Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green & White Teas
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Tisane Description:
A refreshing blend of green and white tea bursting with juicy melon and fruit flavours. A truly spring time tea, fresh and fruity and totally mouth-watering over ice. Watermelon Splash is the perfect tea blend for sipping in the sunshine.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
This Watermelon Splash Tea from Bluebird Tea Co. isn’t just a “spring time” tea but it’s a wonderful summer time tea too!
I admit that I was a little dismayed to see that hibiscus is one of the ingredients, and even more dismayed to see the hibiscus in the blend as I measured it into my tea maker, but, really, the hibiscus adds very little to this blend except for a slight pinkish hue that embraces the whole ‘watermelon-y’ sort of theme of the tea. The texture is light – not at all syrupy the way hibiscus can be in a blend – and the flavor is not overly tart.
There is some tartness to this though, and not just from the hibiscus, but also from the lemon peel. But I think I like these tart notes, because they contrast in a pleasant way with the sweetness and add an uplifting brightness to the cup.
To brew this blend, I used a lower temperature (it’s a blend of both white and green teas, and in blends like this, I generally yield to the lowest temperature, in this case, I’m yielding to the white tea brewing requirements) of 170°F. I know that a lot of people will tell you that 160°F is the way to go with white teas, but, I have found that adjusting that temperature by 10 degrees will provide a much more flavorful cup of white tea without any bitterness or sign of scorched tea leaves.
I steeped this for 3 minutes and the result is a flavorful cup that is lightly pink in color, looking a bit like the liquid at the bottom of a bowl of cut-up watermelon. In other words, it looks like watermelon juice.
The tea smells like a medley of fruits. I can smell watermelon, coconut, pineapple and citrus. The first few sips were more lemon-y than they were watermelon-ish. After about two sips, I could start to pick up on the coconut and pineapple flavors. It wasn’t until I reached mid-cup that I started to note the watermelon flavor.
The base of white and green teas is light and crisp and buttery smooth. I don’t get a strong “grassy” note, but I do taste the fresh “leafy” taste that is distinctly green tea.
The tea notes are best described as background notes. They aren’t very prominent flavors amid the fruit flavors. I can barely taste the white tea, but it lightens the cup in a way that benefits the overall beverage. It adds this refreshing, cool taste that is just as distinctly white as the aforementioned fresh leafy taste is distinctly green, even though the cup does not scream out “white tea” or even “green tea.” While these flavors are not abundantly ~clear~ in the cup, this blend would not be the same without either of these two teas in it. They add something flavorful to the cup, it is just not as distinguished as the fruit notes.
I found myself enjoying this cup. I do wish there was a stronger, more obvious watermelon note to it, but I really do like the combination of flavors. It’s a great way to quench the thirst. Good hot but much better iced!
Tropical Sunshine Herbal Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Tropical Sunshine is an explosion of flavor amongst a rich backdrop of organic rooibos. With cardamom, red peppercorn, lemon grass, cornflowers, cinnamon chips, orange peel, cranberries, apples, papaya and grapefruit flavor, this elaborate tisane is as unforgettable on the palate as it is beautiful to behold. Outstanding both hot and iced.
Cardamom, Red Peppercorn, Lemongrass, Organic South African Rooibos, Cornflowers, Cinnamon Chips, Orange Peel, Cranberries, Apples, Papaya Flavor, Grapefruit Flavor
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane has a lot going on! And while it may have a lot of ingredients, they all seem to work together in a very tasty way. It is fruity, sweet, tart, and warmly spiced, and I love the contrast in flavors.
What I’m liking best about this particular tisane is that this is more like a medley of flavors rather than a focus on one or two. The different components of this blend work together to create a seamless, unified taste that isn’t really distinctly one flavor or another, but more of a combined effort of all the flavors into one unique taste.
Notes of subtle spice are there from the cinnamon and cardamom. These two spices offer a mellow, gentle warmth that accentuates the nutty flavor of the rooibos and the citrus notes of grapefruit, lemongrass, and orange.
The rooibos is not a strong flavor, but there are some nutty tones. The papaya offers some sweetness, as does the apple, while the cranberry offers a light tartness that plays well with the citrus-y flavors.
It’s a harmonious blend of spices and fruit with hints of nutty sweetness. A really tasty cup – this is the kind of rooibos blend that I tend to appreciate most, where the rooibos doesn’t present a strong flavor profile, instead it becomes part of a combined flavor.
A really tasty herbal that’s naturally caffeine free, it tastes great hot, but I like it even better iced!
Don’t forget to check out Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription. I received five different teas every month! It’s an awesome deal! And if you want an even better deal use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you subscribe to this club and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Just Charming Chai Blend from Just.Organic.Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Just.Organic.Tea
Tea Description:
Spicy and full of flavor. Our premium black teas mingle with cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and orange peel for an intense full-bodied flavor. If you like your chai spicy and rich, pick this blend. Or, for more tea flavor and less spice, mix with our Oothu tea to fit your taste. Fair trade & organic certified.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Just.Organic.Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love a good, spicy chai, so when I read the description above, that’s exactly what I envisioned. Unfortunately, this isn’t quite as spicy as I hoped for.
