Hi Tea Friends! Today I will be reviewing Cinnamon Squirrel from Totem Tea which is an apple and cinnamon Rooibos blend. This particular sample is bagged though it is also available as loose leaf. Let’s just take a moment and mention the packaging, how adorable! It’s an orange smiley squirrel face that makes me smile with the cuteness overload. The teabags are pyramid shaped biodegradable bags.
Totem Tea guarantee that all of their teas are: • Certified Organic • Whole Leaf • Ethically Sourced • Vegan Friendly • Free from artificial flavourings • All packaging is eco friendly
A little more on that packaging, what does eco friendly mean these days? Well Totem Tea state that the cellophane bags, pyramid bags and the pouches are all biodegradable. Plus as always the paper labels can be recycled and are actually made from recycled paper. Not only that but all orders are packed in recycled materials such as cardboard boxes and paper packing materials.
Now that is what you call eco friendly! How fantastic!
Back to the tea. Opening the bag (which we now know is biodegradable) I can smell a strong yet sweet cinnamon, Rooibos and fruit blend that bursts with sweetness. It was actually the strongest of the three samples I received l, or at least the first one that caught my attention. I couldn’t tell it was apple fruit wise but it clicked once I read the ingredients.
Ingredients: Rooibos, apple, mango pieces, cinnamon sticks, fennel, clove, liquorice root and natural flavouring.
One bag in my tea cup will steep for 9 minutes thanks to the steeping information on the back of the cute squirrel face.
Once steeped the resulting orange tea bares a sweet Rooibos scent that is somewhat thick with a hint of cinnamon. Less sweet and fruity than the raw form. The first sip reveals a delicate Rooibos flavour that thickens in the after taste, leaving a well of creamy apple and just a hint of cinnamon.
The Rooibos is dominant of the flavours but it’s clean tasting and not too powerful, though there is some dryness in the after taste. It’s also got a refreshing feel which is possibly the clove and licorice root coming into play.
It’s a pleasant blend that is rather inoffensive, and in personal taste I find this a drinkable Rooibos blend for someone that tends to dislike it. Rooibos has always been hit or miss with no in between for me but perhaps the organic nature and flavour of this blend makes it more likeable due to its soft nature.
I can only ponder, but for now I will admit this was a nice blend that I know will happily be added to my tea cupboard. Look out for two more Totem Tea reviews coming very soon!
Until then, happy steeping!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Totem Tea
Description
This naturally caffeine-free rooibos has been blended with real pieces of apple and cinnamon sticks. Just like a scrumpious home-made baked apple pie…in a cup!
12 biodegradable pyramids, freshly hand prepared for optimal scent and taste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Blood Orange Herbal from Simple Loose Leaf. . . .
I purchased myself a subscription to Simple Loose Leaf because I simply did not have enough tea in my house. *
* (Full disclosure: this is a filthy, no-holds-barred lie).
My most recent package had an Earl Grey tea, a genmaicha, an oolong, and this herbal tea, which I think is a nice, well-rounded mix. Lots of flavor profiles. Great intro, especially to someone who perhaps doesn’t know tea very well.
The Blood Orange Herbal contains “Rooibos, Orange peel, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Apple pieces, Safflowers, and Rose petals with Orange, vanilla, and lemon flavor.” Simple Loose Leaf says this is a summery blend, which I totally agree with, so I decided to ice it to accompany my dinner.
I’m glad I did! The sweetness of the rooibos and apple play nicely against the tang of the orange and hibiscus. A velvety sweet lemon balances gallantly atop the tableau, almost an afterthought, a kiss.
This tea is essentially a maypole dance of flavors. It has me looking forward to when the spring/summer finally comes. This tea gives me hope that sunshine is around the corner!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Description
Blood Orange is a melody of orange and apple with the earthy flavor of rooibos as the backdrop. It will remind you of summer no matter the time of year.
Ingredients: Rooibos, Orange peel, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Apple pieces, Safflowers, and Rose petals with Orange, vanilla, and lemon flavor
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lemon Raspberry Rooibos from Simpson and Vail. . .
