These Lupicia teabags are wrapped in the most adorably festive wrappers. Little animals partaking in in Christmas festivities adorn each bag and it is delightful.
What is not so delightful? The chemical sent of this Soleil Levant tea bag when I removed it from its packaging. Unfortunately that chemical scent carries over to the steeped tea as well.
Drinking the tea, I get a muscat flavor first and foremost from the white grapes. That mixes with a pithy citrus which ties in to a bitterness that underlies the whole sip.
I think this tea shows potential but using the suggested brewing parameters of steeping the bag for 1 min in 90C water may have burnt the green base. That would explain the bitterness.
As it is, I am not a fan of this cup but if I had more than just the one teabag I would try brewing this in lower temperature water to see if that brings out more of the flavor and less of the bitter.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Description
This tea is currently not available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Rainbow Sherbet from The NecessiTeas. . . . .
In my early tween years, I was lucky enough to have one of my best friends living right down the block. With our minor amounts of freedom (given our newly advanced age of 12), we were able to bike around our neighborhood to our hearts’ content, and often snuck a few extra blocks in to get to the local general shop just around the corner. Our favorite treats to stock up on? Big League Chew, and Mambos, of course– and one time, when we were feeling really adventurous: rainbow sherbet.
Now, let me paint you a little picture real quick: here we were, 12 years old, a half a mile from our homes on a hot day with nothing but a backpack and our bikes, stocking up on candy and very-meltable ice cream. I don’t know why we were so stricken with this sudden craving, but we HAD to have sherbet. So we bought ourselves a half gallon, shoved it in our backpacks, and raced against the clock to bike it back home before it melted and got everywhere. Honestly, I can’t remember its state by the time we made it home, but I can remember the exact feeling of the ferocity of biking like you were carrying a melting Hope Diamond in your backpack. Intense.
So when I saw this rainbow sherbet tea from The Necessiteas waiting for me in my most recent sample stash, I was over the moon. “Rainbow sherbet?!” I thought. “My favorite! And it won’t even melt on me! SWEET.” (I may be almost 30, but I have the mindset of a 12-year-old sherbet smuggler deep within me still, apparently.) I threw this one on ice, hoping to replicate those sweet, fruity, creamy flavors I love so much. The verdict? It was a really good green iced tea. But was it totally sherbet-esqe? Not entirely. I enjoyed this one a lot, ad will definitely sip it again, but I have such a specific flavor-memory of rainbow sherbet that anything that doesn’t entirely hit it on the nose is going to be a little bit of a disappointment to me.
Now, if 12-year-old Mary’d had this tea stashed away in her backpack instead of a rapidly-melting frozen treat? She probably would have been a happier, less-sticky camper.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
Real fruit makes this raspberry, orange, and lime sherbet combination a classic treat!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Saffron Kahwa from Tea Trunk . . .
A saffron tea had me intrigued. This is not an ingredient usually used in tea blends so I was interested to see what it contributed. I had no idea what to expect but there is a creaminess here that I am at a loss for where it is coming from (would saffron add creaminess? I think that seems off. Maybe it is the almonds?).
In addition to the saffron and the almonds noted above, this tea boasts a chai tea profile with rose petals. All on a green tea base.
Tea Trunk recommends this as a detox tea, one to be had to cleanse the palate after a heavy meal and I can see why. For a tea composed of so many chai spices usually associated with warmth and fall/winter tea drinking this tea is surprisingly light. Though still spicy and warm. It is an interesting combination.
So this is creamy and spicy but also quite sweet. I’m thinking the almonds are playing a big role here contributing both the creamy and sweet notes and helping support the warmer notes of the spices atop a nutty foundation. In that regard, it probably also creates a bridge between the green base and the other ingredients.
The rose, on the other hand, is pretty hidden in the mix. Perhaps it adds sweetness but there is no floral component here that I can detect.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Tea Trunk
Description
Green tea is infused with saffron strands, cinnamon bark, cloves, ginger, cardamom pods, rose petals and sweet almonds. This luxurious blend is known for it’s detoxfying properties and is rich in antioxidants and nutrients. Wear your invisible tiara/ crown, and sip with regal grace.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
August Peach Green Tea from Simpson and Vail. . . .
Apparently peaches in august are sweeter than other times of the year. I didn’t know this until now. Learn something new everyday, right? I really enjoy the mix of peach flavor and green tea. Theres something really crisp and refreshing about them together that reminds me of springtime air. This tea in particular tastes just like spring, to me.
