In case you haven’t already noticed, I’m a fan of all things tea and Harry Potter, and lucky for me there are a multitude of amazing small tea shops that specialize in fantasy-inspired tea blends. I tried several teas from Riddle’s Tea Shoppe, and loved the tins and labeling for every single one. I ordered Severe Consequences blend to complete a set, not sure if the flavors of the tea would suit my palate. Much to my surprise, the blend turned out to be my favorite flavor of the bunch.
This blend is named after one of the favorite things of strict and unscrupulous Professor Dolores Umbridge. Like her outwardly pink and kitten-loving appearance, this tea is sweet and fragrant. Red fruit flavors of cherry, strawberry, and raspberry are as lush as breakfast jam against the black tea base. Vanilla flavoring adds a buttercream dessert finish after all the fruit. The careful addition of rose petals make this tea feel extra fancy, suitable for afternoon tea, without taking over the blend with their floral scent.
You can order this tea with or without rose gold sugar pearls. When brewed the pearls melt and add sweetness to the brew like a sugar cube. I recommend including the sugar pearls– they make the dry leaf look even more precious. Besides, you know Umbridge herself would not limit her indulgences. Brew this strong and sweet and serve it in your favorite dainty tea set. Just don’t let your teatime cosplaying get out of hand, or there will be Severe Consequences.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Riddle’s Tea Shoppe
Description:
Severe Consequences is the preferred tea of Dolores Umbridge, and is a cherry, cream, and rose tea with strawberry and raspberry pieces. Floral, sweet, and perfectly lovely to look at, the optional light pink sugar pearls will keep you in line while you avoid telling lies…
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jasmine Pearls from My Tea Guy. . . .
Floral teas done just right can really deliver an experience like no other tea can. There is something so romantic, so alluring, so down right comforting about having a floral tea that delivers. And after the last few weeks of constant meetings and trainings, I needed some comforting.
So while I was organizing my stash I saw this delight that had gotten stuck behind a few other blends. Jasmine Pearls are typically a tea that I gobble up eagerly so to say the excitement was real would be an understatement.
Brewed with water prepped right around 175 and steeped for about well, the tea is still steeping because I’m using my Wall mug (from Boreal Wildcraft- do yourself a favor, check out this mug and get one. Game Changer!) Even with the tea constantly steeping, this tea is simply perfection. Soft subtle green tea notes mingle with stronger floral flavors to present this romantic combination that I have fallen in love with yet again.
What I adore most about this tea is that even with using this unique brewing vessel, the tea is not overwhelming or giving me that really overpowered floral note that makes the tea too harsh to enjoy. Each sip is just providing so much enjoyment and allowing me to really dive into the tea while enjoying watching the tea sit at the bottom of the mug. Simple, beautiful, and comforting. All the attributes you want to find in a good cuppa tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: My Tea Guy
Description
Jasmine Pearl tea is a fragrant, refreshing tea made by combining jasmine flower blooms with green tea leaves. The flowering jasmine plant originated in Persia and was brought to China around 300 A.D. Tea scented with jasmine became popular during the Song Dynasty between 960 and 1270 A.D.
Our Jasmine Pearls are hand-rolled under the supervision of tea master LIN ZHENG KAN (The fourth generation tea family descendant). The spring picked tea leaves are hand-rolled into pearls and then dried until summer when they are blended with unopened jasmine flowers which bloom overnight, releasing their aroma into the tea. The flowers are then removed and the process is repeated several times.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz
I LOVE a good, solid Dragon Pearl so when I saw Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz was VERY eager to try it! The company says it’s an unusual black tea that is hand-rolled but I am certainly familiar with it as it’s one of those black teas I tend to look for!
I found that the aroma of this Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz – DRY – was that of a wine and/or berry scent and it was marvelous! Wet – the aroma is a different story! It smells like a genuine autumn day with wet, sweet woodsy notes, leaves, and even some dark chocolate and/or cacao nib aroma thrown into the mix!
