Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White Tea & Rooibos
Where to Buy: Whispering Pines Tea Company
Tea Description:
This buttery smooth light citrus white tea has the perfect blend of organic white tea, organic lemongrass, and a hint of organic red rooibos. Smooth and delicious!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I opened this pouch of White Lemon Tea from Whispering Pines Tea Company, I noticed the rooibos, and I worried that I’d be tasting more rooibos than white tea, and I also wondered if the lemongrass would have a difficult time competing with these flavors.
And while the rooibos does overpower the white tea a bit, the rooibos does not completely overwhelm the white tea. The white tea does manage to shine through, although, I find myself wishing that I was tasting less rooibos and more white tea here.
But, on the plus side, I find that the lemongrass comes through very nicely, and provides a very pleasing, smooth, buttery taste that melds quite nicely with the woody/nutty taste of the rooibos as well as the delicate flavor of the white tea.
The lemon taste is a sweeter lemon flavor, as if the usually tart lemon has been sweetened with a touch of honey … but without additives! That I like a lot! I also like that this is an organic blend, and that there are no artificial flavorings to mess with the taste buds. I taste pure rooibos, lemongrass and white tea … and nothing else.
A really nice, relaxing blend.
Fruity Sangria from Utopia Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Utopia Tea
Tisane Description:
Inspired by the traditional red-wine Sangria, our Fruity Sangria consists of elderberries, citrus, and lemongrass creating a flavorful cup. Fruity Sangria has large amounts of antioxidants and prevents cell damage. This beverage is great to drink anytime of the day and is wonderful over ice!
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Yikes! Hibiscus!
Actually, the hibiscus isn’t too bad here. It mostly affects the color of the brewed liquid, which is a deep, ruby red color. As long as you don’t steep it too long, the hibiscus doesn’t become syrupy … I steeped this for six minutes, and I wouldn’t recommend steeping it any longer than that. Now, it isn’t syrupy or too tart, but, I can sense from the texture and the taste that if it had gone much longer, this would have been a syrupy, tarty cup.
Overall, the cup is sweet – tart with an emphasis on the tart. There is an pleasant fruity flavor to this – I taste the elderberries and there is a fermented grape/wine-y kind of taste to it, with hints of citrus and berry throughout the sip. As it cools, I get more of the sangria kind of taste, and the flavor of the hibiscus seems to soften somewhat. This is much better as a cold drink than as a hot beverage.
It’s tasty, and I like alright. It’s not bad, but it’s not great, either.
However, I am aware that there are many out there that like the flavor (and health benefits!) of hibiscus, and I think that they’d really enjoy the bright citrus and berry flavor of this tisane. This may be right up their alley.
Lemon Karkade from Shanti Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tisane Description:
Origin: Egypt
Certification: Organic
Ingredients: Lemongrass, Hibiscus
Naturally Caffeine-Free Herbal Tea
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
“Yikes! Hibiscus!” That’s exactly what I exclaimed as I measured out this tisane into my Breville One-Touch. My history with hibiscus has been well documented here, and I don’t need to rehash it, so I’ll simply summarize by saying hibiscus isn’t my favorite herb. It’s too tart and when brewed too long, it produces an icky, syrupy liquid. Yeah, I know it’s good for you. Lots of vitamin C, and all that.
So, I am trying not to judge this tisane too harshly before I even try it. Who knows, I may like it. Stranger things have happened!
OK… so it’s not bad. Not bad at all. I am not about to proclaim it the best tisane I’ve ever tried because it isn’t, but, considering this is a blend of two ingredients, and one of them is hibiscus, I think it’s quite alright.
The hibiscus lends a sort of berry-ish kind of flavor to it, it is tart, but, because I steeped this for only six minutes, I’m not dealing with an overwhelming amount of tartness here. The lemongrass does it’s bit to soften the hibiscus somewhat and to provide a hint of buttery creaminess to the cup, as well as a citrus-y taste to complement the berry-like taste of the hibiscus.
I prefer this hot, because as it cools, the hibiscus starts to get a bit too tarty for my taste buds. I find it to be quite soothing to the throat. My throat has been put through the ringer lately because of my allergies (I have them all year round!), and I find this to be quite nice to sip and help relax the itchiness in my throat. I imagine this would be best served with a dollop of honey, but, I am drinking it straight and it’s not bad that way either.
Overall, it’s pretty tasty. It isn’t my favorite offering from Shanti Tea, but I can see how this might appeal to someone who likes hibiscus but wants a slightly lighter hibiscus drink. Not something I’d want to drink every evening, but it isn’t something I’d turn away if it were offered, either. Pleasant … not bad … but I’ve had better, certainly.
Mojito Mint from Jeeves & Jericho
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Jeeves & Jericho
Tisane Description:
Our Mojito Mint is a bespoke herbal blend. It combines the assertive zing of peppermint with the calming freshness of lemon grass and subtle sweetness of the blossoms.
This delicious, soothing and refreshing brew adds an interesting slant to the more traditionally known peppermint tea. The herbs combined add wonderful digestive and cleansing properties to this fantastically invigorating all day drink.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This is a zesty, refreshing cuppa!
The peppermint is strong, and it dominates this cup. However, I like that even though the peppermint is the strongest flavor, it still allows some room for the creamy citrus notes from the lemon grass to shine through.
It is crisp, cool and minty, while at the same time, it has a certain smoothness to it. The lemon grass brightens the cup. Together, these two ingredients offer a taste that is at once invigorating and yet calming, helping to soothe my stomach after eating a spicy chicken salad about an hour ago.
Very refreshing – and tastes great hot or cold! Would make a very nice ice cold beverage at your next picnic!
White Twist from Tea Horse
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Horse
Tea Description:
An antioxidant rich white tea blended with herbs for a citrusy immune boost.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I am not a big fan of Echinacea, but I realize that it is a helpful herb, especially when feeling under the weather. So, I like to find teas with Echinacea that I can drink and actually enjoy. Something that doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, something that isn’t off-putting.
This tea fills the bill! I don’t know if it’s because there isn’t very much of the Echinacea or if it’s because the combination of the ingredients melds together in a very pleasing way, but I’m inclined to believe that it’s because of the combination of ingredients. The lemongrass and lemon verbena offer a soft, smooth lemon-y taste that is sweet with a slight tingly tart note. Together with the white tea, it tastes creamy and is a bit reminiscent of the flavor of a lemon curd.
Overall, I find the cup to be a very pleasant experience – soft, sweet goodness, hints of spice (think white pepper), with prominent citrus and creamy, buttery notes. A deliciously different tea that helps support a healthy immune system. Sounds great to me!