Tea has often been a solitary experience for me. It’s an opportunity for me to get lost in a cuppa, explore the aroma of the blend, and let the heat of the fresh brew melt away my thoughts. There are opportunities that allow tea to be communal in my life and I had that opportunity recently with a friend. One of my husband’s childhood friends is Korean and grew up with tea as a strong part of his daily routine. I had the opportunity to share Sir Rhuberry Oolongbottom from Blend Bee with him. This tea had a sweet aroma that reminded me of a berry, but I couldn’t place which berry to save my life! I even had other people smell the tea and try to guess the berry – with no luck. Thankfully, Blend Bee’s website let me know that this blend features strawberry! I’m typically hesitant with berry or fruit based blends as there is a distinct possibility the fruit will overpower the tea, but with this blend, the mix of oolong to strawberry is blended perfectly.
Once brewed, this tea presented an aromatic profile like a black tea, and created a lovely rose color in the cup. We drank this tea without cream or sugar so that we could truly enjoy the flavor profile of this tea. Overall, I think that this is one of the better oolong blends that I’ve tried. My husband’s friend had multiple cups; since he grew up with oolong, I think it’s safe to say that he like it as well. Anytime tea can be a communal event, let it! This tea is perfect for a relaxed morning or an afternoon moment. For lovers of black tea, this is a great tea to try in order to expand your palate!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Juicy and refreshing, this blend has just a hint of sweetness and is rounded out with bold red fruit flavors. You will long for Sir Rhuberry Oolongbottom.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemon-Lime Meringue Kukicha Green Tea from 52Teas. . .
I was having a pleasant morning, sipping on this Lemon-Lime Meringue Kukicha Green Tea and eating my breakfast. Things were going well until my two dogs decided to fight over a cookie under my chair. When we pulled them apart, one had a bloody nose and we didn’t realize right away so blood got everywhere, especially when she started sneezing causing splatters on the walls, floor, and even my sister and her husband. She was totally fine but it looked like a tiny murder happened in our house so this tea got put aside for a bit while we attended to the literal dog fight and cleaning up the aftermath.
Getting back to the tea it was still a touch warm and luckily the flavors didn’t seem to change that much from the hotter cup I was drinking prior to the chaos, as some teas tend to do when they cool. I think this is my first Kukicha green tea and it looked like it may have been particularly herbal tasting (between the kukicha and lemongrass) but that wasn’t the case thankfully. This has a real sweet and fluffy quality to it that when combined with the vanilla bean definitely helps sell the meringue. Complimentary to that is the creamy citrus notes of the lemon-lime which makes for a nice dessert tea.
This is a great little bright tea. The flavors are sweet and yet bright and refreshing. It could be a good afternoon treat or like I said before, a nice choice for dessert after dinner. Another hit for 52 Teas!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is not available right now but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Coconut Lychee from The NecessiTeas. . . .
Hello coconut and lychee. Definitely some great summer flavors, all atop a light white base. who wouldn’t love a pop of sunshine in their day? .
I enjoy both coconut and lychee and though I have not seen them together often, I can see them blending really well. Unfortunately, this wasn’t around when I placed my Necessiteas order last fall because I probably would have snatched this up quick. Luckily for me, there was a small sample lingering in a traveling teabox that came my way.
Comprised of white tea, organic coconut, safflower petals, goji berries and natural and organic flavors, the dry leaf not only smells delightfully of fruity coconut but looks quite lovely too. Steeped for 3 minutes at 185 degrees, I am left with a cup of tea radiating the smell of coconut throughout my kitchen.
Given the scent, it is no wonder that coconut is the strongest flavor component here. Thick and creamy and fresh, reminiscent of the white flesh of the nut itself. The base is a bit floral which ties in nicely to the coconut while helping to create the lychee taste. It is very nice but the tea itself is heavier than I anticipated in the sense that the mouthfeel is quite dense for a tea you would expect to be light and summery. I blame the coconut but I also don’t mind so much.
I enjoyed my sample of this blend but I don’t know how often I could reach for it before I grew tired. It certainly is nice every now and then but it’s potent and therefore I think this can get old quick.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
I have a feeling fresh lychees are near impossible to find for about 99% of us, so…. for all of those who have never tasted a lychee, this tea is for you. Lychees are, however, very tasty. They are sweet and a bit floral, and they pair extremely well with coconut and that’s exactly what I’ve done with this blend. For something extra fun, try this tea iced with a splash of rum.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cucumber Mint Limeade White Tea from 52Teas. . . .
White teas and I have been best friends as of late. And this tea is the reason why.
I love the fresh flavors that a lime can bring to a beverage or really food in general. Add in the refreshing flavors of mint, crisp notes of cucumber, and soft subtle floral base of a white tea, and you have yourself a tea to remember.
Because this is a white flavored tea, I prepped this tea up at 170F and allowed to steep for about 4 minutes. After that, I allowed the tea to cool for a few minutes, allowing the flavors to settle in. The first flavor you really get from this tea is the spearmint. Refreshing and cooling. A lovely burst of minty freshness without being too overpowering.
After the initial mint blast, the other flavors start to take shape. I can’t say that I can pinpoint the cucumber but I can pick up the limeade and base white tea flavors and that combination is insanely delicious. Such a bright and vibrant blend of flavors. Almost like a mug of sunshine waiting for you to indulge in. I personally can’t get enough of the lime and spearmint flavor combo with a white tea twist added in for good measure.
This tea is hands down one of the best takes on a limeade tea that I’ve had. And I’ve tried several. This is one of those teas that I have literally emailed 52Teas to ask how much inventory do they have left so I can gobble up the remaining pouches. Luckily for me, 52Teas was able to come up with a few more pouches for me to enjoy but I will sadly be finished with those shortly.
Because that is the heart breaker of it all with falling in love with a tea from 52Teas. I fell in love with this tea from the first to final sip of each cuppa. And sadly, unless I beg our friend Anne to re blend the tea or she happens to re blend the tea, this tea will always be in my heart but that will be it.
Let’s cross our fingers for a reblend because this is just the sort of tea that will help with those winter time blues!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peach Crostata from a Quarter to Tea
What is a crostata? Apparently, it is a type of tart or pie, or it might even include a crumble-like dessert. Either way, imagine buttery crust, sugar and spice, and plenty of fruit. This tea blend looks to capture the the essence of a peach crostata, with sweet stone fruit and warm pastry.
The tea leaves are yunnan black tea, but they were so tightly rolled I almost mistook them for oolong leaves. Brewing this blend, the tea is dark and rich and brews up quickly. Both the dry leaves and the hot tea are very fragrant with natural peach flavor.
When taking my first sip, my nose is full of fruity peach, but the brew is much more robust. The taste of the tea has more roasty, caramel notes than it does fruit, and its boldness overshadows the peach. The tea is smooth at first, finishing with a tart, mineral dryness in the aftertaste. It’s possible the boldness of the tea has to do with my brewing techniques, so I would brew this a little cooler and shorter next time. I found that adding milk helped make the brew more gentle, which brought out the best of the peach notes.
Even if this wasn’t my favorite tea lately, I’ve had other blend from a Quarter to Tea that I absolutely loved, like their Carrot Cake or Peeps Krispies genmai cha teas. Give any of their flavors a try for a quality brew.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter to Tea
Description:
A take on a late medieval version of a peach crostata, with warming spices and a rich peach flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
