Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Our delicate Shou Mei white tea is balanced perfectly with a touch of citrus. Dried orange peel results in a sweet and refreshing addition to the citrus flavor dancing amongst the backdrop of the gently floral Shou Mei. Delicious served iced as well as hot, this tea makes an ideal light, summery drink with a twist of citrus.
Learn more about this blend here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I was greeted with a burst of orange when I opened this pouch – the aroma of the dry leaf of this Sweet Orange White Tea from Simple Loose Leaf is STRONG with orange. It smells bright and juicy and … well, orange-y!
The flavor of the orange is not quite as strong as the fragrance suggests. Instead, I find this to be a really pleasing medley of sweet, earthy Shou Mei white tea and the orange notes, and the orange does not overpower the tea. I like that I’m tasting more tea here than I am orange – and when I first experienced the aroma, I had my doubts! I thought this was going to be all about the orange and the white tea was going to be overwhelmed by the powerful, fragrant citrus.
I really like how the Shou Mei and the orange work together. It’s a very harmonious flavor, as if the two were made for one another. It is seamless.
There is a light, airy quality to the white tea. It’s crisp and refreshing, and reminds me of the air when there’s a cool breeze drifting along on a warm summer day.
The orange is sweet, juicy and flavorful, with just a little bit of tangy punch to keep things lively on the palate. That said, it’s a gentle orange flavor so that it doesn’t compete with the delicate notes of the white tea. I like that the flavor of the orange is so subtle, but at the same time, it’s still a flavorful orange note. This is orange done right!
A really enjoyable cuppa that’s tasty served hot, but even better when iced.
Now through June 20th, get a FREE teapot! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it’s such a good deal and there’s still a little bit of time to get in on this great offer from Simple Loose Leaf. Don’t miss out!
Orange Creamsicle Flavored Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
You can also learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
Ahhh! This is yummy!
As the temperature outside continues to rise, I need something cold and refreshing to sip! I generally prefer hot to iced tea but, over the past couple of years, I’ve come to appreciate having a pitcher full of iced tea chilling in the fridge. I try to keep a pitcher in there at all times, and during the warmer days of summer, I usually need to refill that pitcher daily.
To make a pitcher of this Orange Creamsicle Iced Tea from Southern Boy Teas, I hot brewed the sachet. I think I may have to order another package of this so that I can experiment a little and try it cold-brewed as well. By cold-brewing one of Southern Boy Teas/52Teas iced tea sachets, I can get a full gallon’s worth of tea out of the package, however, when I first try a tea from SBT, I have learned that it’s best to start out with a hot-brew and then experiment. The hot brew will tell me whether or not it’s worth my while to experiment.
In other words, the hot brew tells me whether or not the flavors are there. I’ve learned the hard way that with some of the SBT teas, cold-brewing just doesn’t do the tea justice. So, when I’m first trying a tea, I hot brew it so that I can sit down and write a review about it. If I like it well enough to “experiment” then I order another package.
And I like this. There is a good balance between black tea taste and the flavors of orange and vanilla. It’s not overwhelmingly orange and vanilla Some flavored teas seem to go overboard with flavoring and you don’t end up tasting a lot of tea, I like that I’m tasting TEA here!
The taste is sweet but it’s not cloying. The black tea is brisk and full-flavored, not too astringent, and not bitter. It’s a very pleasant, refreshing beverage. And let’s face it, summer’s coming whether I’m ready for it or not. At least I’ll be “armed” with some nice iced tea choices, thanks to Southern Boy Teas!
Orange Pineapple Honeybush Tisane from 52Teas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tisane Description:
Oh, and this week’s amazing tea? How about a honeybush with freeze-dried orange and pineapple bits and organic pineapple and orange flavors? I think it’s a nice refreshing tea for the start of spring.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Orange Pineapple Honeybush: it almost sounds like a breakfast juice or a smoothie rather than a tisane, doesn’t it? And when it’s served cold, it almost tastes like a smoothie or a fruit juice.
The orange and pineapple are sweet and tangy, and after I take a sip, my taste buds seem to perk up and take notice of the bright fruit flavors. I find that the orange and pineapple seem pretty even, with more orange notes coming forward during the beginning of the sip and more pineapple emerging toward the finish and into the aftertaste.
