A few weeks ago, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts (The Sporkful, in case you’re wondering), and host Dan Pashman brought up a coconut milk eggnog drink called Coquito, popular in Puerto Rico.
The way he described this spicy, creamy, coconutty delight gave me insta-cravings, and I immediately started googling for coquito recipes to try on my own. The holiday hustle and bustle and some personal difficulties got in my way, of course, and I promptly forgot about my quest to try this delicious Puerto Rican treat.
So imagine my surprise when I opened my A Quarter to Tea subscription box for December and saw a coquito-inspired white tea sitting right on top! This tea is a delight to look at, with big chunks of dried coconut and heavenly-scented spices throughout the leaf.
Brewed, it’s a beautiful light golden liquor with strong flavors of spiced coconut with a little eggnog undertone. I loved it with a splash of milk to truly impact that creamy, eggnog-y note I was hoping for.
If this tea is anything like true coquito, I’m certain I’d be a fan! Now the real test: can I make this sample last until I finally get off my tush and try brewing up a batch for comparison?
Probably not– it’s that good.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White Tea
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Tea of the Month for December 2016
We’re taking December to dreams of warmer weather all the way to Puerto Rico with our Coquito tea!
Coquito is a spiced coconut drink, that could almost be called coconut eggnog!
Our tea version is sweet and coconut-y, with cinnamon, clove, a touch of ginger with just a hint of tropical fruit lingering in the background.
This tea is limited run, so once it is gone, it’s gone for the season. It is sold only in 0.5oz quantities.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hindbaersnitter Shou Mei from 52Teas. . . . . .
Normally I am not a lover of Shou Mei blends. I find the base can get a little soapy at times. This tea definitely does not have that problem. Instead the base is buttery and maybe a touch floral, which in this case is working with the other flavors in the blend as opposed to working against them like so many other white teas/shou meis I have tried.
The buttery element of the base helps to sell the concept of the pastry notes while the floral notes contribute to the raspberry flavor that really shines. Jammy and bright. On top of all that, there is a sweetness to this tea that can only be reflective of a sugary glaze.
Now I personally have never had a hindbaersnitter, at least not that I can recall, but if this is truly representative of what they taste like, I am sure I would be a fan. Yum!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below to see what teas are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jumpin’ Juniper White Tea from Pekoe Sip House. . . .
My real first name is Jennifer. My husband HATES the song Jennifer Juniper. But it was the first thing that came to mind while sipping on this tea…Jumpin’ Juniper White Tea from Pekoe Sip House. The song association made me chuckle. But the tasty tea made me SMILE!
Jumpin’ Juniper White Tea from Pekoe Sip House has a white tea for the base but also features juniper berries and raisins! I could smell the lovely berries upon opening the package. What a delight! This was also a NICE smelling white tea! It was slightly vegetal on the tongue, too! The herb and berry combination was truly unique. I can’t say as I have tried a tea quite like this before. Jumpin’ Juniper White Tea from Pekoe Sip House was even a little creamy, too! It has a very well rounded flavor!
The YUMS have it! Jumpin’ Juniper White Tea from Pekoe Sip House is a HIT in our house!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White Tea
Where to Buy: Pekoe Sip House
Description
This tea is currently not available but click below for what is!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Whispering Angel White Tea from Lancaster Tea Co. . . .
A co-worker recently visited Lancaster, PA, and she brought me a sample of this lovely tea. The town of Lancaster is famous for having a strong Amish community, beautiful farm land, and unique stores offering everything from handmade quilts to shoofly pie (yes, it’s a real thing!). It’s also the home of the Lancaster Tea Company who blend their teas in small batches and have created a winner with their Whispering Angel Tea.
The tea has the creamy, buttery taste of white chocolate and a very slight floral note. I found the white chocolate flavor to be accurate, and even though I’m not a huge white chocolate fan I though it was downright tasty in this tea. Whispering Angel is incredibly flavorful while still having the delicate, sweet flavors that white teas offer. In fact, the tea has enough sweetness on its own that I didn’t find sugar necessary. That said, if you want an excellent dessert tea just add a touch of sugar to your cup. I’d hold off on the cream though. It would drown out the softer flavors of the white tea.
When preparing this tea I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of tea for my 8 oz. cup with 160° F water and steeped the tea for 4 minutes.Once steeped there is an oily film on top of the tea from the oils used to flavor the leaves. This didn’t bother me or distract me fro the tea itself. As I said before, I didn’t sweeten my cup, but I can see how the addition of sugar could make this a knock out dessert tea.
Obviously I am a fan of this tea. I think good flavored white teas are hard to come by, and Lancaster Tea Company has created a gem in White Angel. If you are a fan of dessert teas, chocolate teas, or white teas with a twist then I suggest giving White Angel White Tea a try.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored White Tea
Where to Buy: Lancaster Tea Co.
Description
White chocolate paired with white tea.
Loose tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Glazed Cranberry Scone from The NecessiTeas
I decided to splurge and treat myself to all the delectable offerings from The NecessiTeas. I was so excited for this package to arrive that I monitored the tracking like a hawk (sort of the adult equivalent of a child sitting by the door waiting for their present or friend to arrive…I did that too). I certainly was confused when I watched USPS take this from facility to facility in Utah then take it all the way to San Francisco, up through Vancouver and then finally to me in Toronto. My family drives to Florida yearly and we pass through Utah so I am not quite sure why this package did some travelling to the West Coast before appearing at my door, but I suppose that is life. Also, I was pretty shocked that not only was this delivered on a Sunday but it was delivered in the midst of a snowstorm and just left on my front step. I found it 12 hours later under a pile of snow when I checked the tracking at midnight and saw it was delivered.
Since it was a little too late to start making tea by the time I brought this in, wiped it clean, and inventoried my teas, I went to bed excited for my first cup in the morning. When morning came and with so many options in front of me, I was overwhelmed with choices and in the end opted for this tea since it seemed like a good option for breakfast time.
In university, my roommate and I actually used to make orange glazed cranberry scones and I am happy to report that this tea is reminiscent of those delicious treats. The first thing I noticed was the orange. Bright and zesty with an unmistakable icing smoothness. Underneath that is a slight tartness from the cranberry while the base provides a fullness and the buttery pastry notes needed to sell the notion of a scone. Every component of this tea’s namesake is represented in some way and they work together perfectly to sell the notion of an orange glazed cranberry scone.
This is definitely a great introduction to The NecessiTeas, now here’s hoping that the other blends are of the same caliber as this one.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored White Tea
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Whole dried cranberries bursting with tart flavor and pieces of flavorful sweet orange peel dot these white tea leaves with colorful and tasty accents. Brown sugar is combined with the creamy flavor of scones topped with clotted cream. Pouring a hot, steamy cup is like taking a bite into fresh-baked from the oven scones.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
