I discovered TeaTaxi over a year ago while sitting in a class and scrolling through Instagram. Flavor after flavor popped up on various tea blog accounts and I was intrigued since, much like DAVIDsTEA, TeaTaxi offered a great deal of unique and exciting flavors. I explored their website and thanks to their sampler packs and discounted tea tins, I was able to try a large variety of their offerings for a relatively inexpensive cost. I bought about 25 different teas and could not be happier when my order arrived.
This tea, Iced Kiss, was the first tea I tried from that order. That means it was the first TeaTaxi tea I ever tried. I recall enjoying it a great deal but that could have been due to my excitement over something new, tricking me into thinking the tea was better than it was.
I continued to try the teas from that order and most were enjoyable enough. As a result, when TeaTaxi introduced their monthly subscription, I signed up immediately for a one-year subscription. Among the latest delivery was a sample of this tea again. I saw it as a chance to revisit an old friend and see if it was as good as I remembered, or if my first taste excitement tricked me into enjoying the tea more than I would have otherwise.
Given this is called ICED Kiss, I brewed this up as an iced tea. It steeps up a pretty light pink with a little bit of fruit dust floating in the mix. The flavor, though not the WOW drink I remember it being, is a pleasant balance of fruits. A little waxy at times but I get apple notes, pear notes, and strawberry all at once. The nice thing here is the hibiscus. I find all too often that it either takes over with its hibby tartness or that it gets omitted entirely and the resulting fruit tisane is over-the-top cloying. Here there is just enough hibiscus to temper the fruity sweetness without making this tart.
If I am being honest, this tea makes me think of a children’s juicebox – fruity and flavorful yet not entirely natural tasting. As far as fruit tisanes go, this is a middle-of-the-pack sort of beverage that I could either take or leave. I am not running to get more but I also would not turn away more if offered.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: Tea Taxi
Description
A delectable infusion of apple pieces, pear pieces, freeze-dried strawberries and hibiscus blossoms. Its fruity and sensual fragrance will make your kisser irresistible!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Malibu by Bruu Tea
Hello tea friends!
This comes straight from the Bruu Tea Club box from February. It isn’t available to buy on the website but it may in the near future.
The information card from the box mentioned this blend has a Pina Colada charm to it.
Ingredients: Apple, Rosehip, Pineapple, Coconut and Hibiscus.
Opening the packet I am met with a sweet fruit melody that screamed tropical punch as it filled my nostrils. It also had a creamy scent among the sweet and juicy fruit. In terms of blend the pieces are mostly medium sized.
Steeping Instructions: 1tsp – 100C – 6 minutes
Once steeped the tea is red in colour and bares a super tropical fruity scent with a touch of sourness.
The first few sips reveal an insanely sweet and fruity drink with a sour aftertaste. Pineapple and coconut were the dominant fruit flavours and the hibiscus lingered in the after taste with a touch of dryness.
It’s only a fruit blend but it’s very tasty, much stronger than I expected. Though sour, the hibiscus is acceptable and it dies down quickly. I think this would be nice mixed with a mild green tea.
It may not be Pina Colada but it’s tropical and tasty!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Bruu Tea
(This is not currently for sale)
Description: A dreamy fruit tea with lashings of coconut. Works great on its own, blended or as an ice tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Spiced Apple Tisane from DAVIDsTEA
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Tea Description:
What does comfort mean to you? It might be a favourite sweater, an old family recipe or a perfect cup of tea. For us, it’s all about capturing warm and cozy flavours – like this sweet and spicy blend of apple, figs and chai spices. Laced with cinnamon and star anise, it brings back memories of apple picking, piping hot cider and fresh-from-the-oven pies. Basically, it’s like a hug in a cup. And whether you pair it with a good book or some great company, we guarantee it’s as comforting as it gets.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Spiced Apple was DAVIDsTEA’s September Tea of The Month though from the looks of it this tisane could seamlessly blend in with the Fall Collection. As it stands, every season is seems like DT finds a way to incorporate yet another new apple tea into the mix (this season Honeycrisp Apple). Personally, I feel like that’s a played out idea and each new one that they come up with excites me less and less. This season in particular feels especially saturated; but nonetheless here I am trying this newest tea regardless so I suppose I can’t complain too much.
Dry; this tisane smells more like those little cinnamon heart Valentine’s candies to me more than anything else – but I get apple too; it’s like some kind of mulled cider but heavy on the cinnamon. I wish I could smell the clove more. I can tell it’s gonna be sweet; star anise kind of instantly does that to tea. Now to try the hot brew.
Oh! Instant cinnamon hearts. Now that I’ve gone there mentally it’s hard to taste something else. With the level of anise-y sweetness and concentrated cinnamon (but not hot or dry cinnamon) you’d expect the liquor to look as bright, vibrant red as those little candies leave your tongue looking. I can taste clove, but it’s secondary to cinnamon and by quite a lot. The more I’m drinking, the more I taste the other components of the tea: apple, anise, and sort of a cardamom note too. I’m not really getting and distinctly fig tasting notes, and lowkey that’s what sold me on this tea in the first place.
I have to say, it started out alright but the flavour of both the ‘cinnamon hearts’ and apple cider really builds as my mug gets emptier and by the time I was on the last few sips I was already sick of this tea: it gets very cloyingly sweet despite having spicy elements working against that. I could never justify adding sweetener to this. I’m wondering how to best finish off the sample I got – currently I’m leaning towards cold brewing because that’s just what I do. My theory is that cold brewing would balance the flavours a little better.
Not bad, though. Certainly worth a try and worth taking the time to tweak it.
Mountain of Mango from Inca Tea
Tea Type:
Fruit Tisane
Where To Buy:
Inca Tea
Product Description:
Mango has always been a favorite fruit of the founder so he decided to add a little twist to the original blend. Its a refreshing blend of mango, sweet herbs, and citrus flavors.
Mango, Purple Corn, Hibiscus Petals, Natural Flavors, Rose Hip Peel and Apple.
Click HERE to learn more about Purple Corn.
Tasters Review:
I have to say upfront I wasn’t overly thrilled about trying this. Two reasons – one – because of the hibiscus…and – two – it’s a fruit tisane. But once I tasted it – my mouth was shut REAL FAST! Here’s why…
Upon steeping this sachet in my hot water – I was excited to see the color form to purple and then change to a wine color. BUT…was it because of the hibiscus or was it because of the purple corn? The jury is still out. The aroma of the post-steeped tisane was a pleasant one. It was was certainly mango!
I feared this tisane would be too hibiscus-intense. I was afraid that it would be way too sweet and tart…but it wasn’t. It was an eye-opening tisane experience that is for sure – but in a good way! It was tasty both hot and cold. The hibiscus that I usually dread was done quite well in this blend of fruit and petals. The apple spoke well with the mango but the mango took front stage, thankfully! As for the purple corn – I’m not sure if it contributed to the over all flavor of this tisane – but just knowing it was there – and knowing the health benefits of Purple Corn was a definite PLUS.
I have to give credit where credit is due – this one really surprised me! The flavors were nicely done and all worked well together! Now I won’t be as hesitant to try the other tisane offerings from Inca Tea.
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!