Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery was one of the featured teas in the Amoda Curated Selection we were sent recently. After taking a look at The Tea Geek’ery’s website I noticed MANY of the teas are currently sold out and after tasting this tea I can see why!
The only 3 ingredients this Rooibos Tisane contains is Red Rooibos, Vanilla, and Coconut. I have to give credit were credit is due…the amount and quality of the large shaved and dried coconut is AMAZING! They are certainly the focal point of this dry mix to the eye. With the sweet and creamy notes of the coconut playing a HUGE part of this flavor it seems to tone down the stereotypical taste of red rooibos and I have to say I am overly fond of this outcome! If you are a person who tends to shy away from Red Rooibos based tisanes you might want to give this one a shot…it’s pretty incredible!
Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery is a very easy cup to drink. It’s sweet, nutty, smooth, creamy, and just terrific! Based on this flavored red rooibos I cannot wait to try other teas and tisanes from Tea Geek’ery!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Geek’ery
Description
This herbal tea is naturally sweet with hints of cream & nuts. Phenomenal blended with ice & your favorite coconuttie adult beverage
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pineapple Old Bay from Handmade Tea
Today I have a little bit of Tea Association for you but first a mini-back-story! My father is a bit obsessed with Old Bay Seasoning. Yes. Old Bay Seasoning. He puts it in everything! For Christmas he prides himself on his famous 29 egg omelette that can feed a small army. The secret ingredient? You guessed it…Old Bay Seasoning! Because my diet consists of vegan foods I will not partake in the Christmas Day Tradition but my husband, his brother, my sister, her husband, and my mother look forward to it every year. Enter Pineapple Old Bay from Handmade Tea.
This was the main reason I was so excited to try Pineapple Old Bay from Handmade Tea. More of a word association or in this case a tea association. I have to give credit where credit is due and in the sample I was sent I had a MIGHTY HUGE chunk of pineapple that was gently coated in Old Bay Seasoning. It looked impressive, it smelled YUMMERS, and it tasted semi-spicy, semi-sweet, and semi-savory all at the same time. The black tea base itself was of medium strength and the flavor combo of the Old Bay and the Pineapple seemed to be MADE for each other.
I tried this another time with just the spiced black tea in the strainer. No mammoth pineapple was seen or heard from with this second cuppa. And it was just as impressive! The only difference was it wasn’t sweet because of the lack of pineapple but I was ok with that. The Old Bay was the sole hero when it was standing by itself. It still shined. Pineapple Old Bay from Handmade Tea is something of a miracle of sorts. My father would be grinning from ear to ear…that is IF I left any for him to try! Sorry Dad…but YOU’RE WELCOME Tummy!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy This Monthly Box: Handmade Tea
Description
Pineapple Old Bay begins with a blend of two Chinese black teas. This is a medium base tea with bright notes. Hints of grapefruit can also be found. Large chunks of dried pineapple are blended into the base tea. This adds a juicy, tropical kick that pairs nicely with the grapefruity notes of the base tea blend. Lastly, a light dusting of Old Bay seasoning is added to the blend. This has a bit of a kick but is balanced enough to not be overwhelming. The spice kick helps balance the sweet pineapple.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hydrate for AB Herbals (Autumn Bear)
Hydrate from AB Herbals (Autumn Bear) is one of those tisanes that I was drawn to for one very small reason…Chia Seeds! I know it sounds weird but that is the sole reason I was excited to try this blend of herbs! I mean…how many times do you see whole chia seeds in teas/tisanes? Not often. I’m a bit of a chia seed nut! I love the lil guys! They are truly a super food! They aren’t much for taste but I absolutely love what they do! They promote hydration, maintains electrolyte balance, and optimizes body fluids.
Other ingredients in Hydrate from AB Herbals (Autumn Bear) include peppermint, skullcap, and lemon peel.
Did you know…peppermint relaxes the muscles, reduces stress and anxiety, aids digestion by optimizing metabolism, alleviates stomach pain and bloating and detoxifies the Liver. Skullcap relaxes the nervous system, relieves anxiety, reduces muscle tension, soothes feelings of uneasiness, inhibits paranoia. Lemon Peel is an anti-inflammatory that soothes digestion, flushes out toxins and tones the Liver.
