My weakness is mystery bundles. There is just something irresistible about being surprised by mail that isn’t bills. I’m also a sucker for a sale. So when my Steeped tea lady, Nicole, told me my order qualified for a Mystery bundle of $100 worth of tea for just $20, you best believe I snatched it up! This was one of nearly a dozen teas inside!
This delightful morning blend is literally the flavors of an entire breakfast in one cup. My cousin is big on the butter in coffee trend, and as much as I’m willing to try new things, I just can’t imagine butter in my tea. Fortunately Steeped’s french toast Oolong is so tasty on its own, that it helps me continue to resist.
The scent transforms from its smorgasbord of tropical dry ingredients to a fresh-bread smelling wet leaf to the buttery, smoky rose-gold infusion.
There are layers of flavor as well. When the tea is hot, there are strong notes of maple syrup, and as it cools, more of the acidic citrus blood orange creeps out.
The after taste is spot-on, french toast-y (Kudos to the food scientists who made this happen!). It tastes of malt, with a sweet acid.
Surprisingly this is one tea that I actually preferred without sugar, even though it’s not sweet. Studies have shown that giving in to your cravings in the morning can lead to fewer cravings throughout the day. this is perfect if you already eat a sensible healthy breakfast but crave excitement. This will definitely be used to hold me over until brunch. Or until my next mystery box 😉
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Loose Leaf Oolong with dried fruits
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description:
Breakfast in bed is served in this buttery mouth-watering tea.
Ingredients: Oolong tea, pineapple bits (pineapple, sugar, citric acid [acidifier]), coconut chips, lemon wedges, cranberries (cranberries, sugar, sunflower oil [anti-caking agent]), orange peels, rose buds, pomegranate blossoms, vanilla bits, prickly pear blossoms, natural flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Chocolate Cherry Latte Oolong by A Quarter to Tea
The high-quality oolong leaves swell and uncurl while steeping–something I always find fascinating (in addition to comforting because I know it means I’m about to drink some excellent tea!)
Once the steeping gets going it smells strongly of chocolate and cherry, which I take as a good sign! Actually it smells almost overwhelmingly of cherry while steeping, but after steeping that abates somewhat. The cherry flavor still hits your nose first but as you keep inhaling you can dig down and find the grounding, comforting chocolate smell too. It’s rounder and creamier. and the oolong lends butteriness and a floral note to the scent.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Roasty enough to appease the coffee lover in you! The blend of hojicha and oolong makes a robust, coffee like base without the jitters. Mellowed out with chicory, chocolate, and cherries.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pick Me Up Oolong from Plum Deluxe. . .
A delicious blend of oolong tea with Vermont maple syrup, orange peel, and almond essence. I was immediately excited to try this! It sounds more like a fall blend because of the maple, but that’s okay. It’s funny because my favorite season are fall and winter and that rings true in the flavors I prefer.
I like pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, maple, almond flavors and those tend to come out more in the fall and winter. But because I love them so much, i’ll drink them anytime if they’re available!
I’ve really been happy with all my tea blends that I received in my Plum Deluxe order and I am going to be ordering again. This blend, in particular, exceeded my expectations. My first sip was unsweetened, but I decided to add some agave for effect and it definitely brought out all the flavors more. The oolong base here is very smooth and subtle and is the perfect stage for this myriad of comfort-flavors.
The first flavor I could taste was the maple, which was almost creamy. The nutty and sweet almond came out towards the end of the sip and left a nutty almond taste in my mouth. The orange was undetected by me, but I did not have a problem with that as I am not always fond of citrus. This blend both smelled and tasted like pancakes drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with almond slices. I definitely recommend it, anytime of the year!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Sometimes, we just need a pick-me-up — the kind of tea that gives us a gentle hug, a firm pat on the back and says, keep going. That’s what inspired us to create our Pick Me Up blend tea — it’ll put a spring in your step and give your creative spirit a boost.
We start with an earthy Formosa Oolong tea from Taiwan. We add a pinch of orange peel and rooibos tea as well as natural almond extract and real Vermont maple syrup (yes, really!). The result is a smooth, balanced tea that is both rich and sweet while at the same time being crisp and earthy. With the lower caffeine levels, it is wonderful any time of day you need a pick-me-up — from getting out of bed on the right foot to an afternoon emotional reset.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
On Wisconsin from A Quarter To Tea. . .
This tea caught my eye due to the description of cheesecake and honey. Doesn’t that sound heavenly? This is an Oolong blend and it contains REAL pieces of graham crackers. The Oolong itself is actually a little bit more floral than I would have thought. However, the floral aspect works well with the honey. The taste of cheesecake is not something I would have picked out initially, but thinking about it now I do taste it lingering once the sip is gone
Opposed to what you would think when hearing the description of this yummy blend, i’m not quite sure if I would classify it as a dessert blend. It isn’t overly sweet or anything. This is still one that could be drunk in the morning before work or for a quick pick-me-up during that mid-afternoon slump. My favorite part was definitely seeing the pieces of graham crackers in the blend, I think that that is the first time I’ve seen it! I also enjoyed how no one ingredient took over the entire cup, they all blended nicely and were subtle. I would definitely recommend to give this blend, and a plethora of other blends from A Quarter to Tea a try. I think all of their tea blends are well done and very creative! I haven’t met one that I truly dislike.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
A sweet and creamy jade oolong with sweet honey and cheesecake flavors and cow sprinkles straight from the dairy state.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Dong Ding Oolong from Tea Avenue. . . . .
I was pretty happy to see this among my samples of tea to try. When I have a lot of different teas around, I tend to flit from one to another according to mood and sometimes this leads to a bunch of them getting pushed back or left behind. But it was a Dong Ding tea that really made me embarrass myself with how quickly I drank up a whole 100 gram bag. Like…it really was amazing and shameful how fast that tea went away. I must have been super hydrated.
Knowing the quality of other oolong teas that I have enjoyed from Tea Avenue, I was looking forward to trying their Dong Ding. I was not disappointed.
I made three steeps of this tea in all and I feel that I could have gotten at least one or two more. Even the third steep had a lovely golden color and rich aroma.
This is a little less roasted in flavor than my first ever Dong Ding. (It is often sold under the name Tung Ting.) This is fruitier with a hint of floral, but there is also an undercurrent of that charcoal flavor that gives a nice rasp across the tongue and leaves a hint of smoke wafting into the nostrils.
The flavor lingers well after the sip and the tongue is slightly dry, inducing me to pick up my cup and drink again and again.
Not only are the oolongs from Tea Avenue magnifique, but I would encourage you to check out their teaware. The tasting set with scent cup really enhances and broadens your tasting experience, and the teapots and cups are astonishingly affordable and really attractive. I have given a number of pieces as gifts and it is always well received.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Tea Avenue
Description
This is it: the original Dong Ding Oolong, grown on the Dong Ding Mountain in Nantou County in central Taiwan, where Dong Ding Oolong originated. One of the best oolong teas in the world. A perpetual favorite among oolong lovers, it has a strong, clean flavor and an aroma of ripe fruit. Partially oxidized and lightly roasted, Dong Ding is an approachable tea—a good choice for oolong newbies to whet their taste buds with.
Dong Ding turns an amber color when infused and possesses a sweet, fruity flavor and aroma. Longer infusion times will yield a stronger, more vivid tea, with a fuller body and aroma. Smooth, with a clean aftertaste. Don’t blame us if you develop a Dong Ding habit.
Tea leaves are green and come curled into balls.
