I drank three cups of this before I wrote this review because I read that there were chocolate/cocoa nibs in here — but I could never find them. I’ve never given up on locating Waldo, so I don’t know why I’d quit on this tea.
But friends, despite the delicious chocolate smell in the dry leaf, I cannot pinpoint any chocolate flavoring in this tea.
Which is not to say the tea is bad. It’s a lovely Assam-y bread-y malt-y mix. A dark blend of sultry Eastern European men telling fortunes and learning to box. Like, if the Winter Soldier were a tea, this might be the one.
The caffeine content is no joke. I could actually feel my brain rousing itself. “AHA. THE DAY. GOT IT. ON IT NOW.”
It’s weird that wake-up juice comes from natural sources like tea leaves. Doesn’t caffeine seem like something that would have come from a lab, like some kind of drug? You could imagine some sort of mad scientist raging “LIKE GARFIELD, I HATE MONDAYS. I MUST IMPROVE MY LOT.” And storming around, lab coat flapping behind his frenzied, sweaty body, as he crafted a glowing substance that looks a lot like alien pee and/or Mountain Dew.
Nope? Just me?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
If you are looking for a wake-me-up, perk-me-up cup in the morning, that’s off the beaten path of coffee, look no further. This strong black tea has the smoothness of chocolate, and the boldness of roasted cocoa beans. Doctor it as you would a cup of coffee, with milk and sugar to start off your day!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Coconut French Toast with Cardamom Maple Syrup from 52Teas. . . .
French Toast Tea. I’ve had a few. The ones I have tried I have adored. More than one of the French Toast flavored teas have been from 52 Teas whom I also adore. Today I want to tell you about Coconut French Toast with Cardamom Maple Syrup from 52 Teas.
The name in itself is a thinker. Coconut French Toast with Cardamom Maple Syrup. My dyslexic brain converted the name to Coconut French Toast Cardamom with Maple Syrup. Either would have worked, I suppose. But I guess the Maple Syrup was Cardamom Flavored and not necessarily the French Toast.
Regardless – this was wonderful. And it didn’t stay in my stash for long. Just a few short days, actually.
The black tea base was on the stronger side. There was a pretty spot-on liking to a French Toast flavor that is for sure. The Cardamom was present and pleasing. The Maple Syrup sweetness was subtle but true. The coconut added to the overall sweetness but also provided a separate and stand alone sweetness standing beside the sweetness of the Maple Syrup flavor. There is even a speck of cinnamon to top things off!
52 Teas has SURELY done it again with this wonderfully flavored black tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
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!
Hand Blended Almond Flavored Green Tea Treat from Storehouse Tea. . . .
I have tried a lot of teas that are named some variation of sweet almond. It is always a green tea, but they all do not taste the same. Some are very much like marzipan, others are more so the taste of green tea. This one, by Storehouse Teas, is more the latter than the former. Which is good, sometimes you don’t want that overly sweet marzipan taste!
The smell of this sweet almond tea is most definitely sweet almond with slight marzipan. I added just a tad of agave though because on taste, it was not as sweet as it smells. It actually was a really decent green tea, with a prominent green tea taste. Much less marzipan that I would have expected. So, if you’re not usually a fan of marzipan but you want a sweet almond tea, you would enjoy this one.
This definitely has nutty undertones, and they blend really well with the cool and crisp vegetal flavor of the green tea. Its very light, very smooth, and does really well with an addition of addition of agave. The rose petals also add a floral tone that blends well with the other components. I think this is one of my favorite sweet almond green teas that I’ve tried! I really like how its light. I don’t always like when the flavor is light, though, but with this it really works. I would recommend trying if you like green tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Storehouse Tea
Description
This blend of mellow sencha and energizing green yerba mate is a restorative aromatic blend of sweet almonds and coconut. It captivates not only with its striking look, but also with its fragrant aroma and pallet pleasing taste. Sencha and mate are known for their bountiful antioxidants, mood enhancers, energy and aid in weight loss.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Kick Back and Relax with Hammock Blend from Plum Deluxe
Brewed hot, this tea is smooth and bright, with the fullness of black tea and crisp orange, and just enough vanilla to smooth out any astringency. The tea is creamy even without milk and sugar, but not so sweet or over-flavored to come off as artificial orange-creamsicle. In many ways this is definitely still a classic black tea.
With a name like Hammock Blend, this tea is meant to be a cold summer beverage, so I brewed a batch hot with sugar and let it chill. Iced and sweetened, I will say that the sugar complements the orange and cream flavors, though they weren’t any bolder after the iced brewing style. Maybe I’m just a bit out of season for this tea and I’ll have to give it another go when I’m sweltering in July.
Overall the flavors of this tea were a little subtle for my tastes, but would be a great choice for someone looking for a traditional black tea with just a little non-traditional twist. It’s hard to go wrong with a splash of orange and cream.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description:
When we set out to make the perfect loose leaf iced tea blend, we knew one of our favorite flavors was orange. With a hint of “creme” vanilla flavor, it makes the most delicious iced tea, the perfect thirst quencher on a sunny day. As the name implies, grab a cool glass of this tea and relax. Reminds you of an orangesicle without all the calories!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Maple Forest from 52 Teas. . . . . .
Well, today has been such a rough day. Mila has been so fussy lately, I think she is cutting another tooth. I literally haven’t had a moment to myself all day. Thankfully, her daddy came to my rescue and got her settled while I took a hot shower and relaxed for a minute. Afterwards I, of course, needed to make a cup of tea. What better way to relax than a warm cup of tea, and maple tea to boot!
Maple Forest was one of the teas of the week this month at 52Teas. Unfortunately it is no longer available, but hopefully it will make its return sometime soon because I am now OBSESSED. The tea’s base is very similar to my other favorite, Toasted Marshmallow. It consists of Houjicha (a roasted green tea) and Shou Mei (white tea). The result is a roast-y, toast-y, and smooth drinking tea. Unlike Toasted Marshmallow, this tea contains maple and boy is it DELICIOUS. Because of the toast-yness of the Houjicha/Shou Mei mix, this tea is reminding me an awful lot of Sunday morning pancakes. Delectable! This would be a great cup to have with breakfast.
I certainly made space on my countertop for this blend and it will be happily enjoyed by me daily. I am sad that this tea is gone and glad that I stocked up, but I’m sure it will make another appearance in the future. So keep your eyes peeled if you are interested in trying it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for the teas that are.