But what about the taste of this tisane? Well, it’s a pepped up peppermint that is for sure! Which I LOVE. The lemon peel is a nice addition. The skullcap just gives it a bit more contrasting herb, I think.
Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE any kind of mint and LOVE that this has Chia Seeds in it I have to say it was everything I had hoped for…and more! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: AB Herbals
Description
A hydrating organic herbal tea designed to replenish fluids, clear the skin, and prevent the wear and tear of environmental and emotional stress.
Drink this blend to balance your Fluids & elevate your Cool!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Himalayan Shangri-la from Teabox
If I had to choose between dark oolong or green oolong, for me it would be green every time. I find them characterful and unique, with more variation in flavour than I’ve typically found (at least so far…) among their roasted counterparts. And that’s coming from a habitual black tea drinker.
Himalayan Shangri-la is a Nepalese Oolong from 2015. It’s a first flush, or spring, oolong comprising highly graded leaves taken from a single estate.
The leaf here is pretty impressive – they’re long and twisty, with a high predominance of downy buds, and vary from a dark khaki to the palest green-silver. The scent is lightly vegetal and just a touch floral, in the way of orchids.
I followed the recommended parameters, and gave 1 tsp of leaf 4 minutes in water cooled to around 85 degrees. The resulting liquor is a pale yellow-green, the scent mineral. The initial flavour is also mineral, with a hint of petrichor and wet rock. There’s a hint of heady floral in the mid-sip, reminiscent of orchid and jasmine. Heavily scented, and very reminiscent of perfume, but thankfully not in the cloying, throat-coating way some floral tea possess. The end of the sip features some cleaner, fresher notes. Tomato flesh, wet grass, and the return of the petrichor.
I really enjoyed this one. It’s a flavourful green oolong, and the tomato note in particularly was a highlight as it’s not something I’ve come across in an oolong before. If you’re looking for a high quality oolong that’s also accessible in flavour terms (there’s nothing to deter the newcomer here…) then this would be a good place to start. If you already love oolong, this one might still have a few surprises…
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Teabox
Description
If there is one oolong that can compete in the same league as the Taiwanese and the Chinese kind it has to be this Nepalese offering. The rigors of high elevation, mineral-rich terrain, and cool air allow the plants to grow slowly resulting in an immensely flavorful tea. Also interesting is the fact that it’s from the country’s small-scale producers’ cooperative which produces small batches of orthodox teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Uper Fagu Darjeeling Oolong from The Tea Shelf
I’ve not come across many Oolongs from Darjeeling in the years I’ve been drinking tea, but the ones I have tried have always been something special. This one is no exception.
It starts with the leaf, which in appearance reminds me a lot of a first flush darjeeling (although it’s actually a second) crossed with a very fresh white peony. The are a high predominance of downy silver buds, some verging more on silver or pale green, plus some brown-ish-copper leaves. The scent is sweet and lightly jasmine.
Initially, the taste is subtle and fairly mineral, in the way that some lighter or green oolongs can be. There’s a distinctive citrus flavour in the mid-sip – it reminds me most of grapefruit, with a slightly sharp/sour tang. There’s also some of the muscatel flavour you’d typically associate with a second flush darjeeling, and the pairing is an unusual and inspiring one. As it cools. a hint of dark chocolate starts to emerge, although it’s mostly confined to the very end of the sip and it doesn’t linger long. 
Despite the scent, I didn’t detect any floral flavours in the actual tea, which is a small relief because it’s already quite busy. In terms of mouthfeel, it’s lightly brisk but doesn’t cross over into astringency, despite being slightly drying on the palate.
I enjoyed this one. I’ve discovered that I like Oolongs from Darjeeling in general, and they often have some of the more unique flavour profiles. Mineral, grapefruit, and chocolate don’t sound like they should work together very well, but, somehow, they do. If you enjoy either Darjeeling or Oolong, this one is definitely worth a look.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Tea Shelf
Description
One of the finest oolongs of Darjeeling, the aroma of dark chocolate envelopes your senses, reminiscent of a cold wintry day! The leaves are springy with a moss like mosaic of silver and copper. The infusion shows another surprise with individual leaves clearly visible with bright colours of copper and mauve. The chocolate experience continues but now coupled with citrus and fruity notes. The steeped leaves give way to a gorgeous sunset yellow cup, which is very brisk on the palate with notes of jasmine and citrus, which linger on.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
