Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: Hale Tea Company
Tisane Description:
The aroma is something of a cross between a peach and an apricot. To taste, this tea really does mimic eating an actual Mirabelle plum with it’s tart skin and sweet flesh. The green rooibos brings an interesting savouriness that interacts delightfully with the Mirabelle flavour.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
This Mirabelle Cream Rooibos Tisane from Hale Tea Company is the last of the three teas that I received in September’s tea tasting box from Amoda Teas. The fragrance is to die for! My mouth was watering the moment I smelled it – it smells luscious … like fresh peaches and apricots … and evoked memories of my gramma’s kitchen during the month of August and beginning of September, when the last of the peaches and apricots were being harvested from her prolific trees, and she would be making peach and apricot preserves, as well as pies and cobblers. YUM! I think my stomach just growled from thinking about it … now I want a peach/apricot cobbler with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream!
But I suppose a cup of this tisane will have to suffice since those days have long since past (and I’m not nearly the baker that my gramma was!) And this is tasty … not nearly as tasty as my gramma’s cobbler with homemade vanilla ice cream, but, this also has less fat and fewer calories.
Click on the Pic to go there.
The green rooibos base is a nice choice for these flavors, because the green rooibos has a natural fruity tone to it that accents the notes of plum. I can’t recall that I’ve actually tasted a Mirabelle plum, but I do notice some plummy notes in this tea that remind me of a sun-ripened plum with the juicy, deep red flesh. I notice the sweetness and the hint of sour to those plums. This is sweeter than most plums that I’ve tasted … but I do notice that plum-like tartness to this too.
The flavor is not as peachy or apricot-y as the aroma would lead one to believe … but then, this is not supposed to be about peaches or apricots, but the Mirabelle plum, although the photo of the Mirabelle plum (above right) … those kinda look like apricots!
Overall, I’m finding this tasty tisane to be fruity with a nice contrast between sweet and tangy, with just a hint of cream. I like the lightness of this … it’s very refreshing and it tastes great hot or iced. As it cools, the flavors do soften somewhat, but it’s still a tasty, creamy, fruity drink.
A really nice tisane, I’m glad that Amoda included this in the September box!
Apple Cardamom Flavored Rooibos from 52Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
It’s been a while since we did a rooibos blend, but I think the sweet apple and uniquely spicy cardamom go well with the caffeine-free redbush. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and I hope you order a bunch of it, so I’ll have gas money to get back from Ft. Worth. (Just kidding! …sort of.)
Learn more about this Rooibos Blend here.
Learn more about Zoomdweebie’s fundraising campaign to reopen the Tea Bar here.
Taster’s Review:
Mmm! Yummy! This Apple Cardamom flavored Rooibos is a really well-crafted blend from 52Teas. The apple and cardamom notes meld beautifully with the nutty tones of the rooibos. It’s a tisane that screams autumn!
But, I’m getting ahead of myself. The aroma of both the dry leaf and the brewed tisane is delightful. I can smell the sweet notes of apple, and the warm notes of the cardamom, and hints of a woody, earthy scent from the rooibos. It even SMELLS like autumn!
I don’t usually get all giddy over rooibos blends. Most rooibos blends are met with somewhat of a ho-hum kind of attitude from me, I’m kind of blasé about most of the rooibos blends. There are some that I just don’t like at all, and the majority of them are alright … but like I said, I’m relatively indifferent. I could take ’em or leave ’em. But every once in a while, I’ll find one that knocks my socks off. (OK, I am not wearing socks at the moment, but you know what I’m saying, right?) This is one of those that is knocking my socks off.
It’s like I said … the sweet, nutty, woody tones of the rooibos just work really well with the sweet apple notes. There’s just a hint of tartness from the apple too. Just enough for a little bit of contrast. And the cardamom adds a pleasing amount of warmth to the cup. It’s a crisp, almost-peppery, spicy-sweet taste that I get from the cardamom, and it plays beautifully with the apple. Cinnamon seems to be the popular spice to mix with apple … but, I am really liking the way the cardamom tastes with the apple … perhaps even better than the cinnamon. Next time I make my baked apples, I think I’m going to have to use cardamom in the recipe because this is just … perfectly delightful!
Because of the autumnal taste of this tisane, I have to say that I really do prefer it served warm. It’s got that warm, cozy taste of apple cider. It’s tasty iced too, but, I prefer it hot. It doesn’t need sweetener … but if you really want to add some, try some brown sugar (just a pinch of it!) to enhance the cardamom.
PS: Don’t forget to visit Zoomdweebie’s fundraising campaign to help Frank re-open his tea bar!
Yunomi Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club: Kesennuma Kuwacha Sencha Mulberry Leaf Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Yunomi
Tea Description:
Rare Japanese mulberry tea, or kuwacha (桑茶), is very similar to a light sencha without the caffeine.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Yunomi’s Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club here.
Taster’s Review:
I was a little unsure about trying this Kesennuma Kuwacha Sencha Mulberry Leaf Tea from the Monthly Mystery Tea Sampler’s Club from Yunomi, because I can’t recall actually having tried a Tisane made from just mulberry leaves before. I probably have had tea blends with mulberry leaves … but, I can’t recall trying a straight mulberry leaf tisane before.
But, I decided what the heck, I was going to give it a try, because everything that I’ve tried thus far from Yunomi I’ve enjoyed … so I put my faith in this company and hoped that they wouldn’t let me down.