Oh, it’s still very good! Don’t get me wrong.
It’s just not quite as boldly spiced as I thought it would be based upon the description above. The spices are nicely balanced, though, and I like that. I taste cinnamon, cardamom and clove. These three spices have been assembled in a way that no one spice overpowers the other. It’s a warm medley of spice. Very nice.
I also taste hints of orange from the orange peel. When I first read that this tea has orange peel, I thought that this might just be their Just Outstanding Orange Spice packaged under a different name. But they are two different teas. Here the orange is a very subtle touch of flavor, whereas the orange spice blend has a much more pronounced orange flavor.
This is really quite a tasty blend. I think that if they want to really go bold with the spice though, Just.Organic.Tea should consider adding some black pepper and ginger to the blend. That will give it a really nice, zesty kick. As it is, it’s a nice chai, on the mellower side of chai, but not quite as spicy as the above description would suggest.
This blend is one that I didn’t find on their website, perhaps it’s a blend that’s being rethought? I would love to see this company have a chai blend though, because I do love chai! In the meantime, I think their Outstanding Orange Spice blend is really good, and I also noticed that they have a Pumpkin Spice Chai – oh! I’d like to try that one!
Citron Tisane from Eden Grove
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Naturally Caffeine Free: Hibiscus, Apple, Orange Peel, Lemongrass & flavors of Lemon and Lemongrass.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
I am always initially leery of any tisane that boasts hibiscus as the first ingredient in its ingredient list. So, it should come as no surprise to you that when I was offered this Citron Tisane from Eden Grove to try, I was not as excited as I was to try some of the other teas from Eden Grove. (I especially enjoyed their Lovers Leap Estate Indigo Black Tea!)
But, I have been surprised in the past by teas that I was originally skeptical of, and so I decided to give this Citron blend a try. And I’m really glad I did. It might not be my favorite cup of tea from Eden Grove, but, it’s tasty!
Even though the hibiscus is the first ingredient in the list, there is relatively little hibiscus in this. A quick glance through the silky pyramid sachet tells me that the primary ingredient in it is lemongrass. And I like lemongrass. I only saw maybe a couple of hibiscus pieces.
After steeping in 195°F water for five minutes, this tisane brews up a golden color (not pink – another suggestion that there isn’t too much hibiscus in this!) and the texture is smooth – not thick or syrupy. All of the sudden, I feel much better about sampling this tisane!
And it’s pretty good. The flavor (not surprisingly) is citrus-y. I taste a tart note from the hibiscus (but again, this is not an overpowering presence of hibiscus), and that tartness accentuates the tart notes of the lemon and lime. There is a sweetness from these two citrus fruits as well as a sweet hint of orange with just a hint of bitter from the orange pith. I also am tasting a smooth, buttery note from the lemongrass, and a sweet apple note.
Overall, this is a bright and enjoyable tisane to enjoy any time of the day. The sunny flavor of the citrus makes it a good choice for earlier in the day, but it’s also an agreeable tisane for later in the evening when I’m looking for something caffeine free. It would also be nice to brew up and chill for something cool and refreshing.
Midnight Magic Green Tea from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
It is usually at the strike of midnight that the world begins to unravel into the beautiful and magical creation that it truly is. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this blend while the world’s magical nature reveals itself to you.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf of this Midnight Magic Green Tea from Shanti Tea has a strong floral note with a distinct vegetative note and just a hint of citrus. Once brewed, the rose remains strong, and the citrus emerges just a bit.
What I’m noticing immediately with this tea, and what I’m liking best about this particular tea from Shanti Tea, is that it is first and foremost a green tea. That is to say, this tea isn’t a strongly flavored tea where the taste of the tea has to compete with the flavoring.
The vegetative notes of the green tea are strong without tasting sharp. Yes, it is a grassy note, but its not a bitter grassiness. It’s actually quite smooth. It is lightly sweet, but I find that this tea tastes more savory to me than many green teas. It’s pleasantly brothy and my palate finds it very agreeable.
The rose is a faint note – it is much more distinct a scent than it is a flavor in this cup. It offers a touch of floral sweetness, but I’m not finding this cup to be overtly floral. The same is true of the citrus … the orange is delicate … oh, I can certainly taste it and it tastes really nice … but it doesn’t overwhelm the cup. I find that as I continue to sip, the sweet orange flavor reveals itself more, and by mid-cup, there is a really lovely orange-y flavor that accompanies the grassy notes of the green tea. The rose never really becomes more than an accent flavor, but it is quite lovely the way it is.
I found this to be an enjoyable cuppa – sweet, flavorful and one I’d be happy to sip on anytime!