I am trying this tea in front of an audience. I’m currently in the middle of a cabin with 15+ friends/kids, and everyone got excited when they sniffed this. I made several cups for everyone; I kept the last for myself.
Before I had a chance to even sip my cup, one of my friends slid up to me. “The tea you gave me is delicious,” he whispered.
“What did your kids think?” I asked. His three-year-old had sniffed the tea and kept following me around whispering “tea.”
“I haven’t given them any,” he said. “I’m keeping it all for myself.”
“That’s COLD,” I replied.
When I finally had a cup, I saw what he meant. This is a carrot/apple/spice mix with a bit of a cream/marzipan sweetness (as opposed to a powdery, shrill, hyper-sweet flavor). As I sipped, the spiciness increased. (Possibly the spices are heavier and sit further down in the mug?) I liked the flavor better back when it was sweeter at the beginning of the cup. I think that this would be sweeter and more consistent iced, and I think that’s what I’m going to try next.
Unlike my friend, I’d let my kids try this. I’d spread the joy.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Description
This decadently creamy rooibos blend tastes just like your favourite carrot dessert. You’ll love its natural carrot sweetness and the extra zing of warmth from cinnamon and ginger. Plus it’s caffeine and calorie-free, so you can sip it all day every day. Still not convinced? The rich cocoa shells and whipped cream will change your mind. Yeah, we knew you couldn’t resist…
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Vivacious Vitalitea by Vampyre Tea Company (Cup of Love). . . . .
Steeping: 3 g at 212° in 1 cup for two minutes. . .
This is my first tea of the day so let’s hope it lives up to its name! It’s a rooibos-based blend, but it does have green tea as well so it’s not caffeine-free.
As the tea steeps, I’m watching it and catching a sniff here and there. I’m catching some whiffs of rooibos fragrance and, leaning closer, some honeylike flavor as well (which I at first thought came from honeybush, although I later discovered honeybush does not seem to be in the ingredients list). The liquid is turning dark reddish orange and I notice that a few bits of tea have escaped the mesh as well. (I would recommend using a finer mesh if you don’t prefer having small bits in your tea). It also smells a little bit acidic. The first sip has an interesting hint of flavor that I can’t quite place – citrus maybe? Or perhaps it’s from the rose petal I saw in the tea leaves before steeping. The overall flavor is sweet and not bitter at all or very astringent either; the flavor is welcoming but not too exciting. It doesn’t need any sugar, though, because it’s already so sweet. This tea could be a nice intro to rooibos; it does have some other flavors such as rose petals too, but they’re not too overpowering so you can still taste the rooibos flavor.
It’s good with milk too! Adding milk was actually a very interesting experiment because it ended up bringing out a completely different side of the flavor profile. I’d almost think that I was drinking a totally different kind of tea! That doesn’t happen often (and I do almost always add milk to my tea so I have plenty of experience).
Overall, I’d say this is a great, enjoyable rooibos combination with plenty of sweetness, perhaps a little citrus and/or rose flavor, and definitely no need for sugar. And according to the label it’s also organic and fair trade!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Cup of Love
Description
A revitalizing blend of herbs, flowers, and Green & Rooibos Teas to give you a boost of energy throughout your day. Its effervescent flavor is smooth without the bitter crash of an energy
drink. It leaves the body feeling clean, refreshed, and renewed for all of life’s adventures.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cotton Candy from DAVIDsTEA. . . .
So I just have to say, when you’re sweet tooth is crying out for a treat…THIS. TEA. IS. AWESOME!!
DAVIDsTEA offers plenty of dessert flavors from Red Velvet Cake to Birthday Cake to Lime Gelato to Banana Nut Bread and the list goes on and on. They all capture their namesakes to varying degrees though none quite mimic the flavor of their inspiration quite like Cotton Candy.
This tea tastes as if someone just melted down cotton candy in my mug, which in theory should basically taste like someone tossed a bunch of sugar in the cup but this is so much more than that. It’s sweet. It’s sugary. It’s fruity. It’s candy floss.
It is also a pretty versatile tea which makes for a nice hot tea, iced tea, and even a latte. I have even had a few great smoothies using this tea.So, if you want something sweet but don’t want (all) the calories or there is no carnival around, try grabbing a cup of this delectable offering, which I am happy to report is now part of the permanent collection.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
This sweet treat is deliciously nostalgic and ridiculously fun.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Snickerdoodle from 52Teas. . . .
I am a fan of dessert blends, regardless of what the tea base is. Whether it’s caffeinated or not, I always tend to prefer something sweet & unique. 52 Teas definitely has some unique blends so they are usually my go-to. This particular tea, Snickerdoodle, is a Honeybush/Rooibos blend which means that it is caffeine free and perfect for a guilt-free after-dinner treat to warm you up on a cold rainy evening!
Smelling the dry leaf on this one, the cinnamon and cookies really shines through. Even more so once the tea has been steeped. Snickerdoodles are not my favorite cookie, i’m more into hot chocolate chip cookies fresh out of the over with a cold glass of milk! However, the flavors involved in a Snickerdoodle (cinnamon & sugar) make for an excellent cup of tea. Not only is this warm, cinnamon-sugary, and comforting but there is an actual “cookie” flavor to the cup. The Honeybush/Rooibos blend is subtle and smooth so if you tend to dislike rooibos you should still give this one a try!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush/Rooibos
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available. Click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Root Beer Float from The NecessiTeas. . . .
When I cracked open this tea tin and smelled the creamy vanilla and root beer flavors, I knew there was only one way to try this tea…as a latte. That is how I have enjoyed all my root beer float teas from the various companies that have made them. This prep method helps sell the float element by boosting the vanilla creaminess.
This particular tea is delightfully creamy as a latte, starting the sip with a silky vanilla bean ice cream sort of flavor. The rooibos is strong so the middle of the sip is all base but that gives way to the familiar root beer flavor. Given the strong smell, I was surprised when that flavor was rather mellow. I want more root beer. Lots MORE! Yet I can’t be too mad because the lingering note is a slight hint of marshmallow.
Given I had a whole tin of this tea and the mouthwatering root beer scent, I thought this might also make for a good iced tea. It definitely has a sarsaparilla taste but that is equally matched by the base, which is a little bit woody and a little bit honey. It is nice enough but I think I would stick to making this as a latte.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
This blend will take you back to your childhood days, sitting on the porch, sippin’ on those old fashioned root beer floats. Add a touch of sugar and splash of milk and you will swear you were drinking the real thing! Perfect hot or poured over ice and naturally caffeine free!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
