Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Tisane Description:
Chamomile flowers which are rich in aromatics and flavonoids blended with Lemongrass grown in the tropics to offer a drink as a carminative and to enhance appetite and help digestion.
Enjoy this wonderful tea to a healthier life overall.
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said before: when it comes to chamomile teas and chamomile blends like this Chamomile Lemongrass Tisane from Tea of Life, I’m less than excited. I’d just really rather drink REAL tea, you know? Camellia Sinensis, please. And chamomile has always held that position as one of my least favorite herbs, and every time I drink chamomile, I realize how unfair I’ve been to the herb known as chamomile.
I actually don’t hate chamomile, but, there’s just this automatic response that I seem to have that makes me think I do. It’s kind of like that kid that thinks they don’t like broccoli, but when they actually try broccoli, it turns out that they like it. But the next time you put broccoli on that kid’s dinner plate, chances are the kid is going to claim they don’t like it.
I guess you could say that chamomile is my broccoli. I really do like it, but the kid in me thinks I don’t.
And this is actually really a tasty tisane. The chamomile is the prominent flavor and it has a light, apple-like flavor that melds really nicely with the light, lemon-lime notes of the lemongrass. I also taste a pollen-y/honey-esque note that I really am enjoying.
The lemongrass is not as discernible in this blend as I thought it would be, or as I think it should be. I like lemongrass – I love that soft, citrus-y note. With this tisane, though, the citrus notes seem to emerge primarily in the aftertaste. They’re really quite soft during the sip, sitting off in the background, allowing the chamomile to come out strong.
I steeped this teabag for 10 minutes in 195°F water. I find that with herbals, a slightly lower than boiling point is better. The lower temperature and long steep time allows the flavors of the herbs to come forward without tasting really medicinal or coming off as bitter. And while chamomile is often thought of as a functional herb for it’s calming properties, I still don’t want my chamomile to come off harsh tasting and medicinal.
And as I sip this, I feel myself beginning to relax, which is exactly what I want when I sip on a chamomile tisane.
Product Review: Tea Assortment of Hard Candy from Raley’s Confectionary
Product Information:
Where to Buy: Treatsie
Product Description:
Tea-flavored hard candy. Flavors include Lemongrass Green Tea, Chai Latte, Arnold Palmer and Mango Black Tea.
Learn more about Treatsie’s Subscription Box here.
Product Review:
I know I’ve confessed it before, but, I’ll confess it again: I have a sweet tooth. And I find myself particularly attracted to sweets that are tea inspired, like these yummy hard candies from Raley’s Confectionary. While recently perusing the Treatsie website, I came across this tea flavored hard candy assortment, and you know I couldn’t resist!
I recently discovered Treatsie, and they’re a subscription box (similar to the box that I get every month from Simple Loose Leaf), so every month, I will get a box full of yummy treats. (And chocolate. Did I mention chocolate?) You can also shop for the products individually and there are some really interesting curated boxes that you can buy at Treatsie too. I bought these tea flavored hard candies separately, because as I said before, I couldn’t resist when I saw the words “Tea Flavored Hard Candy.” Um … yes please!
My separately purchased products (not the Treatsie subscription box) arrived this afternoon, and I’m really pleased! It was packaged beautifully, and I even got a “thank you” treat tucked inside – another package of Raley’s Confectionary’s hard candies – these little “thank you” candies actually say thank you right on them, and they’re pomegranate flavored! Yum!
These tea flavored candies are really tasty. The Mango Black Tea candy has a very distinct mango note and I can taste a softer black tea note in there too. The Lemongrass Green Tea has a lemon-lime-ish sort of flavor to it, with a background of a sweet, grassy green tea note. The Arnold Palmer tastes more of lemonade than it does of tea, but every once in a while I taste a slight tea-ish flavor. I like the tangy note of the Arnold Palmer, though, it seems to balance out the other sweeter tasting flavors of the package.
And then there is my favorite of the four: Chai Latte! I think I’d be happy to have a whole package of just the chai latte. They have a gentle spice to them (these aren’t strong in spice! They’re more sweet than spicy!) and I can taste the black tea as well as a creamy note to them – they’re like a sweet little chai latte!
I love that the flavors that are promised are the flavors that are delivered. Sure, they’re sweeter than what you’d experience if you were actually drinking a cup of chai latte or a mango flavored black tea – but they ARE candies, after all! They’re supposed to be sweet. What I love is that these are not just something that satisfies the sweet tooth in me, but also the tea lover in me too.
So, now I’ve found this sinful company that will send me sweet-tooth indulgences once a month … how do I say no to that?
Insomniac’s Dream Herbal Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This dreamy tisane blends five calming herbs into one delicious tea. Catnip and Chamomile Flowers lure the drinker into a mellow, relaxed mood, while the bright flavors of Peppermint, Lemon Balm and Lemongrass dance around their palate, resulting in a tea that is at once effective and unforgettable. But drinker beware- you may hit the pillow before finishing your cup!
Chamomile Flowers, Lemon Balm, Catnip, Lemongrass, Peppermint
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
This is not necessarily a tisane I was overly excited to try as I don’t generally get all that excited about chamomile blends, but as far as chamomile blends go, this Insomniac’s Dream is enjoyable.
