Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black, Assam
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Rich-bodied Assam tea with a faint sweetness of vanilla is perfect for morning wake-up tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Morning Tea from Lupicia is quite soothing and deep. The vanilla is only a mere hint at the flavor note, so don’t expect this to be a typical vanilla tea. Also if you wait for the tea to cool a bit the vanilla peeks out a tad more, but not a lot. I get more of the vanilla note on the aftertaste which is a lovely little surprise.
Okay I know I always say this when doing a Lupicia review tea, review, but the review would just feel empty to me if I left it out: I LOVE Lupicia Teas! Okay I got that off my chest.
I got this tea in my 2013 Lupicia Happy Bag which contained the following teas in this photo:
I was super stoked about this Happy Bag! I opted for the 60.00 dollar bag and it was worth every penny!
However, back to this tea… There is a slight smokiness in the tea but nothing like a Lapsang Souchong whatsoever. Just a very faint hint at what may remain from a campfire that has been smoldering out slowly. The tea does remind me somewhat of the early fall months, when it is still quite lovely out and not too cold but you can feel the air changing around you, there is a crispness, a slight bite to the air, yet the sun is still shining and all is well with the world. That is the feeling this tea evokes for me! Then when the vanilla note sneaks up on you it brings back the memories of the marshmallows you used to make smores with the night before at the campsite. There is even a mellow chocolate note to the base of this tea which helps that recollection as well.
Also what I love about Morning Tea is that it is heavier in the mouthfeel and requires only a short steep. On one hand that gets me sipping on a morning tea right away which is absolutely needed and desired. On another note if you have non tea drinking friends I really feel they would or at least could appreciate this tea in replacement of their coffee, if it were the only option. We know coffee folk love their coffee in the morning the same way we love our tea. Still I feel if you were to serve this they would not choke and spit it out! It has a robust flavor to it so you could steep it a bit longer for your coffee friends!
Trust me though – if you want to appreciate the tea don’t over steep – 1 to 2 minutes really is all it needs!
Now if you desired, you could absolutely add milk and or sugar to this tea. It is hearty enough to handle it and I think would make it quite yummy, however I prefer teas on their own merit without additives usually. I may give it a go with this one though as I really think it would be delicious and maybe pull out the vanilla note more.
Overall another winner from Lupicia! I am so happy I received this in my Happy Bag because I did not even know of its existence and is probably not one I would have ordered even had I know of it. Now I will be keeping this in my morning rotation for sure. Mmmm, more vanilla just peeked through! I love that sneaky vanilla!
Sweet Potato Pie from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
A black tea blend with a generous portion of creamy Japanese sweet potatoes. The buttery sweet aroma will remind you of a cozy holiday gathering.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I waited for Sweet Potato Pie from Lupicia Teas to come back out with much anticipation. They only release it around the holidays. I absolutely love sweet potatoes and eat them on a regular basis, not just around the holiday season.
I have to say I did not care for the aroma of this tea in dry form, not at all. There is an aroma of alcohol to it that was very off putting to me, and it smelled as though it would be intensely strong. However, upon brewing the tea the aroma of sweet potatoes came to life! I instantly though to myself “this is more like it!” I was excited for my first sip.
The flavor of this tea is amazing! It is spot on for a sweet potato casserole! Buttery, creamy, and even a little starchy. The black base is nicely robust but I get no astringency. The after taste lingers a while as well.
This tea is sweet in the way that a sweet potato is but not in a sugary way. I do get hints at a brown sugar note but its not too sweet either. The flavor that lingers on the palate is one of buttery sweet potato with just a slight touch of marshmallow and brown sugar. And then, out of nowhere, right before the aftertaste, right after the swallow, I get a dash of salty flavor! What a surprise! I love salt! It creates this sort of twang on the tongue and a tiny bit of tartness that quickly disappears.
I can also pick up a subtle maltiness, and a slight taste of caramel in the flavor as well.
I have only had one other Sweet Potato Pie tea previously, it was pretty good, but I was so desiring a sweet potato tea that I probably would have liked anything I could get my hands on. In comparison, this one outshines the other by far!
Muscat Oolong from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Full-flavored tea is exquisitely accented with a sweet muscat grapes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Today is my daughter’s 18th Birthday and in celebration of her special day I wanted to do a review on her favorite tea. There are only a handful of teas my daughter really loves, not being much of a tea drinker, however this one is the one tea she absolutely adores. She will smell Muscat Oolong steeping even if she is in the other room. She always comes out sniffing the air saying in a sweet voice, “Muscat?” She always has the same look on her face too, that look that says “You know I will be taking that cup now right mom?”. So instead of having her take my cup I have learned to always prepare one for her when I make my own, which of course I don’t mind! Any tea lover wants others to share the joy with them, especially if it is their dear child.
This tea is much like my darling daughter, delicate, refined, well mannered, unpretentious, and sweet.
