Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Rare Tea Co.
Tea Description:
Olives have been cultivated around the world for 5,000 years, but never commercially in the UK until now. The olive grove at Southdown Trees in Sussex is the first and only of its type in the UK.
The leaves are handpicked from the tree, carefully washed, quickly air-dried, then left to cure with the absence of sunlight.
Reaserch suggests that drinking Olive Leaf Tea can help to lower both colesterol and blood pressure and maintain a healthy immune system.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I haven’t consumed a lot of olive leaf tea. But the few that I’ve had, I’ve enjoyed, and I’m really liking this English Olive Leaf Tea from Rare Tea Co.
And this is different from other olive leaf teas that I’ve had. The first noticeable difference: this is whole leaf. It isn’t a bagged tea. It doesn’t come in a sachet. It’s whole leaf, and the leaves look … well, they look like the photo above. Whole and large like that. Not crumbled or broken or chopped.
The flavor is sweet and very similar to the taste of a light green tea. It tastes a little lighter and a little sweeter than most green teas. There is even a slight buttery taste and texture that is similar to what you might experience with, say, a Chinese Sencha. It’s a little lighter than that in both flavor and texture, so it’s more like a light Chinese Sencha.
There is also a pleasing savory tone to this. On the Rare Tea Co. website, it is stated that this is enjoyed with “Pan con Tomate” which is fresh tomatoes with oil and garlic on toast. I can see how this tisane would make a delightful complement to this dish, and it has me wondering what type of flavors the tomatoes and garlic bring out in this beverage. I may have to try it myself!
Since this is so similar in taste to a green tea, I think that this would make a really nice substitute for those who must limit their caffeine intake but miss their green tea. It would also be a nice drink for later in the evening when you want the flavor of green tea but not the stimulation of the caffeine.
Citrus Hibiscus Herbal Tisane from Simple Loose Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This lovely and colorful blend of hibiscus, rose hips, lemon grass, orange peel and organic rooibos infuses a ruby red herbal with a refreshing citrus and tart flavor containing light spice tones. Excellent over ice for a zingy citrus treat, and enjoy hot to help punch out a cold or flu.
Hibiscus Flowers, Rose Hips, Rooibos, Lemongrass, Orange Peel, Juicy Lemon and Orange Flavors
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This smells AMAZING! I love the bright citrus-y scent of this tisane.
Now, as you can imagine, the name of this tisane scared me just a little bit. Citrus Hibiscus Herbal. Hibiscus just isn’t my thing. But, I’ve had some really positive experiences with hibiscus lately, and the last hibiscus based tisane that I tasted from Simple Loose Leaf turned out to be alright. And this smells really good … so with those things in mind, I kept my fingers crossed and I brewed myself a cup of it.
OK … there is a bit more hibiscus in this than I would like there to be. That said, there are some other flavors in this that appeal to me. I like the citrus-y notes to this, and I do like how the rooibos lightens up the thick body that would normally accompany such a hibiscus-heavy tisane, making it much more palatable.
While this isn’t my favorite tisane , I found it tastes better served iced. Some of the hibiscus zing seems to chill with the cold, making this much more enjoyable, and just like the Cranberry Breeze from last month, my youngest daughter found these two drinks to be especially enjoyable, and hey, I’d rather her be drinking this than something sugary.
Another tasty way to enjoy this: add a couple of cloves and some cinnamon to the teapot before you pour in the hot water to start steeping. Let the spices steep with the tisane … it doesn’t end up too spicy, but the warmth of the cinnamon and cloves add some delightful contrast to the tart citrus and hibiscus.
It’s not a bad tisane, but it isn’t my favorite tisane, either. Then again, I didn’t expect it to be. But that’s the beauty of the Selection Club from Simple Loose Leaf. I get to try out five different teas every month and if there’s one in that five that doesn’t make me do the happy dance, that’s OK. It’s a sample size, and I still have four other teas that I can enjoy.
It’s all about the power of choice!
At the beginning of every month, I receive an email from Simple Loose Leaf that details the teas that will be featured in the next month’s box. I can choose to receive two large packages of two teas that appeal to me. I can choose which two teas I want from their menu of five teas. What if I want to try all five? Well, then I can choose to receive the sampler package, which offers five samples, one of each tea of the five on the menu.
That’s what I usually choose, because I’m a taster. That’s what I do. I taste a tea … try it out, and then I tell you about it. Most of the teas and tisanes from Simple Loose Leaf, I’ve really enjoyed! Occasionally, I’m going to encounter one or two that just doesn’t excite me, like this one. And that’s OK because I do have the power of choice with this program!
And whatever you choose to do – that’s OK too. This program gives you the power of choice!
Use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 to get a 25% discount when you sign up for the selection club. This discount is not applicable on the retail selection of teas, and is only good for the selection club subscription.
Want even more incentive to join the Selection club? Then, check THIS OUT! Now through June 20th, all new subscribers will receive a FREE teapot with their first shipment. WOW! What an awesome deal!
Da Ye Xiao Qing Tuo (Big Leaf Mini Green Tuo Cha) from Seven Cups
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Seven Cups
Tea Description:
This tea has a light aroma and rich, smooth flavor with a long finish through multiple infusions. The liquid is light and clear, and the infused leaves are the color of bamboo leaves. You can feel the sweetness of the tea in your throat after a few sips.
Learn more about this tea here.
Subscribe to Steepster Select here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m love LOVE loving this Da Ye Xiao Qing Tuo Pu-erh from Seven Cups! It’s so remarkably sweet – one of the sweetest Pu-erh I think I’ve ever encountered.