I don’t taste a lot of honeybush and I don’t really mind that because I’d rather taste the orange and pineapple versus the honeybush anyway. But, I do taste some of the nutty, honey-sweet notes of honeybush. These notes are really quite subtle compared to the fruit flavors though.
An enjoyable cuppa. I like this one better iced, though, because it’s a really refreshing flavor combination. When served hot, I found that this does have a soothing quality to it, like something I’d like to drink if I were feeling a little under the weather.
Just Outstanding Orange Spice Black Tea from Just.Organic.Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Just.Organic.Tea
Tea Description:
Our premium black teas provide the backdrop for the sweet tartness of organic Valencia orange peel and exotic spices. Tastes great hot or iced. Or, prepare with milk for a unique chai experience.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Just.Organic.Tea’s Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign here.
Taster’s Review:
During my years as a tea reviewer, I’ve tasted many “orange spice” black tea blends like this. I never tire of smelling the orange spice teas! They remind me of autumn and of Thanksgiving, of winter and the holiday season. I love the combination of aromatic orange and warm spices.
This Just Outstanding Orange Spice Black Tea from Just.Organic.Tea. offers up just the fragrance I wanted when I opened the packet. Mmm! Clove, orange and a hint of cinnamon. This smells like something I’d simmer on my stove to perfume my house. And while it would seem that orange spice teas are easy to find in just about every tea shop (online or otherwise), this one is definitely DIFFERENT from the usual orange spice. This blend earns it’s “Outstanding” in it’s name.
So, what makes this different? I’m not sure if it’s the fact that it’s all organic, or if it’s because this new company takes a different approach in how it blends its teas. Probably a combination of these two factors. I can definitely taste the love and care that this new small company has put into blending the tea.
There isn’t an extravagant amount of spice to this blend. This isn’t one of those “red hot” cinnamon teas that is overwhelmingly cinnamon-y sweet. Don’t get me wrong, hey, I love those teas too, but, I like that there is a delicious balance to this cup: the spices don’t kick me in the mouth. The orange isn’t overpowered by the strong cinnamon and clove. I taste the spice and the orange … and believe or not, I taste TEA!
The black tea base is a mild, even-tasting black tea: smooth and rewarding. It’s invigorating, but at the same time, there is a mellowness to the cup that is quite relaxing. The kind of cuppa that makes you go “ahh” when you take a sip because it’s just what your taste buds are craving.
This is the first tea that I’ve sampled from Just.Organic.Tea. and it lives up to it’s outstanding name. If you’ve been looking for an orange spice that doesn’t overemphasize it’s spice level, you should give this one a try. It’s warm and delicious without going overboard.
If you’re able to, please consider contributing to Just.Organic.Tea’s Fundraising Campaign on Kickstarter. With your help, this new tea company can get up and running!
Chai Americaine Blend from Doehi
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Doehi
Tea Description:
China black tea with cinnamon, cloves and orange bits with added flavoring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf aroma of this Chai Americaine Blend from Doehi smells very much like red-hot cinnamon heart candies! And hey, I love red hot cinnamon hearts, so I’m liking what I’m smelling here!
The flavor is sweet and hot. Yes, what I’m tasting is very much like the aforementioned red hot cinnamon hearts. The cinnamon is prominent (obviously, right?) and I can taste the clove. I don’t taste a lot of the orange in this blend, but there are hints here and there of a bright citrus-y note. The little bit of citrus seems to perk up the flavors a little bit, adding a hint of contrast to the strong spicy notes, and adding a sweet undertone to the zesty cinnamon and clove.
The black tea base is a smooth and pleasant tasting. It’s not an overpowering black tea that throws off the sweet-hot cinnamon taste, but it isn’t so docile that I can’t taste it, either. It’s playing its part in this cup, and I am enjoying it.
This is the kind of tea that I like to turn to on chilly mornings, and even though spring is in full-swing here in the Pacific Northwest, the mornings are still a little chilly and this tea is just the ticket for mornings like this, especially with it being allergy season … I like that the flavors here are full and robust.
I like this tea served hot and neat with no additions. If you like honey in your tea, this would take that addition nicely, but don’t add too much because this tea does have a bit of sweetness without the added sweetener. I wouldn’t add milk to this, I think that would really throw the whole thing off. This does taste pretty good iced too, but I prefer it hot.
An enjoyable offering from Doehi. I’m new to discovering this company, but I like what I’ve tasted thus far!