Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Tea Description:
An Intelligent Herbal Concoction of Ginkgo Biloba, Brahmi, Gotu Kola, Ginger, Peppermint, Hawthorn Berries, Passionflower Holy Basil and Lemon Verbena
Hocus Pocus…Where’s My Focus? Is It Here? Is It There? I Can’t Find It Anywhere. Perhaps If I Would Drink My Tea, I Might Become A Smarter Me.
Steeping Instructions: Measure 1.5 teaspoons of tea to 8 oz of water. Heat water to boiling 208 degrees, pour over the tea leaves, and steep tea leaves for five to six minutes.
Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients: Organic Ginkgo Biloba,Organic Hawthorn Berries, Organic Ginger, Organic Gotu Kola, Organic Brahmi, Organic Peppermint, Organic Passionflower, Organic Tulsi Holy Basil, Organic Lemon Verbena
.8 oz. Tube…$5.99 • 3 oz. Tin…$13.99 • 8 oz Bag…$29.00 • 1 lb Bag…$57.00
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been a fan of Indie Tea in Las Vegas since the very first time I saw them! Not only because of their creative blends of tea bases and flavors but because of some of the secondary ingredients they use – herbs, for example, that you would normally find in regular teas and tisanes. Another reason I LOVE their company is the artsy-vibe they incorporate into their tea packaging, logos, labels, and website! They are CLEVER thru and thru – that is for sure!
When I first saw the tube of SMARTY PANTS – it made me smile! It said “Put on your thinking cap SMARTY PANTS” and as you can see above use quite the combination of ingredients in this herbal. I tend to not really reach for herbals teas but sometimes LIFE calls the shots for you, right! I’m glad I listened, in this case, this is a mighty fine herbal offering from Indie Tea!
I would agree that it is an intelligent blend! A hint of berry flattened by the Ginkgo and Basil, mostly but also the yin and the yang of the Ginger and Peppermint dance nicely to create their own flavor, too! The Lemon Verbena really brings everything together nicely in the end.
This isn’t overly herb or leafy tasting. The ginger and the peppermint are subtle and nicely done. I can’t think of a more well rounded mesh of flavors for this herbal. I don’t think I would change anything!
Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi & Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Tastes like jujubes
Sweet aroma of berries, apple and chamomile. Slightly sweet on the tongue, lightly minty with a tart finish. This tea is full-bodied and rich. Sip this tea and it will calm your body and relax your mind. ahhhhh.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
So, I’m a bit behind on my Amoda Tea reviews! This Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea came in my July Tea Tasting Box, but, I’m just now getting around to reviewing it. What can I say, when it comes to tisanes … I always seem to be reluctant to try it!
But this is one of the prettiest teas I’ve seen in a long time! Big flower buds of chamomile, poppy and rose. And BONUS: No Hibiscus! Yay!
I was excited to see Tulsi as one of the ingredients in this tea (here, it was called “holy basil”) because I have enjoyed the tisanes with Tulsi that I’ve tried. I like the herbaceous, slightly minty, slightly spicy taste that Tulsi brings to a tisane.
In this tisane, the Tulsi offers subtle hints of the minty basil tones which are especially noticeable in the finish. I’m noticing more of a peppery warmth during the sip from the Tulsi than the cooling mint taste. But I like the way the Tulsi comes through in this blend, because there is a strong fruity character to this cup, and the spice gives it some added interest and depth.
The description from Amoda Tea suggests that this tastes like Jujubes … and I don’t know that what I’m tasting is Jujubes. I’ll be honest and mention though, that I’ve not had Jujubes since I was young. They were never really a favorite candy of mine (I didn’t like the way they stuck to my teeth). But I did like their bright, fruity taste, and while this tisane does have a fruity taste to it, I can’t say that this reminds me of that candy.
But it is sweet with lots of fruit notes: apple, orange, and hints of lemon. I don’t really taste a lot of ‘berry’ as mentioned in the description by Amoda, but, I do notice the tartness that lingers in the aftertaste. Given the sheer number of flowers in this blend, I did expect it to taste more floral than it does. It does certainly present a floral note to the palate, but, it’s a smooth, subdued floral taste rather than the sharpness that I often associate with floral tones.
Then again, everything about this particular blend is very calm and relaxed. The flavor is gentle and mild. It is a really tasty tisane … certainly better than I expected it to be given my hesitancy to actually try it. I like the fruity overtones, I like that it doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, and I like that there is a pleasant warm yet sweet taste to it … without adding sugar.
As I mentioned in my review of The Road To Hana (also from Indie Tea) – a tea that also came from my Amoda Tea Box for July – I have already tasted and reviewed the third tea that came in my box: Lover’s Lane. I was really happy to see that Amoda Tea focused in on Indie Tea, because they are a company that I really like. They are a fun company with a youthful vibe … I like the jovial attitude they give their teas!
So this tea review gets me all caught up with my July reviews for Amoda Tea … and a good thing too, because I have August’s box waiting for me! I can’t wait to try the teas in that box from their featured blender: Tea Xotics … a company I’ve not yet tried! Yay!
