Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Spire Tea
Tisane Description:
Do you like cookies? We certainly do and that’s why this sweet and nutty combination of rooibos, coconut and almonds tastes like the real thing!
Learn more about Spire Tea on their website.
Taster’s Review:
Yummmm! This tisane is definitely all about coconut and almond! The “cookie” part … well, the nutty, sweet flavor of the rooibos does sort of offer a warm, bake-y sort of flavor so yeah, I sort of get that … but, really, the cookie seems to be more of a flavor that comes with the power of suggestion rather than an actual taste of this tisane.
It’s still really yummy though. The flavors of coconut and almond go together very well, and they are pretty evenly balanced in this blend. The almond is strong, sweet, and toasty, while the coconut is also strong, with a smooth, creamy taste.
I think that this tea could use a touch of “buttery” flavor that might propel the tea to another level where the “cookie” would not be such a stretch of the imagination. As it is, it is tasty … but I think that the enhancement of a real cookie-like flavor would really make this blend amazing.
I do find this to be very enjoyable though. It has a comforting kind of flavor, the kind of tisane that you want to curl up to while watching television at night. It will help curb those late night sweet cravings, and because it’s naturally caffeine free, you don’t have to worry about it keeping you up past bedtime.
Jolly Jellybean from David’s Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tisane Description:
One sip of this sweet, rich rooibos blend and you’ll know spring is here. It could be the sunny taste of pineapple, or the exotic creaminess of coconut. It could be the pretty calendula and cornflower petals. Then again, it might just be the jellybeans. You heard us right, jellybeans – that’s what gives this tea its irresistibly sweet and fruity kick. So why do jellybeans remind us of spring? Because they make us happy. Why else?
Learn more about this rooibos blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I think I should start off by explaining that the sampling I received of this tisane had no Jelly Bellys in it (I’m told that this is the type of jelly bean that David’s Tea uses in this blend), and since I recently acquired a large jar of Jelly Bellys, I added a couple of Jelly Bellys to the sample before the large jar of Jelly Bellys became an large, empty jar.
At that point, I felt it was important to brew this tisane as soon as possible, as this sampling (prior to brewing) contained the last three Jelly Bellys in the house, and I feared for their safety.
YUM! This is really tasty. Not surprisingly, it is sweet. The Jelly Bellys melted and added some sweetness to the cup, as did the red and green rooibos – but thankfully, I don’t taste that funky red rooibos sweetness in this! The pineapple, strawberry and coconut also contributed some sweetness to the cup as well.
This is very fruity – like a handful of Jelly Bellys that have been liquified and served hot. I taste hints of the strawberry, but the most pronounced fruit flavors are that of the coconut and the pineapple. I don’t taste a lot of flavor from the rooibos. I do taste a slight woody/nutty note from the rooibos, but, it is subtle, and doesn’t interrupt the sweet, fruity goodness that I’m enjoying.
This tisane toes the line of tasting very candy-like, and I can see how it might not be for everyone … those who don’t like sweet drinks might not really enjoy this. But if you have a sweet tooth and find great joy in jelly beans as I do, you should definitely try this! It’s yummy!
Real Red Paradise Tea from Tea & Botanicals
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea & Botanicals
Tisane Description:
Red Tea is naturally caffeine-free red tea blended with colorful flower petals and tropical flavors. Red Tea has reputed health benefits, as it is antioxidant rich and also contains vitamins and minerals.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Visually, this is a very pretty tisane. Amongst the needle-like reddish-brown rooibos leaves, there are beautiful petals of blue, red, and yellow. There is really very little aroma to the dry leaf, which is a little disappointing because with a name like “Real Red Paradise Tea,” I was kind of hoping for a beautiful, exotic fragrance. The brewed tea has a slightly stronger scent, smelling of a tropical fruit medley – not like any one fruit in particular, its more like a tropical fruit punch.
