Day eight. Happy New Year, everyone! I hope that last year was a good one for you, and that this one is even better. May you have delicious tea to drink all year long!
Coconut Cream Pie Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
Another tea that I am very excited to try! I have, of course, tried the 52Teas version of the Coconut Cream Pie Black Tea and it’s a delicious tea – one of their best! So my expectations are high with this one!
And SBT did not disappoint! Oh goodness! This iced tea flavor is – thus far – my favorite of the newest releases from Southern Boy Teas. This tastes just as good as the 52Teas version. Sweet, creamy, and luscious. Just like a slice of coconut cream pie!
The black tea is not just a background flavor with this tea. It’s pretty well balanced with the flavoring, so this tastes to me like black tea and coconut cream pie, which is what was intended (at least, I’m assuming that was the intention!) The black tea is a robust, rich tasting tea. It’s invigorating, not overly astringent, and not bitter. Delicious and full-flavored.
The flavoring is sweet and creamy with notes of coconut and vanilla. I taste notes of buttery sweetness as well, which represents the pie crust. It’s very smooth and creamy tasting, and it adds just the right amount of sweetness. Even though this is a rather “dessert-y” flavor, it doesn’t taste cloyingly sweet.
This is a big WIN from Southern Boy Teas!
On The Seventh Day of Christmas, Southern Boy Teas Edition!
We’re already past the halfway mark on this countdown! Time FLIES!
Cotton Candy Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a tea that I’ve previously reviewed, because this is one of the “original” Southern Boy Teas that were made available to the public a couple of years ago. (I think that Southern Boy Teas started out as a company to provide restaurants with iced tea options for their customers.)
But I’m happy to see this tea in these 12 iced teas of Christmas, because it’s one of my favorites. It is so delicious. It is a sweeter tasting tea – so if you’re one that tends to prefer your teas on the plain side, this is definitely not the iced tea to put in your fridge! But, for the rest of us that love a flavored iced tea – this is one of the best that SBT has to offer!
I’ve been really happy with this countdown thus far. If for no other reason, it’s encouraging me to keep iced tea in the fridge all the time, and that isn’t something I used to do year ’round. I’d usually cut off the iced tea brewing around the end of September, when the weather starts to turn cooler.
So yeah … it’s a little weird for me to be drinking iced tea at Christmastime. This is new to me. I’ve always been more of the “tea is a hot beverage” sort of girl, but I like having that pitcher of cold refreshment in the chill box waiting for me when I want something to drink with my meals. I still drink cold drinks in the winter, just not as often. So, why shouldn’t those cold drinks be iced tea?
Usually, my only cold drink during the winter is water, because I don’t drink soda or juice very often. Even less than not very often. Like it’s a rare occurrence for me to drink a soda or juice. So, I like having the iced tea readily available to enjoy when I want a cold drink.
And this Cotton Candy iced tea is one of the tastiest teas from Southern Boy Teas!
Peppermint Ice Custom Black Tea Blend from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
I wanted something to help break away from the heat and humidity of summer so I opted for cool peppermint candy (candy cane) tea. I also wanted to be enveloped in a silky creamy sweet dream so I added cream and vanilla flavored black teas. I want this to be comforting, relaxing, a tea that can transport you to fresh powdered snow atop a serene mountain. An escape from reality to a place you dream of.
Learn more about this custom blend here.
Taster’s Review:
This Peppermint Ice Black Tea Blend from Adagio Teas is a custom blend created by one of my favorite Adagio Tea custom blend creators, Rachana Carter. I’ve “chatted” with her a few times via Steepster, and she’s one of the coolest people that hang out at Steepster (and that’s saying something because there are a lot of cool tea drinkers who hang out at Steepster! I call Steepster the facebook for tea drinkers, which probably makes me more nerdy than cool, but that’s OK, I guess.)
Anyway, I’m not really sure how long I’ve had a sampling of this tea on hand, I was going through some of my stash and came across it, but I’ve got to say that it’s held up very well over the course of time. This is really tasty.
