Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: sTEAp Shoppe
Tea Description:
High grown Organic Ceylon Flowery Orange Pekoe Black tea with Swedish delights like organic wild Lingonberry, Cardamon and Orange make for a full flavored unique black tea. First you are taken with the aroma of Cardamon then the flavors of Lingonberry and a full flavored robust Ceylon black tea with just a touch of orange citrus. The flavor of Lingonberry lingers on the tongue for a spectacular finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Wow! This flavored black Ceylon tea is quite unlike any other that I’ve tried. It is – indeed – truly unique.
The cardamom and the orange notes work very harmoniously together, but I don’t think that these two ingredients is what makes this blend so unique. There are quite a few orange spice blends out there. What makes this stand out is the lingonberry.
Lingonberry is a fruit that I have very limited experience with, and most of that experience is limited to my visits to IKEA. They have a cafeteria there, and when we shop there and start to feel hungry, we often visit the cafeteria. The food is decent and the prices are good. I usually order the meatballs that are served with a bit of lingonberry sauce on the side, and for a drink, I usually choose the lingonberry soda. So… yeah, like I said, my experience with lingonberry is pretty isolated … I think I may have tried one other tea with lingonberry in it.
And I am LOVING the lingonberry in this blend. From what I understand, the raw lingonberry is quite tart, but I’m not finding this blend isn’t overwhelmingly tart. It does definitely have a tarty tingle to it toward the tail, and a sweet-tart kind of flavor throughout. The cardamom adds a hint of warmth to the cup – just a touch of spice that offers a nice contrast to the overall flavor.
These three ingredients – orange, cardamom and lingonberry – present themselves in a really stunning way that is smooth yet pleasantly tart and sweet. This delivery is facilitated, no doubt, by the black tea base. The organic black tea used in this blend is a Ceylon and I think that this was a perfect choice for this particular blend. The Ceylon is smooth and medium-bodied and manages to make itself part of the overall flavor of the blend without disrupting the unique combination of lingonberry, orange and cardamom.
This blend is a real winner. It has some comforting similarities to a autumnal/winter-y orange spice blend but with the added flavor of lingonberry it becomes really quite unique. This would make a great alternative to the usual holiday blend!
Fruit Fusion Green Tea from Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Nature’s Tea Leaf
Tea Description:
Fruit Fusion Green Tea is a harmonious fusion of Eastern and Western flavors. This tea has a tart, fresh aroma with a zesty and fruity flavor that cools and refreshes your body. Our Fruit Fusion Green Tea combines a quality Sencha green tea with genuine dried pieces of Rosehip, Hibiscus (a Chinese flower and natural source of many vitamins including C, A, and D), and orange peel. The Sencha tea leaves are loose, green tea leaves with a flat, smooth, and narrow body. When infused, the tea has a sweet and sour aroma. A refreshing drink that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I had my doubts about this tea. After all, I’m not fond of hibiscus, and I have often let that be known here on this blog. It seems like it’s in nearly every tisane out there … why, oh why does it need to also be added to Camellia Sinensis? I mean, yeah, I get it … I know it’s loaded with vitamins and offers a realistic berry-like taste when it’s infused. But it also can be rather tart and when left to brew too long, it becomes syrupy. Fortunately, since it has been blended with a green tea here, that isn’t a problem, as I rarely brew my green teas for longer than 2 minutes. But the tartness. I’m doubtful, but I’ve got my fingers crossed. Here’s hoping!
OK, so this is pretty darned good! The hibiscus did not go all “hibiscus-y” on me and turn this into a syrupy, tarty tasting tea. I taste the lovely, sweet flavor of the Sencha, which is slightly creamy, almost buttery, and smooth. I taste the bright, vibrant flavor of the orange, and I do taste the hibiscus. It tastes tart and tangy, but, it doesn’t overwhelm it.
It’s got kind of a sweet-and-sour kind of thing going on, and I like the contrast. The sip starts off sweet, with a bright, citrus-y tone and sweet green tea taste. Toward mid-sip, the flavor shifts to a slightly tart taste, which develops and becomes more tart toward the tail and then carries through to the aftertaste.
It’s a very lively, enjoyable tea. Especially nice as it cools – would make a great iced tea!
Lady Londonderry from English Tea Store
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: English Tea Store
Tea Description:
Our Lady Londonderry Tea is a delightful afternoon tea with a malty floral flavor and hints of strawberry and lemon. This tea is made from black tea, dried orange, daisy white, and natural flavors. This tea is delicious hot or iced, and either way, your family and guests will feel like royalty!
Tea has been a British delicacy for hundreds of years. Royalty, lifestyle, and tea have long been connected. Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza brought the tradition of tea to Britain after she married Prince Charles II. She served it to her aristocratic friends at Court, and soon it became fashionable in London to have afternoon tea. With its light and elegant flavor, Lady Londonderry would have been a hit with ladies and gentlemen!
For the best brew, Lady Londonderry Black Tea should steep in water that has been brought to a rolling boil for 2-5 minutes.