The flavor is surprisingly good. I say that because, with most rooibos blends I want a strong flavoring, because I don’t usually like to taste the flavor of oxidized rooibos. They are nutty, a little woody, and there is often this really funky sweetness that lingers into the aftertaste. It’s not really the most pleasant flavor.
But, somehow, this all works together very well. F0r starters, I don’t taste that funky sweetness nor do I taste a funky lingering aftertaste that I normally associate with red rooibos. I do taste the nutty tones, but somehow these typical rooibos flavors just work well with the flavors and more importantly with the level of flavoring that this tisane possesses. I taste sweet, nutty flavor, and unlike some other red rooibos blends I’ve tried in the past, this tastes very pleasant!
The tropical flavors are very light. I don’t know that I taste any one type of tropical fruit specifically. Every once in a while I think I taste pineapple, but, it tastes more like a harmony of fruit notes … and it’s a very delicate taste, like it’s off in the distance, just barely tempting the palate with sweet, fruity goodness.
And what I’m really enjoying most of all is how well these whispers of tropical fruit mingle with the floral notes … the rose is especially noticeable. The sweet notes from the rose together with the soft tropical fruit is really quite delightful.
Not a bad tisane, quite enjoyable. Nice for a quiet evening, when you just want to sit back and relax.
2011 Sun Moon Lake Red Tea from The Essence of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The Essence of Tea
Tea Description:
This exquisite hongcha comes from Sun Moon Lake in Taiwan where it is grown on old trees (>100 years old). The leaves are hand picked. The quantities of this are very limited in each production.
The flavour is excellent with enough character to prevent it falling into that bland sweetness often found in hongcha.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have tried maybe a handful of the “Sun Moon Lake” type black teas and each time I try them, the more impressed I am by this variety. The flavor is sweet with notes of chocolate and rich, dried fruit notes (I taste notes of sugary dates and raisin). There are lovely notes of malt and something that’s been freshly baked – like a good, crusty loaf of bread. Something with a nice, chewy crust with it’s hints of caramelized taste.
This tea has a very pleasing, full-bodied taste and texture. It has a fair amount of astringency toward the tail, but no bitterness to speak of. There is a savory note that is most noticeable toward the end of the sip. This savoriness develops as I sip, but I don’t know that I would refer to it as bitter. It isn’t sweet, it is more like a sour note, like the hint of sour you taste when you bite into a fresh, juicy plum. It is mostly sweet, but there is just a hint of sourness in there to keep it interesting. That is what I taste here.
Overall, the taste is very smooth and rich. It is one of those teas that would please even the most discriminating tea connoisseur. It’s stunning! Then again, I’ve yet to find a tea from this company that I’ve not enjoyed – they’ve all been top notch!
Rooibos Tiramisu from Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
Have desert in a cup! This rooibos tea combines the flavors of chocolate, caramel, and hazelnuts.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tried a few tiramisu flavored teas and tisanes, I even attempted to capture the flavor of tiramisu in a tea at one point. This tisane comes the closest to tiramisu … at least of all the ones that I’ve tried … including my own attempts!
I taste the coffee notes, and it melds harmoniously with the flavor of the hazelnuts, to give it a roasty-toasty, nutty kind of undertone to complement the flavor of the rich chocolate and sweet caramel. All the components of this blend marry very well, to create a very unified flavor that tastes like tiramisu. It doesn’t taste like “deconstructed” tiramisu … it tastes like tiramisu that you might indulge in at an Italian restaurant.
The overall flavor is creamy, sweet, and decadent. Really luscious! It makes a perfect dessert tisane that you can enjoy any time of day because it’s *almost* caffeine free. I say “almost” because I’m not really sure how much caffeine the coffee beans add to this, but, I can say that I don’t feel it over-stimulating me … it feels very comforting, actually, in much the same way as chocolate and caramel comforts me.
This is oh-so-delicious! I’d recommend this one to even those who usually dislike rooibos, because I don’t taste a strong “rooibos” flavor, and what little I do taste seems to meld with the nutty tones of this tisane so well that it doesn’t really stand out. An excellent dessert tisane!