I never got into the whole candy apple thing. I can recall eating one in my life with a friend at Canada’s Wonderland. I blame braces. Candy apples are like the number one item on the “do not eat” list for those with braces. That and mostly I enjoyed chocolate covered or caramel apples. However, when I saw this Candy Apple tea by Tickled Tea (made with Fair Trade Chinese green tea, apple pieces, cinnamon bark, rose hips, beet root, and artificial flavoring), I was intrigued.
I brewed this both hot and iced. Both were steeped for approximately 3 minutes in 185F water.
Hot, this tea does have a sweet apple flavor. The chinese green tea is more roasty than vegetal and provides the base layer of flavor. To me this is a little weird because it gives it more of a Fall/Winter vibe than a light Spring/Summer vibe that you’d expect with a candy apple tea. Once you get past that though you get a whole lot of baked apple flavor with a nice sweetness. Between the base tea, the cinnamon, and the baked good vibe, I would say this is more baked apple than candy apple, at least when it comes to the hot tea.
Iced this is a lot lighter than the hot tea but unfortunately a lot more vegetal. There is a candy apply flavor but it tastes a bit like a candy apple that was dropped in the grass. Not really what I was hoping for if I am being honest.
So I definitely prefer this hot over iced and though it was enjoyable, it’s more baked apple than candy apple. Not bad but not what the name promises either.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tickled Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for green teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jasmine Creme Brulee from DAVIDs Tea. . . .
Picture this: young tea reviewer-Mary, at a fancy lunch with her dad, celebrating her 16th birthday. Side note: my parents often took us out for special one-on-one time (hello, life with siblings), especially around our birthdays– but this year was a special one, so my dad pulled out all the stops. After a particularly decadent dinner, my dad insisted we order some dessert. Who was 16-year-old-I to say no? Faced with a delicious decision, I decided to go rouge– crème brulee, a dessert I’d never tried before. All I knew was this: it looked delicious, and had some serious bonus-fun in the form of crackling that burnt-sugar topping before diving in. Sugar AND an activity? Count me in?
Needless to say, ever since that first burnt-sugar-crack, I’ve been a fan of crème brulee. So of course, when I saw this latest offering from David’s Tea, I knew this one was coming home with me. This green tea boasts creamy, burnt-sugar-and-vanilla flavors, with just a hint of floral jasmine on the side. Brewed up solo, it’s delightful– but definitely leans more heavily on those floral notes. I was looking for something creamier, something more reminiscent of the fancy-dessert-nostalgia of my youth. With juuuuust a tiny, tiny touch of honey and a splash of steamed coconut milk on top, this one transforms from creamy floral green tea to magical, burnt-sugar-esque crème-brulee-in-a-cup. In fact, I’m not sure how they manage to perfectly capture that slightly toasty creamy note (almost like a genmaicha, but without a bit of toasted-rice in sight) through flavor alone, but I love it. This is one I’ll be brewing up to share with my dad, for sure.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
Meet our newest obsession: the crème brulée. French for “burnt cream,” this rich and creamy dessert is famous for its silky custard base and crunchy toffee crust. This decadent green tea captures all the vanilla-cream sweetness of a classic crème brulée – with a pop of jasmine for a light floral touch. It’s satisfying, sophisticated and downright addictive.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Drop That Sweet Beet from Steeped Tea. . . .
I’ve had this one in my stash for a while and after one sip I wondered why it took me so long to jump into a cup of it. Drop That Sweet Beet by Steeped Tea is a Green Tea with plenty of other ingredients coming to the party.
Green Tea, Sultanas, Almond Bits, Apple Bits, Date Bits, Beetroot Bits, Rose Blossom Leaves, are what make up this cup!
Upon opening the package this smells like pure candy…sugary, sweet, and berry-like. Once infused it smelled more like a fruit juice or juicy wine. The beetroot certainly played the main part in contribution to the color of the tea water. The dates added a nice sweetness but also a contrast to the other fruits in this cuppa.
There is a slight spice on the end sip especially if you drink this as an iced tea. Both a hot cuppa and an iced cuppa are stellar with this tea! I can’t choose which one I enjoy more.
This is a very nicely flavored green tea with plenty of surprises in each sip. And a great way to incorporate beets and dates in a flavored tea. Two thumbs up from me on this one!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Green tea, Sultanas, Almond bits, Apple bits, Date bits, Beetroot bits, Rose petals, Natural flavors. Contains: Almonds. May contain other tree nuts. Naturally contains caffeine.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Easter Egg Nests from Bluebird Tea Co.
I had to try Easter Egg Nests blend from Bluebird Tea Company as soon as I heard about it: marshmallows, puffed rice, cacao shells? It’s the dessert tea of my dreams! This blend is based on an Easter dessert of rice krispie treats with chocolate, shaped like bird’s nests with a few mini chocolate eggs or marshmallow peeps for good measure.
Springtime and puffed rice or marshmallow teas are all the rage. There are lots of sweet and festive peeps-inspired teas available this time of year. This blend from Bluebird Tea Co. is a slight rarity, in that it is a puffed rice tea with a half black tea half green tea base instead of the full green tea base more traditionally found in genmai cha.
This tea tastes like equal parts marshmallowy rice krispie treat and sweet and creamy milk chocolate. The natural nuttiness of the cacao shells is a perfect match for the toasty puffed rice, and I’m glad for the bolder black tea to provide a solid base for all these delightful dessert flavors. I love this tea just as it is, without sugar or milk; it has a tasty balance of starchy rice with smooth vanilla that isn’t overwhelmingly sweet, like salted caramels.
However, I’ve seen some amazing pictures of this tea as a latte, complete with whipped cream and Easter candy and that might just have to be my next dessert concoction! Happy Spring!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black tea and Green tea
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Description:
The best Easter treats to make as kids: crispy, gooey, chocolatey, goodness! Whether you decorate with chocolate eggs or fluffy chicks we’re all fond of a home-made Easter Egg Crispy Nest (or two!). That’s why our limited edition Easter tea blend is packed with crispy toasted rice, chocolate pieces and (vegan) marshmallows!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Banana Zomba from 52Teas. . . . .
Continuing on with my birthday reviews, I thought I’d finally sit down and write a review on this beauty-Banana Zomba from 52Teas.
It’s no secret. We love our Anne and her masterfully crafted tea creations. Not just because she is one of our co-founders, but because of the quality and passion she brings with each blend she creates. Her and I have had some amazing tea chats regarding tea and you would be hard press to find anybody with more love for the tea community.
I have always loved 52Teas Blackberry Zomba and the tea is a staple in my tea stash. Brewed hot or cold brewed, this tea never disappoints. I’ve served this tea at many a baby and bridal shower -more than any other blend I have and we always run out. So whenever I see Zomba in the tea blend title, I know its going to be a winner. Add in banana chips and flavoring. . . I’m all in.
This tea brewed up at 190F and brewed for 3 minutes yields an amazing rich brew. Fresh crisp green sweet yet vegetal notes combine beautifully with the banana, almost to the point that I might have to say, this tea is heavenly.
Even though this tea has banana flavoring, the real star is the Zomba green tea base that I have grow to adore, love, and gobble. Sweet, rich, silky, with a simple yet long serving flavor.
A perfect tea to cold brew or enjoy a few hot cuppas, this tea has my heart and even though it is sold out and we probably won’t see this blend again, I’m happy to say I was able to enjoy some soul soothing gorgeous cups while I had this tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
