marshmallow adds just the right flavor to elevate the cup and showcase the other flavors of this cup. This is a sweet, decadent, dessert-y delight that is infinitely kinder to the waistline than the actual dessert would be (well, duh, right?) Sure, it isn’t the dessert, but it does satisfy the sweet tooth craving. If you like tiramisu, you’ll really like this tea!
Personally, I like this tea not only because it tastes like the dessert, but because it also tastes like tea. Two of my favorite things in one teacup. As I write this review, there is but ONE pouch of this tea left. If I were YOU … I’d get myself here immediately and buy it before someone else reads this and thinks I’m talking about them.
Chocolate Earl Grey Tea from Tea For All Reasons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea For All Reasons
Tea Description:
If you are a fan of Earl Grey, why not try our newest blend, a dreamy, creamy Earl Grey taste with rich dark chocolate. I think we’ve found a winner!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Um … hello? Chocolate Earl Grey? YES PLEASE!
When I received my package from Tea For All Reasons, this was the first tea that I HAD to try. Why? >>Chocolate Earl Grey<< Need I say more?
OK, so I guess I do. This is a tea review. You didn’t come here to read me acting all giddy over chocolate plus Earl Grey.
Of all the many versions and varieties of Earl Grey tea that I’ve tried, I do think that Chocolate Earl Grey teas are my favorites. The sweet chocolate notes meld so beautifully with the tangy bergamot to create a chocolate covered citrus kind of taste … you know those yummy chocolate oranges? Yeah, kind of like that, only better because this is tea!
The black tea base provides a mild backdrop for the flavors of bergamot and chocolate. It’s not an overly aggressive base, it’s strong enough to be tasted but not so powerful that it overwhelms the notes of citrus and the dark chocolate notes.
The bergamot and chocolate are pretty well balanced here. These two flavors don’t seem to be competing with one another. They seem pretty evenly matched. The result is a sweet, creamy, rich, chocolate-y, citrus-y cuppa! I wouldn’t add milk to this … I think that the tea has such a nice balance as it is, and milk might disrupt that. I like it just the way it is – served hot and straight up! It’s perfection for this Earl Grey aficionado/chocoholic!
Honey Beauty Oolong Tea from T-Oolong Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: T-Oolong Tea
Tea Description:
This Honey Beauty Oolong is all natural, handpicked, handcrafted and produced from Qingxin Dapa varietals, the tea leaves often used to produce Oriental Beauty oolong. This tea tastes similar to Oriental beauty but not quite the same. The taste and aroma of the tea are honey sweet, rich, and pleasant with a long lasting honey sweet aftertaste. This tea stands up well to multiple infusions, and has the complexities of an oolong in taste and aroma, but the appearance and strength of a black tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love a good Oriental Beauty Oolong, and when I read the name of this Honey Beauty Oolong Tea from T-Oolong Tea, I was intrigued … I was curious to find out how similar to an Oriental Beauty it would be.
The dry leaf appearance IS indeed very similar, with its dark chocolate colored leaves. The aroma is sweet, reminding me a bit more of the smell of molasses than of honey. It’s a very pleasant fragrance … sort of like walking into a kitchen when my gramma would make pecan pie. It smells a bit like that sweet, molasses-y filling of a pecan pie (but not so much like the actual pecans!) The brewed tea offers a different scent with notes of fruit, flower and yes, even a hint of honey.
The first cup (containing infusions #1 and 2 following a quick 15 second rinse) is very delicately flavored, and I noticed that it took a few sips for the flavors to begin to develop on my palate. By mid-cup, I was noticing a lovely honey-esque tone start to emerge. Notes of stone fruit … somewhere between nectarine and plum. It is sweet but there is a hint of contrasting sour there too.
The second cup (infusions #3 and 4) offered a stronger flavor than the first, and was my favorite cup of the three cups that I enjoyed of this tea. I noticed a stronger fruit note, and the honey notes are more profound with this cup. It’s sweet … and indeed beautiful! Honey Beauty Oolong seems an appropriate name for this tea.
With the third cup (infusions #5 and 6), I noticed the flavors becoming … not really “softer” but more unified. The honey note was not quite as focused, and the fruit note was less distinct. It tasted more like … well, imagine a combination of nectarines and plums that have been roasted to concentrate the flavor and bring out the sweetness of the fruit, and then drizzling this roasted fruit medley with sweet honey. That’s what I taste! YUM!
This tea is definitely a treat for Oolong aficionados!