I wasn’t sure what to expect when I tried this tea. It’s a loose leaf tea with pretty big leafs. It didn’t have much of a smell, so I figured it would be pretty mild. I brewed it in my new little teapot that was gifted to me. It makes tea drinking so much more of an event you know? I was so pleasantly surprised when I took my first sip and it had a slightly sweet aftertaste. I have had it both warm and iced and it’s delicious either way. The sweetness is barely there, it’s just a little whisper after you’ve swallowed. It’s mild and refreshing and needs no sweetener.
This tea does have caffeine so it’s best for morning or early afternoon, and it’s a really nice way to start the day.
According to the company’s website, this tea is full of vitamin C and amino acids that can help energize us when we need the help.
This tea is called Longjing, which translates to Dragon tea is a variety of green tea which has been pan roasted. It’s very beneficial and as I mentioned very refreshing.
This is the green tea for people who want the health benefits but find regular green tea too earthy and bitter!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Transcendence Tea
Description
DRAGON also known as Long Jing tea is almost as famous as the beast it is named after, being one of the most renowned teas in China. Grown close to the West Lake in Hangzhou; Long Jing tea is surrounded by mountains, forests, and creeks – truly a Dragon’s playground. With a sweet taste and little bitterness; Long Jing will make you strong and as resilient, as a DRAGON…..
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Francesca from Sicilian Tea Company. . . .
It’s always good to have a chamomile blend or two in your tea cabinet for those when you need something extra comforting and caffeine-free. Francesca from Sicilian Tea Co. could be the perfect choice for your evening cup of tea.
Some people consider herbal teas to be medicinal, with herbs like lavender and chamomile to help combat stress. Both of these fragrant blossoms are in abundance in this blend, bringing their lovely color and shape to the dry leaf, and the lemony and floral scent of the brew.
There are also cinnamon sticks, Saint John’s Wort, and licorice root in this blend. The cinnamon adds just a hint of spicy warmth, rekindling thoughts of spiced baked goods. A touch of licorice root adds smooth sweetness to the brew. As an added bonus, licorice root can help soothe a scratchy throat, so the ingredient helps make the brew extra restorative.
I’m not sure that Saint John’s Wort adds much flavor, but the herb is rumored to help heal against depression. I’m not sure if I felt those effects or not; brewing a cup of tea is always my happy place, and helps me out of a dark mood.
This tea is all herbs and blossoms, so it’s completely caffeine-free and full of natural flavors. If the licorice root isn’t sweet or soothing enough, it wouldn’t hurt to add a dollop of honey to your mug for a little extra sugar. After brewing a cup of Francesca blend, there’s not much left to do but sit back, relax, and have a sip of tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Sicilian Tea Co.
Description:
Naturally caffeine free, this chamomile blend won’t keep you up all night like some other sleepy time treats.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Matcha from Tea’s Me. . . . . .
I love Matcha tea. I love the vibrant green color, I love the grassy green flavor and I especially love the health benefits. I also love raspberries. They are in my top three favorite fruits.
So I was very excited to try raspberry matcha tea. I made a pitcher of this over ice because the weather is warm and I like my fruit teas served cold.
First of all, as soon as I opened the package I smelled a strong raspberry smell which made me very happy. And mixing this was a breeze, no clumping issues at all. Now on to the taste.
This is a perfect matcha tea for someone who wants the benefits of matcha but doesn’t like the flavor. I’ve heard that from a lot of people. This has a delightful, crisp raspberry flavor. It tastes like real raspberries, not raspberry flavor. It’s sweet and slightly tart just like the berries.
It’s absolutely delicious and a perfect summertime drink. I would make a big pitcher for a picnic and put lots of fresh raspberries in the add color and flavor and fanciness.
