Tart berries combine with sweetness, nuts, and a bit of Slytherin darkness to form this really well-balanced tea. It’s like a date with a mysterious, complex woman.
I’m surprised it’s white tea, actually, because there’s so much flavor flying out of it. White tea is the new Hip Thing To Drink. It’s usually pretty delicate, which makes the punch of this surprising.
What makes white tea white tea? LET ME TELL YOU, KIDS. GATHER ROUND. BRING YOUR BLANKET.
White tea is called white tea because of its color. It is tea leaves plucked very early in the tea’s life, before it unfurls and turns a rich green (green tea). The tea is also not oxidized, which is a process that darkens the leaf (black tea). The leaf, aside from its natural paleness, also still has its white fuzz. These factors combine for a really light, delicate flavor.
Usually. Not here.
This tea is basically the romantic interest in a film noir. She’s pale, dramatic, and has a few tricks up her sleeve.
This tea isn’t currently available, but if you contact A Quarter To Tea, they will often make custom orders of 4oz or more.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Roasty and warming with sweet almonds and a bright fruity finish.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Jam from Perkse Tea
I’ve been on a berry kick lately. I just can’t get enough of that sweet, tangy, juicy goodness.
Today’s pick comes from Perkse Tea, a shop I found on Etsy when I typed in “tea sampler.” (Yes, this is how a LOT of our posts come to you. We tea reviewers can’t resist a sampler kit. So many new things to try and report back on!) They’re a Canadian company that encourages you to “embrace a positive mind-set and live a beautiful life.” Hard to find fault with that plan!
This tea really nails that raspberry vibe. It’s sweet and a little bit tart, just like chomping on the real thing — minus those aggravating seeds. There’s also a touch of blueberry and rose floating along to vary and deepen the flavor profile. The base is robust enough to hold up these flavors without losing itself. This reminds me of the base of a delicious cobbler. Throw some crunch and cream on there and you’d be SET. I’m currently out of my Almond Breeze, but I think that this tea would take it with aplomb.
I feel like I’ve fast-forwarded to a season of late outdoor dinners. There are citronella candles everywhere and I’m eating off a red gingham-check tablecloth on a picnic table. There are friends, and maybe even their kids, chatting and laughing. Dogs sitting at our feet. Like a country music video depicting good ol’ Amurrrica.
Oh man. This tea is SUMMER at its BEST.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Perkse Tea
Description
A deliciously hardy black tea infused with freeze dried raspberries cultivated from California.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Passion Berry Jolt from Tiesta Tea. . . .
With a name like Passion Berry Jolt, I almost expected an electrifying yerba mate tea, but this is a black tea blend from Tiesta Tea. Don’t worry, it still packs plenty of caffeine to wake you up on those early mornings.
This blend pairs black tea with passion fruit, pineapple, and raspberry. The juicy raspberry and passionfruit flavors come forward the most, reminiscent of breakfast black tea with breakfast jam on toast. The pineapple is more noticeable as the tea cools, or on the aftertaste, bright and tropical.
I must applaud this tea for being bold and red-berry without any hibiscus. There’s a time and a place for that herb, but it gets mixed in to so many tea blends and takes over the flavor, it is refreshing to see a fruity tea without dominant hibiscus.
While there are tropical fruits in this blend, the raspberry keeps the flavor naturally sweet and grounded. The passionfruit can offer its more subtle tartness, and the pineapple its golden deliciousness. This would make a great tea to experiment blending with sangria or lemonade to compliment or enhance its juicy flavors.
Passion Berry Jolt is one of those super-drinkable all-purpose blends, no need for sugar or milk, and tasty hot or iced. A great fruity tea to keep in your tea cabinet for any occasion.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tiesta Tea
Description:
Packed with passion fruit and raspberry, this black tea blend gives you a jolt of pineapple energy to keep you charged.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberries & Champagne from Nelson’s Tea
Raspberries & Champagne? Yes, please! How about Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea? Again…YES…PLEASE!
Even tho Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea only contains White Tea, Safflower, and flavoring they must be top notch ingredients because the delicate white tea is sweet, floral, and totally what I look for in a white tea and the Raspberries & Champagne Flavors are just that…Raspberries & Champagne. Plump, juicy-sweet raspberry and that tinge of zing you would look for in a Champagne.
Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea is a pure delight as a hot tea in your favorite teacup or a nice surprise as an iced tea on a hot day or with a meal. This is a wonderfully flavored white tea, indeed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description
Ingredients: White tea, safflower, natural flavors
Brewing Instructions: Brew 1-2 teaspoons of this blend/8 oz. of water at 175 degrees Fahrenheit, and allow to steep 4-5 minutes for full flavor and benefits. For iced tea simply double the amount of tea used during brewing and steep with the same amount and temperature of hot water, and when finished, simply pour over a cup of ice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
