Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy
Tea Description:
Egyptian chamomile, sweet licorice root roasted in honey, and grade-A Madagascar vanilla beans! This is a great herbal infusion for the late night: perfect for relaxing. Our Honey Vanilla Chamomile is just that: honey (with licorice root), vanilla, chamomile. Nothing else. This blend is part of the Original 20 M&K’s Blends. Note: Honey Vanilla Chamomile contains no tea, as it is an herbal infusion. We chose to include the term “herbal tea” in the title due to its categorical popularity.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a little while (at least a week or so!) since I last had chamomile and tonight I’m in need of relaxation: chamomile style! So, I grabbed this Honey Vanilla Chamomile blend from M&K’s Tea Company.
To brew it, I poured the contents from the sampler pouch into the basket of my Kati tumbler and added 12 ounces of water heated to 195°F. I let it steep for eight minutes.
The aroma is distinctly chamomile, but I can also pick up on the notes of honey and licorice root. The vanilla notes are not as noticeable but there is a very faint vanilla fragrance.
Wow! I’m liking this. The licorice root is the strongest flavor here, but the often sharp flavor of the licorice is softened somewhat by the honey roasting. And I like the honey in this, it complements the natural honey-like flavors of the chamomile.
The chamomile is also prominent. It has that expected honeyed, apple-y flavor. I like the way the zesty, warm flavor of the licorice contrasts with the softer, lighter flavor of the chamomile. It’s a really unique flavor combination, but it’s working for me.
The vanilla is the softest flavor of this blend, but I do taste a subtle sweet and creamy note from the vanilla bean. It may be the softest flavor here but it ties everything together. I don’t think this blend would taste quite the same without that whisper of vanilla.
I drank this while it was hot. I’m not a big fan of chilled chamomile. But, I did find that after the tea cooled slightly – still warm but not piping hot – the flavors seemed to become slightly more seamless. It was like the vanilla came forward a bit more and softened everything just a little more. The licorice seemed smoother, and the other flavors seemed to meld together to create a very unified flavor.
I know not everyone out there is a big fan of licorice root – if you’re one of them, this tisane isn’t for you. But if you like that snappy flavor of licorice, you should give this herbal tea a try. I found it to be quite delightful and it also does what it’s supposed to do: it helped me relax! It’s a very soothing, calming drink that doesn’t taste like every other chamomile blend out there. Bonus points for that!
M&K’s earns another thumbs up from me for this blend.
Armando’s Original Blend Coffee Leaf Tea from Wize Monkey
Tea Description:
Leaf Type: Coffee Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Coffee leaf tea has more antioxidants than green tea and has very little caffeine. It has a smooth flavour without bitterness or dry aftertaste like regular teas.
Learn more about Wize Monkey here.
Support Wize Monkey’s Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign here.
Taster’s Review:
I was both intrigued and nervous about this product. I have mentioned more than once the issues that I’ve experienced with coffee. I used to drink a cup of coffee every morning and by 11 am, I was feeling quite nauseous. So, I worried that since this product comes from the same plant as the beans that caused that late morning yucky sick feeling, I was a little concerned as this tea brewed that what I was steeping was a cup of nausea.
But I decided to be brave and try it. And keep my fingers crossed that I wouldn’t be feeling horrid a few hours later.
The sample that I was sent from Wize Monkey came in a DIY loose leaf teabag so I decided to go ahead and steep it using the teabag. I put the teabag into a teacup and heated freshly filtered water to 195°F which is my “go-to” temperature for “herbal” teas and since this is not technically a tea leaf, I thought, eh … I’ll see what happens at 195°F. I steeped leaves for 4 minutes.
The aroma is … different. I’m trying to come up with a comparable scent so you can get an idea of what I’m smelling. It smells earthy, similar to the earthiness you’d detect if you had brewed a cup of guayusa or yerba mate. It smells kind of grassy. Like a mossy, damp earth with notes of dried hay.
The flavor is a little reminiscent of guayusa, only a little more herbaceous. Guayusa tastes a little more like coffee to me only not as bitter as a cup of joe. This on the other hand does have some a touch of bitterness to it, at least in the earliest sips. I find that as I continue to sip, the bitter tone sort of dissipates, and I find that I enjoy it the more I drink it.