I’m not a big fan of Adagio Teas, as I’ve mentioned at least once or twice. Their black tea base that they use for their flavored black teas tends to be very … aggressive and harsh tasting. However, I’ve found that when the flavors are blended like they have been in this Peppermint Ice blend – a blend of candy cane, cream and vanilla flavored black teas – the black tea tends to taste less harsh. I’m not sure why that is. But, it’s been my observation, and so far, of the various teas that I’ve tried, I’ve found this to be true more often than not.
This is a lovely blend of sweet creamy, vanilla-y flavors and just a hint of peppermint. Really, with a flavoring like peppermint, that’s all that’s needed because peppermint can really overpower a blend very quickly. Here, the peppermint is soft and while it does have that crisp, minty taste to it, it doesn’t overwhelm the cup nor does it give the cup a mouthwash-y sort of taste. It’s really nice.
The black tea is strong, but with this flavor combination, I’m not finding it to be a harsh tasting black tea base. Invigorating, sure. But not so astringent that it leaves my palate feeling as though it’s been dried off with sandpaper. (Yeah, that’s the way sometimes a black tea can taste from Adagio. Fortunately, it wasn’t the case here.)
Overall, I’m finding this to taste a bit like someone had melted a scoop of peppermint ice cream and then added it to my morning cup of black tea. It’s rich, smooth and creamy. Minty and fresh! I like this one – another great blend from Rachana Carter!
Slumbering Slope Tisane from Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Description:
Ingredients: Chamomile, Skullcap, Catnip, Spearmint, Rose, licorice
This is a simple blend to help calm the body at the end of the day. My sister grew the catnip for this blend. The skullcap and chamomile come from farms in Oregon. I like to use a variety of mild relaxants when I make any evening teas because everyone has a really specific combination of tensions in their body. Some folks hold tension in thoughts, others in their muscles.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about subscribing to Bird’s Eye Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I put off trying this Slumbering Slope Tisane from Bird’s Eye Tea for a while … and the reason is chamomile. I don’t dislike chamomile (although at one time I did dislike it) but, it’s also not my favorite herb. And … I usually only prepare a chamomile tisane later in the evening, when I want to start getting ready for rest because chamomile does have that relaxing effect. Actually, it makes me sleepy. But, usually, when I’m getting ready for bed, I’m not really thinking about preparing a tisane … although I think I should get myself into that habit.
And this would be a great tisane with which to get into that kind of habit! This is a tasty tisane. The chamomile is the strongest flavor, followed by the spearmint. I like that the spearmint is there to add a nice minty tone to the taste, but, it isn’t an overpowering taste, as I think a stronger minty flavor would be a bit more invigorating than it should be for a blend like this.
I can taste the rose, and again, I like that this is a soft, sweet rose note. The licorice is faint, but, it adds a hint of sweetness and an interesting contrast without coming off too zesty.
Everything about this blend is calm and soothing. It is a very relaxing blend that is not too medicinal or herbaceous tasting, and not overly sweet. It has a pleasant, easy to drink flavor. I like it.
South Korean Green Tea from Butiki Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Butiki Teas
Tea Description:
The leaves of our South Korean Green tea are thin, curly, and forest green. This tea originates from a small farm and has a strong character and vegetal notes. Spinach notes are prominent with a juicy mouthfeel and some lingering astringency.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is one of those teas that doesn’t try to pretend it’s anything it isn’t. This is a green tea, and that’s what it tastes like.
It has a delicious, savory vegetative tone that is spinach-y. Sweet yet savory. There is a creamy sort of element to it, although it doesn’t really inundate the palate with a slick, creamy texture or taste. It is more like it tastes lightly buttered without feeling the texture of the butter.
This reminds me of a light broth, something that tastes vibrant and vegetable-y and something that feels as though it is nourishing the body as well as the soul. It’s comfort food for the soul! It is very soothing to sip, and while it calms and relaxes me, I can feel it also start to invigorate me from the inside, out. This is one of those teas that you want to have on hand for those trying days … you’ve had a rough day at work, and you just need to unwind and take a moment for yourself. This is the kind of tea you want to sip at that moment. It’s a very enjoyable “everyday” kind of green tea.
Another very special tea from Butiki Teas!