Friends, there’s no question that we here at SororiTea Sisters love us some A Quarter to Tea. (I feel like I can speak for us all. I may be speaking out of turn, but… have you *seen* our AQTT archives? I rest my case.) I’ve recently renewed my AQTT subscription box to be a monthly thing, and not just a “whenever I feel like it”, because I have to say– I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a bad blend from the brilliant minds in AQTT’s blending room.
Now– when this particular blend (red wine apple cake? Who’d even heard of such a thing?!) showed up at my doorstep last month, I wavered a little bit. Would this be the blend that steered me wrong? I’m not typically a white tea drinker, and it takes a LOT for me to be impressed by a white blend. I shouldn’t have worried, though, you guys. Even on sniff alone, this tea is impressive. Big chunks of apple are strewn throughout the bountiful white leaves, boasting deep apple-and-grape-y notes that translate just beautifully to the brewed cup. This one is heartier than most white teas, and that’s probably why I love it so. The only thing I can’t quite pick out are the “cake” notes– which, let’s be real: when someone tells me there’s cake (in my tea, at work, on my birthday/any random tuesday), I want CAKE. This one’s a bit lighter, and lacking on the pastry notes I’ve usually come to know well from AQTT’s blends. That said, I don’t necessarily think it’s a bad thing– in fact, I think cakey, pastry flavors may have overwhelmed the beautifully fruity notes otherwise present in this blend.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is currently not available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
The Cleanse from Harlow Tea Company. . . .
I am generally skeptical of any tea that claims a detoxifying effect or special health benefit, other than ginger for its actually proven anti-inflammatory properties. However, I like that the description for this tea doesn’t promise any magic results. I also like that it has dandelion root; I just enjoy the roasty, robust flavor of dandelion root. So I was willing to give this tea a try when I received a sample.
The dry leaf smells like hibiscus, dandelion, mint, and houjicha. The scent of the dry leaf is actually the most complex thing about this tea. Made according to package instructions, the immediate scent of the peach-colored brew is sweet hibiscus with a roasty undertone. The hibiscus flavor is not sickly-sweet strong but it is strong enough to mostly overwhelm the other flavors.
The only other flavors I can discern are some underlying roastiness and a lingering minty coolness after the sip. There’s no change in the flavor profile when the tea cools.
A second steep yields the same results. It’s actually remarkable to me how consistent the flavor is; typically a tea will change at least somewhat as it cools and with multiple steeps.
My guess is that the issue here is the hibiscus drowning out everything else. If you choose teas for their purported health benefits, this one seems as good as any other.
At least it has ginger in it and I didn’t personally experience any negative side effects from drinking two cups of it. But if you choose teas for flavor or complexity and are not a huge fan of hibiscus, I would look elsewhere.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type:
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Company
Description
We all have seen those “get skinny now” teas available. I so wish such a thing worked for all of us, but it sadly does not. What does help an individual in the weight lose process is detoxing your body with the proper ingredients, combined with diet and exercise.
This tea offers some amazing ingredients on top of green tea which helps boost metabolism.
Ginger, turmeric, peppermint, and dandelion are all natural ingredients to rid your body of toxins, i.e. detox
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Boo-Berry Cotton Candy Zomba Tea from 52Teas. . .
Who else but 52Teas would make this amazing breakfast treat into a Halloween inspired tea!?!?!
Boo-Berry Cotton Candy Zomba Tea is a blend of green tea, blueberries, and natural flavors and is a reblend from a few years ago. When you first open this pouch of Halloween goodness, you are pleasantly greeted with this resounding blueberry sweet-almost vanilla – aroma. Really lovely and one that just screams, brew me up!
I anxiously prepped up water per the parameters on the package and allowed the tea to cool for a few minutes. I was literally just starting at the timer willing the time to go faster. When this tea was released a few years ago, I was crazy over it. I loved the bright blueberry flavors that mingled with the green tea base perfectly with a touch of sweetness. I haven’t had a blueberry tea that fit the bill exactly and I’ve tried a ton trying to find something similiar.
