Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Sweet roasted sloe berries doused in honey and liquid hibiscus, tossed with fresh spearmint and 3-distinct green teas, paired with real pine needles. That’s Mintberry Pine. It’s our limited-edition green tea holiday blend that offers a more complex, subtle taste (as opposed to mint exploding in your mouth with the force of a white hot sun). If you’re a green tea lover, mint lover, berry lover, or all three, this tea is perfect for you. Get it while it’s here!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I saw that M&K’s Tea Company had some really intriguing holiday blends, I decided that I needed (yes, needed) to try them! Fortunately, they understood this need and they offered a Wintertime Tea Sampler! This sampler offers five different teas: Moroccan Mint, Pine Needle Tea, Winterwolf Tea, White Vanilla Peppermint and this Mintberry Pine Green Tea. These samples were all packed into a special sampler package that’s just the right size for stocking stuffers. It’s a handsome package, something that Santa would be proud to give!
Before I received my package, I received a message from Marty (the “M” of M&K’s, I think!) explaining that the Mintberry Pine (and the Pine Needle Tea) are both very subtle teas. He recommended steeping them a little longer than the package directs and to allow plenty of steep room for the leaves (let them steep loose in the teapot instead of using an infuser tool).
To steep, I grabbed my small teapot (4 cup size) and dusted it off – it’s been a while since I’ve used this! I have gotten spoiled with my Breville! I warmed the teapot and poured the contents of the sampler into the teapot and heated 16 ounces of water to 180°F. Then I poured the water into the teapot and let it steep for 3 1/2 minutes. The package suggests 2 – 4 1/2 minutes, but I couldn’t bear to let a green tea steep longer than 3 1/2 minutes. I was willing to sacrifice a little of the mint, berry and pine flavors but I didn’t want a bitter green tea.
Yes, the flavors are a little subtle, but I like that I’m tasting all the elements of this tea and that the green tea doesn’t taste bitter.
I like the subtle flavor of the mint here. I like that I have a crisp, cool minty taste without it tasting like I added a shot of mouthwash to my cup of green tea.
The berry notes add some sweetness and not a lot of tartness (which I was a little apprehensive about because I saw liquid hibiscus up there in the description). There is a light, tingly tart tone that tickles the tongue (try saying that five times fast) in the aftertaste, but that’s to be expected with berry blends. I’m also picking up a delightful honeyed note from the honey roasting process. Nice touch.
The pine needles are the softest flavor component of the three elements in the name of this tea. I do get a very slight, resinous pine note to this that hits the palate right at the start and then it quickly disappears and reappears just after mid-sip, just to remind me that it is there. It’s very faint and it’s something that I think I’d have missed if I didn’t search for it.
However, as I continue to sip, I taste more and more of the pine, and by the time I’m halfway through my second cup of this tea, I’m getting a nice pine note. It never becomes a strong presence, but it certainly is a noticeable presence at this point.
And let us not forget that we’re drinking tea here. There’s a soft, buttery note of green tea. It’s lightly grassy (and I think that the grassy tones accentuate both the pine and the mint notes in a positive way), and it has a nice mouthfeel. It’s not bitter nor is it overly astringent, even though I steeped it longer than I typically would steep a green tea. I think that this could have even gone another 30 seconds to 1 full minute longer without bitterness!
Overall, a very unique blend. Certainly festive and definitely different from the other teas that everyone else is producing out there! Bravo M&K!
9 Spice Chai Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Could it be? A perfectly balanced chai tea? Yes, we know chai means tea and we are saying tea tea. But we like tea tea. Anyway. 9 Spice Chai is a smooth, deep, and complex black tea with just enough spiced flavor to penetrate the Indian and Sri Lankan black teas. Finally, a cup of chai that isn’t literally a cup of cloves or a cup of cinnamon nutmeg! Rejoice! This blend is part of the Original 20 M&K’s Blends.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
If you’ve read many of my reviews, you know by now that I love a good chai! So, I looked forward to trying this 9 Spice Chai from M&K’s Tea Company. After reading the description, it would seem that M&K’s is promising me a good chai here, so I am eagerly anticipating that!