Interesting tidbits about this tea blend before I get to my review part…one being that Simpson & Vail has the name Lemon Raspberry Rooibos trademarked and the other being that this is a black tea and rooibos based blend.
Ingredients include Black teas, Rooibos, organic lemon peel, organic raspberry leaves and natural flavors.
The lemon is truly lovely here and more prominent than the other flavors which I love about the offering. The rooibos contributes to the sweet in the sip but it doesn’t speak too loudly. The ratio is ‘just enough’. The black tea in this loose leaf is of medium strength and paired with the rooibos gives it the beautiful color in the cup once infused. The raspberry leaves give it that hint of herb that seems to bring it all together.
I was reading where someone suggested to add a bit of this to vodka to make a sweet and fruity cocktail. I just might have to try that. Until then – I will enjoy this both hot and cold! You really can’t go wrong with Lemon Raspberry Rooibos from Simpson & Vail…and remember…it’s trademarked…so it MUST be good, right!? RIGHT!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
We have blended this “miracle tea” with black teas and herbs to create a wonderfully refreshing beverage. Enjoy hot or cold.
Ingredients: Black teas, Rooibos, organic lemon peel, organic raspberry leaves and natural flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tropical Fruit from Storehouse Tea. . . .
Confession: I’ve written two reviews for this tea. The first review was written longhand in my journal after a party where I made a few non-tea-beverage tactical errors. It said:
“This tea tastes like what’d it be like to receive a Care Bear Stare.”
The rest of it is, basically, incomprehensible, mostly in terms of handwriting. So I’m writing it again.
“Tropical Fruit” ‘s ingredients include organic orange peel, organic apple, organic rose petals, organic calendula, and natural fruit flavors. Apples, oranges, and flowers aren’t really all that tropical, but the result is still sweet and fun anyway. It tastes like very vivid pastels might taste. I’d probably qualify this taste as more of a “spring” than a “summer” (as the tropics might be), but the accuracy of title-to-flavor isn’t one of my major sticking points.
I’ve drank both of these samples iced. It seems fitting to enjoy the tropics with a cool beverage at your hand.
Cold temperatures also seem to bring out the sweetness in a tea, which I especially enjoy doing with rooibos. It brings out a velvety, vanilla-like quality that makes everything taste like a wash of ice cream.
Or, you know, the Care Bear Stare.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Storehouse Tea
Description
Combines natural exotic tropical fruit flavors with caffeine free, Fair Trade red and green rooibos makes this infusion deliciously refreshing and rich in anti-oxidants. Excellent iced.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Razzleberry Rooibos from 52Teas. . . .
I am always on the lookout for good caffeine-free options. Always. It seems like my cupboard is comprised of mostly black teas but I don’t want to be drinking cup after cup of caffeinated blends just before bed. So…the search is always on and I am always open to suggestions.
Recently, I was browsing the 52 Teas site and noticed this tea, Razzleberry Rooibos, was still available in both large and taster size and since I had an unopened taster bag at home, I decided to try it out to see if it was a blend I might want to stock up on.
This tea is a blend of green and red rooibos with blackberries, raspberries, and natural flavors.
Flavorwise, I get mostly red rooibos if I am being honest. It’s a mellow rooibos flavor that is neither medicinal nor woody and melds with the slight berry flavor that is present. It is sweet, not overly so but more generic than distinctly berry, even though the berry flavor pops up every now and again.
I love 52 Teas but this blend leaves me wanting more. More berry flavor. More razzledazzle.
So this isn’t going to be a caffeine-free staple in my cupboard but 52 Teas has many offerings for me to search through so I am not discouraged.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
Here at 52Teas, we’ve had a few different variations on the Razzleberry (Raspberry & Blackberry) flavor – and they’ve all been so delicious that I see no reason why we should stop exploring all that’s Razzleberry! This time, we’ve flavored a combination of organic green and red rooibos. The result is a slightly tart, deliciously sweet berry tea that’s naturally caffeine free!
The base is light, slightly fruity with hints of nutty warmth. The berry flavor is bright and tempting! Tasty!
Taster size is approximately 15g
organic ingredients: green rooibos, red rooibos, blackberries, raspberries and natural flavors