First sip in and I’m hooked. The huge blueberries bring in this gorgeous bright and vibrant berry flavor where the natural flavors that have been added in almost bring a sweet yogurt quality. Toss in the gorgeous contrast of the vegetal tea base-Zomba green tea and you have yourself a proper Halloween treat. I don’t pick up a huge cotton candy flavor but I’m curious if a cold brew wouldn’t yield that flavor profile. Smooth, fruity, creamy with a slight vegetal twist-this tea has my name written all over it!
Cup after cup, this tea does not disappoint. Sure this tea isn’t like the original blend but I actually think I enjoy this re-invented blend even more. I’m extremely partial to 52Teas Zomba tea base and add in the hauntingly fun boo berry flavors, I’m sold.
Grab your pouch soon! This is an extremely limited tea and even though this is a Halloween inspired treat, this tea would be amazing hot or cold any day of the week!
Well done 52Teas! Well done!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is part reblend, part re-imagining. One tea that sold pretty well was the Boo-Berry Cotton Candy Green Tea that we reblended as part of a “You Choose the Reblend” incentive from our start-up Kickstarter campaign. I happened to have some Zomba Steamed green tea from the Satemwa Estate in Malawi on the shelf and I was trying to think of something to do with it – and since Halloween was approaching, I thought, “Ohh! How about the Boo-Berry Cotton Candy but with the Zomba steamed green tea base? That should be spook-tacular!”
And it is! This is hauntingly delicious! (OK, enough of the Halloween wordplay, already!)
An abundant blueberry AND cotton candy flavor to this – with a lovely sweet, creamy note that hints at vegetation from the Zomba base.
So tasty!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hummingbird from A Quarter To Tea. . . .
Sometimes when you try a tea for the first time you love it but part of the love comes from excitement over a tea being new and when you try it again, its just not as good. That is not the case with this tea. This tea is my latest obsession. Seriously, I think I am in love. I own over 350 teas and I keep reaching for this one, Hummingbird by A Quarter to Tea. I just can’t get enough of the banana, vanilla, and pecan praline awesomeness.
I have had this a few times hot and I swear each cup is better than the last. However today I decided to mix things up and see how this works as an iced tea. I steeped this per the recommended steeping parameters for 3 minutes in 200F water.
The iced cup still has that awesome banana smell but the banana falls to the background when prepared this way. Instead the smooth yunnan base combined with the nutty praline and vanilla is highlighted. It’s the slightest bit dry and yet it has notes of chocolate and honey that compliment the other flavors. Do I want more banana? Yes, but this tea prepared as an iced tea sort of reminds me of a chunky monkey ice cream/milkshake and that’s still pretty great
Iced or hot, this tea is just so good. Though my preference is the hot tea because it reminds me of a delicious bananas foster-like dessert, the iced tea still delivers on the mmmmmmmm factor. I honestly cannot recommend this one enough!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
A malty Yunnan black tea with banana, vanilla, and pecan praline. Add a splash of pineapple juice for a more traditional twist.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
The Dragon! from 52Teas. . . . .
I have talked about Steepster before and I will probably mention it again as it is a large part of my tea-loving life. Recently it gave me the opportunity to not only enter but WIN a draw by 52 Teas for their monthly teabox. I lucked out even more by winning the box of their anniversary month so while they normally have 4 teas of the week in the box, my box had 5 teas to try.
This tea and another tea, The Unicorn!, were both the blends made for the first week of the month and they are both inspired by the Starbucks Frappuccinos of the same names. Unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to try The Dragon frappuccino but I can appreciate the idea and I am excited to give the 52 Teas interpretation a try
The Dragon! brings together limes, strawberries, blueberries, and marshmallow root, all on a green tea base.
I brewed this up hot per the recommended steeping parameters.The liquid is the color of a clear and light lemonade (this is how my sister described it when I asked). The taste is also light, though not without flavor. Lots of natural tasting, juicy berry flavor, effectively mimicking the berry ribbon in the namesake frappuccino. The lime contributes a bit of flavor but mostly adds a refreshing brightness to the tea. Finally, the marshmallow root keeps everything sweet and fluffy. Is this in-your-face like a frappuccino? No, this is lighter and easier to drink but still satisfies the sweet tooth and to me, that makes this a winner.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available. Click below for teas that are.