Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: Mahamosa
Tisane Description:
The popular pomegranate demonstrates its best attributes in this combination, side by side with the fruity blueberry. This creates a very fruity taste experience and is also great to look at in its robe of royal blue cornflowers and mallow blossoms. Ingredients: apple pieces, hibiscus blossoms, elderberries, freeze-dried apple pieces, pomegranate arils, flavoring, blueberries, cornflower and mallow blossoms.
Learn more about this fruit tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I love pomegranate, but, I have to admit that I generally prefer pomegranate flavored teas (Camellia Sinensis) rather than pomegranate fruit tisanes such as this Pomegranate Blueberry Fruit Tisane from Mahamosa. That said … I am having a hard time finding anything to complain about with this fruit tisane … it’s actually rather tasty!
I steeped this using just under boiling water (about 195°F) for six minutes. I find that a steep time between five and seven minutes is just about right for tisanes that are crafted with hibiscus … it’s enough time to extract a little bit of tartness from the herb (but not too much!) as well as a little bit of texture (again … not enough to make it unpleasantly thick, but enough to give it an agreeable body). Here, the tartness of the hibiscus plays well with the pomegranate and blueberry, both of which tend to have just a little bit of tartness of their own. The hibiscus seemed to complement these fruits. The apple, on the other hand, smoothed out the tartness just enough, giving the cup a lovely sweetness while keeping the tartness under control (no puckering!)
But, of course, a tisane that is called “Pomegranate Blueberry” had better be about the pomegranate and blueberry, right? And this tisane highlights these two fruits very nicely. I think that they are both evenly matched, too, the pomegranate comes in right at the start of the sip, and then returns right at the end of the sip, while the blueberry comes through mid-sip. The aftertaste is sweet-tart.
A very pleasant tisane … I think I like it better iced than as a hot drink. The iced beverage seems a little sweeter to me. A really nice alternative to sugary soda for kids … this is something I think they’d really LOVE!
Winter Solstice Herb Tea Blend from ESP Emporium
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane & Spice Melange
Where to Buy: ESP Emporium
Tisane Description:
Winter solstice, also called midwinter, is the pendant to midsummer and symbolizes hope: it marks the longest night of the year after which the days slowly become longer! The period of the Zodiac signs of Capricorn to Gemini. However, since the four elements of the twelve astrological zodiac signs – air, earth, fire and water – comprise the second half of the year, we are certain that the warm flavors of caramelized pomegranate in combination with the wintry spices are also a real indulgence and bright spot for the signs of Cancer to Sagittarius! The stars are in your favor!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I am usually hesitant to try fruit and herbal tisanes such as this Winter Solstice Herb Tea Blend from ESP Emporium, usually because hibiscus scares me just a tad, but also because I really just prefer TEA … as in the leaf of the Camellia Sinensis plant. Fruit and herbal tisanes aren’t bad, but, they just aren’t as interesting to me as tea.
However, I am enjoying this blend. It is heavier on the fruit than it is on the herbal, and there is a nice touch of spice to this that makes it very palate pleasing. The hibiscus is not a heavy component to the tisane – there is some and it adds to the color (the liquid brews to a beautiful ruby color), the texture (which is thick but not too thick or syrupy), and just a hint of tartness to the flavor (which offers a nice contrast to some of the sweet and spice of this blend).
I like that I can taste the pomegranate, the orange, and the cranberry. I like the combination of these fruits. Together they are sweet, tangy and verging on tart but not so tart that I find it off-putting, and I tend to be very sensitive to tartness. (I don’t like to pucker when I’m drinking tea!) Of these three fruits, I think that the orange is the strongest, and perhaps the orange (together with the apple, which offers more of a “sweetness but not so much of a distinct apple flavor) is what tones down the tartness to a drinkable level for me.
I don’t taste a whole lot of the Star Anise here, and I find myself wishing there were more of that licorice-y note that anise is known for. I taste the cinnamon, and I feel the cinnamon! Toward the end of the sip, and in to the aftertaste, I feel it toward the back of my mouth and the top of my throat. It isn’t a strong cinnamon note, but it is enough to keep things interesting.
Overall, this is a very interesting blend of fruit, herb and spice. And even though it’s called “Winter Solstice” it is one that I’d drink year round … it would be excellent served iced, and one that I think kids would really enjoy.
Ginger Snap Rooibos Blend from Della Terra Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Della Terra Teas
Tisane Description:
Enjoy the taste of a spicy ginger snap cookie in your cup with our Ginger Snap Tea. Combining the flavors of pineapple, papaya, almonds and mango along with ginger and rooibos created the best tasting ginger snap tea. Mmm Mmm, delicious.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! I love ginger snaps! And this Ginger Snap Rooibos Blend tisane from Della Terra Teas … while not a spot-on tisane rendition of one of my favorite cookies, it offers an interesting and tasty interpretation of the goodness of a ginger snap.
The base for this tisane was well chosen, because the natural nutty notes of the South African rooibos melds well with the ginger notes and create a sort of cookie-like taste. The almond further enhances this cookie-ish taste while offering a sweet dimension to the beverage.
When I first read the description of this tisane, and saw pineapple, papaya and mango in this blend, I was a little perplexed. I mean … huh? I have never actually attempted to bake ginger snaps, these fruits are not ingredients I would ever expect to see in a ginger snap recipe. (For a very tempting ginger snap recipe, check out this one from one of my all-time favorite celebrity chefs from Food Network, Alton Brown.)
But even though the tropical fruits seem a little “misplaced” in this tisane, the juicy, sweet flavor of the mango, pineapple and papaya really seem to work with this cup. I can’t say that these ingredients actually make the tisane taste more like the cookie … but, I can say that I do enjoy the role they play in the overall cup. They add a sweetness and a richness to the cup, and in their own way, really enhance the flavor of this “ginger snap” like drink.
