Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black/Mate
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Mate, Kola, and Black tea make up this well-caffeinated blend to make your mornings deliciously efficient. Blended with toasted mate tea, black tea, cocoa nibs, cinnamon bark, kola nuts & safflower
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Last time I was in Chicago for work, I couldn’t help but run right to Adagio Teas. Where I live there really isn’t a tea shop so whenever I get close to one, my heart skips a beat. Jump Start was the first blend I picked up.
Presented in a lovely tin with vibrant colors and a rooster (love that!), this black tea/mate blend is one that will do what the name suggests. This tea packs a punch and helps you get a jump start on your tea in a refreshing bold and delicious way.
First- this tea is a brilliant take on coffee. If you are a coffee drinker, then I have a feeling you would love Jump Start. Brewed up at 212F and allowed to steep for about 4 minutes, this blend provided gorgeous notes of creamy cinnamon that mingled nicely with the silky black tea base. The mate provided that roasted/toasted flavor that is similar to a fresh roasted coffee. I don’t pick up any chocolate notes but that could be where that silky texture is coming from. All the flavor without that coffee bitter aftertaste. Really delicious and fresh.
The best part of this tea is that you can get several infusions out of the mix and this tea is forgiving as all get out. I oversteeped by about 10 minutes and I swear that just heightened all of the flavors. The cinnamon was stronger and that creaminess even better. Perfect for the first cuppa of the day.
The more I drink Jump Start I realize this is a blend that is dying to be a latte. I’ll be trying that out in the morning for sure!
Russian Samovar from Mahamosa Gourmet Teas, Spices & Herbs
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Mahamosa Gourmet Teas, Spices & Herbs
Tea Description:
This tea blend is derived from an old Russian recipe. As the name implies, it is perfect for serving from the traditional Russian teapot, the “samovar”. Russia is known for its love of teas which first arrived from China through Mongolia. Tea is the most popular non-alcoholic drink in Russia. Zoom into this classic blend and note the dark leaves, smoky in appearance. This blend is highly aromatic. It is light bodied, and in accord with the appearance of the leaves, a hint of smokiness.
Leaf: Dark leaves
Body: Light
Aroma and Taste: Highly aromatic, hints of smokiness
Intensity: Medium
Color: Orange
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Russian Samovar from Mahamosa Gourmet Teas, Spices & Herbs is one of the smoothest morning brews I have had in a very long time.
When I opened the bag and put the leaves into my steeping basket I could smell a faint aroma of vanilla, although this is not listed as an ingredient I felt it had to be a natural aroma in the tea. I also was able to taste a light vanilla flavor as well but as the tea cooled more the vanilla aroma dissipated. The flavor mellowed into a simply smooth delicious black tea.
I have enjoyed this tea on several occasions and each time I plan to do a review on it but I just find myself sitting back and enjoying my morning cup which tells me I really like this tea.
I won’t say it is a complex tea layered with different flavor notes or anything like that. Rather it is a simple morning cup that wakes you up gently, smoothly, and allows you to start moving without feeling jittery or anxious. It is very pleasant to sip, welcoming on the palate and such a lovely cup.
I have been impressed with the teas from Mahamosa thus far, I still have a couple to try but so far I give a huge thumbs up!
Mahamosa contributes 50% of their profits to charity which gets my approval as well!
Now getting back to this tea … it says in the description that it is smokey. Well, you know, its not really all that smokey, at least not in the manner of a Lapsang Souchong anyway. Its rather difficult for me to label it as smokey because usually that is a flavor that is up front, in your face, and in this tea is simply is not. For some that may make this tea more or less attractive The smokiness is light, and in a strange way far less in the flavor than in the feel of the tea. I don’t know if that makes sense or not. It does have a very light campfire side aroma but there is this light sweetness to it that makes me think more of a lightly roasted marshmallow than the campfire smokiness itself.
Another cool thing about this tea company is they also offer spices and herbs which I do need to replace a lot of my outdated spices soon, they, like tea, also lose flavor after too long. So for those of you who need another great reason / excuse to buy more tea … there you go! You probably need to replace spices as well!
Morning Tea from Lupicia
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!
Organic Keemun Black from EnjoyingTea.com
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: EnjoyingTea.com
Product Description:
Of all the black teas available in China, Keemum is probably one of the most well known. Keemun black tea was produced only after 1875 due to the demand of the English’s preference of black teas over green teas at the time. Keemun rapidly became an English staple after its production. This organic tea has a complex and subtle flavor that’s aromatic and penetrating without being lush or floral.
Tasters Review:
This tea will kick the morning uglies right out of you! The first time I tried this I was having a rough morning. Well, not so much of a rough morning – but a morning I just wanted to go back to bed! Keemun Black from EnjoyingTea.com is a nice strong Keemun and it’s here to make your day bold and daring! Get ready to face the world, folks!
In a way this reminds me of an English Breakfast type tea but then I can understand the Black and Green “meeting in the middle’ type of description as well.
I think this is a great morning tea – with or without additions. Personally, I prefer Plain, As-Is, and Natural!
