Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Zi Chun Tea Co.
Tea Description:
High quality hand picked jinxuan oolong blended with natural jasmine flower.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I do love Jasmine teas, as I’ve mentioned many times before, and while white Jasmine teas tend to be my favorite now, I really like Jasmine Oolong teas. I like the way the sweet, exotic essence of the jasmine flower melds with the smooth, creamy notes of the Oolong tea – in this case, a jinxuan Oolong – it seems to be a marriage made in heaven when jasmine flower and Oolong tea comes together. This is certainly true of this Premium Jasmine Oolong Tea from Zi Chun Tea Company.
This is really delightful. The heavier “creamy” notes of the Oolong seem to offset the sometimes sharp notes of the jasmine … and together the two components offer a flavor that is soft, sweet, delicately floral and smooth.
The natural floral notes of the Oolong tea and the jasmine complement each other in a very lovely way … sometimes I find the natural floral notes of a greener Oolong like this tea to be somewhat overwhelming for the palate … but here, even though this is a FLORAL tea, the floral notes do not inundate the palate the way an unscented green Oolong tea’s floral notes sometimes can.
This Oolong tea – like so many other high quality Oolong teas – can be steeped multiple times. I find that the later steepings of this tea are especially wonderful … the jasmine notes subside just a little bit, and really unify with the Oolong.
A really fantastic tea journey awaits with this Jasmine Oolong from Zi Chun!
Blueberry Jam Organic from David’s Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
Blueberries might just be the greatest fruit around – after all, they’re the star ingredient of North America’s favourite muffin. And hundreds of years before moms were making them into jams, jellies and cakes, blueberries were called “star berries” and revered for their healing powers. Another little known fact about blueberries is that they make for one great cup of tea – when you blend them with black tea, elderberries, cornflowers and stevia, it’s the perfect companion to your morning toast. (MK Kosher)
Organic: black tea, blueberries, elderberries, pink cornflower petals, stevia. With organic and natural flavouring*.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Blueberry Jam Organic from David’s Tea sure does not give me the blues! In fact it is exactly what I was craving today.
So I wanted something super dessert like, something really sweet, something fruity, something that would replace the fact I am not eating many “goodies” these days. This was my selection.
I could not resist all those blueberries, the sweet yummy smell of fruity goodness. This is the best next thing to having jam on my toast which I crave every morning but am not allowing myself to have right now. Lately I have been having juicy plump blueberries either in my matcha (they take the place of boba) or just on their own.
This tea from Davids Tea is so good and sweet and I don’t have to add any sugar to it, although I am tempted to just to see how dessert like I can get this tea. I am going to be a good girl though and appreciate the sweet juicy blueberry flavor on its own.
Also I love that this is made with organic ingredients! Oh and did you know how good blueberries are for you? If I could only have one berry in my life I would have to select blueberries as they just have such wonderful health properties and they are so very good!
Amore’ from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tea Description:
The Amore loose leaf white tea features a beautiful blend of organic flower-scented white loose-leaf teas, wild roses, organic peppermint and seasonally selected botanicals.
With its refreshing and aromatic qualities, drinking a cup of Amore white tea makes a great occasion for an after meal pick-up, or for sipping in the evening with someone you love.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Amore’ from The Persimmon Tree is a beautiful tea to look at and I find it to be so soothing, relaxing, and just calming. I always have a cup of tea beside me on the table when I fall asleep at night, even if I don’t finish it, I just like to know a cup is there. This tea will be a perfect bedside companion!
Delicate big white tea leaves that look all fluffy like clouds or a big squishy pillow, pretty roses, the soothing, breathe easy aroma of mint, what more could one ask for at night?
I have found that I do not love mint teas the way that I once did, yet my love for floral teas has developed more. I still like mint, but I appreciate the floral aspect of this tea more so than the mint aspect that I used to love. I feel the balance in this tea airs a bit more on the mint side but the floral does come through wonderfully as does the white base.
Everything about this tea tastes natural. I have done a lot of essential oil and herb blending in my days and I can say that I do not detect anything less than natural in this tea blend. Plus organic elements are used which I respect greatly!
I have taken some quotes from The Persimmon Tree’s “About Us” page located here and I could not agree more!