And I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge the humor in M&K’s description. I know that ‘Chai’ means tea and when I say “Chai,” I am more often than not – 99 times out of 100 – referring to a spiced tea blend. But I also often find myself worrying about those purists out there that might read one of my post titles that say “chai tea” and they’re snickering about me saying “tea tea.” I like that M&K’s addresses this “confusing” subject with humor. Thank you.
Anyway … let’s move on to the chai tea that sits in front of me, tempting me with it’s lovely aroma. It smells warm and spicy, like the kitchen during the holidays when there are lots of tasty things being baked.
Especially when I was a kid in my gramma’s kitchen … not so much now because if tasty things were being baked in the kitchen, that would mean that I was baking them and doing all the work. Things smell a lot better when I’m not the one doing the work. I think that’s why the childhood memories of pies, cakes, cookies and other yummies “smelled” so much better than when I make those things.
I’m just full of tangent today, aren’t I?
As I was saying, this chai smells good. It has a lovely, warmly spiced fragrance. And, I’m happy to say that it tastes as good as it smells! The spices are nicely balanced (as promised in the above description), I taste gentle notes of cinnamon and cardamom and clove. Hints of nutmeg and vanilla. The pepper and ginger are zesty. The allspice and coriander round out the flavors. The spices have been carefully considered here to create a pleasing, round flavor that warms you from the inside out without coming across as too spicy.
It has a flavor that is reminiscent of a homemade spice cookie. It isn’t too strongly spiced – but it isn’t subtle either. It’s somewhere in between a very strong, spicy chai and a more softly spiced chai. The spices aren’t competing with one another and there isn’t one spice that overpowers the others. This isn’t all about the cinnamon or ginger or clove. I get a little bit of each spice in each sip and that’s what I mean by a nice balance of spice.
The black tea base is a blend of Ceylon and Assam, and these two teas provide a solid background of flavor. It’s robust and holds its own against the strong spices so that I’m not just tasting spices in each sip, I’m also tasting tea. The teas don’t taste bitter but there is some dryness toward the tail – a slightly astringent sensation – but it isn’t unpleasant. I like the way the dryness allows the spice notes (a contrast between spicy and sweet) to come through in the aftertaste.
I really am enjoying this chai. I think if I’m to offer any kind of criticism about it at all, it would be that I think I’d like just a tad more vanilla to this. The vanilla here is rather subdued, perhaps because it’s in the presence of so many other spices but I think I’d like to experience a little more of the sweet, creamy notes of vanilla here. A little more vanilla and you wouldn’t need to add dairy to make this a latte – it would be like a latte in a cup without the dairy!
Sweet Violet Tea from M&K’s Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Flower
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Sweet Chinese violets, creamy and sweet with just a hint of floral flavor! If you enjoy the lighter side of life (chamomile, rose buds, green tea) you will love this tea. Just throw a couple of flowers in some boiling water, and–viola! You have some sweet violet tea. Although this isn’t a rare flower, it is a difficult tea to locate, which makes us extra happy to offer it to our customers.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Every once in a while, I’ll shop around on Etsy. As an artist myself, I like supporting other artists. And also, every once in a while, I’ll come across a new-to-me tea company whose offerings are too enticing to pass up. Such is the case last week when I was looking around on Etsy and I found M&K’s Tea Company.
I was thrilled with the prices of their samplers. The one I ultimately decided upon was just $4.99 for a custom five tea sampler, but there are several other samplers to choose from as well. The order turnaround time is speedy: I placed the order and the next business day, my order was already in transit!
I really like the packaging of the samples from M&K’s Tea Company. The outer “sleeve” is a small Kraft envelope that is about the size of a coin envelope. it has a “window” cut out of it to offer a visual of the tea which has been sealed in a small zipper pouch that’s been sealed inside the Kraft envelope. The front outer label has the M&K’s logo and the name of the tea. The back outer label offers brewing parameters, ingredients and harvest information.
