Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté
Where To Buy: Culinary Teas
Tisane Description:
Full bodied and smooth herbal tea. The roasted character of this mate imparts a coffee-like toast flavor. Rich in mateine, which is recognized as a mild stimulant.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Occasionally, I’ll wake up feeling like I could probably very easily sleep another four or five hours, even after a full night’s sleep. I’ll feel groggy and sluggish and not only “unmotivated” but just too “tired” to get myself motivated. It’s on those days when I need a cup of Yerba Maté! There is more caffeine in Maté than in a typical cup of tea, and I need that invigoration … I need more than just a gentle shake to wake me that I can get from a cup of tea.
I usually prefer the roasted variety of Maté over the green Maté, although I’ve come to appreciate both types. There was a time when I didn’t really care for either, but, now, I embrace Maté. I think that those who process the leaf have come a long way since my earliest cups of Yerba Maté, either that or I’m just better at brewing it! Whatever the reason, I didn’t like it then, but I like it now.
This is a very pleasant Roasted Maté from Culinary Teas. The aroma of the dry leaf is a little earthy and warm, reminding me of autumn and the season that is quickly approaching (yay!) It even smelled a little like chicory, which always reminds me of coffee – and that’s coffee in a good way. I don’t have a lot of good things to say about that other caffeinated beverage (aka coffee) but, there was a time when I did enjoy it, and there are times when I miss the fragrance of the roasted bean. But I don’t miss the sicky, icky feelings of nausea a few hours after drinking it.
So, I do like it when I smell something that smells like coffee and I even like it when I taste something that tastes like coffee, so long as I’m not going to be sick in a couple of hours. Fortunately, I’ve never felt that with Yerba Maté, so I think I’m in the clear.
The flavor of this tisane is warm and rich, very much the way the scent of the dry leaf smelled – that’s what I taste. Warm, earthy flavors, but not too earthy or vegetative. Smooth and rich, almost reminiscent of a cup of coffee. And that’s just what I needed today.
Yerba Maté is delicious served hot with some turbinado sugar – that’s the way I’m drinking it now. It’s also nice served straight (no additions), but, I think that the rich, coffee like flavors come alive for me when I add just a little turbinado sugar. It’s also great served as a latte – just add a splash of steamed milk! Recently, I discovered Maté as an iced beverage too, and it’s really good that way too! Very energizing and restorative!
Charcoal Roasted Dong Ding from Tula Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
About Tula Teas:
We are firm believers in the idea that the best teas come from small, family-owned tea gardens. This is not simply a matter of do-gooder wishful thinking, but a high level of firsthand experience with the incredible teas that result from the skilled hands of artisan tea growers and tea masters. The experience, expertise and tradition involved in producing these meticulously hand-processed high-elevation teas dazzle the mind and, more importantly, the senses.
Learn more about Tula Teas on their website.
Taster’s Review:
This is a really pleasant Charcoal Roasted Oolong. When I encounter a charcoal roasted tea, I always worry just a little bit that the flavor is going to have too much of a charcoal-y taste, which can overwhelm some of the delicate nuances of an Oolong.
But here, the charcoal flavor is well-pronounced without overpowering the delicate qualities of the Oolong. I taste a bit of charred wood in the aftertaste, but it doesn’t taste overwhelmingly charcoal-y. In addition, the roasted notes bring the nutty flavors forward, which seems to enhance the sweetness of the overall cup.
This Oolong tends to taste a little less floral and a little more fruity. I taste hints of melon and even a slight citrus-y tone to this cup. These fruit notes give this a juicy quality that is very refreshing and thirst-quenching, and offer a nice contrast to the savory vegetative tones and fresh, herbaceous notes of the cup.
A splendid Oolong. I see that this tea is not currently available on the Tula Teas’ Oolong collection, but, I hope they’ll get it back in stock soon. It’s a good one!
Genmaicha Chai from Culinary Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Culinary Teas
Tea Description:
Genmaicha Chai has delicious toasty rice notes dappled with green tea and a lively spice finish. It is a ceremonial tea union of Japan and India.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love spiced chai, and I adore Genmaicha … so it doesn’t surprise me at all that I am loving this tea.