It has a definite herb-y sort of flavor that reminds me a bit of bay leaf. There is a light honey note to it too, and I like that this honey note develops as I continue to sip. Again … the more I drink this, the more I like it.
This product as been compared to black tea in flavor, but, I am not getting that. It has a similar texture as a black tea but not so much the flavor. I find that there is a certain invigorating quality to it even though the caffeine content is supposed to be about the same as decaffeinated coffee.
It’s a tasty ‘tea’. Different from anything that I’ve tasted, but it is vaguely reminiscent of guayusa. I enjoyed my sample of this coffee leaf tea and I’d definitely be interested in some blends using coffee leaf. Right off the top of my head, I think that this would taste good with cacao shells (a chocolate-y experience!) or with peppermint. Or perhaps a combination of both. And with the honey-like flavors, I think it would also taste awesome as the base of a masala spice blend – coffee leaf chai!
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Sweet Cinnamon Maté Tisane from Because UR Priceless
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Because UR Priceless on Etsy
Tisane Description:
Yerba Matế (pronounced mah-tay) has long been recommended for promoting vitality, clarity and well-being. Not only does it contain 24 vitamins and minerals, 15 amino acids, and a host of antioxidants, but it is traditionally used as a catalyst to help your body take in the benefits of other herbs.
Our SWEET CINNAMON MATẾ combines this wonderful leaf with spicy cinnamon and sweet cacao nibs to make for an unforgettable tea drinking experience.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane is delightful!
The Yerba Mate appears to be a “green” (rather than a roasted) Yerba Mate and it lends a fresh crisp taste to the cup. Yerba Mate is a very invigorating drink and I love the refreshing flavor of the green Mate in this. It is a nice contrast to the warm, spicy-sweet cinnamon and the rich notes of cacao.
The cinnamon here adds a gentle heat. It’s not overly spicy, but it’s warming and it’s especially nice to be drinking on a cool autumn morning like this. Cozy, like a warm fluffy blanket but less likely to lull you into a sleepy state because we’re drinking Mate here! The Mate gives you a swift kick in the butt to get you going and keep you alert!
The cacao nibs are a nice touch. It gives a slight chocolate-y sweetness to the cup to soften the edge of the cinnamon and enhance the earthy quality of the Mate in a favorable way. (Mate can sometimes be a little more on the vegetal earthy side, the cacao ensures a more chocolate-y earthiness which I like much better.)
To brew this tea, I grabbed my Kati Tumbler and added the contents of the sampler packet to the basket. That’s probably a tad more than was needed for a 12 ounce cuppa, but, I tend to prefer my tisanes to be brewed strong because they tend to be somewhat “thinner” in body.
I added hot water (195°F) and steeped the tisane for 10 minutes. I have found that Yerba Mate can become a little bitter if you either: a) bring the water to boiling, or; b) steep too long. If you eliminate one of these factors, in this case, I brought the water to just boil, then you don’t get that unpleasant bitterness from the Mate and you can steep the blend a little longer to ensure a strong flavor from the infusion.
It’s a very satisfying beverage that’s a little sweet, a little spicy and a whole lot energizing!
Camomille Matricaria from Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Les 2 Marmottes
Tisane Description:
Feverfew chamomile is a small and simple plant without chi chis. With its flower fragrance, it offers a fresh and comforting tea, breathing the fresh air. A very light yellow color, almost transparent and a light, honeyed flavor: chamomile, it is nature in all simplicity, that where lies happiness.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little apprehensive about this chamomile because when I opened the packet, I could see that the blossoms have been crushed and it looked a little more like chamomile dust rather than chamomile flowers. It looked a lot like what you’d find if you opened a grocery store offering of bagged chamomile tisane.
And that’s the stuff I’m not crazy about. I’ve come to a point where I enjoy whole blossom chamomile, but the dust in most tea bags that you can buy in the grocery store? No thank you.
But I decided to go into this experience with an open mind. I mean, who knows? Maybe I’ll like it. I won’t know though, until I try it. (That’s what I keep telling my daughter when it comes to trying new foods, anyway.)