The tea base is a lovely dark roasted oolong with character and depth that allows the Muscat to play off its power which I feel enhances the sweetness nicely. While the Muscat is sweet it is absolutely the sweetness of fresh Muscat and not that of some artificial flavor additive. The cup is juicy and very natural tasting.
As I said before, my daughter can sniff this tea out from the other room, but it may be that just about anyone could as the aroma is amazing, intoxicating really.
The tea is so good unadulterated yet with a little rock sugar the sweetness of the grape really shines. I by no means feel you need to add the sugar though. My daughter prefers hers with no additives. You really can’t go wrong either way. Straight it is refreshing and pure juicy goodness, with sugar it is sweeter and the sugar brings out a wine like flavor. Perhaps that is why I prefer it with sugar, as I used to really love a quality wine.
The experience of drinking this tea makes you feel as if you have just walked through a beautiful vineyard and are now sampling some of the grapes and wine that were birthed there.
Of course it is no surprise to me that my daughter would choose her favorite tea to be one of such beauty and perfection – as it is just a mirror of herself.
Happy birthday to my Emma.
White Christmas from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Tea flavored with white chocolate and apricot, conjuring up images of baked Christmas sweets.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I received a bagged sample of this with my Lupicia Magazine this month. You get the “magazine” which is more of a leaflet when you place an order of thirty dollars or more with Lupicia. Once you qualify for the magazine you receive it for one year. In each issue is one free bagged tea sample. I have found several new Lupicia tea favorites this way. More information on the magazine and samples here.
This tea has an okay aroma. I have to note here that I am not too fond on anything apricot flavored. I am not sure why but the flavor and aroma just turns me off. I don’t mind fresh apricots, but as a rule I have only found maybe one or two apricot flavored teas I enjoy. With that said, this tea does have that “off putting” apricot aroma. Yet there is also something else here I find pleasing. The chocolate perhaps as Lupicia does have many well flavored chocolate teas.
Upon the initial sip this tea is quite pleasing. There is a nice robust black tea base which is detectable in flavor even with the apricot and chocolate flavors. The apricot flavor in this tea does not come across as off putting as the aroma for me. That is a plus. I would also note that the white chocolate does taste like white chocolate and not that of milk or dark chocolate which gets points from me as well.
I am noticing as the tea sits a little the apricot aroma I was not enjoying has settled down and blended nicely with the chocolate aroma and that of the tea itself, no longer off putting. That is interesting.
I walked away from my tea for a few moments to let the flavors mingle on my palate and I was surprised to notice how long the flavors lingered. No bad aftertaste was detected – rather a quite pleasing one!
The mouthfeel is somewhat thick, and creamy. Close to a hot chocolate mouthfeel but not quite. I could however see younger people enjoying this tea during the holiday season because of the feel and flavor.
It is definitely a sweeter tea but does not have unnecessary sweetness and is not cloying.
Overall a nice cup. I don’t think that I am in love with this tea, and if I were not a hound for Lupicia’s collectable tins I probably would not rush to grab this one, but it is nice, and I think many of the younger people, and non tea drinkers in my family will enjoy this over the holidays. I can also see this tea being tweaked for other holiday drinks, with or without alcohol. I think this would be a good purchase regardless.
Momijigari from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Vibrant autumn leaves are blended into black tea. A sophisticated flavor of apple and apricot is limited to the autumn. Limited Quantity & Period Only
Learn more about this tea here. 
Taster’s Review:
When I saw that there were autumn leaves in this tea I HAD to have it! My favorite season is autumn. I also am a confessed tree hugger. I adore the changing colors of the leaves falling to the ground, and I am known, even at my age, to go out and play in the leaves, just like a child.
This tea smells in dry form like an apple cider and when steeped it taste like apple cider wine! This I was not expecting! This I welcome! I no longer imbibe but as autumn rolls around I do miss mead, and making wassail so having this tea to add to my “wine tea” selection makes me do a happy dance!
I am already spinning thoughts around in my head as to what to do with this tea in addition to drinking a LOT of it. In fact, this evening I was planning on making a squash soup and I just may find a way to incorporate this tea into that recipe! It is seasonal and I am already thinking I should order more.
Yes apricots, and apples, are the central flavors in this tea, and wine, and I swear I even had just a small lady like “wine belch” – sorry to be crude but it is so much like wine that I noticed it in that moment! I realize there are many teas that tout wine infusion, and some of them are quite lovely, yet this tea, one that does not tout that at all is more wine like than any tea I have had. I have had to correct myself several times when typing wine, when I meant to type tea!
Now in all factuality, I really can’t say if the autumn leaves do much of anything for this tea, but perhaps that is what gives this tea the wine-like flavor although I am sure the fruits had something to do with it. I mean I suppose there is a backdrop here of a nice earthy note, but it is slight and could come from the black base as well, which other than being in the background is not all that intense, bold, or present. Lupicia does not indicate what type of black tea is used but based on the blend it makes me think darjeeling. Which is never a bad thing.
So off I am to contemplate another order with my beloved Lupicia, and I highly recommend this tea to you!