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!
Happy Zombie from Design A Tea. . .
This tea accompanied me to this season’s Game of Thrones premiere. I figured that the show is on at night (it’s a rooibos!) and has an army of the undead (the title has zombies!). SPOT-ON. THE NORTH REMEMBERS.
This tea’s spicy oranges taste a bit like mulled wine. It’s a little savory, a little sweet, and puts a dash of twinkle in your eye.
I don’t know if this is the influence of the show, but I could imagine this being served at a sturdy, rough-hewn wooden table. Maybe a tavern. Plotting to kill your enemies. Amassing a group of ragtag soldiers, arguing about where to ride the dragons to next, et cetera.
So next time you need something to sip while you’re cuddling your dire wolf, give this a whirl!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Design A Tea
Description
A crisp tropical Orange will jump out (no pun intended) with hints of cinnamon. Don’t know if it will make you want to embrace the next zombie while at the beach… but who knows. But PLEASE take warning-If he does want to snuggle against your neck… just run away really fast!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Anything but Basic – Louisa May Alcott from Simpson and Vail
There is nothing better than sharing a hot cuppa with hot ladies. Wait, did that came out wrong? I mean strong, independent, educated ladies. Yeah, that’s who I’d have tea parties with! So, I invited two amazing students from my “Women’s Contributions to Science” class for a tea party. And, what better tea to drink than one inspired by the author of Little Women, Louisa May Alcott.
Simpson and Vail created fandom teas for several authors, and this green blend has a soft spice scent with the dried apple bits – is it nutmeg that it reminds us of? Pine? As we brew up this pumpkin pie colored treat, we bring up recent TED talks, STEM, swiping right… Hey, just because we love Autumn doesn’t make us totally basic! And neither is this literary tea – it’s good for multiple infusions and it builds flavor as you drink it. There is a midweight mouthfeel, and a certain sweetness from the Rose that lingers into the aftertaste.
It’s a heartwarming blend, and we have high spirits for the coming equinox, including brainstorming for Halloween costumes. If our Louisa May tea was alive today, we picture her costumed as T.Swift in a flannel, and this tea is the perfect embodiment of that. Now if you’ll pardon me, I’ve been inspired to go crochet a scarf for some eligible but aloof bachelor.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Description:
Early in Little Women, while visiting a sick Laurie, Jo says that her sister Meg’s blancmange is made “very nicely.” Later, her own attempt turns out “lumpy” and accompanied by strawberries that were “not as ripe as they looked.” Our blend follows Meg’s example and is almost, as Laurie says, “too pretty to [drink].” Combining almond and strawberry flavors, this blend brews to a delicious tea that is fruity and aromatic. It manages to be both sweet and light thanks to the Chunmee green tea base and the gentle floral notes added by the rose petals.
Ingredients: Green tea, apple pieces, flavoring, strawberry pieces and rose petals.
Certified Kosher
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Pride and Prejudice from First Edition Tea Co. . . .
Mate and pu’erh are the two types of teas that I usually try to avoid. Mate tastes like the rainforst and pu’erh tastes like mud (well what I would expect those thing to taste like since I have never actually tried those). Either way both taste like dirt to me and life is too short and there are too many teas out there to drink something you don’t enjoy. So, this Pride and Prejudice tea, a citrus and roasted mate herbal tea was not one I was jumping at the chance to try.
My anxiety was relieved a little when I opened the package to see more fruit pieces and petals than actual mate so I got to brewing up a hot cup of pride and prejudice.
It brews up the deep reddish-pink of a tea filled with hibiscus and rosehips. The hibiscus and rosehips also comes through in taste in light of the tartness. Hibiscus and orange. A juicy orange which gives way to the mate earthiness. Not as pungent as other teas I have tried in the past, but still too present for my personal tastes.
This is a fruity tea, more earthy/ natural than sweet like many others. Though this is not likely to become a favorite of mine, it was better than I expected since the mate is balanced by the other flavors in the tea. I will be passing the rest on to my sisters. We’ll see if this is more to their tastes than it was mine.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: First Edition Tea Co.
Description
The herbal blend looks beautiful, but it’s got a thrilling bite to it. A sweet and fruity blend with a kick of tangy citrus and energizing roasted mate. A tea that will bewitch you, body and soul. Perfect for making iced tea.
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Plum Oatmeal Squares from A Quarter To Tea. . ..
Oh plum oatmeal squares, where art thou? Pastry, fruit, and vanilla tea- you’ve already won me over. I love anything that is described as having “pastry notes”. I am one of those people who could cook an entire slab of pastry dough, and just eat it with some cinnamon and sugar. I have loved pastry dough since I was a kid. I utilize it whenever possible in my cooking, and of course in my desserts. The name “Plum Oatmeal Squares” definitely peaked my curiosity. We’ve all had those Quaker Oatmeal Squares as a quick breakfast or snack, but how would they translate into tea?
The answer to that, my friends, is “quite well”. That’s how! Yeah, I am really enjoying this. The first thing I taste when I take a sip is the fruitiness of the plum. Next, is the warmth of the vanilla. Lastly, this tea finishes with strong notes of pastry and oat! It is so good. Personally I would prefer to drink this on a crisp fall morning, but the fruity notes do make it suitable as a summer beverage. Although, i’m not sure how well the pastry and oat flavors would transfer iced. I would stick to drinking this hot, because it is dang delicious!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Temi’s perfect muscatel notes are blended with rich dessert flavors: plum, pastry, and vanilla butter. A warming dessert tea, perfect for this (or any other) season.
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