I grabbed 5 ‘balls’ and infused them in my strainer and let ‘brew’ for about 4 minutes. I probably could have went with 4 ‘balls’ at about 3 to 4 minutes and I would have gotten a completely different cuppa but I will base my review on this for now.
The flavor of Red Dragon Pearls (Black Dragon Pearl Tea) from Teasenz is certainly in the strong category which I really like! I can absolutely pick up on a cacao nib-like taste to it along with the woodsy and earthy notes. It’s VERY malty – again – something I LOVE. The end sip and aftertaste has dark chocolate notes that linger, too! YES! You could say I enjoyed this tea and hope to enjoy another cup soon!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Teasenz
Description
An unusual black tea hand-rolled into pearls. This fantastically bold brew offers up all the flavors of a crisp autumn day with just one pearl. With complex malty flavors and a clean sweet finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tangerine Jasmine Pearls Green Tea from Liquid Proust Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Liquid Proust Teas
Tea Description:
Ingredients: Jasmine pearls, tangerine (very small amounts), flavoring
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Again, thanks to Andrew at Liquid Proust Teas for the sample.
I’m a big fan of tangerines (currently there are about seven in my fridge), so I’m definitely excited to try this blend especially given how much juicy tangerine I’m smelling just from the dry leaf. I decided to cold brew my sample because for jasmine teas with a green base I prefer drinking them cold over hot.
I definitely think this comes off as a pretty traditional green jasmine pearl tea; a good balance of both floral and vegetal flavours. It’s definitely one of the better green jasmine blends I’ve had as well given how natural and unobtrusive the floral notes are. However the tangerine, which is the twist here, is pretty light handed. The sweet citrusy tangerine note really only pops up at the end of the sip when the jasmine is dying out, leaving for a tasty finish but slight feeling that this tea is uncompleted. I know that Andrew was aiming to be subtle with the tangerine but it is more gentle than I’d anticipated it being.
However, overall I really appreciate the unconventional take on a traditional tea. I also have to point out that as someone who isn’t a fan of green/jasmine pairings I’m obviously not the target audience and I was probably looking for that additional tangerine flavor more than someone who likes green jasmine teas on their own would have.
Yunnan Gold Pearls Tea from Canton Tea Co.
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Canton Tea Co.
Tea Description:
These attractively gold-flecked, marble-sized black tea pearls have been hand-rolled from high-grade Yunnan Gold leaf tea into perfectly compressed spheres. They make a delicously smooth, medium-bodied brew. Each pearl weighs around one gram, so use just two or three in a small teapot. Made in Fen Qing, in Yunnan, they are ideal at work or on holiday.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been reviewing tea for a long time and while my time as a tea reviewer is about to come to an end (but I’ll talk more about that later!), in the years that I’ve been reviewing tea, one thing that has never gotten old for me is receiving a package of tea in the mail. There are few things that elicit as much joy for me as receiving a parcel of tea.
And my excitement was doubled when I opened my package from Canton Tea Co. and found that it included a sampling of their Yunnan Gold Pearls! I love pearl teas as it is, but I have a special fondness for black pearls because – well, I guess because they’re awesome!
The flavor that comes from black pearl teas like this one is outstanding. Sweet and smooth. No bitterness and very little astringency. It has a heartiness to it which surprised me given how short a time I steeped the pearls. Some malt notes as well as notes of cacao and caramel. I taste a distinct note of stone fruit as well. Quite yummy!
I steeped my first infusion of the pearls for just 2 minutes and the cup is incredibly smooth and very flavorful. It surprises me just how much flavor it has after steeping for 2 minutes. The pearls had not completely unfurled so you know I’m going to resteep!
My second infusion was even more flavorful than the first – which is quite unusual when it comes to most black teas! But not with these Yunnan Gold Pearls! The flavor is still rich and flavorful. I’m tasting more notes of earth this time around and lovely hints of peppery spice. I still get those lovely notes of caramel and cacao and a beautiful malty tone.
Truly a treasure, these Yunnan Gold Pearls!
