Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tisane Description:
Sweet enticing chocolate swimming in a deep velvety base of organic rooibos and refreshing mint leaves. The perfect answer to a dessert tea. The finish is smooth, complimented by a touch of vanilla.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Hmmm … not bad. Not my favorite rooibos blend, and not my favorite tea from Art of Tea, but this Velvet Tea Rooibos Blend makes an enjoyable cuppa. My biggest complaint with it at this point is the name, because while I can see the “Velvet” part of the tisane, at the top of the page on the Art of Tea website, on the index tab thingy, this tea is called “Red Velvet Tea.” I can even *understand* why it would be called that since it’s a rooibos blend (which is also known as “red tea”) and the chocolate-y notes are kind of velvet-y, however, the name “Red Velvet” conjures up too many thoughts of red velvet cupcakes, and this does not taste like red velvet cupcakes.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s not tasty.
It is chocolate-y (although the chocoholic in me does want more chocolate), and there is a nice minty note to this. The mint is cool and crisp and it gives the overall cup a delicious taste that is reminiscent to an after dinner mint. A nice dessert tisane.
I can also taste the apple in this, and it adds a little bit of sweetness to the cup without messing up the balance between chocolate and mint. The rooibos flavor is not very distinct, but that’s just fine with me. I taste vague “nutty” tones to the cup but I find that these seem to enhance the chocolate nicely, giving the cup some depth.
It’s a nice cup, tasty for later in the evening when you want something sweet to curb those cravings, and this won’t ruin your diet. (Yeah, I hate that word too.) It’s good, and I’d drink it again.
Moroccan Mint Herbal Tisane from Numi Organic Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Numi Organic Tea
Tisane Description:
Our organic Moroccan Mint, known as “nana mint,” flourishes in North Africa. With a flavor as light and lively as a newly picked leaf, it has a sweet spearmint flavor that is refreshing and soothing any time of day.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I received a bag of this Moroccan Mint Herbal Tisane from Numi Organic Tea in my May Goodies box. And while I was happy that Goodies sent me tea (I love it when I get tea in my foodie tasting boxes), I’m a little disappointed too … as it would seem to me that the people at Goodies don’t seem to realize that tea should be loose leaf. *sigh*
When I opened the pouch holding the tea bag, I could smell the fragrant mint. It reminded me of the aroma I’d experience if I opened a package of Doublemint Gum. Very fresh, very minty!
The flavor is very minty too. No big surprise there, right? It has a vibrant, crisp and cool taste that leaves the palate feeling fresh. But what I’m liking is that it’s not … hitting me over the head with minty flavor … which is kind of surprising because my experience with pure mint has been a very strong minty taste. This is lighter … more subdued. Nice … but surprising.
Then I read the description from Numi which states that this is Nana mint … which is a cultivar of spearmint. (Learn more about it here) The Nana mint is a milder variety of mint … which explains why this is more subdued. I don’t recall having tried Nana mint before … so this might very well be a first for me.
I liked it … didn’t love it … but it makes me curious about Nana mint and I think I’ll be seeking out other teas with Nana mint so that I can have more experience with this herb.
Strawberry Mint Julep White Tea from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This week’s tea is a sweet blend of hay-like shou mei, freeze-dried strawberries and fresh cut peppermint and spearmint along with organic strawberry, mint and bourbon flavors. It reminds me oddly of my grandmother’s house, where she kept a small garden of mint and strawberries on the side of the house.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Zoomdweebie’s fundraising campaign to reopen the Tea Bar here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! This Strawberry Mint Julep White Tea from 52Teas is really tasty! The delicate flavor of the Shou Mei works really well with the sweet-tart taste of the berries and the crisp, refreshing flavor of the mint notes.
The white tea is sweet and has a vegetative hay-like taste to it. There is also a light, crisp taste to the tea that works really nicely with the fresh minty notes of the spearmint and peppermint.
The mint is probably the most pronounced flavor of this cup, but, I like that it’s not dominating to the point of overpowering the other flavors. The strawberry notes come through, as does the subtle tones of the white tea and just a hint of bourbon also reveals itself in each sip.
And while I’m not generally a big fan of alcohol, I do like that this tastes a bit like a cocktail. I actually like that I can taste the booze (without feeling the effects of it!) because the bourbon flavor works well here. Perhaps that’s because it’s not an aggressive taste … it is sort of off in the background, allowing me to enjoy the other flavors while not letting me forget that it’s there.
This is nice served hot (let it cool off for just a couple of minutes after pouring the tea) but as I type this, I’m also in the process of brewing up a half gallon pitcher of it so that I can have this iced tomorrow afternoon. I find that this tea gets better as it cools. I’m liking it better and better with each sip!
I know that I’ve been talking a lot about the 52Teas fundraising effort to reopen the doors of the Zoomdweebies tea bar … but, let me say it again … if you can, please help out this small business! We can always use more places to enjoy tea!