The light apple notes of the chamomile meld nicely with the bright lemon-y notes of the lemon balm and lemongrass and the crisp, cooling notes of peppermint to create a very palatable taste. The catnip adds a little bit of sweetness to the cup and enhances the mint notes.
I like that the overall taste of this tisane is mellow. Since it’s to be a blend that helps lull the drinker into a sense of peacefulness so that they can rest, the mellow flavors assist in that endeavor. The minty notes are not too invigorating and the citrus-y notes are not overly zesty. This cup is all about calm.
And it DOES help instill a sense of relaxation. I feel myself starting to “chill out” from the inside out, like my muscles are starting to relax and I feel myself start to feel a little bit drowsy. This may very well be an Insomniac’s Dream!
I like this best served hot. I find that as it cools, the flavors seem to mute a little bit and because it’s a mellow tasting herbal tisane to begin with, you don’t want the flavors to get any more mild than they are.
This is another blend that I got with my June Sampler Box as part of the Selection Club subscription – I highly recommend subscribing to this service. It’s a great way to get a lot of tea for a small price! And if you want to save even more, use this code: SISTERSELECTION25 and you’ll save 25% off 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.
Ayurvedic De-Stress Tea from Tea of Life
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
About Tea of Life Ayurvedic Collection:
The word “Ayurveda” is derived from two words – “Ayus” meaning life and “Veda” meaning ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’. So the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda is ‘The Science of Life.’
Life or Ayus, according to Ayurveda, is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So Ayurveda does not just limit itself to the body or physical symptoms, but also provides comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and emotional health.
The traditional healing system of Ayurveda is based on a theory of balance between the body (physical), the soul (spiritual) and the mind (psychological).
Ingredients:
Green Tea with Lemongrass, Gotukola, Ginger, Lavender Buds, Cumin Seed, Fennel.
Taster’s Review:
I don’t know that I was necessarily looking to “De-Stress” today, but I definitely wanted something that would help me unwind and relax without making me want to go and take a nap (like Chamomile would do!) so I decided I’d try this Ayurvedic De-Stress Tea from Tea of Life to help me calm down a little.
When I opened the individually wrapped package that held this tea bag, I could smell the cumin seed! I love cumin and because it’s not really a spice that you often find in tea blends, I’m happy when I do come across a tea blend that has cumin in it.
And I can really taste the cumin in the brewed tea. It is the strongest flavor that I notice in the cup, but, it doesn’t overwhelm the palate. I am also tasting the gotakola here, and together these two spices give the overall cup a very ‘curry-ish’ sort of flavor. I also taste notes of green tea and citrus, the peppery notes of ginger and a hint of licorice from the fennel. I don’t taste a lot of Lavender.
This is a very savory tea with the spices that have been used to craft this blend. The green tea adds a slight vegetal note and a buttery tone and texture, as well as a hint of sweetness that contrasts nicely with the overall savory flavor of this tea.
I enjoyed it, and I will say that I think it served its purpose as I feel not quite as wound up as I was before I started sipping on this tea. It’s not something I’d drink daily, but it is something I’d turn to – happily! – on a stressful day when I need something to get my mind back on track.
Chamomile Citrus Herbal Tisane from Mighty Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Mighty Leaf
Tisane Description:
Chamomile Citrus herbal tea is a refreshing infusion perfected to curl up with and savor by the sip. Made with Soothing Egyptian chamomile flowers and subtle slices of citrus fruit, this vibrant blend will rejuvenate the spirit. From intoxicating aroma to sweet flavor, this signature herbal tea infusion in our silken tea pouch, our gourmet teabag twist, with chamomile, fruits and herbs reflects our vision of the artisan tea experience.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I have made mention in the past of my dislike of chamomile. OK, so I don’t hate chamomile. But I just don’t love it. I don’t think that I’ve ever thought: “You know, I’d really like a cup of chamomile tea.” That just has never really happened, because there are so many other things I’d rather be drinking. That said, sometimes, I need to chill out and relax, and chamomile does a good job of instilling that sense of calm that I want.
Much of my dislike of chamomile stems from past experiences of drinking teas made of crushed chamomile blossoms in a tea bag. Yuck. Fortunately, a lot of tea companies realize that when the chamomile blossom is whole and not crushed into dust, the brewed liquid tastes better. Mighty Leaf figured this out, and I can see through their silky pouches that the chamomile used in this Chamomile Citrus Herbal Tisane is beautiful, big blossoms combined with citrus peel, lemongrass, lemon myrtle and other herbs.
The citrus flavors combined with the naturally sweet, apple-like flavor of the chamomile offers a pleasant taste that’s easy to sip. The primary flavor here is the citrus flavors, followed by chamomile. I am happy to say that I don’t taste a lot of hibiscus here, although I do find myself wishing that I tasted more of the spearmint. I only taste very faint hints of mint in this cup.
Overall, this is a pleasant cup of tea. Not something I’d drink everyday, but I can see myself turning to it when I needed something to help relax. It’s very soothing and it’s tastier than plain chamomile.