My thoughts when I checked my next sample to review…”Argh! Ginger is the first word!”
The anguished scream is because ginger and I have a strange relationship. I like a hint of ginger adding sparkle to tea or cookies or food. But when there is a lot of ginger, it makes me cry a little. It can be so hot! And when you add to that the fact that I have to carry spicy ginger candy to help with my lifelong stomach issues, you can see where I don’t excited to see it in my tea.
My fears were unfounded with this one, however. There was a lovely slice of dried orange mixed with the flat green leaves and lots of white bits of dried ginger floating around.
The tea is so mild! The green tea dominates the cup and there is just enough citrus and ginger – in that order, to me – to give a nice, interesting flavor without the ginger singeing my tongue and making me regret having hot tea when it is 90 degrees F outside. Speaking of which, the next batch of this is going to be served as iced tea, and I think it will do swimmingly well with a little sugar and a stack of ice cubes, condensation beading all over the glass so I can press it against my forehead and cool off.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Palais des Thés
Description
Delicately flavoured with citrus and ginger, Vive Le Thé ! is the perfect green tea to induce a good mood and joie de vivre! With pieces of orange, it is delicious served hot or iced.
A tea with a delicious fresh aroma and very harmonious zesty and ginger notes.
In the mouth there is a perfect balance between the fresh, spicy note of ginger, the lively, zesty notes of lemon and grapefruit, and the sweeter orange notes.
A delightful citrus bouquet!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cinnamon Plum Berry Organic Botanical Blend from Storehouse Tea. . . .
Storehouse Tea is a company completely new to me. I had never even heard of this company until a box of Sororitea Sisters samples arrived at my door including this tea, Cinnamon Plum Berry.
Full disclosure: Even though I am excited to try a new tea company, I am a little apprehensive about this tea. Between the deep reddish-pink it brewed up that screams hibiscus and the licorice root, I was worried this would definitely not be to my tastes.
Using the sample I was given, I decided to make it both iced and hot to compare the two.
I started with the hot cup because this is how Storehouse Tea recommends brewing this up. Unfortunately, this tea hot is sort of what I expected. The main flavor is the hibiscus, tart and one-note. The cinnamon is floating around too combining with the licorice root to contribute a outputting sweet note. The licorice root also lingers on the tongue in the aftertaste, cloying.
Iced this is a little bit different than the hot cup, though neither better nor worse. Just different. Less tart and the hibiscus could hint a little more towards berry than it does in the hot cup, though I would say that is still a stretch. The cinnamon is missing all together in the iced tea, except in smell. On the plus side, there is not as much licorice root either.
If I had to decide, I would say that I found this easier to drink when iced. Neither really delivery the plum or berry as promised by the name so that is disappointing. Ultimately, I went into this tea with some expectations based on the ingredients and perhaps I was biased but having tried it, I would say this tea is certainly not for me.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Storehouse Teas
Description
Currants, succulent hibiscus, hints of plum, cinnamon and naturally sweet licorice root create a warm, full bodied and soothing Organic, caffeine free tea. Perfect served hot or brewed as mulled tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Peach Iced Tea from Story of My Tea. . . .
Story of My Tea has been one company that has peaked my interest several times. Between their social campaigns and reading the thoughts of fellow tea bloggers, Story of My Tea appears to be one that we should take note of.
Especially with their new iced tea offerings.
I’m one of those tea drinkers who is extremely picky about their peach tea flavorings. It seems that artificial peach flavors are a dime a dozen, but teas that have that fresh crisp peach tea are ones that you have to search for. So to say I was skeptical of Story of My Tea’s White Peach Iced Tea is a fair statement.
Since there are a few of us at the office who adore iced tea, I thought I’d share and brew up a pitcher for all to enjoy. Story of My Tea’s White Peach Iced Tea is already in a convenient tea bag that is perfect for just throwing in a pitcher, fill the pitcher with cold water, and you are all set. Refrigerate for a few hours and you are greeted with iced tea.
