This is one of three NecessiTeas I won in an Instagram giveaway about a year back. I was really excited to try it and yet for some reason I have not gotten around to doing so until now.
My plan was to make it hot but the package itself recommended making this iced. So I prepared it both ways, steeping both the hot and iced tea in 175F water for 3 minutes. The iced tea just got poured over ice.
The hot tea, which is not particularly hot anymore, is really quite good. The green tea was fragrant after steeping which made me worried this would taste like grass but my fear was obviously unwarranted because the flavor of the hot tea is more akin to the scent of the dry leaf, which is basically like a delicious creamsicle, except more marshmallow than vanilla. There is just so much bright and candy-like orange flavor mixed with fluffy and sweet marshmallow goodness. I personally haven’t tried an Orange Delight, the inspiration of this tea, but now I know I want to because this is delicious!
The iced tea, on the other hand, is not as much to my tastes. I find the green tea base comes out a lot more at the expense of the marshmallow flavor. Personally, I am not a fan of green tea so for me, this is a step down from the hot cup. The orange flavor still comes through strongly, but without the marshmallow it is more dull and in line with the fruit. So this iced tea is more an orange green tea and the hot tea is more Orange Fluff, a more sweet/candied flavor.
Personally I will be enjoying the rest of my 2 ozs of this tea hot because despite the company recommendations, I think that is the way to go. This is yet another successful NecessiTeas blend that I would recommend and will for sure be sharing with friends. It’s a good one, and I am especially impressed given it is almost a year old and still packs a flavor punch.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
This tea is currently not available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Apero Spritz from Davids Tea. . . .
Every year Davids Tea releases a Cocktail Collection with teas designed to be mixed with spirits in summertime party drinks. I love the idea of these teas! If you are like me and don’t drink spirits these teas are equally as fun made with sparkling water or simply served over ice.
One of the teas being offered this summer is Apero Spritz, a fruit infusion featuring bitter orange rind. The smell of this tea is amazing, the vibrant orange and passionfruit really stand out. I steeped this at 212 degrees for 5 minutes and served it over ice. It steeps up a beautiful deep reddish-orange color, talk about a pretty tea for a party! The first sip is faintly familiar to me, similar to a passionfruit juice drink I have had in the past. This tea is sweet and tropical tasting, the passionfruit is very rich and flavorful. The back end of the taste has a lovely bitterness, much like the bitterness one encounters when drinking grapefruit juice. I would not steep this longer than 5 minutes as I feel that the bitterness could become magnified with longer steep times.
Davids Tea released a You Tube video showing how to make several mixed drinks with this tea. They all look good but this tea is equally tasty prepared simply as an iced tea.
Overall I love this tea! I think that the bitter note really adds a unique depth making this tea stand out from the normal summer tropical teas soon to be released in a few months.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Fruit
Where to Buy: Davids Tea
Description
What to do when you’re lounging in the late afternoon sun? Sip this refreshing apéritif-inspired fruit infusion – a sweet and vibrant sunset-coloured blend with grown-up notes of bitter orange rind. It’s light, juicy and will leave you feeling bubbly all over. For an elegant treat, serve it chilled in champagne flutes with a delicious assortment of cheese and fresh fruits. Cheers!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Blood Orange Black from Prestogeorge. . .
As a profoundly shallow person, I enjoy a nice-looking tea. And this Blood Orange Black is a stunner.
If that tea walked by on the street, I would whistle at it.
I bought this blend because it was pretty. I’ve enjoyed several cups of it so far because it’s tasty. It’s a Darjeeling paired with orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. It’s sweet, creamy, and citrus-y.
The citrus doesn’t thwack you over the head with a two-by-four; it’s part of a medley.
The vanilla notes make you think there’s cream in this, even when there isn’t, which is really nice, especially first thing in the morning, when I tend to want something fairly sweet. This goes down easy.
If you’re ever in Pittsburgh’s historical Strip District, you should check out Prestogeorge. It’s very pretty in there. You can look at all the blends and choose them according to appearance, like I did; and possibly luck out, like I did.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Prestogeorge
Description
Fine Indian black tea paired with reviving orange peel, rose hips, apple pieces, safflowers, rose petals and orange, vanilla and lemon flavors. Invigorate your senses and stimulate your mind. One of our most popular flavored teas.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Walnut Orange Scone from DAVIDs Tea. . .
Something’s happening to me, you guys. I think I’m becoming a white tea convert. *INSERT GASP HERE*
Now, for the white tea purists among us… maybe skip the rest of this review. I’m certainly not sipping them plain, austere and floral, out of my finest china with my pinky up. But whereas I always though white teas just weren’t for me, I’ve been especially enjoying a few fun blends from my favorite tea purveyors lately, particularly when they’ve got some fun fruity notes blended in the mix.
This walnut orange scone white from David’s Tea is totally hitting all of those marks. It’s nutty, it’s bright and fresh and floral and citrusy and fruity– it maybe doesn’t taste too much like pastry to me, but I’m willing to forgive the slightly misleading name because this one is just so dang delicious.
I also have a fondness for teas that don’t require any sweetener to accentuate their flavors, and this one is simply perfect as it. Big, bold, bright, a little sweet from the fruit– like biting into the perfect wintry treat right out of the oven on a Sunday morning.
Maybe someday, I’ll graduate to finally become a fancypants white tea drinker. In the meantime, though, I’m going to thoroughly enjoy exploring these new doors opened to my tea-lovers’-palate (though my burgenoning tea cabinet may be slightly less thrilled).
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Dreamsicle from Wise Ape Tea Co. . . . .
Wise Ape Company might be best known for its Chocolate Hustle tea blend, a high-caffeine yerba mate blend, but recently, the Wise Ape has branched out to feature an assam black tea blend and an herbal blend as well. Orange Dreamsicle is the new herbal tea offering from Wise Ape.
I love the names and designs from Wise Ape, not to mention their videos featuring a big ape hand brewing tea. Orange Dreamsicle is a great name for a bedtime tea, evoking the flavors of a favorite ice cream bar.
The blend itself is very chamomile-driven, with the gentle lemony tones from that herb taking the lead. Behind the chamomile, I taste vanilla and orange as well, contributing to the creamy ice-cream-inspired flavors in the blend’s name. The vanilla and orange add sweetness without being too artificial or sugary; they are gentle yet flavorful and let you add more sweetness to suit your own tastes. For my personal preferences, I will say that I wish there was a bit more citrus and a bit less chamomile, but it makes sense that there is lots of chamomile for a sleepytime brew.
Smooth and easy-drinking, a great cup of tea to ease you into sweet dreams.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Wise Ape Tea Co.
Description: A dreamy blend of chamomile flowers with subtle hints of orange and cream, combined with adaptogenic super-herbs to support your nightly zen. This relaxing elixir is designed to calm the mind, ease the body, and help you sink into a restorative night’s sleep.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