And you know what – they didn’t! This is really quite nice. The aroma of the dry leaf is very pleasant with its sweet fruity notes and leafy/grassy tones. And the dark green, finely chopped leaves resemble a Japanese Sencha. Once brewed, the tisane keeps some of the fruity notes, and the leafy/grassy notes become more distinctive.
The flavor is very reminiscent of a Japanese Sencha, believe it or not! I was actually quite surprised by the flavor … I didn’t expect it to taste so much like a Sencha! It is sweet, slightly buttery, with fruity notes. It has a light character to it (although, if you want it stronger, you can add more leaf!) and the texture isn’t quite as brothy as a Sencha tea might be but … the grassy/leafy notes of the Sencha are there. This might actually be a little sweeter due to the fruity quality, and I’m noticing less (as in very little if any) savory taste to this. It’s more like a sweeter version of a Sencha … without the invigorating caffeine.
This tisane is perfect for those of you who would like to enjoy a green tea later in the evening but don’t want the caffeine … this has such a “green tea” taste to it that you’d think you’re drinking green tea … but you’re not! It’s really quite wonderful!
Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Tulsi & Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Tastes like jujubes
Sweet aroma of berries, apple and chamomile. Slightly sweet on the tongue, lightly minty with a tart finish. This tea is full-bodied and rich. Sip this tea and it will calm your body and relax your mind. ahhhhh.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
So, I’m a bit behind on my Amoda Tea reviews! This Poppy Fields Tisane from Indie Tea came in my July Tea Tasting Box, but, I’m just now getting around to reviewing it. What can I say, when it comes to tisanes … I always seem to be reluctant to try it!
But this is one of the prettiest teas I’ve seen in a long time! Big flower buds of chamomile, poppy and rose. And BONUS: No Hibiscus! Yay!
I was excited to see Tulsi as one of the ingredients in this tea (here, it was called “holy basil”) because I have enjoyed the tisanes with Tulsi that I’ve tried. I like the herbaceous, slightly minty, slightly spicy taste that Tulsi brings to a tisane.
In this tisane, the Tulsi offers subtle hints of the minty basil tones which are especially noticeable in the finish. I’m noticing more of a peppery warmth during the sip from the Tulsi than the cooling mint taste. But I like the way the Tulsi comes through in this blend, because there is a strong fruity character to this cup, and the spice gives it some added interest and depth.
The description from Amoda Tea suggests that this tastes like Jujubes … and I don’t know that what I’m tasting is Jujubes. I’ll be honest and mention though, that I’ve not had Jujubes since I was young. They were never really a favorite candy of mine (I didn’t like the way they stuck to my teeth). But I did like their bright, fruity taste, and while this tisane does have a fruity taste to it, I can’t say that this reminds me of that candy.
But it is sweet with lots of fruit notes: apple, orange, and hints of lemon. I don’t really taste a lot of ‘berry’ as mentioned in the description by Amoda, but, I do notice the tartness that lingers in the aftertaste. Given the sheer number of flowers in this blend, I did expect it to taste more floral than it does. It does certainly present a floral note to the palate, but, it’s a smooth, subdued floral taste rather than the sharpness that I often associate with floral tones.
Then again, everything about this particular blend is very calm and relaxed. The flavor is gentle and mild. It is a really tasty tisane … certainly better than I expected it to be given my hesitancy to actually try it. I like the fruity overtones, I like that it doesn’t taste overly herbaceous or medicinal, and I like that there is a pleasant warm yet sweet taste to it … without adding sugar.
As I mentioned in my review of The Road To Hana (also from Indie Tea) – a tea that also came from my Amoda Tea Box for July – I have already tasted and reviewed the third tea that came in my box: Lover’s Lane. I was really happy to see that Amoda Tea focused in on Indie Tea, because they are a company that I really like. They are a fun company with a youthful vibe … I like the jovial attitude they give their teas!
So this tea review gets me all caught up with my July reviews for Amoda Tea … and a good thing too, because I have August’s box waiting for me! I can’t wait to try the teas in that box from their featured blender: Tea Xotics … a company I’ve not yet tried! Yay!
In The Mood Herbal Tisane from Hari Tea (Shoti Maa)
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Hari Tea
Tisane Description:
We appreciate the magic of the moment and celebrate that what is gives us and the world.
This tea stimulates your senses from the first sip and awakens your awareness of how nice it is to be alive: Orange treats with sweet, Hibiscus promises romance, pepper makes you awake for the adventure of the moment.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
So, hibiscus is supposed to be an aphrodisiac? That’s what I’m getting from the above description (taken from the Hari Tea website). If so, this is something I did not know about the herb.
It doesn’t make me like hibiscus any better.
This In the Mood Herbal Tisane from Hari Tea (Shoti Maa) has a bit too much hibiscus for my liking. What saves it for me is the notes of orange and the spice. The spicy notes, especially, help keep the cup interesting and detracts the palate from feeling inundated by the thickness of the hibiscus infusion. The spice also keeps the cup from being too tart. As it is, it’s drinkable for me, but, I can’t say that this is my favorite beverage.
It’s alright though. The orange gives it a little bit of sweetness, and a juicy taste – it tastes almost like there’s a couple of drops of freshly squeezed orange in this. I like that. I am wishing I could taste more of the other spices that are in this blend, particularly, I’d love to taste more of the licorice (or liquorice) and the cardamom. Every once in a while, I’ll notice a note pass my palate that I’ll think … “oh there it is!” but, then it disappears as quickly as it appears.
Overall, this wasn’t horrible. But, I don’t think it put me in the mood for anything other than a desire for some black licorice.