I poured a few glasses full and delivered the tea to my co-workers. The feedback I received was pretty unanimous. This was the best peach tea that had ever had. Smooth, sweet, with a delicious peach undertone that was fresh and perfect for the upcoming summer months. I took my first sip and I have to agree with them.
This iced tea is one of the better ones I’ve had. Overall, the flavors were crisp, fresh, and full of peachy goodness. Lush, silky, juicy peach notes swirl and mingle in every sip. White Peach Iced Tea is one that demands attention in a very subtle way. And since this tea is packed in an iced tea bag that you can keep adding in fresh cold water to keep the brew going all day.
If you are looking for a great tea to share, I highly recommend this one. It is a crowd pleaser for sure! In just a few days, the Kickstarter Campaign for this iced tea and the rest of the iced tea collection will be going live. I have a feeling I’ll be supporting this one!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Story of My Tea
Description
-
All natural specialty iced teas.
-
Picked to taste great when cold brewed.
-
Pre-packed into filter pouches using a special algorithm to deliver a spot on flavor.
-
Makes 1 quart of cold steeped iced tea.
-
No Equipment or hot water necessary.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Fairy Dust from Tealish. . . . .
I really love this tea. It is one of my favorite rooibos offerings and I was heartbroken when I ran out, especially because I accidentally forgot to boil the water and wasted the remainder of the leaf by steeping it in cold water. Granted this tea is sold by a Toronto company with a website and a storefront so I had access but I never made it to the store and didn’t have interest in enough teas to hit free shipping. I lucked out though because I came across the Tealish booth at the One of a Kind show which meant I got to replenish my stash of this blend.
At the booth, I noticed this was being marketed as an iced tea. I have only had it as a hot tea, which has a crisp strawberry flavored that is tamed by smooth kiwi flavor. The green rooibos is so mellow that the fruity flavors just shine. It is a great caffeine free option for all seasons when hot but if Tealish recommends icing it, who am I to say no? Plus, it is a summery tea that I imagine would be nice for icing when the weather heats up.
Drinking it now, I would say the iced cup is still refreshing and fruity, but I think I still prefer this tea hot. The flavors are flatter iced, with the strawberry not being as sharp and the kiwi fading into the background. The base is more present which isn’t necessarily bad but the true stars here are the fruit flavors and the overpowering presence of the base is dampening their fruity contribution.
Ultimately I still love this tea and I might ice it if I really want something to cool down with in the summertime but at the end of the day, this excels as a hot cup and I will probably continue to prep it that way in the future.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tealish
Description
Drink this tea and you’ll feel like you’ve just been sprinkled with fairy dust, it’s so good. With notes of strawberry and kiwi, this blend of green rooibos, apple, strawberry, kiwi, orange blossoms, elderflower, and mistletoe, is our favourite way to escape to never never land once (or twice) a day.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sweet Mango Peach Tea from Gypsy Soul Tea . . . . .
I have been on an iced tea kick lately. My friend got me an iced tea press and it is my new obsession.
Consequently, I am going through fruit teas like crazy. That is why when this sample arrived, I jumped at the chance to steep it up.
Made with apple, hibiscus, pineapple, peach, papaya, lemon peel, and natural flavors, but no mango to be found. Sipping on it now, it’s flavor is quite subtle and light. There is no tartness from the hibiscus which could be a plus for many but that also seems to be a side effect of lack of overall flavor. What I am getting is a generic fruitiness that leans slightly towards stonefruit. The apple base and dried fruit is contributing a bit of waxiness as well that you sometimes get with fruit blends.
Personally, I am not a fan because I find myself wanting more. More mango, more peach, more flavor. It is not bad but at the end of the day, it is underwhelming.
However, Gypsy Soul Tea has many other offerings to choose from and though this is the first I have tried of this company, I would be interested to see what else they have.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Gypsy Soul Tea
Description
This sweet, peachy temptation, is made from all natural fruit and herbs. Naturally caffeine free, this tea is great for the kids and anyone avoiding caffeine!
Try it iced or with a splash of ginger ale for an extra treat!
Ingredients: apple, hibiscus, pineapple, peach, papaya, lemon peel, natural flavors
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!