With a name like Blue Lady I thought this would be like Lady Grey, a type of earl grey. But I was mistaken! Not an earl grey, but a flowery orange pekoe.
Beyond the black tea, there is hibiscus and passion fruit, fragrant even in the dry leaf. Brewed, the black tea is bright and crisp, which pairs well with the juicy hibiscus. The sour red fruit taste of the hibiscus adds a jammy, berry flavor beneath the citrus tones of the orange pekoe.
This is not too sweet or sour, still very suitable for a breakfast cup of tea. With just enough tropical flair this blend is summery and satisfying, hot or iced.
And since this blend is from Zest Tea, there is added tea extract so you know each cup packs a punch of caffeine without the coffee jitters. When you want a juicier take on classic orange pekoe, brew up a mug of Blue Lady.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zest Tea
Description:
Our Blue Lady Black blends a sultry South Indian black tea base with an aromatic mix of orange, lemon, passion fruit, and hibiscus. A peppering of vivid blue cornflower petals and bits of orange peel make for a visual spectacle. Blue lady will excite all of your senses. No wonder this is a favorite among hot and chilled tea drinkers.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Golden West from Pacific Tea Company. . . .
Golden West blend from Pacific Tea was “inspired by a golden afternoon” outdoors. This herbal blend is made up of a variety of fruits and herbs, many of them tropical like coconut and pineapple.
This tea brewed up pink and sweet with little pops of spice between the fruit. Sweet apple, tart rose hips, and juicy hibiscus are the main flavors of this blend. There is a much appreciated hint of pear at the end of each sip. With all the fruity ingredients, it is no wonder that this tea tastes to naturally sweet, but is is a miracle that the fruits are able even to counteract the sour flavors that come with brewing hibiscus.
I don’t taste much coconut or pineapple, they seem to get drowned out by the sweet apple and pink hibiscus. Likewise, there is only a hint of spice from the added ginger, adding just a mild heat and texture.
I don’t know if this is a “golden” blend, with very little pineapple and pear. Instead of reflecting on a golden afternoon, I think this tea feels much more like a “pink sunset,” still very flavorful and outdoorsy, but more in line with the driving apple and hibiscus combination I tasted.
Golden West would be great as an iced tea when mixed in with sangria or to when mixed in with lemonade to make it fruity and pink. As long as you go into this this blend expecting a sweet and pink fruity tea, you will definitely be satisfied. This is especially as the weather gets warmer and it is time to reach for more iced teas than ever.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Pacific Tea Company
Description:
Inspired by a golden afternoon in the Solomon western province, the low-acid blend of pear, coconut and ginger, tops any day with notes of pineapple, marigold and hibiscus.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Up Beet from Teapigs. . . . . .
Beets were a contentious part of my family dinners. Every Easter my grandmother would make a cold beet salad and our seating arrangements had to be coordinated to put certain beet-haters at the other end of the table from the beet salad. I was firmly on the side of the beets, and couldn’t get enough of grandma’s beet salad. Needless to say, I was excited to try a beet tea.
Up Beet from Teapigs is a green tea blend with hibiscus, beetroot, ginger, and carrot. The green tea is really just a base to carry the bolder vegetable and herb flavors. I didn’t think any flavor could hold up against powerful hibiscus, but beetroot is a formidable ally in this blend. The sharp hibiscus is balanced out by the iron-sweet earthiness of the beets. Carrots bring their own natural sweetness alongside the beets, and the ginger adds a hint spice to give more texture to the flavor palette. The longer I let the tea brew, the more ginger heat and mineral beet flavors came to the forefront.
Punchy, strong, and sweet, this is truly a unique blend. If you enjoy fruit and veggie juice blends, you should try this tea. It is a sweet and savory blend, with the umami-earthiness of the beets, the lightly sweet carrots, and the fruit-punch hibiscus, all coming together for a bold, full-flavored cup of tea. As a beet-lover, I’m happy to have this tea on my shelf anytime I’m craving their bold, earthy flavors and I don’t have grandma’s beet salad at hand.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Teapigs
Description:
This blend will give you the kick you need to jump into your lycra, tie up your trainers, skip to the gym and throw that scary giant kettle bell way over your shoulder. This blend of beets, spice and hibiscus which helps give you extra energy, is fruity and punchy (enjoy with or without lycra!).
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Summer Lovin from becauseURpriceless
With a name like Summer Lovin, this has got to be brewed as an iced tea. I brewed this tea with hot water at double strength, and poured it over ice. I took a sip while brewing the tea hot, and was surprised to get hit with a wave of out-of-season nostalgia. Cinnamon and citrus always remind me of wintertime spices, and brewed warm, this tea almost seems like an orange chai.
On paper, hibiscus and cinnamon sound like weird bedfellows, but the combination turns out to be well-balanced, both hot and iced. While hibiscus is an overbearing herb, there are undertones of lemon and rose, to give some variety to the taste. Sweet licorice root and earthy cinnamon tame the hibiscus, and keep it from getting too tart.
This would be a great tea for showing off in a sangria or summertime fruit punch. It brews up a luscious ruby color, and looks amazing in any glass pitcher: vibrant red against snowy, white ice cubes and contrasting fruit slices.
Pick up a bag of this blend before the heat of summer takes you by surprise!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: becauseURpriceless Etsy Shop
Description:
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
#PeruvianSpiceBerry from #IncaTea
The dry leaf smells like mulled wine, with fragrant elderberry, cinnamon, and cloves. Pour a bit of water on these leaves and they brew up fast! Wow, what a dark red berry brew after only a few seconds!
Brewed, this tea gets much more tart, thanks to the powerhouse of hibiscus flowers. The ingredients list also include purple corn. I’m not sure how it adds to the flavor, but the brewed tea is a vibrant purple-pink color.
This tea is best served warm, though the fruitiness might be suited for an iced tea, I’m not sure all the spice is appropriate in a cold beverage. I’m of the opinion that cinnamon and cloves are best suited for a drink from a hot mug.
The cloves and hibiscus dominate this tea, which were a perfect combination for a cold, grey, rainy day when I brewed this cup. Drinking Peruvian Spice Berry made me feel like I was tucked in on a cozy autumn day, warming up with peppery cloves and dark currant flavors.
This is definitely a tea for fans of mulled wine and hot toddies. Or, if you just want to be able to say that you tried a tea made from purple corn!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Inca Tea
Description:
An enlivening herbal, fruit tea blend of purple corn, berries and spices. Caffeine free. This is our Original blend to characterize the true ancient Incan recipe.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!