Bird & Blend Tea Co’s Black Magic Matcha is a mix of activated charcoal, cocoa, and matcha. It is a mess! Seriously!
My hands? Black.
My counter? Black.
My frother? Black.
Black EV.ERY.WHERE! Just covered! But it is worth it because this is one tasty matcha. Plus, the mess is easy to wipe away with a damp cloth, so no harm done.
Sipping away at this matcha mixed in milk is like sipping on a low-cal glass of black chocolate milk. It is eerie but delicious and perfect for spooky season. No chalkiness. Just smooth, chocolate milk goodness, which is particularly surprising since the powder has definitely separated out a bit (both settling on top and at the bottom of the glass) while I have been drinking. This seems to be the case with most Bird & Blend matchas though so don’t be surprised when the powder settles.
I should note that this matcha does come with a warning (from Bird & Blend’s site): “Activated charcoal can interfere with medication. We recommend that you wait at least 3 hours after taking medication before consuming the matcha. This also applies to the contraceptive pill.” So while I definitely recommend this matcha, I do hope people consider the warning to ensure no mishaps occur as a result. Weird thing to have to say about a tea, I suppose, but better safe than sorry.
Also, if you are interested in giving this a try, I highly recommend picking up the Rainbow Matcha Collection which provides samples of five of Bird & Blend’s many matcha offerings (Black Magic Matcha, Mermaid Matcha, Pina Colada Tea Powder, Turmeric Tea Powder, and Orange & Passionfruit Matcha). You can find that available here.
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Leaf Type: Matcha
Where to Buy: Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Description
A delicious activated-charcoal matcha with creamy cocoa, this antioxidant-rich potion creates a magical black liquid once made up. Essentially flavourless, activated charcoal further boosts the antioxidant properties of our signature pure matcha rich in umami – the Japanese word for the delicious ‘fifth taste’, after salt, sweet, sour and bitter.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Christmas Morning/Stash Tea -teaequalsbliss
I realize I might be a little late to the party here, but, us TEA LOVERS usually don’t mind sipping on seasonal teas just about any time of year. Enter…Christmas Morning from Stash Tea.
This is a blended base of Black Tea and Green Tea. And that’s it. No other ingredients. Nothing else added. Which was strange to me at first sip because it really tasted like there was something else there. Perhaps it’s just because it’s was technically a Jasmine Green Tea, I guess.
I agree with the company description and claims saying that this tea has multiple layers. To me, it proved to be a nice pick-me-up while offering that brisk, and bright taste I was looking for.
I really don’t see why we couldn’t or wouldn’t sip on this year-round. It’s decent for a bagged tea and I think it’s one of Stash’s more memorable offerings.
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Leaf Type: Black/Green
Where to Buy: Stash Tea
Description
Remember the excitement on Christmas morning when you were a kid? The warm feeling, the energy that rushed through your body, and anticipation of what the day would bring? This blend captures all that special holiday cheer with flavors that grow in intensity with every sip. When you brew it, the full-bodied aroma of brisk black tea with a hint of floral jasmine are the first clues that a special day is on its way. But what is it that makes this a great choice for your holiday morning treat (or for any morning)? Let us share with you a well-known black tea benefit: caffeine. With this blend you will get a well-deserved and welcomed boost that will help you keep up with those who didn’t stay up late playing Santa Clause.
This is called a Christmas tea, but you don’t have to limit yourself to one day a year. As our reviewers say: this is not just a tea to drink during holidays. Stock up with a case of our seasonal tea bags and enjoy it all year round. It’s great as an iced latte, or hot with sweetener and a little creamer for a decadent warming treat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Day #1 Adagio Teas Advent Calendar -CuppaGeek-
Today is the second official day of the tea advent calendar season but to avoid spoilers- I’m going to review the lovely Adagio Teas Advent Calendar a day behind so without further ado. . . . .
Day #1- Spiced Apple Chai
Spiced Apple Chai is a tea blend from Adagio Teas that I know very well. I have enjoyed this one quite often. This lovely black tea based flavored chai is pretty much like fall in a cup but I like to enjoy this one with a twist. A shot of rum or a dollop of cream just adds a nice next level feel to this brew.
Brewed with fresh prepped water at boiling and steeped for right around 2-3 minutes this blends yields a distinctive distinctive apple flavor along with what I would consider the traditional chai spices-ginger, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon . Flavors that you would expect to go well together and a chai you want to enjoy on a cool day where wrapping your hands around a mug brings your tea loving soul so much love.