“Simply put, tea is one of life’s rewarding pleasures. It makes us feel better by giving us a relaxing escape from life’s hectic pace.”
“A cup of tea can wake you up in the morning, compliment your afternoon, or take you away to a restful place in the evening. The tea-brewing ritual is one that can be therapeutic, enjoyable, social, and even sacred.”
I could not agree more especially when it comes to this tea, being so soothing, relaxing, calming. I think I like this even more than a chamomile tea for bedtime although I swear I do taste chamomile in here.
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Also as an added bonus The Persimmon Tree is offering SororiTea Sister readers a special discount which you can use between now and 1/31/2012. Just use the code SororiTea-Amore-0113 at check out for 20% off this Amore White Tea!
Boysenberry Matcha from Red Leaf Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Matcha, Green
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Boysenberry is an interesting fruit that greatly resembles a big sized raspberry, loganberry and blackberry. Its sharp and tart taste is mellowed by Matcha’s velvety flavour to make a Boysenberry Matcha treat that blends perfectly into the palate. This richly fruity treat is perfect for those people who want to expand their fruit filled snacks with different fresh new flavours. Boysenberry Matcha can also become a perfect hot weather treat to both cool and excite the palate with its enlivening sharp taste. It forms an interesting addition in the occasions of young children with its interesting reputation for being the surprise fruit-based treat.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Boysenberry Matcha from Red Leaf Tea is heaven in a chawan! To me, boysenberry is much like a blueberry flavor, only perhaps a bit more tart. Yet, there is this unique flavor to boysenberry that is almost earthy, a bit savory. It is such an interesting fruit, truly. I love it. Its an excellent palate cleanser as well. Its fresh, refreshing, and just so yummy.
The matcha base is excellent! I normally go with a basic grade of matcha but for boysenberry I selected Royal Matcha base as I really wanted this boysenberry matcha to be a true treat, and let me tell you – it sure is!
Now when it comes to Red Leaf Tea’s matcha you really can’t go wrong, you will enjoy any of their matcha bases and as I said I generally go with the basic grade but now and then I do treat myself. Yes I can tell a difference from the basic grade to royal but I just can’t say enough about how good even their basic grade is.
Strange thing, back in the day…I used to really down the Red Bull energy drinks. I loved them. I think I was craving the Vitamin B 12 but regardless, this matcha interestingly has a similar flavor profile, but so much better, and by far healthier!
I just can’t get over how succulent this flavor profile is. Sweet, yet tart, savory, yet sweet, tangy, mouthwatering, dark berry goodness! Then we have those grassy like earthy notes form the matcha which if you love matcha like me, are just simply divine!
Don’t be afraid of the boysenberry! If you are looking for a new fruit adventure grab some of this and give it a go! I can’t see how you could be disappointed in this one. It is so fresh, so refreshing, ripe, and juicy you will swear you are eating the berries themselves!
As a type 1 diabetic this is a treat that I can have with no guilt! Flavored matcha have no added sugar and are very low in carbohydrates, calories, etc. That is why I stock up on as many flavors as I can!
Concord Grape Bai Mu Dan from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White Bai Mu Dan
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
So, I’m a little extra excited about our new freeze-dried grapes. I can’t help it, they are just too much fun to blend with. I’m hoping our customers will forgive me and enjoy this deliciousness.
Here’s a blend of our naturally sweet bai mu dan white tea with freeze-dried grapes and natural flavors.
Our Tea of the Week for the week of May 7, 2012
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My husband hates anything grape. He says unless it IS a grape it ends up just tasting fake. Not anymore! This Concord Grape tea from 52Teas is as close to eating the real thing as you can get! This is not an in your face kiddie soda pop or lollipop flavored tea. This is a pure and natural, delicious, gimme more of that tea!
There is a sweetness to it that is so fresh, so natural, yet with a light white tea base provides somewhat of a heavier mouthfeel somehow.
There is a slightly numbing sensation in the mouth but only slight.
Now keep in mind this tea is very light in flavor, its not going to rock your socks off with a kool-aid like grape flavor or aroma but if you like grape and you love tea (you do don’t you!) then this is a really nice, not too often found flavor combination you must try!