This tea is full of antioxidants, and it’s vegan and gluten free. It’s so nice to have a beverage that is delicious and very very good for you. It does have caffeine in it, although of course much less than coffee or black tea. This is definitely going to be a staple in my life this summer!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Tea’s Me
Description
Whether you want a boost of energy, refreshing drink orhealthy cooking ingredient, Tea’s Me raspberry matcha is here for you. Matcha is one of the healthiest drinks on earth and now boasts an amazing taste. All of our Matcha is sourced from Japan, the birth place of Matcha 500 years ago. Great for cooking, lattes, smoothies and of course tea.
Ingredients – 100% Organic Matcha, Cane Sugar and Raspberry Extract
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Focus Vanilla Mint from Sportland Tea Co. . . .
This company has caught my eye before so I was very excited to finally try one of their teas.
This company has blends geared towards athletes. I am an athlete I play volleyball regularly and am very active in general and I love tea so my interest is definitely peaked. This blend is called a Focus Blend since with the caffeine it would help you focus more. This blend is very simple with matcha, yerba mate, peppermint and vanilla. The smell surprisingly light not overly peppermint. It has a nice fresh smell, lightly grassy from the matcha. Once brewed the peppermint smell was definitely stronger but still not overwhelming.
Man this is delicious. I am a sucker for vanilla and mint together and it really works in this blend. I don’t really taste the yerba mate at all which is great for me because sometimes yerba mate can come across a little too herby for me. The matcha is the strongest flavor but it is not bitter at all. I think the vanilla really mellows out the matcha so it is very smooth.
The mint really comes out in the aftertaste. This is a very refreshing blend I like it a lot. Sadly this blend appears to be sold out at the moment but I put in my email because I would love to have some of this on hand. I am checking out some other blends on their website that definitely sound interesting as well, a roasted oolong and rooibos blend with cloves, star anise and orange peel. Yes count me in!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Matcha/Yerba Mate
Where to Buy: Sportland Tea Co.
Description
Sportland Tea Co.’s focus blend is a stimulating mix of matcha green tea and yerba mate.
With mint and vanilla for a smooth and delicious flavor, this blend offers a naturally sweet option to those looking for a boost of caffeine. Get the laser focus you are looking for!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Tea + C Effervescent Tea Mix from Sencha Naturals. . . . .
I love the Emergen-C packets that you add to water.
As someone who rides public transportation, I drink those very often in the winter months when everyone is coughing and sniffling over my shoulder. I also drink them several times a day if I feel myself getting the sniffles. But they do have some questionable ingredients, and as a vegan I have to be careful about what flavors I buy because they aren’t all vegan. (Weird that animal products would have to be added anyway)
So I was excited to try this Sencha Naturals effervescent drink mix that is vegan, and also all natural. I can pronounce and recognize all of the ingredients listed. I tried the dragonfruit flavor, which is flavored with acerola cherry, dragonfruit extract, ginger and turmeric root, and organic orange peel. Although it also has matcha and sencha green tea, it’s still pretty low caffeine at 10 milligrams per packet.
I poured the packet into some cold water, and gave it a good shake. At first it was a little clumpy and I was worried because who likes drinking clumps? But there was no need to worry, once it was properly mixed it was a nice smooth drink. It has a sweet, slightly tart taste that I found very refreshing. And best of all it tasted natural, like it was made of real ingredients, not mixed in a lab by people wearing lab coats and goggles which is how I imagine Emergen-C being made. I feel hydrated and refreshed after drinking it, the little surge I always get after a vitamin c infusion.
Each packet has 180 mg. of vitamin C, so that’s really great. Next winter when it’s sniffle season, I will definitely be choosing this over Emergen-C.
It would also be great just as a mid afternoon pick me up without a ton of caffeine. I look forward to trying their other flavors!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Sencha Naturals
Description
We believe that nutrition should come from whole food ingredients, not synthetic vitamins. Whole leaf green tea, acerola cherry, coconut water, and supporting herbs to help you stay well. Exotic dragonfruit has a tangy, yet slightly sweet flavor profile we think tastes extra amazing over ice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!