I really enjoyed this tisane. It wasn’t overly spicy, and I’ve got to say that usually I expect my ginger snaps to have a little more of that zesty, snappy flavor than this cup provides … but, I like the way this tastes. It has a mild yet delicious ginger flavor, and I think it’s a very interesting take on the ginger snap. Not bad … not bad at all!
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
Mexican Cocoa Rooibos is a Trail Lodge exclusive herbal tisane. You’ll feel like you’re having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It’s a rooibos and honeybush blend with the perfect amount of cocoa and chilli. There’s just enough chilli to give it a little kick, and it will help warm you up an a cool day. Add milk for an extra special treat. Ingredients: Organic Rooibos, Organic Cinnamon, Organic Honeybush, Organic Cacao Bits, Chocolate Seeds, Organic Safflower, Organic Chili Flakes and Natural Flavor.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mexican Cocoa Rooibos Blend from Trail Lodge Tea is seriously YUMMY! I’m not always big on rooibos, but, I find this blend to be very good, and I attribute this to a couple of factors: first, the rooibos used in this blend is organic rooibos, and I’ve found that there is a notable difference in taste between organic rooibos and conventionally grown rooibos. Second, the base of this tisane is crafted not just of organic rooibos but organic honeybush as well, and I find that tisanes created using both of these South African herbs are very tasty.
And … let us NOT forget about the CHOCOLATE! This blend has lots of chocolate-y flavor, enough to bring a big smile to this chocoholic’s face. I also love the fact that there is a touch of spice from the chili pepper flakes in this blend. There is just enough of the pepper flakes to add a gentle warmth that gradually increases, offering a very soft “burning” sensation in the throat without becoming too spicy or hot. I like that gentle warmth that radiates in the throat, and I LOVE the contrast of the spicy notes with the sweet, rich chocolate flavor.
The spice is further accentuated with the addition of cinnamon … adding a touch more warm spice but also a nice hint of sweetness to the cup. I like the way the cinnamon is represented in this tisane … there is a pleasing cinnamon note that gives the overall cup a very satisfying “Mexican Cocoa” kind of flavor … but they didn’t go overboard with the cinnamon. Cinnamon can often be a selfish spice in blends – but it’s not like that with this blend, and I applaud Trail Lodge Tea for managing to keep this tisane so nicely balanced.
I also applaud Trail Lodge Tea for going the extra mile with this tisane, and turning it into a “charitea” – for every 2 ounces of this tisane that is purchased, a dollar is donated to the “Ninos of Mexico.” Here’s what Trail Lodge Tea says about this charitea:
Trail Lodge Tea now has a new “charitea” that is also are own exclusive blend. It’s called Mexican Cocoa Rooibos. You will feel like you are having a Mexican Fiesta when you sip this tea. It is made of a blend of rooibos and honeybush with just the right combination of chocolate, chili, and flavoring as well as other high quality ingredients. Trail Lodge tea is donating a portion of every sale of this tea to Ninos de Mexico. That’s why we call it a “charitea”. Ninos de Mexico is a wonderful Christian Mission that’s main purpose is to help orphaned and at-risk children living in the Mexico City area. They do this by raising children in loving Christian homes and providing the children with medical care and education. The mission currently runs four homes for children, a medical clinic, and a private school. So you can enjoy some delicious tea and help disadvantaged children at the same time. Click the link below to learn more about Ninos de Mexico or go to the herbal tea page to order some Mexican Cocoa Rooibos.
I like this tisane … not only for its amazing chocolate flavor and warm spice notes … and not only because its all ORGANIC … but also because when I sip it, I know that there are children who are benefiting from this charitable organization.
MintGrass Tisane from The Teaologist
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
This tea is about the balance of its parts. Straightforward in its ingredients, uncommon in its composition. Bits of mint tingle the tongue, sticks of lemongrass refresh the palate and hints of chamomile calm the body. Slice up some ginger to add some spice. Stir in honey to sweeten the pot. Simplicity can be versatile.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn how to subscribe to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the second tea from this month’s Amoda Tea Tasting Box that I’ve tried, and even though it’s a tisane (and I really would prefer that Amoda start including more TEAS in these boxes instead of tisanes), I am still finding this MintGrass Tisane from The Teaologist an enjoyable cuppa.
There is a really lovely balance of peppermint, lemongrass and chamomile in this blend. The peppermint is crisp and cooling – very refreshing! But I like that the other two ingredients here soften the vigor of the peppermint just enough so that it doesn’t taste too minty. Sure, the peppermint is a strong component to this blend, but, I don’t feel like I’m drinking liquefied toothpaste.
The lemongrass offers a really lovely, bright citrus-y note. It tastes faintly of lemon – but it’s a mild lemon taste – not really so tart as it is sweet, but there is a hint of tartness toward the finish that leads into the aftertaste.
The chamomile adds a touch of floral sweetness. Of the three components of this blend, the chamomile is the most discreet, but it does manage to make its presence known in the sip. There is a distinct “chamomile-ness” to the cup, but what I’m liking is that this doesn’t taste like a chamomile blend … if you get my meaning. So often when you brew a chamomile blend – there is a very heavy presence of chamomile … while here the chamomile is more subdued and allows the peppermint and lemongrass to do their thing in their own way.
Overall, this is a very enjoyable tisane, and I can definitely see the relation that this tisane has with this month’s Amoda Box theme – which is St. Patrick’s Day/Spring (this tisane being related to the spring part of the theme) It definitely has a fresh, spring-time kind of flavor!