Madagascar Vanilla/Golden Moon

When you have a rare, quiet morning to yourself, what tea do you choose to be your companion? Golden Moon’s Madagascar Vanilla is my choice today because I need something that has the chops to follow up waffles and maple syrup.

This vanilla can’t go wrong, with the vanilla taste coming from real Madagascar bourbon vanilla beans and not some mysterious dark liquid that knows beakers better than plants.

I am usually very sensitive digestion-wise to teas that are not from China, but this Indian base sits right with me. It has hearty breakfast tea flavor without the gut twisting bitterness that demands milk to tame it and sugar to tone it down. It has the light, tongue scraping sensation of gentle briskness and a touch of malt. I happily drink this sans additions.

This is vanilla tea for grownups, not a kiddie vanilla. I serve it morning and afternoon, because it does hold up well with a meal or with rich sweets. It is also a good fortifying cup. The hearty base makes it so versatile.

I can’t help but be impressed when I look at their website and see the pains they have taken to assure that the tea that comes to us is as pure as they can possibly make it. But it has to taste good, too! And this one definitely does.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black
Where to Buy:  Golden Moon
Description

There’s vanilla, and then there is vanilla. Sometimes “vanilla” is poured out of a small, dark bottle into your favorite boxed cake mix. That stuff is like that “iPod” you bought in Chinatown. Sure it may work, but it really isn’t the same. Our vanilla is straight from the vanilla bean. Not just any bean, but the world famous bourbon vanilla bean found in Madagascar. We chop up the beans, blend them with a pure, organic Indian tea base and let it age for over a month. Why? Because Madagascar Vanilla ends up having a fully infused, rich flavor with no weird chemical aftertaste. Sure it is a lot of trouble for us to make this tea, but it’s well worth it.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Vanilla Mint from Golden Moon. . . .

Vanilla and mint teas are an awesome combination. There are so many options out there and typically they utilize peppermint to mix with a vanilla black tea. Vanilla Mint by Golden Moon Tea is a little different since they use a black/green base with vanilla bean and spearmint.

I brewed this as a latte because vanilla mint lattes are awesome. This is no exception. The creaminess of the milk brings out the silky vanilla bean flavor. That makes it the flavor you notice first, though it slowly melts to a clear mint flavor. The mint lingers in the aftertaste and leaves you with a bright and fresh feeling.The base teas act as a solid foundation for the flavoring but don’t impart much of a taste themselves.

This is a nice take on a vanilla mint tea. At the end of the day it is not so different from other interpretations that I need to go out of my way to get it over other variations. However, it made for a nice latte this morning and at the end of the day, that’s all I could ask for.


Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Golden Moon Tea
Description

While this combination of flavors seems a bit out of the ordinary, trust us when we say it just works. In fact, this tea was invented when our Owner was on a “business trip” to Vienna, Austria. After having a really rough day of going to the Vienna Opera House, he stopped by a café for some of their renowned apple tarts with a thick vanilla cream called shlag. Noticing that the locals add the cream to their coffee, he decided to do the same to the mint tea he was drinking. And guess what? It was delicious. The creamy vanilla tempered the sharp mint and the two flavors melded almost perfectly. So, this is our version of this Viennese combination that is rich, sweet, and utterly refreshing.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!