Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Phoenix Herb Company
Tea Description:
This exotic , refreshing tea won second place in the 2009 World Tea Championship in Las Vegas. This medley of flavorful ingredients is excellent as a sun tea, iced tea, or served hot.
Contains: Black Tea, Oils of pomegranate, huckleberry, lemon
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Pomegranate Splash from Phoenix Herb Company is such a refreshing treat! It reminds me of everything about spring. It has this awakening, light, lovely flavor and aroma, that truly refreshes and makes you feel alive.
So the way I came across this tea and company is that a while back I purchased a Living Social deal. I try to grab up as many of those deals as I can as long as they are tea related. I had never heard of Phoenix Herb Company before but they have more than just tea! They have herbs, incense, essential oils, and so much more! This place is right up my alley! Unfortunately on my three attempts to visit the store itself I had problems. The store is a little over an hour from my home, one way. So I planned to go to the store when I had other events to attend in the area. Well lets just say that each time I missed the boat.
Frustrated and defeated I sat looking at my Living Social print out and decided to just see if Phoenix Herb Company would honor my deal online. So I looked over the site, choose the teas I would like to have, and sent them an email. Within a few hours I had an email from Sean of Phoenix Herb Gallery! He was more than happy to honor my deal online! I of course realized there would be some shipping cost so I only selected teas up to 27.50 dollars leaving a little room toward shipping cost from my 30.00 voucher. Now in retrospect I realize he could have said the voucher does not cover shipping, but he didn’t! For the record I do only live one state away but still – what customer service! Sean also threw in several samples of teas that I had not selected – this is one of those free samples!
I am so thrilled that Sean choose this one for me! I was very tempted to order a few of their flavored and belnded teas but opted for straight teas like Bancha, Sencha, Wu Yi Oolong, etc. When I opened this nice sized sample and sniffed it I said “Ahhhhh” out loud.
The first sip was like drinking in a ray of sunshine! Clean, crisp, refreshing, and fruity! The flavor of Pomegranate is spectacular! There is no artificial flavor here and I am choosey about that! I really was not anticipating having a flavored tea this morning but as I looked through my teas, I kept being drawn to this one and I am so glad I went for it. I have had three cups so far – two being re-steeps and I am finding that the tea is actually making me quite perky and cheerful! There is nothing like a really good cup of fruity flavored tea in the morning. Granted I generally trend more toward straight blacks, with the malty depth and complexity, but it is nice to wake up with a cheerful cleansing tea.
I want to add this is not really a very sweet tea, sure there is some fruity sweetness to it but its not cloying or sappy. It is really rather palate cleansing and the after taste is present but does not linger for too long.
Well I am impressed. Both with this tea and with Phoenix Herb Company! I have made it my personal mission to make it INTO their store one day soon, but until I can, and do, I have plenty of wonderful teas to sip on as their prices are excellent as well.
Cinna*Plum Tea from American Tea Room
Tea Type: Herbal Tisane
Where To Buy: American Tea Room
Product Description:
A delightfully warming organic caffeine free blend of cinnamon, plum, currants and licorice root. The herbal infusion is organic naturally caffeine free. Cinn*Plum is American Tea Room’s Holiday Tea for 2010.
Tasters Review:
Dry Cinna*Plum Tea from American Tea Room smells like Plum and Cinnamon and MAYBE a little licorice – but not too much licorice to the nose.
When I finished infusing this – I saw the color and freaked because I assumed it had Hibiscus in it…BUT…it doesn’t! I give this Extra Points for that on my personal preference meter, indeed!
This was quite smoother than I thought it would be. Don’t get me wrong – I am thankful for that – as I am not overly fond of intense tarty or fruity teas and tisanes, usually!
I could taste Plum and maybe the currants, too…they’re very wine-like. The cinnamon isn’t an intense cinnamon type taste – I can smell it more than taste it…and the licorice is pretty much the same way…together they knock down the tartiness of the fruit and it works out VERY nice!!! This is very warming and comforting and fruity and fun but not overly tart and I like that.
Eventho American Tea Room markets this as their Holiday Tea for 2010 – I think it would be lovely iced, as well!
Blissful Blueberry from Talbott Teas
Tea Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where To Buy: Talbott Teas
Product Description:
Still warm from the sun, the blueberries melt in your mouth with an abundance of fresh-picked flavor. Comforting notes of apple and black currants unfold in this antioxidant-rich herbal blend.
Ingredients
All natural premium ingredients: Blueberry fruit, apple pieces, rosehips, hibiscus, cornflower petals, black currant leaf, natural blueberry and strawberry flavors.
Tasters Review:
The guys over at Talbott Teas are still “on Cloud Nine” from being on Oprah’s Favorite Things Yesterday and here at SororiTEA Sisters we thought we would continue to celebrate with more Talbott Tea Reviews this week!
Today I would like to talk about Blissful Blueberry from Talbott Teas. There are many reasons I would like to chat about this one, actually. One being the name connection…BLISSful. BLISS is not only part of my screen name but also part of my real name and I use that play on words quite a bit. I have a Craft Blog called Blissful Place and it’s located HERE.
I was intrigued by this tisane because of the blueberries, too!
I remember the first time I sampled this tisane from Talbott Teas…I’ll admit…I was afraid! The post infusion color is what ‘got me’. The color was so vibrant I KNEW their was Hibiscus in it and if any of you know me you know my troubled relationship with hibiscus! I was thinking it was going to be Hibiscus and NOTHING else! BUT I was thankfully wrong! This is a wonderful mixture of fruit, folks! Mostly Blueberry BUT the strawberry and apple flavors are noticeable to the tongue as well! It’s quite tart and fruity but mostly from the actual fruit and not as much from the hibiscus. I can tell there is hibiscus in there but not nearly as much as I assumed!
For those who aren’t crazy about Hibiscus – try what I did…under infuse! It does make a difference! AND…I have found this one I enjoy COLD or ICED more than the Hot Cup Equivalent! I really do think it’s the Blueberries! They make this work ICED! It’s VERY Nice!
Just another offering from our friends at Talbott Teas who are still celebrating their products being featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things yesterday! Continued success to you!
April Showers from Element Tea
Tea Type: Herbal Tea
Where To Buy: Element Tea
Product Description:
Bring your passion for tea to the table. This bracingly refreshing tea has been hand-selected for your enjoyment, anytime, day or night.
Brew Time: 7 minutes
Ingredients: Apple Bits, Raisins, Carrot Bits, Beetroot Bits, Candied Pineapple Bits (Pineapple, Sugar), Candied Papaya Bits (Papaya, Sugar), Flavoring, Bamboo Leaves, Lemon Fruit Granulate
Tasters Review:
April Showers from Element Tea smells like Raisins, Carrots, and candy…as I first move it from the envelop and put some in my cup. It’s a bright reddish purple in color. When I saw the color of the liquid I was so afraid – I was thinking there was Hibiscus in it BUT thankfully…there is NO Hibiscus! That’s Beet Root I must be seeing!!!!
My first impression and tasting notes I could taste Carrots and Pineapple, then I can taste sugar or a candied-fruit. Then Lemon…and even some raisin. The after taste is that of Lemon and Apple. Nothing is overpowering and everything is playing nice with each other!
As it cools the carrot, lemon, pineapple, papaya, and candied fruit pop thru a bit more.
Honestly…this is most unusual but I am enjoying this much more that I ever thought I would! If one ingredient is a bit more noticeable than the other ingredients it just might be the carrot but like I said before…nothing is too overpowering.