Tea Type:
Black Tea/Rooibos Blend
Where To Buy:
Whispering Pines Tea Company
Product Description:
This is an amazing wake-up tea — A dark fiery blend that smells and tastes like it was pulled straight out of the rockies, Campfire Blend uses 11 different black teas as the base and mixes that with rooibos, orange peel and spices to create a taste and aroma unlike anything you could ever imagine…except for maybe the whisper of an ancient campfire and the cry of a lone wolf on a cool autumn night.
Tasters Review:
The Product Description states this has 11 different black teas? My attention was grabbed! Plus Rooibos? I was even MORE interested! AND Spices and Orange Peel? Let’s just say THIS blend had me at “Hello!”
When I asked Brenden which 11 black teas he used he told me he was sworn to secrecy – which I can totally understand and appreciate! BUT…then he told me (and let me pass it along to our readers) that Campfire Blend uses Glen Arbor Breakfast as the base tea. Glen Arbor Breakfast is made with 2 keemun teas, 7 ceylon teas, one lapsang souchong, and one assam. YUP! I’m totally excited about this blend!
It smells smoky and orange-E. The color of the liquor is that of a rooibos but also a medium-dark brown combined.
It’s smoky but not overly-so…not like a straight-up Lapsang Souchung but still very nice and fitting to the name. The mesh of 11 black teas in the base are interesting…something I have never tasted before! That I like and appreciate all of the thought that went into it.
I can taste the orange and it’s lovely. Again, not overpowering but I’m happy it’s present. The spices seem to mesh really well with each other as well as the black tea base. I can’t pick out one spice over the other(s)…it’s a nice combo – that’s for sure!
It’s earthy and woodsy…true to it’s name, too! It’s slightly sweet which is a nice surprise. It has a sweeter-maltiness to it, too! I REALLY like that!
It also has a very subtle taste of mineral/rock type taste…reminiscent of Wuyi Rock Oolong, perhaps.
I really like this because it is so different. Also because you can tell a lot of thought and work went into it. It certainly lives up to it’s name…CAMPFIRE BLEND.
I’ve had some really nice email conversations with Brenden at Whispering Pines and think Brenden is great! Whispering Pines has some wonderful offerings with creative combos and nifty names but the quality is top-notch as is the customer service! The email correspondence is great and I can’t wait to write another review for one of their teas! Stay Tuned!
Six Herb Tea from MarketSpice
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: MarketSpice
Tea Description:
A tangy yet fruity blend of herbs. This old time favorite tea contains Lemon Grass, Rosehips, Hibiscus, Peppermint, Orange Peel and Wild Cherry Bark. Caffeine free.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yet another tea that I held on to because the herbal content scared me a bit. Hibiscus! Yikes! Run for the hills!
But now that I’m finally tasting it, the hibiscus really isn’t a very strong flavor. It does offer a slight tangy note to the overall cup, as well as some texture and a pretty pinkish hue. However, the other herbs in this blend manage to keep the hibiscus in check, and keep it from getting too tart or syrupy. Of course, being diligent on the steep time is important too, I steeped this for six minutes using water at 195°F, and I really wouldn’t recommend steeping it any longer than that.
Really, despite all my trepidation, this really is quite a tasty tisane. Tangy, yes, but not overly so. It also has some sweet citrus-y notes that meld nicely with the tangy notes to give it a light sweet-tart kind of flavor that I find rather enjoyable as well as soothing. And the peppermint – which is another sometimes aggressive herb – manages to stay in check too. I like how the minty note really freshens up the cup, providing a crisp, cool note to contrast with the sweet and tangy flavors.
A nice herbal that both kids and adults can enjoy any time of day.
Chai Masala from Capital Teas
Chai Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Capital Teas
Chai Description:
An Indian specialty, warming and delicious with spices galore — orange peel, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg and one secret ingredient.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yeah! I’m always eager to try a new chai!
This one is delightful. In fact, I enjoy it so much that I had finished my first cup before I had a chance to start writing about it. But, that’s okay, it gave me the opportunity to make another cup and try it latte.