Under the sealed flap of the Kraft envelope is “Your Lucky Tea Symbol.” For this particular tea, my symbol is The Fox. I’m not sure exactly what that means. But it adds a little whimsy to the whole thing.
A lot of thought has gone into packaging and I like that. I like that it has a certain “small company” type feel to it but some time and effort was invested in it to give it a quality appearance while also providing the customer with the information needed to properly brew a cup of tea!
So, this Sweet Violet Tea is the first of the teas that I’ll be trying from this new to me company! Not actually a “tea” because it contains no camellia sinensis, this flower tisane is crafted from Sweet Violets. The flowers are gorgeous, colorful, whole and beautifully fragrant.
To brew this, I emptied the sample into the basket of my Kati Tumbler. The other samples from M&K’s hold enough for 500ml in my Breville One-Touch, but because these flowers are so large and bulky, the sample envelope looks like it’s just the right size for my tumbler. There are four whole flowers in the sample package, which seems about right for the size of the tumbler. Maybe one flower too many, but I’d rather go a little more on the leaf than a little less.
I filled the tumbler with water heated to 195°F and steeped the flowers for 8 minutes. (Incidentally, I didn’t follow the parameters as suggested on the packet, which called for 2 whole flowers per cup of boiling water, steeped for 2 – 5 minutes.)
Wow! I like this! I can’t think of another time that I’ve consumed a “pure Sweet Violet” tea/tisane such as this. I’ve had other flower teas, of course, but no Sweet Violets. I like this a lot.
The above description compares it to “the lighter side” and uses Chamomile, Rose Buds and Green Tea as examples. I think I like this better than chamomile. I like green tea better, but I think this would make a really good blend with green tea, I think. Perhaps a Dragon Well. As for rosebuds, this reminds me a bit of a rosebud tisane. The floral notes of a rosebud tea are maybe a little sharper – here, they’re soft and … well, the word I want to use is “fluffy.” There is a creaminess to this that I don’t experience with a rosebud tisane and that’s what’s giving it the fluffy taste.
So, I think I might actually like this better than a rosebud tisane. Or at least just as much.
The flowery notes are not sharp, they’re soft and sweet. And like the description above suggests, the floral notes are delicate. They don’t taste perfume-y or soapy at all. And the cup has a barely there floral aroma which kind of surprised me (I did, after all, steep flowers!) There really isn’t much aroma to the liquid at all. But the flavor is really enjoyable. I don’t generally get all excited over tisanes – I prefer my camellia sinensis – but this is actually one that I could see myself wanting to keep in my pantry. It’s really quite lovely!
And as it represent my first tea experience with M&K’s Tea Company, I’d say that we’re off to a really good start!
Sweet Cinnamon Maté Tisane from Because UR Priceless
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tisane Description:
Yerba Matế (pronounced mah-tay) has long been recommended for promoting vitality, clarity and well-being. Not only does it contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and a host of antioxidants, but it is traditionally used as a catalyst to help your body take in the benefits of other herbs.
Our SWEET CINNAMON MATẾ combines this wonderful leaf with spicy cinnamon and sweet cacao nibs to make for an unforgettable tea drinking experience.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane is delightful!
The Yerba Mate appears to be a “green” (rather than a roasted) Yerba Mate and it lends a fresh crisp taste to the cup. Yerba Mate is a very invigorating drink and I love the refreshing flavor of the green Mate in this. It is a nice contrast to the warm, spicy-sweet cinnamon and the rich notes of cacao.
The cinnamon here adds a gentle heat. It’s not overly spicy, but it’s warming and it’s especially nice to be drinking on a cool autumn morning like this. Cozy, like a warm fluffy blanket but less likely to lull you into a sleepy state because we’re drinking Mate here! The Mate gives you a swift kick in the butt to get you going and keep you alert!
The cacao nibs are a nice touch. It gives a slight chocolate-y sweetness to the cup to soften the edge of the cinnamon and enhance the earthy quality of the Mate in a favorable way. (Mate can sometimes be a little more on the vegetal earthy side, the cacao ensures a more chocolate-y earthiness which I like much better.)