The sweetness was strong from the very first cup, and this sweetness only developed with each subsequent infusion. I taste a very light vegetal tone to the first cup as well, but mostly what I taste is a honeyed sweetness that is absolutely delightful.
The second cup was where I noticed the sweetness developing into a creamier note. I could also taste the vegetal notes a little more with this cup. The combination of the cream and the veggie notes gave it an almost “creamed spinach” type of flavor, although the vegetal notes were sweeter than spinach.
The third cup was a little less sweet and a little more vegetative. The creamy notes were not as noticeable this time. The flavor is more of an earthy vegetation this time. Still very flavorful, but, I found myself missing the sweet creaminess that I experienced in cup number two and the joyful sweetness of the first cup. This is still good, just not as delicious as the first two cups.
I decided to have one more cup to see what flavors were in store for me, and I found that with this cup, there were no creamy notes and the sweetness was not the same. It was more of a sweet vegetative taste rather than a honeyed sweetness or a creamy sweetness of the earlier infusions.
I am sure that this Pu-erh could have gone through many more infusions, but, I think that because I so enjoyed the first two cups so much, that I found myself missing what those two cups had to offer and I couldn’t appreciate the later infusions as much.
A really nice Pu-erh, and I’m glad that I got to try it. Another great tea offering from my Steepster Select box!
Bali Bamboo Leaf Tisane from Wise Owl Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tea
Where to Buy: Wise Owl Tea
Tea Description:
Our delicious Bamboo Leaf and nettle tea will leave you feeling refreshed, and conjure up images of the tropical island of Bali in the Indonesian archipelago. Long sugary beaches leading into hillsides terraced with Bamboo. The tall supple plants gently swaying in the coastal breeze. One sip and the Island of Bali is just around the corner This fabulous blend is a mild, sweet, green tea flavour.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I haven’t had a lot of bamboo teas/tisanes during my time as a tea reviewer, and I’m finding myself a little surprised at just how much this Bali Bamboo Leaf Tisane from Wise Owl Tea tastes like green tea! It has that sweet, light, clean flavor of a pure green tea, although I’m finding this to be a wee bit sweeter. There is no bitterness here and no astringency.
The brewed liquid even LOOKS like a green tea, which had me zapping myself over to the website to check out the ingredients of this tisane again to make sure it wasn’t actually a green tea. Nope, this tisane contains only bamboo leaf and nettle. Of course, the addition of the nettle in this blend probably contributes to the “green tea” taste of it. Nettle tends to have a sweet, grassy taste – just like green tea.
This has a slight buttery tone to it, and that vegetative taste that falls somewhere in between freshly steamed veggies and sweet grass. It has a flavor that is reminding me of a Chinese Sencha, but it’s free of caffeine. It’s a pleasant cuppa and would make a great substitution for a green tea for someone who needs to refrain from consuming caffeine but still want to drink green tea. I don’t need to restrict my caffeine consumption and I’m still finding this lovely to drink. It is a tasty, refreshing beverage!
So far, I’ve been very impressed with the tisanes that I’ve tried from Wise Owl Tea. I’m hoping to try more from them in the future!
Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha from DōMatcha
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Matcha)
Where to Buy: DōMatcha
Tea Description:
Certified organic by JONA (Japan Organic and Natural Foods Association), this premium, organic ceremonial Matcha is the purest and most sustainable way to enjoy the ancient Matcha tradition. Our DoMatcha™ Ceremonial Organic Matcha is produced in Kagoshima, Japan.
Learn more about this Matcha here.
Taster’s Review:
One question I’m asked often by tea drinkers is: What is the best Matcha available? When I first started out as a tea reviewer, my answer to that question was always, immediately, unequivocally: DōMatcha.
Since that time, I have sampled MANY different Matcha teas, and I’ve enjoyed many of Matcha teas that I’ve tried. Like other products, I can say that I liked some more than others. And now, the aforementioned question regarding what Matcha is the best is a bit more difficult to answer because my experience has allowed me the unique opportunity to sample many amazing Matcha teas. But, DōMatcha remains right up there close to the top of the list. And this Organic Ceremonial Grade Matcha from DōMatcha is one of the best that you’ll ever taste.
It has a bright, fresh, and lively flavor to it. It tastes remarkably fresh. When prepared traditionally – scooped, sifted and then whisked with a chasen until completely incorporated – it becomes a frothy, bright green liquid that keeps its froth until you finish the bowl. (Not that finishing the bowl takes long with this stuff – it tastes so good that it’s difficult to stop sipping!)
I love that the powdered green tea stays sustained in the liquid until I take that last sip. I don’t get a gritty or chalky sort of texture from any sip. It stays smooth and sweet and delicious until I’ve finished the bowl.
It tastes sweet and vegetal. I experience a “bittersweet” sort of taste from it, similar to what I’d experience if I had bitten into a bar of high quality dark chocolate. It’s not “bitter” but there is contrast to the sweetness of the leaf. The palate feels enlivened as I sip it, and I can feel the liquid go to work and begin to invigorate me. This is the stuff!
I love that this is organic. I love that it’s a ceremonial grade Matcha so it works with a koicha preparation (thick soup) or usucha preparation (thin soup). I prefer somewhere in between, and I don’t usually do precise measurement when I prepare Matcha. I scoop some out, sift it, and then pour in hot water, whisking the mixture into a thick paste, and then add water until I’ve reached my desired consistency.
A really superb Matcha – this is one that I’d continue to recommend to those who are looking for a top-notch Matcha. It’s the good stuff!