I don’t usually gravitate towards banana flavored anything. I do, however, like banana nut bread and I also like chocolate covered frozen bananas. Banana flavor, though? Not so much. Alas, I was perusing DAVID’s website and decided to give it a try. I hoped that the banana wouldn’t be too sweet or artificial tasting and that the “nut” part would shine through because I absolutely adore anything and everything that is “nutty” (including people haha).
Upon opening my tin I swear this was trail mix! If I put this in a baggie and handed it to you, you would most likely start eating it. There were whole banana chips, dates, and little pieces of almonds. It smelled like banana, but I feel like it smelled a little artificial so I was concerned. I read on Steepster that you need to be careful when steeping this because apparently it gets messy. I used an in mug steeper and did not think it was too bad. I steeped this tea for 10 minutes, per the people on Steepster’s recommendation.
Once steeped it was a creamy and yellow liquid. I added just a small dash of agave and a splash of milk. Boy this tea was delectable! It really was delicious. The nuttiness truly does shine through. The banana is there, but its not in your face or artificial. It is not overly “banana” and is definitely drinkable and enjoyable even if you don’t normally like banana flavor. I think that this captured freshly baked banana nut bread 100%. Like, if I took banana nut bread and turned it into a liquid, it would taste like this tea. The dates add a slight sweetness to the overall cup, but the nuts really shine through and mingles with the mellow banana flavor. This is a total dessert replacement tea. Perfect for winding down after dinner.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
Like all amazing recipes, this one took years to perfect – and it was totally worth the wait. This tea miraculously captures the flavour of freshly-baked banana bread. The taste of real banana slices blends perfectly with almonds and the sweetness of dates and currants. It’s fragrant, with all the warmth of a loaf hot from the oven. As deliciously comforting as mama’s special recipe, but without the calories.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Strawberry Shake from DAVIDsTea. . .
I have been (im)patiently waiting for DAVIDsTEA to come out with some new “summery” teas. It has finally happened! Yay! So their new collection they’re calling “Malt Shop” and all the teas are based off of ice cream. They not only have ice cream themed teas, but new tea tins and mugs with ice cream print on them. Talk about cute! I definitely went all out during my DAVIDsTEA shopping spree, and I am happy I did because I am loving the teas!
The first one I tried was Strawberry Shake. It is described as a green tea with strawberry and yogurt flavor. The initial thought that came to my head when I saw the description and smelled the tea was that this is a caffeinated version of Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait. However, this tea was not tart and does not contain hibiscus (phew!). So thankfully, in taste, there was no comparison to Strawberry Rhubarb Parfait.
The dry leaf’s smell does remind me of a strawberry milkshake. However, once steeped, it smells like fresh cut up strawberries. Seriously, if I closed my eyes and smelled the steeped tea I would likely say “hey, is someone cutting up some strawberries in here?” It is very realistic. I don’t know if I like the name “strawberry shake” for this tea, though. It more so reminds me of the strawberry syrup that you would drizzle on your sundae. You know, that syrup that has real strawberries in it? That stuff is good. Well, thats what this tea reminds me of. So, even though it doesn’t live up to the milkshake “vibe” that DAVIDsTEA is trying to give off, the tea itself is still good.
I feel like the “yogurt” part that was mentioned in the description was totally lost. It definitely lost its way and probably wont be coming back. I really didn’t get a yogurt flavor, unfortunately. Which is probably why I didn’t think that the tea resembled a milkshake at all. If I was to do this tea over for DAVID’s I think I would have added some freeze-dried ice cream pieces or white chocolate. It needed another creamy component in order to be considered ice cream, in my humble opinion.
Otherwise, I did like this tea. Even though I don’t think it lived up to it’s name does not mean it wasn’t good. It is definitely worth a try especially if you like strawberry. Even though I won’t be buying more, I will happily drink up the rest of my tin-full.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
Shake up your sipping with this creamy blend of green tea, strawberry and yogurt.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
The Malt Shop Collection from DAVIDsTEA. . . . .
Each season DAVIDsTEA premieres a new collection of about five teas. Sometimes there may be a returning favorite but most of the blends are new and exciting. Lately though, DAVIDs has been treating their customers to mini collections, released almost monthly to keep their selection fresh and intriguing. This month, in addition to the Valentine’s teas, they brought us The Malt Shop Collection, featuring three ice-cream inspired teas and ice cream teaware. Now I am a sucker for all things ice cream and cupcakes and milkshakes and the like so you can bet your a$$ I was in the shop the minute I could step away from the office.
As far as the three blends go, Mint Chip Sundae was the blend I was least excited about, since I am just not one for mint chip ice cream and chocolate mint teas just seem so overdone. This one is made with cocoa nibs, green tea, peppermint, white chocolate, cocoa powder and stevia. Scentwise, this is a whole lotta mint with a faint note of dusty chocolate. It brews up muddied from the cocoa nibs and cocoa powder settling at the bottom. When it comes to taste, this is creamy and minty, but the stevia just takes over and coats your whole mouth. For those that don’t mind stevia and are looking for a creamy mint chocolate tea, this could be a nice choice but if you’re anything like me, the stevia here will be a deal breaker.
