A Dessert Tea from Tea Source. . .Pistachio Shortbread Style!

by Sophia

Wow. Just wow.

This is another one of the teas I received during my first ever tea-swap. I absolutely love pistachio and I know I have said this in my reviews before. I also really like anything nutty and dessert teas. So, pistachio shortbread was kind of a no brainer choice for me. I can honestly say that this is one of my all-time favorites, hands down, no questions asked. It is definitely my favorite pistachio flavored teas. After my second sip I searched out this company, Tea Source, and tried to see if I could buy more (it is available on their website!!!).

Pistachio Shortbread is a flavored black tea blend. It contains black tea, pistachios, flavor, rose petals, marzipan drops, and almonds. What an amazing list of ingredients, right? Rose petals are often paired with pistachio which I find very interesting, but it is most likely because the floral flavor of the rose really compliments the creamy and nutty flavor of pistachios and even almonds. The addition of marzipan drops is what I think brings this tea to the next level.

The smell of the steeped liquid is definitely marzipan. I can smell the sweet almond and just a slight hint of rose, but mostly just sweet almond and black tea. The first flavor that registered for me was marzipan/sweet almond and the black tea. The almond and marzipan was not overpowering or artificial, though. It was lightly sweet and nutty and reminds me of almond cookies. I can tell that this is where “shortbread” comes in and I do detect a hint of vanilla, which really goes well with sweet almond and rose. The rose follows very quickly. Its not in-your-face with the floral it is just a very small hint. The aftertaste is totally pistachio nut. You can really taste the pistachio upon the finish and it definitely seals the deal for me.

This blend really was done so well. I cant say enough good things about it! If you like biscottis, pistachio ice cream, shortbread, or marzipan you will definitely be into this blend. And if you are unsure whether you like those things or not, you should still try this blend and I guarantee you will be won over. That’s how good it is!

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy:  Tea Source
Description

This black tea blend is smooth, rich, sweet, and silky, with notes of pistachio coming through.

Contains: black tea, pistachios, flavor, rose petals, Marzipan drops, almonds.
CONTAINS NUTS

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Sophia

Hi, my name is Sophia. I am a first time mother to a beautiful little girl who will be 1 in July 2017. I spend my days at home with her and when I get a minute to myself, I usually spend that time making, drinking, or researching tea! My love for loose leaf tea is relatively new. When I was pregnant with my daughter, my mother (a tea addict herself) brought me to DAVIDsTEA. I enjoyed a cup of their Coconut Cream Pie Oolong and was instantly hooked! Since then, my addiction has grown to fill entire cabinets, and shows no sign of stopping. I am the creator of the Facebook group CommuniTEA where we have one big tea discussion. It is a great group for those new to the tea-world. I feel strongly about spreading the joy of loose leaf tea. I like making instructional videos and helping those that are new to the art of tea-making so that they, too, can share in the happiness that tea brings. I am excited to see where this hobby takes me and I will continue to spread the joy!

This post was posted in Black Tea, Tea Source

Slytherin from The Forest Witch. . . . . .

by SuperStarling

The Forest Witch’s Slytherin Blend is — to start off — just a really cool name. Both the Forest Witch part and the Harry Potter part. Kudos on the naming. The Witch also carries teas named after Game of Thrones houses, mythological characters, and other magic. I’m a huge sucker for that kind of thing, and this tea definitely knows its niche and caters to it.

The tea itself is a hearty lemon and nut-flavored tea with a dash of cherry. The cherry is secondary, so if that’s your primary focus, I’d recommend hunting down another cup. But if you want a cool blend of unexpected yet harmonious flavors, this might be your jam.

The lemon is zesty; the cherry is like a violin playing; and the nuts form a friendly base. They’re all being embraced by the malty black.

This tea totally works. Sometimes, when I’m trying a tea, I think the creators are putting in a little too much effort. (“Eighty ingredients? Are they OKAY over there?”) But a base + 3 flavors is just right. You get the high, the middle, and the low notes (ideally, in my opinion).

I don’t know if this tea says “Slytherin” to me, necessarily. Lemon is totally a Slytherin thing (kinda spiky in flavor, a little sassy). Cherry, sure. Black tea? Obviously. Slytherins look great in black.

But I feel like nuts are the zone of Hufflepuff. Nuts feel “friendly” to me.

This is, obviously, totally subjective and in my head.

I’ve put a lot of thought into the Potter Houses. For example, of all the Harry Potter houses I could be at present, Slytherin is literally the last. I’m not bragging here that I’m a selfless angel; I’m instead telling you that my “go-getter” drive is dead. I took too many AP classes in high school, and was, frankly, terminally exhausted by the time I was 18. Then I got sucked into a difficult (but rewarding!) major, and I’m now a vortex “meh, not worth it.”

If Hermione Granger just took it easy the rest of her life post-Hogwarts, would anyone really hold it against her? Maybe she could find a reasonably-challenging job she liked, and devote her free time to writing tea reviews or something.

Here’s the scoop!

Leaf Type:  Black Tea
Where to Buy:  The Forest Witch
Description

Brewing up plans for your path to success and prestige once you leave Hogwarts? Why not enjoy a satisfying cup of tea sure to help fortify you on your way?

Black tea provides a lovely malty and sweet base for pistachios, cherries, and lemongrass. A delicious treat for pistachio pudding lovers, and ambitious witches and wizards alike!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

SuperStarling

"Hey, everybody! I'm Leah, a graphic designer from Pennsylvania, United States. I live with my husband and rescue mutt in a house with colorful walls. I love fonts, colors, animals, flowers, novels, illustration, geeking out, and -- obviously! -- tea. I've only been heavily into tea for about a year, but I've found I tend to prefer loose blended black dessert teas. I normally drink them hot western style without anything added; if I add in some vanilla almond milk or honey, I promise I'll mention it! When I'm not blogging here, I'm blogging at leahlucci.com/starling or posting to Instagram (super_starling), so come say hi!"

This post was posted in Black Tea, The Forest Witch