There are two peach teas that are my favorite right now, both of them come from Anne’s brilliant blends over at 52 Teas- Peach Cardamom Green Tea and Peach Cheesecake Honeybush. Both of them are just sensational. Unfortunately all of 52 Teas’ are limited edition and you have to act fast before they are gone (re-blend! re-blend! re-blend!). So, I have been on the hunt for a good peach flavored replacement. This August Peach Green Tea sounded like it had potential. According to Simpson and Vail, in Vietnam peaches are an indicator of the coming of spring and symbolize peace and happiness. Apparently, peaches that are grown later in the season have a sweeter and more delicate flavor.
My first recognition when I examined the dry leaf was that it didn’t include chunks of peaches. While I realize that most flavor actually comes from flavoring opposed to dried fruits, I still like to see them in my blends. Anyways, I moved forward and brewed myself a cup. I wasn’t getting an overwhelming peach scent. I mostly could just smell the green tea with maybe a hint of peach if you’re looking for it. I’m not sure if I would say that the taste was overwhelmingly peachy either…but that’s not to say that this isn’t good. The first flavor I noticed was the green tea- buttery, grassy, and crisp. Next was the agave I added to the cup. Last was the peach. Even though peach was the last flavor I detected, it was so spot on! The aftertaste of this tea left me feeling as if I had just taken a bite out of a fresh peach! The flavor was so realistic and fresh, I really enjoyed it. This is a light tea and it would be fantastic iced in the middle of summer. I enjoyed the flavors of the green tea mingling with the fresh August peach flavor. Although I don’t think that this beat my other favorite peach teas, it definitely is at the top of my list! A total must try if you like peach and definitely if you like green tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Peaches are from a deciduous tree that is native to China. Cultivation spread throughout the world and today major supplies of peaches come from America, China, Italy and Greece. Peaches and peach trees have long histories of symbolism in Asia; in China, peaches are considered a symbol of long life, in Korea they are considered symbols for happiness, wealth and longevity and in Vietnam peaches herald Spring and symbolize peace and happiness.
Peaches have a delicate, intoxicating aroma and a heavenly taste. The peaches grown later in the season, in August and September, have a sweeter more delicate peach taste. This green tea blend has the underlying taste of a sweet, Chinese green with the refreshing taste of sweet peaches. Summer tastes all in one cup!
Ingredients: Green tea, marigold petals and sweet august peach flavoring.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tea with Popcorn? Oh yes please! #DAVIDsTea
Growing up in my house, popcorn was revered. It was The Ultimate Snack. I have the fondest, most sensory-specific memories of helping my mom toss kernels into the hot stir crazy machine, watching them circle around in sizzling oil until they were all popped and fluffy. We’d flip the machine upside down into its handy attached-bowl, and when we REALLY wanted a treat, we’d smother it in melted butter and big flakes of crunchy salt. HALLELUJAH.
Or when we’d travel to my family’s cottage up north, we’d swing by the upstate Piggly Wiggly to pick out our traditional Midwestern-cabin-snack-food of mini cereal boxes (not having to share Lucky Charms with my sister was the ultimate luxury) and– you guessed it– Jiffy Pop. And of course, there would be an all-out throwdown over who got to be the one to vigorously shake it over a fire until the pan was unnaturally puffed and full of oily, salty, puffy goodness.
All of this to say? I know my popcorn, you guys.
So I’ve been eyeing this selection from David’s Tea for a long time, but abstaining– what if it didn’t meet my strict popcorn-sommelier standards? Finally I had a free tea reward and decided to take the plunge. And– spoiler alert– I’m so glad I did! First things first, this tea SMELLS divine. Like roasty, toasty, buttery popcorn, with just a touch of that kettle corn sweetness. The internet tells me that this tea is a green with apple bits, popped corn and a touch of maple. Now, I’d be hard-pressed to believe you on the “green” thing until it’s actually brewed– the bag mostly looks like apple chunks and popcorn pieces, but sure enough, the leaves emerge as you steep. Brewed, the flavors really come out. A touch of honey helps the popcorn flavor emerge even further, though it doesn’t necessarily make it all the more sweet. I get a little vanilla, a little apple, a little green and a hint of maple– and while the popcorn flavor isn’t overwhelmingly there, that roasty, buttery flavor is predominant, and that’s good enough for me. I might not be making popcorn daily with my mom anymore, but this tea is the perfect replacement for that salty nighttime ritual. Just don’t make me share any with my sister.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTea
Description
This blockbuster blend mixes green tea with apple and real popcorn.