Adding the additional extras of course are optional to enjoy this lovely cuppa and what is great about this particular blend, there are so many different ways you can enjoy- western brewed, as a latte, adult like with a shot of this or that, cold brewed with or without a touch of maple syrup, truly the possibilities are endless which makes this one of my favorite Adagio blends.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Jin Jun Mei/Tealyra -CuppaGeek-
I’ve recently found that I’m getting more and more into straight teas. I’ve tried a few flavored teas to recently but I just felt that pull to pull out my gaiwan and experiment. I’ve found myself eager to sit down and spend the time to enjoy the tea sip by sip in smaller quantities and this tea is a beautiful example of why.
Not too long ago, I brewed this tea up in the traditional western fashion- teapot, few scoops of tea with water prepped at a bit below boiling, steeped for a few minutes, poured into my tea cup and enjoyed. While the tea was tasty with soft chocolate notes , I wanted to see how the flavor would change if brewed with gong fu style.
Now when I do gong fu, I do a modified version that works with not only my crazy busy job but my house in a whole. I don’t get too deep into measuring and making sure everything is on point. I 100% should because I’ve over leafed and under leafed on more occasions than I would like to admit, but in the same- I have a very go go go 8-5 and after work so I have just decided to pour and go. Eventually I’ll get to the point where I measure out the night before so I’m all prepared for the next day. Please forgive me that I don’t have all of the measurements to how exactly I steeped up this ditty.
Using my gaiwan, I popped in some leaf and water at 200F. Gave the leaves a quick rinse and quickly added in more water to go about my first infusion.
-First infusion: Delicious toffee notes with a small hint of chocolate and no astringency and a hint of malt. At this point, we are talking dessert tea here. Really lovely and nice. Can not get enough and the brew was gone in no time.
-Second infusion: Still those same delicious toffee notes but the chocolate touches are becoming a bit stronger.
-Third Infusion: Toffee notes are pretty distant now and the chocolate notes have also subsided a bit with the malt touches and a new astringency coming in.
-Fourth Infusion: The astringency is really the power player at this point and I’m thinking about taking the leaves to make a cold brew. Not a huge fan of super astringent teas and the brew is taking a turn in that direction.
Now, I was working the whole time I enjoyed this tea so probably if I would have timed the steeps, etc- the tea would have probably lasted for more infusions to my liking. All in all, love the adventure this tea took me on. I’m a big fan of this black tea anyway so I was excited to try a more intimidate way to enjoy the tea.
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Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tealyra
Description
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Jin Jun Mei (Beautiful Golden Eyebrow in Mandarin) is a famous Chinese tea known for its deep auburn golden hue and delicate slender leaves, like a beautiful women’s eyebrow. It is one of the most beloved Chinese teas, grown and produced in Fujian province. In the springtime, the two small leaves are plucked from the stem and allowed to fully oxidize; this full oxidation gives Jin Jun Mei its deep and malty aromatic profile. Jin Jun Mei is made of slim black and gold tips, covered in a delicate golden fuzz. Once steeped, it has a smooth body and well rounded mouth-feel; its taste is sweet, honey-like, malty, velvety smooth and has hints of vanilla. Jin Jun Mei is best enjoyed straight, and try multiple steeping it multiple times! |
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
(Pure Indulgence) Lavender Oolong/Palais des Thés
Palais des Thés doesn’t get over the top with the explanation or product description of this one. Not because it isn’t wonderful but because it IS wonderful and they don’t need to go on and on about it.
Pure Indulgence Lavender from Palais des Thés. Simply put is…the pure sensation of lavender with tea.
This is an Oolong Tea with Lavender. It’s doesn’t get more straight forward than that, folks!
The sweet Oolong used in this offering hails from China and is combined with that stereotypical flower that ‘girly girls’ and ‘grandmas’ adore. I, for one, am neither of those types but I have to give credit where credit is due and say this one really surprised me. There was ‘just enough’ of the flower aroma and flavor to be noticeable and take this tea to the next level but it wasn’t overly loud about it either.
This is a classy tea. It’s comforting and warm. It doesn’t leave a bitter floral aftertaste like some flowery flavored tea tend to and for that I’m extremely grateful!
Don’t assume you will know what this tastes like. Try it before you label it. This isn’t your Grandmothers lavender! This is something really special. It should be shared and celebrated!
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Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Palais des Thés
Description
The pure sensation of lavender with tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