For the first cup, though, I drank it without the milk addition, just a little bit of turbinado sugar to enhance the spices. I noticed right away that the spices were well balanced, as I didn’t find myself noticing one particular note. Instead, I tasted a warm, unified set of spices. I also noticed that the black tea base was pleasantly robust: it was a good, strong black tea that provides a solid background of flavor. It doesn’t try to compete with the spices, but, it holds its own.
By about mid-cup, I noticed the orange and a hint of creaminess from the vanilla. These are not particularly strong, stand-out notes, but, they are strong enough to be noticed, and this chai would not be the same without them.
Another ingredient in this that the chai would not be the same without is the nutmeg. While it does comprise the “unified set of spices” it gives the cup a warm, nutty taste that I don’t often experience with chai, and I really enjoyed it.
As for the latte, it turned out really good too. As with any chai, I do recommend steeping it at double strength (steeping twice the amount of dry leaf) so that the milk does not overwhelm the cup. I found that the milk brought out the vanilla tones a bit more, and some of the spicier notes were muted a little, but it wasn’t too apparent. Overall, the latte was deliciously creamy, warm and satisfying. YUM!
I would recommend this to all the spiced chai enthusiasts out there, because if you’re like me, you gotta try them all! I’d also recommend this to someone looking for a well-balanced chai with just a little something different. This one is sure to satisfy!
Ginger Ginseng from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Tisane Description:
A beautiful blend of ginger, ginseng, chamomile, rose hips, orange peel and mint that soothes with every sip.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I know I’ve said this before, but I’m going to say it again. I’m apprehensive when it comes to herbal teas (or tisanes). Most that I’ve tried, I’ve actually quite enjoyed, but there seems to be some programmed automated response built into my hard drive that recoils when I receive an herbal tisane to review. So, I tend to put off trying it, and then when I do finally try it, I end up irritated with myself for not having tried it sooner.
As is the case with this tisane. It actually tastes really good. But, as I’m naturally hesitant when it comes to herbal tisanes and I am not all that fond of ginseng, this tisane had already been marked with a double whammy. But, I managed to talk myself into trying it tonight, and I must say that I’m happily surprised by the flavor of it.
While it does taste herbaceous, it doesn’t taste overly medicinal. Every ingredient is masterfully balanced here to deliver a flavor that is not only gentle and soothing, but palate-pleasing as well. The ginger is sweet with just a hint of spice. That spice tone is mellowed with a touch of mint and chamomile. I can even taste a note of orange in this which is really nice. I don’t taste much from the ginseng, which given my dislike for the herb, I consider the lack of ginseng flavor here a real plus. Additional bonus points should also be awarded to The Persimmon Tree for refraining from using hibiscus in this blend. It doesn’t need it, and I’m glad that they didn’t add it.
It has a very calm, relaxing flavor, perfect for after a big meal, or later in the evening when its time to settle down and prepare for rest.
Jasmine Citrus Blossom Tea from Ovation Tea
Tea Type: Green Tea
Where To Buy: Ovation Teas
Be sure to check out Daily Gourmet’s Special Offer on this tea!
Product Description:
Green tea blended with jasmine pearls, orange peel, jasmine blossoms, and marigolds, with tangerine flavoring.
Tasters Review:
I’m somewhat hot and cold on Jasmine Teas but I really enjoy them if they are stand-alone but exceptional OR if they are flavored in a way where they really set themselves up to stand apart from the rest. Jasmine Citrus Blossom Tea from Ovation did just that…this is in a category all of it’s own!
The tangerine is awesome, the jasmine is just my speed, the green tea is de-lish! These flavors are great together!
Ovation Teas really have some wonderful flavors available and the tea quality is darn-tootin’ special, too!
REMEMBER:
Now through the 28th of August, Daily Gourmet is offering of 50% savings on the Ovation Teas Summer Set of Teas. This collection includes this thirst-quenching tea – as well as four other spectacular teas! Don’t miss out on this special offer!
