Drink Me Oolong from Plum Deluxe has a warm and toasty roasted oolong base with added mango and almond essence. The darker oolong tea keeps the blend from getting too sweet, adding an almost savory nuttiness with each sip. The almond adds its trademark, almost-floral marzipan candy taste. The fruity mango adds a nice brightness to keep this blend uplifting and not too dense or cake-like.
I believe the name of this blend is inspired by Alice in Wonderland, but even without the reference is it a cute name to have looking back at you from your tea cupboard on rainy days. With sunny mango, bakery sweet almond, and a mid-level of caffeine, this is a great tea for the afternoon slump or a mid-day tea party.
Drink Me Oolong from Plum Deluxe was a limited edition blend, that should cycle back around in their seasonal blends or as part of their subscription service. In the meantime, give Pick Me Up Oolong a try, with almond and maple flavors and a similar oolong tea base.
Or try another flavor of oolong tea. Plum Deluxe teas always have great flavor combinations, and include things like “love” and “gratitude” on their ingredients list, so you can’t help but feel good when you brew a cup of their tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
This tea is no longer available but click below for other options!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
De-Lovely from the Tea Crew
With a name like De-Lovely, you can’t help but expect a tea that will bring a smile to your face. De-Lovely from the Tea Crew is an oolong tea with sweet almond and chocolate flavors.
Chocolate teas can be tricky, sometimes they aren’t very chocolate-like, and other times they end up like watered-down hot cocoa. However, De-Lovely smelled very promising, both in the dry leaf and in the brewed tea.
Upon my first sip, I knew this chocolate tea was a winner. The oolong base is more roasted than green, and goes very well with the marzipan almond flavors. With a rich and nutty base, the chocolate notes thrive, bringing a dark chocolate, almost-floral sweetness. When I looked at the ingredients list, I noticed that there is even a bit of coconut in the mix to help add a buttery mouthfeel and creamy richness.
The oolong tea base helps keep this from being too decadent or overpowering. The tea leaves themselves still have a strong bodied presence among all the sweet desserts. Nutty, roasty, chocolatey, this tea is just lovely!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Tea Crew
Description:
Somewhere between green and black tea lies Oolong tea, semi-fermented loveliness.
This blend is sweet, nutty and chocolatey. It’s delightful, it’s delicious, it’s de-lovely!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Roasted Almond Chai from Fava Tea Company. . . . . . . .
I was lucky to discover Roasted Almond Chai from Fava Tea Company thanks to a tea trade with fellow Sororitea Sisters, and now this is one if my favorite chai teas.
This is a decaf blend, so I find it most satisfying as a sweet treat to ease me through a rough afternoon or evening. This tea is perfectly both sweet and spicy. The dry leaf in the bag smells exceptionally creamy and a touch fruity, like marzipan candies. In the loose leaf, there are cloves, cinnamon, and huge cardamom pods, promising more spice in the brew.
Brewed, this blend is surprisingly pink, and I had a moment of worry: pink?! Is there hibiscus in here? I read the label again and saw beetroot as an ingredient but no hibiscus. Taking a sip, I was relieved. The pink color was clearly from the beetroot which added a wonderful natural sweetness that did not get in the way of the other flavors.
The one change I would make is to rename this blend Marzipan Chai, instead of Roasted Almond Chai. There is not much in the way of tasted flavors or pure nut-like flavors. The beetroot and almond make for a blend that is sweet like a cake with creamy frosting. This tea is driven by its candied almond taste, coupled with the warming spices of cinnamon and cardamom. Even without milk, this tea is so smooth and creamy, a perfect dessert. I will be stocking up on this chai the next chance I get!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Fava Tea
Description:
This is the sweet taste of almond magically blended with rooibos and chai spices. Smooth, delightful and a perfect compliment with dessert. Or in place of dessert! Either way, enjoy!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Almond Cookie from The NecessiTeas . . .
Despite the eventual turn of the season towards something warm, there are still plenty of cold, grey days. On those days, it’s time to brew up something comforting and sweet like Almond Cookie tea from the NecessiTeas. Opening up the bag of tea, the blend has a very forward amaretto-like scent, sweet and fragrant and strong, like baked goods with almond extract. This smooth and silky flavor carries over into the smell of the brewed tea and its taste.
Just beneath all the sweet marzipan is something more creamy and buttery, clearly the “cookie” part of this Almond Cookie blend. This butteriness almost reminds me of coconut, though it’s not so tropical. NecessiTeas had a great idea combining almond and cookie together. A marzipan-driven tea can be a but too overwhelming on its own, so the nutty, butter-cookie taste is the perfect pairing against the almond flavors.
Writing this review I almost thought I had talked about this tea before. Last time I reviewed Coconut Almond Macaroon from the NecessiTeas, which is similar though it has a green tea base and stronger coconut tones. If you liked that blend, definitely try this Almond Cookie blend as well. My mug is almost empty and there are still clouds in the sky, so it’s time to brew another cup!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description: This bakery-style blend of black tea, sweet almond and creamy coconut is sure to satisfy your inner “cookie monster”.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
1st Place Tea: Snowflake from Aromatica Fine Teas
Depending on where you live, you may have seen some snowflakes flying on the air this time of year, which would be the perfect time to brew up a cup of Snowflake tea from Aromatica Fine Teas.
This is an award-winning blend, taking 1st place in the North American Tea Championships in 2011. Thinking about tea championships puts some silly images in my head, like some kind of tea Olympics, with little packs of tea on a snowy downhill ski slope. Anyway, the story is getting away from me.
Like beautiful, white, creamy snowdrifts, this black tea is blanketed with extra vanilla and creamy flavors. This tea is somewhere between a breakfast blend and a dessert blend, so that means it can be brewed up just about any time of day. In addition to the vanilla, there are coconut flakes, which add their usual creamy, buttery taste. Luckily there’s not too much coconut, and this moderation keeps the brew from getting too oily.
What really sets this blend apart are the real slivers of almond. These stylish blonde slivers go beyond the typical marzipan flavoring, and add real, sweet, nuttiness from actual nuts as ingredients. With smooth almond and lush coconut shavings, this tea taste a bit more like a coconut cookie than a simple coconut cream tea.
Overall, Snowflake is a really solid vanilla tea blend, super drinkable and smooth. I drank it black, but it would amazing as a latte or made hot-cocoa-style, topped with marshmallows. The blend isn’t too sweet, nor too plain.
I know coconut is traditionally a tropical flavor, but with a name like Snowflake, this can be your next favorite winter brew.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Aromatica Fine Teas
Description:
A fabulous almond coconut tea. Brew it in steamed milk for a Tropical Fog. Ceylon and China black tea, coconut rasps, flavour, almond flakes.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!