To brew this tea, I grabbed my Kati Tumbler and added the contents of the sampler packet to the basket. That’s probably a tad more than was needed for a 12 ounce cuppa, but, I tend to prefer my tisanes to be brewed strong because they tend to be somewhat “thinner” in body.
I added hot water (195°F) and steeped the tisane for 10 minutes. I have found that Yerba Mate can become a little bitter if you either: a) bring the water to boiling, or; b) steep too long. If you eliminate one of these factors, in this case, I brought the water to just boil, then you don’t get that unpleasant bitterness from the Mate and you can steep the blend a little longer to ensure a strong flavor from the infusion.
It’s a very satisfying beverage that’s a little sweet, a little spicy and a whole lot energizing!
Creamy Autumn Chai Tisane from Because UR Priceless
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tisane Description:
Autumn is hands down my favorite season! The spectacular show of fall leaves, the crisp fall air, and the smell of bonfires is amazing. I cannot think of a better tea to accompany this vibrant season than our Creamy Autumn Chai. Reminiscent of pumpkin pie, this delightfully delicious blend of red rooibos, cinnamon, orange peel, ginger root, and cloves makes for a great dessert tea (without the calories of an actual slice of pumpkin pie). Adding a touch of milk and honey (or sugar) will complement the luscious flavor and add to decadence of the moment. Go ahead, celebrate fall.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I was quite excited when my package from Because UR Priceless arrived. The samples were neatly packaged in glassine envelopes that have been colorfully labeled and sealed with a strip of decorative tape. These envelopes were tucked inside a small box that also labeled with an inspirational quote:
“Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves.” -J.M. Barrie
The box was finished off with a bright yellow ribbon. I love it when I get packages like this – it’s the special little touches that keep customers coming back for more!
Out of the samples that I was sent, I grabbed this one first. I’m not sure why, exactly, but something about the name of the tea jumped out and grabbed me: Creamy Autumn Chai. It seemed like just the right tea to be drinking today.
As I steeped this tea – 195°F for 10 minutes – I found myself wondering what element of this tea would make it seem creamy? The rooibos? The cinnamon or the ginger or the cloves? The orange peel? None of these ingredients strike me as a particularly “creamy” flavor when infused.
While I’m still unsure which ingredient was considered creamy, I’m guessing that the rooibos is the creamy factor in this arrangement. I never really considered rooibos to be a creamy tasting herb, except when cream and/or vanilla flavors are added to it. Maybe it’s the natural nutty tones of the rooibos that give off a creamy taste?
Anyway, I started to find myself confused and dedicating far more thought to it than maybe I should. I decided to just sit back and enjoy the tisane instead of focusing on the word creamy.
It’s a nice blend of spices. I feel like just the right balance was achieved with these spices. The cinnamon is sweet yet zesty, the cloves are warm and the ginger adds a nice bit of heat to the cup without going too spicy. I like that I can taste each of these ingredients and they seem to be working together in a unified way to create a cozy medley of flavor. No one spice is trying to overpower the others.
It tastes like pumpkin pie spices! Definitely autumnal. Warm and comforting. Soothing to drink. I especially like the orange and the bright touch of flavor that it adds to the cup.
The rooibos is a nice base for these flavors. It’s nutty and woodsy – certainly two flavors that I would associate with autumn. A sweet, honey-like flavor. Quite a pleasant mix of flavors: the rooibos, the spices and the orange.
And you know what, the more I drink this … the more I understand the creaminess. It’s not an obvious creamy note, but there is a certain creaminess to this that becomes more noticeable as I continue to sip.
The flavors evoke thoughts of autumn – specifically of autumn leaves. It probably goes without saying that the spices are very autumnal. But it’s the addition of orange that makes me think of the leaves and the natural woodsy and nutty tones of the rooibos that make me think of the leaves as they change their color and fall to the ground.
This is the first of the teas that I’ve tried from this company, and I’m pleased with what I’ve experienced thus far from them. I look forward to more!