I steeped the tea bag in 6 ounces of water that had been heated to 195°F for eight minutes. Normally, I’d go ahead and steep it for 10 minutes, but because this had been crushed to a powder, I decided to go with just 8 minutes.
I’m glad I did. The flavor is strong and I don’t know that I’d like it much if the flavor were any stronger. As it is, this is alright. It has a light, apple-y flavor and sweet nectar-y, honey-like flavor. It’s soothing. It’s pleasant.
Let’s face it, chamomile will never be my favorite. It just won’t. But I like it better than I used to. This at least tastes fresher than what I’d get from the supermarket. (Who knows how long that stuff has been sitting on the shelves!) And as far as chamomile goes, this isn’t too bad. It’s relaxing me and that’s what I needed it to do because I have to get up early in the morning and as it is, it’s pretty late. I needed something that was going to help me unwind and catch those zzz’s so that I can be bright-eyed tomorrow.
Not a bad cup and effective at relaxation.
Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea Blend from English Tea Store
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Green
Where to Buy: English Tea Store
Tea Description:
The Buckingham Palace Garden Party tea loose leaf blend from English Tea Store is a delicate medium tea with a hint of Earl Grey and Jasmine. This is a lighter afternoon tea.
Every May, the Queen holds a garden party at Buckingham Palace, a lovely English springtime tradition. The tea that is served is a long time favorite, a delicious Palace medley specially selected for this occasion. Intriguing hints of high-grown pure Ceylon Earl Grey blend effortlessly with the soft jasmine from Fujian Province. Couple this with malty Assam (from the estate of Borengajuli) flavory Dimbula Ceylon (from Hatton), brisk and golden cup East of Rift Kenya (from Kambaa and Kagwe) and you have one of the most flavorful teas to come from the British Isles. Each cup is a cup of mystery – the flavors all come to the fore at separate times – one minute you taste the Earl Grey, the next second you can almost feel the soft floral notes of jasmine and finally you get the satisfying fullness of the Assam Ceylon and Kenya blend. Enjoy this tea and be a part of the annual tradition in the west gardens of Buckingham Palace, without having to dress up.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Buckingham Palace Garden Party Tea is an example of a tea that I should have read the description of before I brewed it, because by simply looking at the loose leaf, it is difficult to tell that it’s a blend of black and green teas. I should have used a slightly lower temperature to steep this tea! And there is some bitterness as a result. I steeped this for 3 minutes using boiling water, and I think I should have used water that was closer to 180°F. Even with the bitterness, it isn’t a bad tasting tea, but I think it could be better. Unfortunately, I don’t have more of this tea to experiment with it.
The aroma is lovely! I can smell the bergamot and the jasmine, but neither offers an overpowering fragrance. This seems to be nicely balanced between the two classic ingredients of jasmine and bergamot.
The black tea is rich and flavorful. I can taste the malty notes of Assam and the aforementioned bitterness may be a result of the Assam’s presence in the blend. The bitterness is not something that I find off-putting as it’s not an intrusive flavor. It doesn’t get in the way of me tasting the other flavors of the tea nor does it get in the way of the enjoyment of the overall cup. I’d rather the bitterness not be there, of course, and if I had a little more of this tea, I’d experiment with it a little to figure out a better way to brew it so that the bitterness wasn’t present.
The green tea is a little less discernible than the black tea. This isn’t surprising, as green tea tends to have a lighter flavor than black tea. However, that isn’t to say that the green tea can’t be tasted because I definitely taste it’s softer, somewhat vegetal taste and a silky texture that is unmistakably green tea-ish.
The jasmine is a sweet, exotic note that compliments the tangy bergamot. The bergamot it not as strong as I typically like a bergamot in an Earl Grey blend, however, since this is a “garden party” blend (for Buckingham Palace, no less), I can let the softer bergamot slide because a stronger bergamot essence may very well overpower the delicate notes of jasmine and a good balance between the two has been achieved here. It’s a pleasantly floral, tangy cup that is very satisfying.
Overall, an enjoyable cup that I’d suggest as an afternoon cuppa. It’s not quite robust enough – in my opinion – to serve as a breakfast blend or that first cup of the day when you need that jump start. This is ideal to serve to guests though, and makes a lovely cup of tea to enjoy in the afternoon, even if your garden party is a party of one.