The Genmaicha is sweet and toasty, and the roasty-toasty taste of the genmaicha works so deliciously well with the warm chai spices. The spices are not overpowering or even what I’d call spicy, at least not spicy-hot. They are warm and comforting and well-balanced. I taste notes of ginger and pepper – I find that these two spices in particular work in unison, providing a gentle, peppery heat. I also taste the warm, sassy notes of cinnamon as well as the cloves and cardamom. A hint of coriander ties all the flavors together in a very pleasing way.
And even though the spices are strong, they do not overwhelm the soft sweetness of the Genmaicha. The roasted rice adds a satisfying level of sweetness to the cup so if you like a semi-sweet cup of chai but don’t like to add sugar to your tea, this chai may be just the ticket for you. The buttery tones of the green tea add a hint of creaminess to this as well, providing a smooth quality without adding milk – which I typically do not add to green teas. I suppose this blend would be quite good with milk, although I’d recommend steeping it at double or even triple strength before adding the milk to avoid overthrowing the delicious flavors of this cup.
Culinary Teas never ceases to impress me with their high quality teas, not to mention their reasonable prices. Their products are fresh and delicious, and they are a really nice company too – I like that they have an online presence.
When I drink tea from Culinary Teas, it’s is like enjoying tea with dear friends!
Dark Forest Chai from Townshend’s Tea Company
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: Townshend’s Tea
Tisane Description:
Dark Forest Chai is made up of honeybush, cacao, carob, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, red clover, rosemary and roasted chicory.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane smells incredible. As I was pouring the tea into my favorite mug and the amazing aroma wafted through the air, it was as though I had been magically transported to a donut shop – believe it or not, this smells like a cake donut that’s been dusted with cinnamon and sugar!
And while it doesn’t taste exactly like a cinnamon and sugar donut, there are elements in this that give it a similar (and very sweet-tooth satisfying) flavor. A strong cinnamon essence, pleasantly sweet, with a somewhat savory, freshly baked cake sort of element to it, which is further enhanced by the presence of the cacao and carob.
The roasted chicory gives this cup a satisfying depth and a toasty element that is very harmonious with the other ingredients, and I think that this ingredient is what gives the cup that rich, freshly baked flavor. It also lends a hint of coffee-like flavor to the background. Coffee and donuts!
I like that this doesn’t taste strongly of any one ingredient, instead, it is a medley of all the ingredients. It is mildly spiced, and while there is some heat to it which continues to develop as I make my way to the bottom of the cup, I would not categorize it as spicy. It is warm, though, and I don’t know that I’d recommend this to someone who is extremely sensitive to spice, but, if you like a medium-warm heat to your cup, this tisane provides that.
I figured I’d like this chai – as I do love chai! – but, what a surprising treat it turned out to be! I love this!
Roasted Maple from Shanti Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Shanti Tea
Tea Description:
We have several maple offerings however this is one of our favourites, combining the natural soft nuttiness of kukicha with maple essences yields an incredibly flavorful, sweet, soft, and fresh profile. One of our most popular maple blends.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m always eager to try a new flavored kukicha tea because there really aren’t that many out there. I’ve managed to find a few, but, really, they don’t seem to be as popular as a flavored Ceylon or Sencha. And that’s a shame, because the natural toasty notes of kukicha meld so beautifully with some flavors … like maple, for example!
This Roasted Maple Kukicha Tea from Shanti Tea is unbelievably good. The roasty-toasty, nutty taste of the kukicha marries beautifully with the sweet, delicious maple flavor to create a very seamless flavor that is positively scrumptious! It is warm and delicious, a perfect autumnal treat … and while I realize that it is now spring, I still LONG for my favorite season and this tea allows me to enjoy autumn even though spring is here.
This tea has a natural sweetness to it and it really doesn’t need additions of any kind. It is sweet enough so sugar or other sweeteners just aren’t needed (but if you want to amplify the maple flavors, try a drop or two of real maple syrup) and I think that milk would overwhelm the delicious flavors (although if you’re envisioning a maple and cream treat, you might infuse this at double or triple strength to make a latte).
As I write this review, I discovered that this tea is currently sold out. I do hope that they will be restocking this one soon, because it is a WINNER! I love this!