Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
A sweet romance.
We’re still searching for the secret to eternal bliss, but we’re pretty sure one cup of this blend will get you at least five minutes’ worth. It all starts with the very best leaves: a premium oolong from China’s Fujian Province called Huang Jin Gui. A popular wedding gift in China, Huang Jin Gui is prized for its pretty yellow colour and romantic floral scent. Here we bring out this special leaf’s orchid aroma with a touch of vanilla. The result? A perfectly balanced, subtle cup that’s equal parts rich, creamy and floral. Feeling blissful yet?Ingredients: Huang Jin Gui Oolong from Anxi in Fujian Province, natural vanilla flavouring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Vanilla Orchid from Davids Tea is in one word – delicious.
Vanilla Orchid has lingering after taste of vanilla when you take a breath almost like a vanilla lip gloss does. Of course if you are a guy, well a guy who does not wear lip gloss anyway, that may be lost on you. The idea though is that this tea is not only a wonderful vanilla flavor but the flavor keeps coming back on the palate reminding you that you must take, can’t resist another sip!
Now it is not all that complex. I feel I could make this – mixing some good vanilla with oolong but with this I don’t have to.
As I said it’s simple – not very complex by any means but still very good.
Anyone who loves vanilla and oolong – plus flavored teas should try it.
The oolong base does do its part. It seems to be a good oolong with a nice base flavor, buttery and nutty which of course work wonderfully with vanilla! Its a light oolong however, and normally I am prone to favor a darker roasted oolong but I still can’t help coming back to this tea, making more.
Now those of you who follow this blog or know me from Steepster, know I am not a huge fan of David’s Teas but now and then one grabs my attention and I must try it. I am glad I gave this one a try. I could easily see this being reordered in the near future.
As for the floral aspect, it does get a little lost but you can taste it now and then. I think if it had a little more of a floral note it would have a better character overall.
The aroma of quality vanilla is nearly overwhelming in the steeped cup but the flavor is a bit more subtle – but then again – it sneaks out, peeks out, and says a big “hello” long after the sip. I appreciate that about this tea. I like a tea that lingers as I go about my day, reminding me “sip some more!”
The leaves are large and gorgeous when steeped, but can really only get 2 infusions before becoming too weak to be re-steep worthy.
The vanilla flavor is that of a really good vanilla bean ice cream or even french vanilla, its really quite creamy and rich. Its a dessert you can have anytime.
At first the cup confused me, I was not sure if I loved it or if I was just so happy to have something vanilla in my stash, as I do love a vanilla tea, but the more I sipped the more I have found myself going back to it, longing for it. Yes I admit, I have found a David’s Tea product that I really love.
Time for a re-steep!
Glitter and Gold from David’s Tea
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
This deep dark Chinese tea is like a gorgeous starry night, glimmering with gold and silver sugar crystals that shimmer as they steep. Take a sip and the slow suggestion of cinnamon will warm your body. Your toes will tingle and your mind will turn to fireworks, falling stars, late-night seduction. It’s basically magic. (Is it getting hot in here, or is it just the tea?)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea is really fun! The dry leaf has lots of sparkly appeal – it is sprinkled with bright gold sugar spheres and glittery sugar crystals. These bits melt when the tea is brewed to sweeten the tea … but what’s even cooler is that the tea SHIMMERS. If you look at it you can see little twinkling sparkles in the brewed tea! At first, I didn’t think I’d be too keen on having a tea with a luster like this, but, now that I actually SEE its glistening beauty, I must admit, it’s really cool looking.
And it tastes good too. This is what I’d call an understated cinnamon tea … with so many cinnamon-orange flavored black teas out there that are really heavily spiced with cinnamon to the point of tasting like liquified red-hots, this tea instead allows for the sweeter, softer side of cinnamon to be experienced.
I like that it is sweet, but not too sweet. I like that it has a warmly spiced character, but it isn’t bombarding my palate with overwhelmingly strong cinnamon flavors. I like that I can taste each component to this tea: I taste the cinnamon, the clove, the vanilla, and the orange … as well as the black tea. These flavors all come together in a nicely rounded tea. Very enjoyable, indeed!
Organic Root Beer Float from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
As far as we’re concerned, the root beer float is king of the soda shop. The crackle and fizz of root beer, the cool richness of vanilla ice cream – what could be better? Well, what if we brought the malt shop right to your tea shelf? With black tea, vanilla, cinnamon and white chocolate, this sweet, lightly creamy black tea blend tastes just like the classic treat. For the full experience, try it as an iced latte with lots of foam.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tried a few different root beer and/or root beer float teas/tisanes over the years, and some were better than others. This one is good, but not what I’d call great. It has a distinct root beer-ish taste to it, but, it is kind of light on the float-y flavor.
The root beer flavor here is nicely translated, it tastes like root beer. (and, yes, it is a little weird drinking root beer hot) It also tastes like tea, but, the root beer notes outweigh the tea notes by a wee margin. It lacks that certain fizzy, bubbly taste which perhaps might be a little difficult to obtain in a tea, although I’ve had a couple of soda inspired teas that did, in fact, taste “bubbly” like a soda pop, so I know it is not impossible.
