Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tea Description:
Hot buttered rum is so delicious we want it all day long. Unfortunately, most employers frown on workplace drunkenness, so we came up with this rich and creamy alternative. Toasted coconut and vanilla beans mingle with black tea in a caramelized caress of flavours. Decadent hot or iced, it also blends perfectly with dark rum, brown sugar and a dash of milk – so go ahead and indulge your inner pirate, off the clock. (MK Kosher).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Back in my newbie tea drinking days, I would stalk David’s Tea Web Special Page. I was seriously addicted to it. I couldn’t get enough of their teas and I swore their teas were the best ever.
Fast forward several years, I still enjoy David’s Tea but I don’t obsesses over them like others do. More or less because there isn’t a store anywhere near me and I have to order about $50 to get free shipping. If one looks tasty to me, I’ll wait around and see what people say on Steepster and then might order it, but I seriously can’t remember the last time I ordered any teas from them. Anymore it seems I’m drinking teas that I find on Etsy.
Digging thru a box I received from a fellow Steepsterite, I noticed that this little guy was hanging out and I thought yes. I’m in the mood for some David’s Tea.
Brewed this flavored black tea up with water at 212F for about 4 minutes. I instantly could pick up the coconut aroma. Yum!
Took my first sip and this is pretty good. I’m actually surprised I like it as much as I do. The coconut is the flavor you really get from beginning to end. There is also a nice sweet vanilla flavor that mixes well with the coconut. I bet this would be an amazing tea iced or even cold brew where the vanilla could potentially really become the star. That would be amazing!
Overall, this wasn’t so bad but I can’t say that I’m dying to get my hands on more. If any would come my way, I would drink it without question. Just not sure it would be one I would reach for on a consistent basis or one I’d try to track down.
Glad I was able to try it!
Tropical Island Black Tea from Kally Tea
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Kally Tea
Product Description:
“Arrrgh, Hoist the main sails matey.” We are off on a sailing ship in the Caribbean. Pirates abound, treasure hunting, we land on a secluded shore, and notice the varied fruits and flowers on the islands. A thought hits us… let’s combine these tropical fruits with some tea in the hold! As the rum is ignored for the much more exciting and healthy tea blend of freeze dried pear, blackberry, lime leaves, sour sap fruit flavorings, the pirates are calmed and life is good. Let’s sneak off with the new found “treasure”… Arrrgh!
Ingredients: Black Tea, Freeze Dried Pear, Blackberry & Lime Leaves, Natural Flavors.
Tasters Review:
Some people think that it’s strange that I have a Word or Taste Association with some teas. Well, this is one of those teas. Here’s why…
When I was little I was in Girl Scouts and each summer we would go to Girl Scout Camp. During Girl Scout Camp one of the many highlights of the day for me was Arts and Crafts Time. We did many “Make & Takes” but the class was outside near a tree line and wooded area. This flavored black takes me back…and it’s all to do with the aroma. I remember – to this day – how that nook of the woods smelled! The aroma was very unique and memorable – much like this tea. I remember smelling sweet wood and blackberries. On the other side of the Craft area where the tables were set-up was the kitchen. I remember them making HUGE tubs of “bug juice”. When I was in Girl Scout Camp – “Bug Juice” was basically Kool-Aid or some form of juice. No…it didn’t actually have Bugs in it! LOL Anyhow… our Bug Juice was usually a flavored Kool-Aid, Lemon or Lime Aid, or GatorAid. The most memorable one, for me, was the LimeAid. Pair the Lime with the Blackberries, sweet-wood, and other fresh fruits from the kitchen – this flavor and aroma combo was what took me back with this tea!
I have fond memories of Girl Scout Camp because it was near my hometown…shortly after that last summer we moved…and I missed camp for years to come. This aroma reminds me not only of those good times, the wonderful outdoors and nature, but the aroma of the woods and surrounding smells of camp from my childhood. So there is just a little back story for ya. Maybe I am partial…because I have these fond memories or this Word/Tea Association from my past – but I DO like this tea! It’s greatly flavored! I can primarily taste the blackberries and lime but the floral and sweet wood flavors play in the background along with the pear.
This is great hot or cold.
Kally Tea is really wonderful! I have to point out how much I am LOVING their website! It’s user-friendly and the colors and layout are very pleasing to the eye. That could be the web design (of past) in me, too! Not only is this a memorable tea but their website is just as memorable because of the eye-catching colors and feel. Their customer service is wonderful, too!
If you haven’t checked out this company yet – please do so! They are top-notch!
Pirate Tea from Design A Tea
Tea Type: Black Tea/Yerba Mate Blend
Where To Buy: Design A Tea
Product Description:
Ingredients: Koslanda-Dimbulla blend (Sri Lanka), Roasted Yerba Mate, Cinnamon, Ginger, Cardamom, Black Pepper, Cloves, Natural Vanilla/Pineapple flavoring.
Tasters Review:
Well, I like the Pirates of the Caribbean movies and I like Pirate Booty so when I tried Pirate Tea from Design A Tea I was happy to say I liked that, too! Actually I more than liked it…I’ll admit…I LOVED it!
It smells like Pineapple and chai more pineapple than chai…I, personally, LOVED this about it! This tea infuses really dark and really fast!
The taste is AWESOME!! I can safely say this is my FAVORITE Chai to date!! The flavoring is wonderful! The spices are mixed in nicely underneath.
Pirate Tea from Design A Tea is the complete package if you are on teas that favor pineapple! And a nice, true, delicious pineapple – not that artificial tasting stuff!
Pirate Tea from Design a Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black with Yerba Maté
Where to Buy: Design a Tea
Company Description:
All that’s missing is that pain in the butt parrot and a buried treasure; like we said, you will remember after 1 cup of Pirate Tea where the treasure is… or at least where you lost your car keys! This is a hardy chai with a very pleasant sweet pineapple aroma and after taste. GREAT COLD
Taster’s Review:
I am not generally a huge fan of Yerba Maté. For the most part, I can take it or leave it, although sometimes, I come across something pretty spectacular. I even blended a pretty spectacular Yerba Maté blend… if I do say so myself.
But, Yerba Maté isn’t necessarily my favorite … know what I mean? It’s kind of like rooibos. I don’t dislike rooibos… but, it’s not something that I crave usually either.
BUT… this blend… I can actually see myself actually craving! It is so good.
It is a blend of black teas and Roasted Yerba Maté (generally my preference when it comes to Yerba Maté). The Yerba Maté is not an overwhelming presence in the cup (perhaps that is why I like it so much?) but the deep earthy flavor is there, as well as the roasted quality from the Maté.
The black tea is also not an overwhelming presence. I can taste it, but, it seems to be providing more of a smooth presence to help curb the edge that can sometimes be part of the flavor of the Yerba Maté. Together, the Maté and black tea create a very smooth, yet rich, deep, earthy flavor.
The pineapple is the strongest flavor in this cup, but it is not an overly aggressive flavor. Rather, it is pleasantly sweet and juicy, and provides a beautiful contrast to the earthy character of the Yerba Maté and the warmth of the masala chai spices, creating a perfectly harmonized balance of flavors.
There is also vanilla flavoring added to this blend, which is soft and smooth, and gives the whole blend a hint of creamy, sweet goodness without being too obvious.
This is an amazing blend – definitely one of my favorite Yerba Maté blends, and perhaps the best I’ve tried from Design a Tea. That’s saying quite a lot, because I’ve been very impressed with what I’ve tried from them! This one is a real winner!