Watermelon Mint Black Iced Tea from Republic of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Republic of Tea
Product Description:
Perfect Picnic Tea – This iced tea captures the essence of summer with the natural, fresh sweetness of sun-ripened watermelon finished with a touch of cool peppermint. A smooth base of fine black tea rounds out this bold, bright, refresher.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Ahh! This Watermelon Mint Black Iced Tea from Republic of Tea is so refreshing!
While shopping at Chuck’s Produce Market the other day, I came across a display of new teas from Republic of Teas – all iced tea that have been prepackaged in large, quart-size unbleached tea pouches. Whenever I shop at Chuck’s (or Whole Foods or New Seasons), I always take a moment to peruse the tea aisle to see if there are any new teas that I haven’t yet tried. (Because you know me … I GOTTA try ’em all!)
There were several different flavors of these new iced teas from Republic of Tea, but the one that was the most appealing to me was this Watermelon Mint Black iced tea. Mmm! Watermelon? Mint? Yes please!
And this is really delightful. I cold-brewed the tea, tossing two of the large tea pouches in my glass 2-quart pitcher and filling it with freshly filtered water, securing the cap and stashing it in the fridge overnight. This morning, I had a pitcher full of cold-brewed, thirst-quenching refreshment.
The watermelon in this iced tea is really well-defined. Very often, with watermelon teas, sometimes the watermelon is a bit too demure for my liking. When I’m tasting a watermelon tea … I want watermelon! You know what I’m saying? Here, the watermelon comes through very nicely. I could even smell it when I opened the pitcher to remove the pouches. The watermelon DOES taste a little on the sweet side – tasting a bit more like watermelon Jolly Ranchers than something that’s more true to the fruit. But, I’m still finding it rather tasty, regardless (I guess because I happen to enjoy watermelon flavored Jolly Ranchers!)
And I’m also happy to report that while the peppermint is discernible, it is NOT an overwhelming flavor. The Republic of Tea did the mint just right in this blend. Because peppermint can sometimes be a rather aggressive herb when added to a tea blend, it is important to add it with caution and not go overboard! That was kept in mind with this blend … the mint is there, but it isn’t overpowering the other flavors. Instead, it is more of a cooling presence … a crisp note of mint that seems to cool the palate as I sip.
The black tea is a pleasant background flavor. It tastes like it is probably a Ceylon tea that is used in this blend, because it’s rather mild-tasting. Sort of even-tempered and not overly assertive. I can taste it, it’s there … but, sort of like the aforementioned mint, it’s not a strong presence in the cup.
This is an agreeable balance of flavors. Sweet, juicy watermelon, hints of mint, and a brisk black tea base. It is one of those teas that you could serve at the family picnic and everyone will enjoy it – even those who are fussy about what they eat and drink. It’s so enjoyable that I think I’m going to have to pick up another tin of the new Iced Tea Pouches the next time I’m shopping at Chuck’s!
Vanilla Mint Chai from Rishi Tea
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Tea Description:
Creamy, rich textured and inviting, this pu-erh based chai is unlike any other. Its delicate balance of silky and luscious vanilla bean, bright and soothing peppermint and sweet cinnamon transform this chai into something magical.
Learn more about this chai here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! I really like this, although I don’t know that I’d agree with calling it a “chai.” Yeah, yeah, I know that chai means tea and so therefore all tea is technically chai … but I’ve come to recognize the word “chai” as meaning a masala (or combination) of spices. And since this Vanilla Mint Chai from Rishi Tea only has cinnamon, licorice root and vanilla that truly qualify as “spices” (I’d categorize peppermint as an herb, wouldn’t you?), I don’t think that’s enough “spices” to call this a chai.
Regardless, it is tasty!
The Pu-erh base offers an earthy background, although with the strong peppermint notes and the creamy tone of vanilla, the earthy notes do not overwhelm. It truly is a “background” note in this blend. And since I tend to shy away from the overly earthy teas, the fact that the earthiness here is subtle is quite alright with me.
The combination of peppermint and vanilla offer a taste that’s quite like the creamy center of a peppermint patty candy bar. YUM! The licorice root is subtle but adds a nice snappy contrast to the peppermint, and the cinnamon gives a hint of spice to the overall cup. All these notes are subtle compared to the vanilla and mint … these two dynamic flavors are the stars of the show here.
Even so, the mint isn’t TOO minty, it doesn’t taste toothpaste-y, it just has a crisp, cool taste that contrasts with the silky, creamy notes of the vanilla. The flavors of the spices and herb soften the earthy tones of the Pu-erh … providing a very smooth, satisfying cup for even those of us who tend to suffer from Pu-erh anxiety. In fact, there isn’t one flavor here that really overpowers the others … this is really a nicely balanced cup and a very interesting combination of flavors!