Vanilla Swirl, made with lemongrass, pineapple, white chocolate, globe amaranth, cornflower, and stevia, is definitely the prettiest of the three blends with the pink and blue flower petals sprinkled among the white chocolate curls on the lemongrass base. The tea smells of artificial vanilla extract and herbs and brews up a light gold color. Again the stevia is a deal breaker for me but I will say it is not as bad as in the Mint Chip Sundae. Looking past the stevia though, there is a silky vanilla quality contrasted by the hint of lemon that acts as the foundation here. Does it taste like vanilla ice cream? Not really but there is potential here for a nice nighttime treat.
Strawberry Shake was the blend I was most excited about, not because of the tea itself perse, but because I am basically obsessed with strawberry milkshakes. There is even one restaurant that can recognize a delivery order as my family’s because I ALWAYS get the strawberry milkshake. This tea, made with green tea, strawberries, papaya, and yogurt, smells like candy – sweet but artificial. It brews up a light yellow and it tastes like a strawberry milkshake…sorta. The strawberry syrup element is captured nicely but muted slightly by the green tea base. Though the base doesn’t impart much flavor, which is a plus in my book. All in all, I am enjoying this creamy delight but this is the one time I think it is maybe too subtle. DAVIDsTEA is normally heavy handed with flavoring to the point that it is just too much but here, where the flavor should be over-the-top, it is way too subdued and borderline bland.
As an added bonus, I also grabbed the Strawberry Shake Tea-Infused White Chocolate Bar. Opening the package, what immediately took me by surprise is the green hue making it very clear that bits of the tea have definitely made it into this bar. Unfortunately, that doesn’t really come through in the taste. White chocolate is pretty much all I am tasting with just a touch of candy strawberry flavor.
All in all, I would say this is a fun collection. For me, I might go back for my Strawberry Shake tea but DAVIDs need to pre-sweeten everything with stevia is such a turnoff for me. Consequently, Mint Chip Sundae and Vanilla Swirl were misses in my book.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Various
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Description
A collection of three sweetly nostalgic, malt shop-inspired teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Maple Matcha from DAVIDsTEA. . . . .
I am a huge fan of matcha. I drink a matcha latte every morning. I take two-three matcha-spoonfulls (.5tsp each) and mix it with a little over a half cup of hot water, using a matcha bamboo whisk. Then I add it to a glass of hot milk and add a tbsp of agave to sweeten it up. Mega yum! Matcha gives me a great energy boost and it also has a lot of health benefits which makes me happy.
Back in the fall I was a huge fan of DAVIDsTEA’s Pumpkin Pie Matcha. It was so good! So, when I saw their new Maple Matcha I knew I had to try it. I was a little put off by the fact that is says “low caffeine”, because matcha is not a low-caffeine beverage. I am going to assume that there must be a lot of sugar and flavor in order for the matcha to be diluted enough to be considered low-caffeine. Nonetheless, I gave it a go, preparing my usual way as I stated above.
The matcha didnt smell very maple-y, to me. Honestly, I couldn’t really detect maple in the scent. Once I turned it into a latte, I started to be able to taste maple. I would liken this to matcha pancakes covered in maple syrup. For me, this is a good thing, but I know some people aren’t into things being overly sweet. This certainly does not need sweetener. The matcha part isn’t very strong so I really can tell it is diluted, which confirmed my earlier suspicions. This would be great for someone who is just starting to get accustomed to matcha and is experimenting with flavors as it isn’t very strong.
In conclusion, if you like sweet matcha lattes that have been lightly touched with maple syrup, you will enjoy this treat! As for me, I will finish my 2oz tin but most likely will not repurchase. I am glad I tried it, though!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Description
We gave this all-natural matcha the Canadian treatment with a sweet drizzle of maple.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Love Tea #7: The Fifty Shades of Grey of Teas from DAVIDsTea. . . . .
Dear David’s Tea,
What happened to Love Teas 1-6? Did you kill them, David? If so, how? If not, where are they? Are they okay? Can I check in on them?
But, David, between you and me, I’m glad they’re out of the picture.
Because this #7 is a delight. It’s like Valentine’s Day in a tea. Chocolate. Strawberries. Roses. You hit all the high points, plus it genuinely tastes good.
Did you see this in my wish list, David, and magic it into my Sororitea Sisters care package? Are you stalking me in addition to murdering your previous teas?
I’m cool with it, David. If you keep making luscious, rich teas like this that are totally not a ‘zert (but secretly are), I will forgive you. For the stalking. And the murder. I know you will deny both. But shhhhh. We live in the era of 50 Shades of Grey. Vaguely terrifying men like you, David, are very fashionable at the moment.
Oh, and David? Would it be weird if I asked you to tell my husband I want a tin of this ?
That’s definitely weird. Forget I asked.
Love, Super Starling!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
A romantic blend of black tea, chocolate, strawberries and rose petals.