50% or more of this tea comes from estates that are part of the Ethical Tea Partnership. The ETP is an initiative started within the tea industry to monitor and regulate living and working conditions on estates around the world.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea has pleased and delighted so many, just even judging on those I shared this tea with in tea swaps, everyone has commented back raving reviews, and good times shared with others and this tea! One lovely lady had a sweet tea party with her daughter and granddaughter, and this is the perfect tea for that! Lady Londonderry steeps to a really intense looking reddish brown cup which you would think by looking at it would really have a strong “in your face” flavor or be really robust but it’s a dainty tea. However it boasts such wonderful flavor offerings that it has also been enjoyed by the men I have shared it with as well! Now, if you are a male reading this and feel its too much of a girly tea for you, just simply order it as a gift for your wife or girlfriend and she will love you for it and you can sneak it from her!
Lady Londonderry is wonderful hot, and excellent iced it has such divine fruity and floral flavors in a rich base that does not get covered by all the added goodness!
While there is no added sweeteners to this tea, it is lightly sweet yet not so sweet that you could not add sweetener of your own, also it takes to milk or cream quite well!
You may not want to add any cream though as in my opinion it already has a sweet creamy flavor and mouthfeel! Add to that the berry notes, along with a light citrus taste, and the best silky malt base flavor that just floats around and dances playfully on your taste buds like butterflies in a garden of flowers.
When I first bought this tea and tried it, I clung to it ravenously! I was sure I would never want to share this tea – letting the cat out of the bag about just how good it is. Yes I wanted to be selfish and savor it all myself, but in time, I realized something this wonderful should not be kept to oneself. It was truly MEANT to be a tea to be shared with others. A tea deserving of everyone experiencing its loveliness. The Lady, as I call this tea, is perfection in a cup. She melds all of her qualities perfectly into this mysterious brew that everyone seems to get a slightly different taste from. Just like women, this tea is complex, but gentle, and LADY-like.
Its interesting that sometimes when reviewing teas, some of the most difficult to review are those that I adore so much. I believe that is because when I really love a tea it is because it is so unexplainable! Some things we just need to try for ourselves.
Lady Londonderry however has been one of my long time favorite teas and has a permanent place in my collection!
I also love the English Tea Store, their pricing is excellent, they have a wide array of tea ware, and treats, and their tea selection is amazing, not to mention the pricing is shockingly affordable! Some have reported that shipping is a little slower than most places but I feel that it is well worth the wait!
Blood Orange Cranberry Rooibos from The Boston Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: The Boston Tea Co.
Tea Description:
A sweet-tart blend that is going to leave you dancing for joy! Now in a silk sachet you’ll be thrilled to take your new favorite tea with you wherever you go! Sip and savor this blend any time of day, it’s naturally caffeine-free!
Learn more about this rooibos blend here.
Taster’s Review:
This is a tasty rooibos blend that I find more enjoyable as I continue to sip it.
The cranberry and blood orange flavors are about evenly matched and play well together, offering a taste that isn’t too tart or too sweet. The finish is tangy from the berry and the citrus, and overall, I find the cup to be pleasantly fruity, and really quite smooth despite the tart and tangy notes. There is a really enjoyable smoothness to the flavor.
However, I do find myself wishing that I wasn’t tasting so much of the woody/nutty flavor of the rooibos. The autumnal nature of the rooibos does meld well with these autumn fruits, but, I’m tasting just a wee bit too much rooibos and not enough fruit for my personal taste. That’s not to say it’s bad or it’s good – it IS tasty – I just think it would be even more tasty if the fruit flavors were a bit stronger to help mute out some of the rooibos flavor.
Overall, an enjoyable cup of tisane, and something I’d drink again if it were offered. Not my favorite cuppa from The Boston Tea Co. … but it’s still a decent cuppa.
Tangerine Spice from Kally Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Kally Tea
Tea Description:
We’ve taken our high quality Bai Mu Dan white tea and blended it with cinnamon, orange and spice. We’ve come up with a flavor that will surprise you as well as invigorate your senses. Kally Tea is proud to present you with this highly gratifying taste sensation.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is delightful!
I’ve had a good number of cinnamon orange spice type teas, but, most of them are a black tea based blend, not white tea. So I was very intrigued by this Tangerine Spice, which appears to have the same idea of those other cinnamon orange spice teas, but, using a white tea base rather than a black tea.
I don’t know if Kally Tea actually used tangerine flavoring rather than orange – the name of the tea suggests one thing while the description suggests another. Then again, there are those who consider these two fruits to be so similar that they lump them together. Personally, I prefer the tangerine over the orange, because it’s sweeter and is a bit more delicate and less tart than the typical orange.
The white tea is a lovely base to use for these flavors, and I’m glad to say that the spices have been toned down appropriately to be in step with the lighter, softer flavor of the Bai Mu Dan. The white tea gives an almost creamy taste to the cup, which melds really nicely with the flavor of the citrus. The citrus is not sharp or too tart here, it has a sweet, juicy flavor, and a slight tangy note that lingers into the aftertaste.
The combination of flavors in this blend really works beautifully. It has a delicate quality to it, as one would expect given that it’s a white tea blend, but, its all balanced out really nicely to provide a very pleasing and refreshing flavor. It reminds me very much of the earliest days of autumn (which … interestingly enough, is right now!) just as the leaves begin to change color and the air begins to take on a cooler, crisper tone, this gently spiced, citrus tea offers just the right flavor … and it’s delicious hot or iced!