Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Piper & Leaf
Tea Description:
A Juicy Fruit & Herbal Infusion of Pineapples, Papayas, Rosehips, & a Special Herbal Blend (lemon balm & mint).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
In the past, I have tried different Piper & Leaf teas. What I have found is that you have to experiment with their steeping parameters to get the right flavors to really pop.
Orchard Peach is an herbal filled with huge chunks of peaches and a cluster of other ingredients including hibiscus and spearmint. As a dry leaf mixture, I didn’t really get any kind of notable fragrance. More or less just a sweet smell.
I brewed this up like I would any herbal (212F-5 min) and poured the mixture into a cup of ice. Yes, I know that this isn’t the true way to make the iced tea but I’m at work so I figured this was the easiest way to go about it. The mixture produced this beautiful dark red purple liquor. The color was stunning.
Took my first sip and blam- this tea packs some flavor. I was expecting to have to fumble with steeping longer or shorter. Not the case at all. This tea tastes like a fresh peach jam punch. The flavor is a bit hard to explain. I think because it looks more like grape juice, my head is saying this should taste like grape.
The first flavor that hits you is the sweet flavor. The peach notes aren’t like a fresh peach but more like a fresh peach jam that you picked up from a farmer’s market. There is a really slight syrup sweetness that I’m associating with a jam. After the sweetness you get this really nice tart flavor that brings in a beautiful contrast. Here and there I can pick up subtle lemon notes but they are very subtle and are more like a citrus note. The only flavor I didn’t pick up strongly was the spearmint. Being a mint fan that makes me sad but that is probably for the best. Not sure how a minty peach jam tea would taste. Maybe Piper & Leaf are just looking out for my best interest.
Out of all of the Piper & Leaf teas, this one surprised me with not having to try and figure out proper steeping parameters. This one packs a delightful punch and the ingredients that are left over in the tea strainer remind me of cranberry salad. That just makes me smile. I’m really happy with this one and it is hitting the spot on this hot summer day!
Simmer Down from The Random Tea Room
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: The Random Tea Room
Tea Description:
A blend of chamomile, lemon balm, motherwort, peppermint, lavender, and passionflower. Designed to assist the body in alleviating stress and worn nerves. Very relaxing. This is calm in a cup!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
First off, I am not a fan of lavender in teas. I feel that the lavender adds a bite to the tea and creates a overwhelming fragrance to the tea. When I received this tea and noticed that there was lavender in it, I was a bit worried. Lately I have been really trying to get myself to not drink the teas that I know I will like. Like how you encourage a child to try different foods, I’m taking that same plane of thought in my tea drinking. I have been trying some pretty unusual teas and having a fantastic time. I have discovered that I enjoy rose petals in tea. After having this tea, I am ok with lavender now being in tea.
This tea is presented in a marvelous tin. The label on this package is awesome. I love the way The Random Tea Room packages their teas.
I added two scoops of tea into my Breville One Touch and hit the herbal button (212F-5 min). Once the tea was ready, I poured the liquid into two mugs, admiring the coloring of the tea. There was an almost purple color to it.
Jason and I took our first sips and we both looked at each other and smiled. First sip and I’ve fallen in love with another tea. This tea is a perfect herbal tea. Relaxing, soothing, comforting, and cooling. Everything you would want in an herbal tea and more. The chamomile provides a baked dessert background while the peppermint (which is subtle) adds in just a touch of a cooling aesthetic. There is also a touch of a fruity flavor through the sip and the lavender delivers an ever so slight floral note. A lot of flavors in this blend, but they all work together and play nicely in my cuppa. I’m impressed with yet another of The Random Tea Room’s blends.
I was able to get about 4 infusions out of this one session with this tea. Even tried it iced and thought this herbal tea delivered a solid flavor. You can’t ask for a better herbal!
Signature Positiv-A-Tea Blend from Positiv-A-Tea
Tea Type: Herbal
Where To Buy: Positiv-A-Tea
Product Description:
100% Organic
Hand-Blended
USDA Approved
Naturally DecaffeinatedIngredients:
Hibiscus, Lemon Balm, Rose Petals,
Orange Peel, Cinnamon, Lavender
Tasters Review:
I’m not going to lie…when I was finished infusing this the color of it frightened me! I was also worried about the Hibiscus – many of you know my trials and tribulations with that ingredient…BUT…
This IS pretty pleasant! I’ve VERY shocked and surprised that the level of hibiscus is what it is! As it cooled – I could taste more tartiness so I will drink this HOT! If you are after the fruitier or tartier flavor you might like it cooler. The Lemon Balm follows it as far as ingredients that pop out a little more than the others but the one that lingers is the Lavender and it’s a pretty lavender as well as a little chewy…if you can picture that!! The rose and Orange are about equal in taste-intensity and that is subtle.
This is pretty and sassy and different all in one…I think it’s a neat blend and tastes alright! If you are looking for a positive blend and something that is positively unique…give this one a whirl!
