Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Hibiscus, Chai, Rose Hip, Calendula Flowers, Lemongrass, Mango, Pineapple, Papaya, Cinnamon Bark, Cardamom, Cloves, Orange & flavors of Mango & Pineapple.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
I didn’t have high hopes for this Sea Breeze Tisane from Eden Grove. When a tisane sports hibiscus as its primary ingredient, that doesn’t sound promising to me.
But this isn’t too bad. I brewed it for just 5 minutes in 195°F water. Usually when I brew a tisane with hibiscus, I keep the steep time to 5 or 6 minutes to keep the hibiscus from overpowering the cup. When hibiscus steeps too long, I find the resulting liquid to be too tart and too thick and syrupy. Fortunately, at five minutes, this tea does not taste too tart, nor is it too thick or syrupy.
I do taste the hibiscus, but I can taste other flavors too! I taste the cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. I like these spice notes. They offer a wonderful contrast to the sweet notes of the fruity notes. There are notes of mango, papaya, orange and pineapple! I taste notes of mango and pineapple mostly, but I can also taste hints of citrus as well as papaya.
I still find myself wishing the hibiscus wasn’t there, because the tartness of the hibiscus is still strong here, even with the short steep time. I like this alright, but, it hasn’t been my favorite tea that I’ve tasted thus far from Eden Grove.
Red Maple Spice Tisane from Shanti Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tisane Description:
A lingering spice softened by sweet maple, this is one of our favourite maple blends. The color, aroma, and flavor profile match incredibly well and create a full multi-sensory experience. A must try tea for maple & spice lovers.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh wow! This Red Maple Spice Tisane from Shanti Tea is seriously YUM! I didn’t think it would be this good – I tend to be apprehensive when it comes to rooibos blends – but I’m happy to report that this is a very tasty rooibos blend!
That might have a little something to do with the fact that the spice and maple notes dominate and I don’t really taste a strong presence from the rooibos. But I’m just fine with that. I do taste very subtle hints of a nutty taste from the rooibos and the flavor unites seamlessly with the maple and spice.
The cardamom and fennel offer a flavor that is warm and comforting. I taste hints of licorice from the fennel and hints of citrus from the cardamom, a flavor profile that is further accentuated with the addition of orange peels to the mix. The citrus-y notes are delicate and most noticeable toward the end of the sip.
The maple is sweet and tastes amazing with these other flavors. Everything is very harmonious. It is a sweet yet spicy treat that I find very cozy to sip on when it’s cold outside. I think I prefer this as a hot drink, although it tastes good when it cools too.
A really thoughtfully crafted rooibos tisane. This is one I’d highly recommend.
Spicy Orange Rooibos Blend from Tea of Life
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
I received this Spicy Orange Rooibos Blend from Tea of Life as part of the African Rooibos Tea Collection Gift Set. It includes 12 tea sachets with four different varieties (3 of each variety): the Spicy Orange that I’m trying today, as well as Original Spice, Passion Fruit Mango and unflavored Rooibos. I’ll review the other flavors at another time. But for this evening, I was in the mood for an orange spiced tisane … and this seemed to fit the bill.
This has a really lovely orange and spice flavor. The orange tastes sweet and a little tangy, and the spices are warm. This isn’t a spicy tisane, it’s gentle and warm.
The sweetness of the rooibos comes through too, it’s almost a honey-esque note that reminds me more of honeybush than rooibos, and since I tend to prefer honeybush over rooibos, I’m not complaining one bit about that. The sometimes sour wood taste of rooibos isn’t there, and I’m not complaining about that either. I taste a light nutty tone in the background, and that, along with the aforementioned honey note, is all that I taste from the rooibos.
Mostly what I taste here is the orange and spice. It’s a treat to sip on a chilly evening like tonight!
Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Herbal Infusions
Tea Description:
We use a well rounded flowery orange pekoe as the base for this decadent and luxurious chai mix. Hand blended ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, anise, peppercorn, and clove is accented by a rich creme brulee flavour.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Chai blends are among my favorite teas to drink this time of year – when it’s blustery cold outside, there’s really nothing nicer than to have a steaming cup of spicy chai in my tea mug! So, I’m glad I found this Creme Brulee Chai Blend from Herbal Infusions in my stash today. And, YUM! It’s just what I want from a chai: warm, spicy and delicious.
There is a good level of spice to this chai. It’s spicy, but, it’s not over-the-top. It isn’t a jarring level of spice. You know what I’m talking about, right? It’s not so spicy that I’m tasting way too much spice and not enough tea flavor. Here, the spice is strong – stronger than the tea, but that’s alright – but it isn’t overpowering the tea. The tea is tasted. It’s alright if the spices are stronger than the tea in a chai, Most of the time, I prefer it that way when it comes to chai! But I don’t want it so spicy that the flavor of the tea becomes completely obscured by the spice.
I taste the clove and cinnamon above all the other spices, but the cardamom is coming through nicely too. I can even taste that subtle “citrus” note from the cardamom here. The ginger and black peppercorn offer a peppery kick that I like. And there is a subtle hint of licorice-y anise to this as well. Anise is one of my favorite spices to use in a chai, and I’m glad that Herbal Infusions chose to include it in this chai.
And then I taste the creamy, custard-like flavor of the “creme brulee” flavoring in this. Personally, I am wishing I could taste more creme brulee here, not just because the chai is called “Creme Brulee Chai” and I think if it’s going to be called Creme Brulee … I should taste the Creme Brulee front and center and I’m just not getting it that strongly here. I taste it, it’s definitely there, but I want more, because, well, Creme Brulee is my favorite dessert. I was hoping for more custard-like flavor, and also that caramelized note of the burnt sugar atop a creme brulee. As it is, I do taste some creamy notes, some custard-like notes … and barely-there hints of caramel.
This is a very finely chopped chai – the spices and tea are both finely milled into a very fine cut. And because of this, I suggest using a shorter brew time than you might normally employ. It’s good with a dollop of honey or a sprinkling of turbinado sugar to bring out the flavors, however, I found that the creamy notes of the custard flavoring gave this a satisfying latte-like taste so I didn’t need to add milk.
Overall, this is a very flavorful chai. Lots of spice flavor to warm you from the inside out! It’s just the ticket on cold days like this one.
La Isla Bonita Custom Tea Blend from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
Tropical the island breeze All of nature wild and free This is where I long to be La Isla Bonita And when the samba played The sun would set so high Ring through my ears and sting my eyes Your Spanish lullaby
A Jennifer Bliss Custom Blend.
Learn more about this custom blend here.
Find more Jennifer Bliss blends here.
Taster’s Review:
Tasty! I must say that when it comes to Adagio Teas, I definitely have better luck with the white teas versus the black teas. This La Isla Bonita Custom Tea Blend (created by very own Jennifer Bliss aka TeaEqualsBliss!) from Adagio Teas – a white tea blend – is very nice, indeed.
The tropical notes are the strongest flavors in this cup. I taste the coconut and pineapple out in front, and then just beneath those tropical fruits, I taste notes of orange and tangerine. The coconut tastes smooth and creamy, the pineapple is sweet with just a hint of tart, and the orange and tangerine add a pop of bright flavor to the cup.
The white tea tastes soft and delicate and slightly earthy. It is the right base for this tea. Everything is “delicate” but together becomes a powerful flavor without becoming overwhelming.
And then there is the spearmint! I like that there isn’t too much spearmint in this blend. There is just the right touch of mint to give it that cool taste of mint without throwing off the sweet tropical and citrus-y notes.
What I’m enjoying most here is how the airy quality of the white tea comes together with the spearmint and together, the two become a very “breezy” sort of sensation, which is in keeping with the “La Isla Bonita” inspiration behind the blend. I love that I can taste the inspiration!
This is tasty served hot, but it really shines when it’s iced. So deliciously fruity with just a touch of mint: refreshing!