Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black/Mate
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Mate, Kola, and Black tea make up this well-caffeinated blend to make your mornings deliciously efficient. Blended with toasted mate tea, black tea, cocoa nibs, cinnamon bark, kola nuts & safflower
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Last time I was in Chicago for work, I couldn’t help but run right to Adagio Teas. Where I live there really isn’t a tea shop so whenever I get close to one, my heart skips a beat. Jump Start was the first blend I picked up.
Presented in a lovely tin with vibrant colors and a rooster (love that!), this black tea/mate blend is one that will do what the name suggests. This tea packs a punch and helps you get a jump start on your tea in a refreshing bold and delicious way.
First- this tea is a brilliant take on coffee. If you are a coffee drinker, then I have a feeling you would love Jump Start. Brewed up at 212F and allowed to steep for about 4 minutes, this blend provided gorgeous notes of creamy cinnamon that mingled nicely with the silky black tea base. The mate provided that roasted/toasted flavor that is similar to a fresh roasted coffee. I don’t pick up any chocolate notes but that could be where that silky texture is coming from. All the flavor without that coffee bitter aftertaste. Really delicious and fresh.
The best part of this tea is that you can get several infusions out of the mix and this tea is forgiving as all get out. I oversteeped by about 10 minutes and I swear that just heightened all of the flavors. The cinnamon was stronger and that creaminess even better. Perfect for the first cuppa of the day.
The more I drink Jump Start I realize this is a blend that is dying to be a latte. I’ll be trying that out in the morning for sure!
Strawberry Spritz Iced Tea From Teabox
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teabox
Tea Description:
Strawberries – sweet and luscious – are the perfect summer treat and this tea blend is just as so.
Yielding a gorgeous brownish-red color liquor, this tea is complex, charming and subtle. Sweet aroma of fresh strawberries and mint makes the brew inviting. The mellow, silky-bodied liquor promises to render your palate with tangy flavors of strawberry and orange that linger on for the long haul Marked by a long, fruity finish, this medium caffeine tea is suited for a soothing sip throughout the day.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Strawberry Spritz Iced Tea just sounds amazing, doesn’t? It brings to mind relaxing thoughts of reading a good book while enjoying a bright and sunny day. So relaxing. This blend is a lovely blend of black tea, strawberries, orange peel, mint, vanilla and cinnamon. Quite an array of bright and vibrant flavors.
Brewed up per the pouch instructions-190F for 5 minutes, I happily poured the brew into my mug. I think I may have overleafed just by the aromas I’m getting from the tea. Darn!
From what I’m getting, this tea has amazing promise and may deserve a cold brew session. There are strong sweet strawberry and orange notes in each sip. The astringent factor of the black tea base seems to be a bit stronger (again, probably due to overleafing!) than I would have liked. The rest of the flavors are mellow and give a nice background for the other flavors to pop. I wish the mint or vanilla was a tad stronger to give the tea a bit more of a complex feel and flavor.
This tea is pretty good. Even with my overleaf issue. I wish the strawberry notes or orange notes were a bit stronger, but all in all, very decent. I truly believe this is a blend that needs to be enjoyed as a cold brew. Can’t say I would want a ton of this one but I’m very glad I was able to try the blend.
I didn’t realize Teabox offered flavored blends like this. I’m off to see what other fun blends they have to offer!
Lemon Cakes from The Forest Witch
Lemon Cakes Loose Tea a GoT (Game of Thrones) inspired tea for Sansa’s love for buttery lemon cakes. Being a huge fan of GoT, I had to try it out. Plus green teas are my favorite. So this was a win win!
I was extremely excited to share this tea with my family so the last together we had family dinner, I brewed up a huge pot of this tea. The tea smelled amazing. Rich smooth lemony goodness. But unfortunately, I oversteeped the tea. Shame on me for not setting a timer. So I took the tea leaves, put them into a stick infuser, grabbed a glass of ice and proceeded to make cold brew tea.
This tea was simply decadent! Rich lush creamy lemon notes with a underlying green tea hint here and there. I couldn’t believe how very close to a lemon cake this actually tasted like. There was even a sugary feel that gave way to an icing note completing the sip. It doesn’t really get better than a tall refreshing glass of tea that reminds you of an iced lemon cake. I’m over the moon about this tea! Even if this blend wasn’t GoT inspired, I would still absolutely adore it. Just a wonderful refreshing way to pick up anyone’s day. This tea just screams sunshine and happiness!
