There’s a Chinese place in my town named Lychee, and when I rent to try/review this tea, I suddenly realized I had no idea what a lychee even was.
It’s a soapberry fruit, guys. It’s a pink/red berry that you pull apart to reveal — and I’m quoting Wikipedia here — “a layer of sweet, translucent white flesh.”
Let’s all take a moment to mull on the fact that “sweet, translucent white flesh” is totally something Hannibal Lecter would say. Am I alone in experiencing a frisson of fear upon reading that?
Anyway, to my best guess, a lychee effectively tastes a bit like a tangy plum. There are also some rich, malty, maybe a little chocolate-y notes in this tea. I’m not sure if that’s the black tea or the lychee. This is not a sweet berry. This is a bitter, exotic, interesting berry. VERY tasty hot.
But this tea is really weird iced.
The tea’s original description (it’s not currently on the site) said “pour over ice for a refreshing change to regular iced tea.” I made this iced the other day in the spirit of adventure. I hadn’t actually made it hot yet. I dove right in. (That’s my motif for 2017: “spirit of adventure!” My husband is already making fun of me for it. You can feel free to pile on if you’d care to.)
I had actually considered the iced taste peculiar, sort of soapy and sickly sweet and unnatural. I kid you not: the word “soapy” occurred to me several days before I found out that lychee was a “soapberry.” I also think the notes I read as “chocolate” were off-putting cold.
If you’re grasping the spirit of adventure, try this cold, but if you want to try out a lychee flavor in a safer way, go hot.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Persimmon Tree Tea Company
Description
Per the Persimmon Tree Tea Company’s website, they are on hiatus.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Pomegranate from Persimmon Tree
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: The Persimmon Tree
Product Description:
This scrumptious fusion of organic green loose-leaf tea, organic raspberries and essence of pomegranate brings a tart and tangy rush to the palate.
Taster’s Review:
One of the fruits I think of during this time of year is the pomegranate. I sometimes add some pomegranate juice to my cranberry compote on Thanksgiving, and I love to decorate the holiday table with pomegranates. They have a rustic look to them, and their color is very autumn-y. Plus… after the holiday is over, I get to eat the pomegranate!
Pomegranate is one of my favorite fruits, but one I don’t buy often because the price is often a bit too pricy for something that not everyone in the family is as excited about as I am. So rather than buy a lot of pomegranates for myself, I indulge in pomegranate tea to satisfy that craving for this favorite.
The fragrance of the dry leaf smells amazing – it is bright and smells of juicy, delicious red fruit – raspberries and pomegranate. The aroma of the brewed liquor is similar, although it is not quite as strong as the dry leaf.
The flavor is light and refreshing. The green tea has what I would classify as a “moderate” vegetative taste to it – not what I would consider a delicate note, but not overwhelmingly strong either. Just somewhere in the middle, perhaps leaning a bit more toward the delicate than the strong.
This blend has been expertly flavored. The flavors of pomegranate and raspberry are light enough so they do not overwhelm the crisp green tea flavor, but, strong enough so that the flavors can be easily recognizable. The fruit tastes sweet and tart without being too tart.
I don’t taste much from the rosehip, I think it was probably added more for aesthetic value than for flavor (although rosehip also contributes a significant amount of vitamin C!)
Overall, I find this to be a very enjoyable pomegranate flavored green tea, and I think it would make a great tea to serve during Thanksgiving, too!
Peach Apple Crisp Tea from The Persimmon Tree
Tea Type:
Black Tea & Rooibos Blend
Where To Buy:
The Persimmon Tree
Click For Direct Link To This Specific Tea At Their Shop
Product Description:
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Ingredients
Bio-Dynamic Black Tea, Organic Nilgiri Tea, Organic Assam Black Tea, Organic Orange Peel, Fair Trade Organic Rooibos, Roses, Organic Hibiscus, Safflower, Natural Flavors
Characteristics: Energizing, Fair Trade, Organic
Flavors: Fruity, Floral
Caffeine Content: Medium
Tasters Review:
Peach Apple Crisp was the very first tea I tried from The Persimmon Tree Tea Company and I must say I am impressed!
DRY this smells like various black teas, peaches, apples, flowers, spices, and a little hibiscusy. It’s FULL of aroma and I like that!Post infusion… this smells mostly of peaches, apples, flowers, and cinnamon. Different than the pre-infusion but still very nice and very aromatic! Another PLUS in my book!
It infuses to a nice medium golden brown color.
The flavor is absolutely delightful! I can taste individually the peach, the apple, the cinnamon, and the flowers…but they all jive well together!
The stereotypical Rooibos taste wasn’t really there as much so I would suggest this blend to ANYONE who thinks Rooibos is NOT for them…this just may change your mind!
The more I sip on this the more I like it! My first cup I had HOT but assume it would be tremendous cold, too! I am going to have to put that to the test very soon!
Simply put…I LOVE THIS blend! I have officially put it in my upper 95+ percentile of teas I LOVE. Stay tuned to SororiTEA Sisters for more tea reviews from The Persimmon Tree!