The Road To Hana White Tea Blend from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
TeaDescription:
The subtlety of the added flavours is what we love about this tea! The white peony is the star with its delicate hay, fruit and floral aromas. You have the leaf’s natural round mouthfeel coupled with the coconut flakes that makes for a creamy cup of tea. Hints of the dried mango and tart hibiscus = a seriously delicious tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
I was very happy when I received this month’s Tea Tasting Box from Amoda Tea and discovered that Indie Tea was the featured tea purveyor for July. Indie Tea is one of my favorite tea purveyors because I love their fun, fresh and funky attitude toward tea! Their packaging is fun and their blends are deliciously different – with cool names to match their unique flavors.
One of the teas that was included in this month’s box – Lover’s Lane – is one that I’ve previously tried and reviewed. So, I won’t be writing another review for that tea, but, I am certainly happy to be tasting it again! In the meantime, I am going to tell you a little bit about this blend that I’m sipping right now – The Road to Hana White Tea Blend from Indie Tea.
And it is YUM! It’s got a great tropical flavor to it with the coconut and the mango notes, as well as the hibiscus. (Which is also quite tropical!) The hibiscus, gratefully, is not overdone here. It didn’t even really color the brewed tea very much … there was a slight pinkish hue but really, this looked more like a white tea than a hibiscus-y tea.
And it TASTES more like a white tea than a hibiscus-y tea too. And I’m very happy about that.
The white tea has a soft, delicate flavor (no surprise there, right?) and lends an earthy, sweet base for the additional sweetness of the fruity mango and creamy coconut notes. The hibiscus adds just a hint of tartness and it’s just enough of a contrasting note to offset the sweeter tropical fruits. Indie Tea has managed to achieve a nice balance of tart and sweet that leans more toward the sweet than the tart.
This has a nice mango flavor. The coconut is more “creamy” than coconut-y tasting … and I like the creaminess as it complements the white tea nicely. The result is a sweet and creamy cup of tropical lusciousness that has just a subtle tart note. Tasty!
A really nice choice by Amoda Tea. I like this one, and I’m glad I got to try it.
Ball and Chain Oolong Blend Tea from Indie Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Indie Tea
Tea Description:
“Till Death” Is Oolong Time, But When You Pair Together Lots Of Dates and Flowers, The Old Ball and Chain Might Actually Be A Lot More Fun.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yum! I love dates, but they are a fruit that I don’t partake of very often because … well, to be honest, I’m not sure why not. I guess because when I find them in my usual “thrifty” grocery store, they don’t look very promising, and when I’m shopping at my higher end grocery store like Whole Foods or Chuck’s Produce, I don’t usually think about dates, because I usually go in there with a set list of items that I’m purchasing … and well, dates usually just are not on that list.
So, when I find a tea that is flavored with dates, like this Ball and Chain Oolong Blend Tea from Indie Tea, I get excited and want to try it!
And this is really a tasty blend! The Se Chung Oolong is sweet and has a nice, roasty-toasty kind of flavor that melds really nicely with the flavor of the Medjool dates. There is a slight smokiness to the Se Chung … not an overpowering smoky tone, but just enough to keep things interesting.
There is also a stone fruit kind of flavor to the Oolong … and together with the smoky, toasty, nutty tone, it almost tastes like a roasted or grilled fruit. Think fresh, juicy peaches that have been grilled to a slight char over smoky charcoal! Yeah, now that sounds yummy, doesn’t it?
The date flavor is not an overpowering note – it doesn’t overwhelm the Se Chung Oolong … and that’s a good thing. The date flavor is strong enough to taste that sweet, sugary note that is very “date-like.” The flower petals do not add much to the flavor of this, in fact, there is very little floral tone to this at all. If you slurp the sip enough to aerate the tea on the palate, you might notice the faintest whisper of a floral quality to the tea, but it is so very faint. But, the date flavor and the smoky, toasted nut flavor of the Oolong is so tasty that you won’t miss the floral tones to this tea! It’s quite nice just the way it is!
A really enjoyable Oolong blend … and another tea from Indie Tea that you should add to your shopping list!
Peace, Love, and Happy Tea from Indie Tea
Tea Type:
Green Tea
Where To Buy:
Indie Tea
Product Description:
Peace, Love and Happy Tea
Jasmine Scented Green Tea with Chrysanthemum and Jasmine Flowers.Circles Can Be Tricky. You Can?t Sit In A Circle By Yourself. There Must Be A Group of People, or Cardboard Cutouts of People, Who Will Sit in the Circle With You.
Steeping Instructions: Measure 1.5 teaspoons of tea to 8 oz of water. Heat water to 175-180 degrees, pour over the tea leaves, and steep tea leaves for three to five minutes.
3.3 oz. Organic and Fair Trade Ingredients: Organic Jasmine Scented Green Tea, Organic Jasmine Flowers, Organic Chrysanthemum Flowers.
Tasters Review:
My mother always said I was a ‘TEEN’ in the wrong decade! Sure…I was a 70s Baby but I wasn’t of age in the 60s or 70s to participate in Woodstock, Hippie Gatherings, and Communal Living. I probably would have – had I been given the opportunity! So when I saw this tea I KNEW I HAD to try it!
I know you’re not supposed to judge a tea by it’s name but I sort of DID with this one. Usually I’m not one to ‘yank’ a floral tea off the shelf or specifically order one but this tea NAME had me a Peace/Love/Happy.
This is made up of Green Tea, Jasmine, and Chrysanthemums.
It infuses to a gentle orange/tan color. I can smell and taste both of the flower ingredients. It’s both florally-sweet and semi-florally-bitter. It’s a nice yin an yang of sorts.
This is fantastic for a floral tea. It really is.
Groovy Man…