Hibiscus Berry from Rishi Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Fruit/Herbal Tisane

Where to Buy:  Rishi Tea

Product Description:

Luscious currants and delicious forest berries complement this fruity and balanced blend with a wonderful scarlet red infusion that refreshes and rejuvenates.

Taster’s Review:

As I’ve said on several occasions, I’m not a big fan of hibiscus.  Generally speaking, it is too tart for my personal taste.  But, I know that some people out there love the stuff (otherwise, the tea companies wouldn’t be selling it, right?) so when I decided to give this tisane a try, I did so on the premise that I would be fair and objective about the tisane and try not to let my own personal feelings get in the way.

But you know what?  I’m actually enjoying this!  I am surprised that I am actually enjoying it.

I steeped it for just five minutes.  I find that steeping hibiscus-laden tisanes any longer results in a very thick, syrupy, tart cup.  But, five minutes is just long enough to extract flavor and a little bit of body out of the hibiscus without going overboard on the tartness.

And while this IS a tart tisane, it isn’t too tart.  I don’t pucker up when I take a sip, but I do feel that sourness hit the back of my tongue – and its ALMOST a pucker.  I did add a dollop of honey and I am sure that helped to curb the tartness a bit, but it also did something else too; it added definition to the blueberry, currant and mango flavors.

I love that I can taste the sweetness of the mango, and the thickness from the hibiscus makes the mango flavor almost nectar-like!  I can also taste the blueberry peeking through.  It’s a very flavorful, fruity cup and it is one that I am sure kids will LOVE (and this is much better for them than soda pop, even with the honey!)

So, it just goes to show you, don’t let the name of a tea affect your decision to try it.  If I had done that, I wouldn’t be drinking this tea right now, and I am liking it!

Oolong Royal Tea from Praise Tea

Tea Type: Oolong Tea

Where To Buy: Praise Tea

Product Description:

This enchanting oolong is softly flavored by the wonderful union of red aronia berries, bright mango cubes, passion fruit and dark red rose petals. A royal treat for even the finest of palettes.

Origin: Formosa (Taiwan)

Ingredients: Formosa Oolong, Mango, Aronia Berries, Rose Petals

Steeping Guidelines:
Water: 176°- 194°F | Use 1 Tsp per 6 ounce cup | Infusion Time: 2 – 3 minutes

Infusion tips:
Use COLD filtered or spring water, whenever possible
Don’t over boil water, Don’t over steep tea
Remove leaves after recommended time (adjust to taste)
*Vary time according to taste, & remember that steeping tea leaves beyond 3 minutes does not contribute to flavor, only bitterness.
If you want a stronger taste, use more tea leaves instead of steeping for a longer time

Tasters Review:

DRY – Oolong Royal Tea from Praise Tea looks like a woodsier Oolong mix.  The aroma is mostly oolong and mango.  I can tell there is a little something else fruity-wise too but it’s not really identifiable as berries or passionfruit.

Once infused the liquor is pretty dark for an oolong- much like a medium-brown colored black tea.  It smells slightly fruity and woodsy.

The taste is DARN GOOD.  It’s a smoother oolong taste with hints of sweeter-wood but the fruit notes pair up beside the oolong very well.  All of the fruit ingredients mesh well with each other and no one ingredient really barges in front of the others.

The rose hides out in the background and if I didn’t take the time to really notice it I probably would miss it.

Blue Mist from Simpson and Vail

Tea Type: Black Tea

Where To Buy: Simpson & Vail

Product Description:
Blue Mist is a blend of Jackfruit (a fruit from India with an aroma of banana and pineapple), Apricot and Mango black teas with cornflowers and marigold petals. Brew tea at 212º – steep for 3 minutes.