I’m hoping this tea is still around when GoT returns next year. Especially since this next season is supposed to come out during the summer. The perfect companion to enjoy one of my favorite shows!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Forest Witch
Description
Enjoy Sansa’s favourite dessert in this lovely cup of green tea, filled to the brim with buttery lemon cakes.
Green tea blended with lemon pieces, calendula and essence of buttery cake. Enjoy on tense afternoons when you don’t know who to trust, and are perhaps plotting revenge on your captors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
#FanaticFriday: Rose and The Doctor from Pinch of Geek
I will admit it. This tea had me at the name alone. Rose and The Doctor. And with a tea company name like Pinch of Geek, seriously-I was in love. But when the blend arrived at my door, I realized this was a earl grey tea and lavender mix- my heart sank a bit. (I’m not a huge fan of earl grey or lavender teas)
But I put on my BIG girl pants and prepped my water. A few minutes later I had a pot full of this tea ready for me to check out. I will have to say that I wasn’t instantly in love with the dry leaf aroma but I loved smelling this tea steep- there was a romantic vibe in the air.
Took a sip of this tea and my cup hasn’t touched the table since. I am drinking this tea like it is a contest! Bright romantic floral sweetness greets you first with a burst of flavor. In the middle of the sip, the earl grey says hi with a bit more subtlety and at the very end there is that familiar perfume like twist from the lavender. The earl grey and lavender are not overwhelming in the least bit. They actually add a bit of a texture to the tea and dimension. I am a bit surprised I’m even saying this but they actually heighten the tea.
Gorgeous, perfectly balanced, full bodied and beautiful flavors-this tea just keeps giving. I’m currently on my third infusion and the flavor has lessened but I’m still picking up that flavor I am crushing on.
If you are a Doctor Who fanatic (like me!), this tea fits Rose and the Doctor perfectly. Even if you are not a fan of earl greys or florals, I implore you to try this one. The blend has taken me off guard with how much I’m loving it.
Have a tea you are fanatic? Join us on Fridays where we share our favorite teas! Tag your favorite blend with #FanaticFriday!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pinch of Geek
Description:
Rose & The Doctor is my nod to one of my favorite shows, Doctor Who. This tea is Earl Grey black tea with a hint of vanilla blended with a touch of lavender, rose hips, and dried roses. Rose and The Doctor does have high caffeine. This tea blend has no artificial flavorings or added flavor oils. There are no added sugars or flavorings.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here.
Mint To Be Together from For Tea’s Sake
At first glance, this tea sounds stellar-a combo of different mints and lemon peel. Sounds refreshing and so inviting. When I opened the pouch, I was greeted with a fresh feel to the tea.
For Tea’s Sake is one that I stumbled upon after lunch with my parents at a neighboring town. I couldn’t resist grabbing 4 different kinds of their loose leaf tea to try.
Brewed up with fresh water at 212F and allowed to steep for 5 minutes, I poured myself a generous cuppa to enjoy. Unfortunately, first sip in, I knew this tea wasn’t for me. The lemon and mint didn’t play very well. Since I wasn’t in love with what I had, I thought I would try a nice cold brew.
So I scooped what I had remaining of this tea into a pitcher and allowed the tea to sit overnight. I have to say this way of brewing the tea yielded a better flavor but I just don’t think this is a tea cut out for me.
Final Thoughts? The lemon was present and quite lovely but I just didn’t like the combo of the mint with the lemon. It was almost like the mint either needed to be pulled back a bit or more lemon peel added in. This tea (for me) seems to be sort of confused. Regardless, I appreciate the effort. I would try this tea again in a heart beat just to try adding in another spoonful or maybe even cold brewing for another day or two. Or maybe even add in strawberries or raspberries. That may be the ticket.
Just one of those blends that needs a bit of experimenting!
Here’s the Scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: For Tea’s Sake
Description:
For Tea’s Sake Mint To Be Together Loose Leaf Iced Tea Blend. The perfect combination of tart lemonade and refreshing mint is reminiscent of warm sunny days and long conversations in the shade. Lemonade and friends are meant to be together. Mint Lemonade, 1.8oz/45g Tin.
INGREDIENTS:
peppermint, ground lemon peel and spearmint
Learn more about this tea and tea company here.