Blueberry Merlot from Tea Forté

by liberteas

Tisane Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit & Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Tisane Description:

Deep taste of succulent summer-sweet blueberries with a wisp of sage to heighten an excellent cup. Corkscrew not required. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.

Learn more about this tisane here.

Taster’s Review:

This tisane is part of the Herbal Retreat collection from Tea Forté.  Having previously tried and reviewed the other tisanes of that collection, I wanted to save this one for last (my thinking was to save the best for last!), so I stashed it away … and then I forgot where I put it!  I just came across it today (as I may have mentioned, I’m trying to organize my tea stash), and decided that it was about time to try it.

This is a very tasty tisane.  A little heavy on the hibiscus, but, fortunately, the hibiscus marries very well with the strong blueberry flavor.  The combination of these two ingredients creates a pleasant consistency (but don’t steep it too long or it will become thick and syrupy from the hibiscus) and an interesting balance of sweet and tart.

What really makes this tisane different and certainly the top contender for the best of the Herbal Retreat collection is the addition of sage. The sage lends an earthy, musky taste that is distinct.  The sage brings a savory element to the party, and I’m really enjoying the contrast of sweet berry, tart hibiscus, and savory sage.  Very nice, indeed!

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Apricot Amaretto from Tea Forté

by liberteas
Apricot Amaretto is part of the Herbal Retreat Collection from Tea Forté

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Honeybush & Rooibos

Where to Buy:  Tea Forté

Product Description:

A double delight of sweet apricot and juicy peach with nuanced notes of almond, artfully evoking Saronno, Italy, the birthplace of amaretto. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.

Taster’s Review:

Recently, I was asked to review the newest collection of herbal teas from Tea Forté, called Herbal Retreat.  This blend is one of those herbal teas, and so far, I think it’s my favorite.

There is a really nice balance of flavors between the honeybush and rooibos.  I can taste the nutty flavors that accent the almond flavor of the amaretto well without tasting the weird sweet taste of the rooibos.  A sweet honey-esque tone in the background from the honeybush.

But what I taste more than anything is the apricot!  It is sweet and tastes like a fresh, juicy apricot.  It’s very nectar-like.  There are hints of peach as well as almond, but the apricot is definitely the main event in this cup.  It is smooth and sweet and delicious.  And it’s naturally caffeine free, so it’s great for a late-night treat.

liberteas

Anne (aka the Mad Tea Artist) has celebrated her 29th birthday for many years now. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her hubby and her youngest daughter. Her oldest daughter is married and has bestowed Anne with the proud title of "Gramma" and her grandson is about the cutest boy you ever did see. Anne started her journey with tea as a casual drinker and became more serious about her tea drinking when she realized that she couldn't drink coffee. Shortly thereafter, she started becoming obsessed with the beverage and she started creating small-batch, artisan blends of tea that she sold online as LiberTEAS. After a few years, she realized she wasn't cut out to be the sole proprietor of a business so she closed LiberTEAS and started reviewing teas online. She met Jennifer through another blog that they both reviewed for and they decided to start their own review blog. This review blog! Throughout her journey as a tea reviewer, she discovered 52Teas and became enamored with the idea of creating a new tea every week. When the founder of 52Teas decided he wanted to move on, he offered the business to Anne but knowing that she wasn't cut out to be a sole proprietor, she instead offered the company to her oldest daughter who employs her as the Mad Tea Artist for 52Teas!

This post was posted in Honeybush, Rooibos