Tasters Review:

Thought I would step outside my comfort zone with this one. I HATE Bananas!!!! I mean HATE them! When I read this had Jackfruit in it – which is supposed to smell like Pineapple and Bananas – I thought I would try it!  I love Pineapple but not Bananas but I gave it a whirl…

It smells nice…you can tell Mango and Pineapple but there is a little hint of something else which I will ‘chalk up as’ that banana illusion. Nothing is too over the top to make me change facial expressions – like I normal would when smelling bananas – but it does have a different sort of aroma, that is for sure!

It’s VERY dark in color.

It tastes like a HOT tropical smoothie. Not really floral but fruity and not like Pina Colada but truly unique. Almost like a tropical drink with NO Pineapple, Coconut, or Flowers in it…if you can picture that. It’s much different than ANY flavored black I have tried to date. If you are looking for something different this just may be it.

Mango Chili Raw Green Bush Tea from The Republic of Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green Rooibos

Where to Buy:  The Republic of Tea

Product Description:

This exotic blend combines herbaceous Raw Green Rooibos and fragrant, luscious mango finished with a little kick of chili.
This sweet and spicy tea is low in tannins, will cool the body and wake up the senses – hot or iced.

Taster’s Review:

I really like this tisane, and I’m very happy to see that more tea companies are exploring “raw” or green rooibos.  I personally prefer green rooibos to the oxidized red rooibos.  The green tends to have a crisper, fruitier profile vs. the woody, somewhat nutty flavor of the red.  And that crisp, bubbly flavor of the green rooibos melds deliciously with the flavors of mango and chili in this blend.

The mango flavor is beautifully represented here.  It is sweet, but not too sweet – thanks to the addition of the chili.  I think that a little more chili flavor would be nice here, but as it is, I do like the way the chili cuts through some of that sweet mango taste.  The chili also comes through a little bit at the tail of the sip, giving mere hints of a tingly spice.

Despite the name of this tea, it is NOT a spicy tea.  It is gently spiced, with just enough mild warmth to make it interesting without an overpowering sense of heat.  For those who have a taste for the spicier things in life, you might find this blend a little disappointing.  I happen to be one who has a flair for spicy foods and beverages… and while I would like a little more chili taste here, I still find this to be a very enjoyable cup.   It is PERFECT for a late-night tisane, and also makes for a refreshingly different iced tea!

Gold Rush from Red Leaf Tea

Tea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  Red Leaf Tea

Company Description:

Packed full of delicious tropical ingredients, Gold Rush Tea definitely tastes as good as it looks! Luscious bits of mango serve as mood enhancers while passion fruit helps revitalize your body! The colorful and aromatic brew is gently touched by delicate floral notes of cornflowers, blue mallow flowers, safflowers, and marigolds. The vigorous black tea provides soothing body and warmth to this delicious tea that is soo sweet to sip on.

Taster’s Review:

This is a pleasant tropical blend.  The aroma is very fruity and smells delicious.  The leaf cut is very small on this blend, much smaller than the photograph led me to believe – other than that, though, the tea looks very much like the photo.  With the beautiful petals scattered throughout the blend, it is bright and colorful.

The black tea is front and center with this cup, especially when first sipping.  As I continue to sip, the fruit flavors develop a little more.  The black tea is delicious and brisk.  It has a very smooth character and has no bitterness and some astringency.  It isn’t an extraordinarily drying astringency, but it does leave the palate ready for the sweet fruit finish.

The mango and passion fruit in this blend unite almost seamlessly.  The flavor is sweet and very tropical.  No tartness, nothing unpleasant, no surprises.  It is just delicious!

The flowers in the blend are there primarily for aesthetic purposes, as they do not pose a prominent flavor in this cup.  I can taste very faint, generic floral tones that kind of come and go in each sip, but, they are barely noticeable when casually sipping.

This is a very appealing tropical blend that I’ve enjoyed very much.  On a chilly afternoon like today, it transports me (mentally!) to a much warmer climate, complete with palm trees and sunny, sandy beaches!

And as I write this, I noticed that Red Leaf Tea is offering 10% off this blend – plus FREE shipping!  Yay!