I personally think that the root beer flavors could have been even better if there was sarsaparilla in this, or even some anise and wintergreen. I think that these ingredients could really take the root beer taste from good to great.
But, this is not supposed to be JUST a root beer flavored tea, but a root beer FLOAT flavored tea, and the float part is definitely lacking in my opinion. I taste a hint of vanilla here, but, it does not have a strong, creamy presence that I feel it needs to have to be called a root beer float. As it is, it tastes a bit more like a soda fountain drink. Instead of adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this tastes as though someone took a mug of root beer and added about a half a shot of vanilla syrup to it. It’s got a little bit of vanilla, but it needs a little more!
Overall, this is an enjoyable tea, I like the root beer elements to it, but, I think it could certainly be improved.
Root Beer Float from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
As far as we’re concerned, the root beer float is king of the soda shop. The crackle and fizz of root beer, the cool richness of vanilla ice cream – what could be better? Well, what if we brought the malt shop right to your tea shelf? With black tea, vanilla, cinnamon and white chocolate, this sweet, lightly creamy black tea blend tastes just like the classic treat. For the full experience, try it as an iced latte with lots of foam.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Steeped this tea certainly smells of Root Beer, however I am not detecting the creamy aspect of the “Float” portion of this tea. I remain hopeful that it comes across in the flavor.
Surprisingly it does!
I will confess, I am not a huge fan of David’s Tea. My Steepster friends are aware of this. For me their teas are a bit too hit and miss to purchase outside of having a sample before hand. Since there are no David’s Tea locations near me – most of my samples come from fellow Steepster’s in Trades. Thankfully I was able to get a sample of this one!
I do have a few teas from David’s Tea that I happen to love but only a few thus far. This one may be making it to that list but I will continue to sip here to find out.
You are on this discovery of decision with me as I have this cup still cooling a bit beside me. I would also have to confess that Root Beer is not necessarily a flavor that I would hunt down in a tea but it is nice to have different offerings, especially those of the more unusual or bizarre. Keeps things interesting. Regardless the aroma of this tea did not really have me all that excited.
There is something slightly off putting in the aroma itself. The flavor is alright. I absolutely get the root beer flavor, and a sweetness that tastes artificial which is not a plus in my book. I prefer unsweetened or naturally sweetened teas. Regardless the sweetener used in this tea, I could live without.
I do pick up the cinnamon which I have to say is done quite well! Its not over the top and allows the vanilla flavor to be presented. The white chocolate is subtle but does its job to add to the Root Beer flavor over all.
Its not as creamy as I would have liked it to be. Perhaps if this were simply named Root Beer it would be more pleasing, as Root Beer does have a creaminess of its own. Having “Float” in the name makes me think of ice cream obviously and I am not getting that much creaminess here to suggest that ice cream element.
Upon allowing the tea to cool more in hopes that more flavors would jump out at me I am still getting the same as before. The Root Beer flavors play a bit on the tongue for a sparse moment or two then dissipate leaving little to no after effect.
I would have to say that this is close, but not spot on for a Root Beer, let alone a Root Beer Float.
However, if you are a die hard Root Beer fanatic, I see no reason not to give this a try. That is if you desire to try all things Root Beer. I am very glad I had the chance to experience this tea.
In short: Its not awful, but its not making it to my purchase list either.
Jolly Jellybean from David’s Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tisane Description:
One sip of this sweet, rich rooibos blend and you’ll know spring is here. It could be the sunny taste of pineapple, or the exotic creaminess of coconut. It could be the pretty calendula and cornflower petals. Then again, it might just be the jellybeans. You heard us right, jellybeans – that’s what gives this tea its irresistibly sweet and fruity kick. So why do jellybeans remind us of spring? Because they make us happy. Why else?
Learn more about this rooibos blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I think I should start off by explaining that the sampling I received of this tisane had no Jelly Bellys in it (I’m told that this is the type of jelly bean that David’s Tea uses in this blend), and since I recently acquired a large jar of Jelly Bellys, I added a couple of Jelly Bellys to the sample before the large jar of Jelly Bellys became an large, empty jar.
At that point, I felt it was important to brew this tisane as soon as possible, as this sampling (prior to brewing) contained the last three Jelly Bellys in the house, and I feared for their safety.
YUM! This is really tasty. Not surprisingly, it is sweet. The Jelly Bellys melted and added some sweetness to the cup, as did the red and green rooibos – but thankfully, I don’t taste that funky red rooibos sweetness in this! The pineapple, strawberry and coconut also contributed some sweetness to the cup as well.
This is very fruity – like a handful of Jelly Bellys that have been liquified and served hot. I taste hints of the strawberry, but the most pronounced fruit flavors are that of the coconut and the pineapple. I don’t taste a lot of flavor from the rooibos. I do taste a slight woody/nutty note from the rooibos, but, it is subtle, and doesn’t interrupt the sweet, fruity goodness that I’m enjoying.
This tisane toes the line of tasting very candy-like, and I can see how it might not be for everyone … those who don’t like sweet drinks might not really enjoy this. But if you have a sweet tooth and find great joy in jelly beans as I do, you should definitely try this! It’s yummy!