Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Trail Lodge Tea
Tisane Description:
This tea was made by using some ingredients that were used in old fashioned home made root beer. We added honeybush to the rooibos to give it a natural sweetness. This way you can have an all natural, chemical free alternative to soda. If you do want the extra sweetness found in root beer, just add some sugar or natural sweetner and you will still have a natural treat. Caffeine free. Ingredients: Fair Trade CertifiedTMorganic rooibos, and honeybush, Fair Trade CertifiedTM Organic Whole Cloves, and Organic Cinnamon, Organic Ginger, Organic Star Anise, Orange Peel, and Organic Natural Flavoring.
Learn more about this flavored rooibos here.
Taster’s Review:
This Root Beer Rooibos from Trail Lodge Tea is quite tasty! It’s actually a whole lot better than I anticipated it to be. I like that they chose to use a base of organic rooibos and honeybush, I think that the slightly woody/nutty flavors of these two herbs seem to heighten the overall root beer taste, and the natural honey-esque sweetness makes this a very pleasant beverage.
A quick review of the ingredient list, and one might think that they’re about to drink a chai blend, but, this doesn’t taste like the typical chai, despite the ingredients. It definitely tastes more like root beer than it does a masala chai. The spices used here really do create a very “root beer-ish” kind of taste, and they are skillfully blended to keep the drink from tasting “spicy” – rather, it tastes like … well, like I said, it tastes like root beer! All that’s missing is the bubbly carbonation.
I do think that this root beer taste could be elevated even more if just a touch of spearmint was added to the blend. Not enough to make it minty … just enough to give it that zesty note of root beer. As it is though, it’s really quite tasty. It’s good served hot (even though it does seem a little weird to be drinking a hot cup of root beer) but it’s even tastier iced. If you decide to go ahead and ice this, I recommend adding some sugar (go with turbinado sugar!) to bring out the flavors in the chilled tisane.
If you’re a fan of root beer (and really, who DOESN’T like root beer?), you really should try this. I’m wondering how this would taste if I added a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make a float … I’ll bet it’s amazing!
White Christmas Black Tea Blend from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Here’s our premium black teas blended with peppermint, marshmallow root and organic flavors. I know we’ve done a few marshmallow/mint blends this year, but this might just be the crowning jewel. As a few of our 12 Teas of Christmas sampler purchasers have already commented, the black tea lends a faint chocolate note to the mixture of mint and marshmallow.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Oh yum!
I have tried the other marshmallow root teas that 52Teas has crafted in the past, and I’ve enjoyed them all, but, this White Christmas Black Tea Blend might just be my favorite thus far. (I don’t know though, the Sun and Cloud Mist Tea is really amazing too!)
First, I really like that the black tea is not overpowered by the other flavors. I taste the black tea right up front, and while I do enjoyed my flavored teas, I do appreciate it when the tea is not overwhelmed by the flavors. Here, the black tea is robust, rich, and delicious, with a moderate amount of astringency. And as it has been mentioned on Steepster, there is the faintest note of cocoa to this that is quite delightful – and I can’t help but wonder how AMAZING this tea might have been with chocolate flavors too. That’s not to say it’s not already delicious – it is! – but, I’m a chocoholic and chocolate always makes things taste better!
The peppermint is crisp and refreshing. My mouth feels clean in the aftertaste, I can feel the cool mint tingle over my tongue. Very invigorating! I like how the marshmallow softens the mint somewhat though … this doesn’t taste TOO minty. The marshmallow gives the cup a soft, sweet taste that I really like.
What a great tea! I really like this one a whole lot. Well done, 52Teas!
Graveyard Mist from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
Part Chinese sencha, part Yun Wu (Cloud Mist), with marshmallow root, spearmint and natural marshmallow, spearmint and a hint of malt flavors, this is a smooth, silky experience with the sweet pique of spearmint subdued and made ghost-like–subtle, but haunting.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love marshmallows. I especially love homemade marshmallows, they’re one of my favorite treats. (By the way, if you’re looking for an exceptional marshmallow experience, you’ve got to try 240Sweet’s marshmallows!) So, I was really excited to try this Graveyard Mist from 52Teas which is a blend of green teas, marshmallow root and spearmint!
And what it tastes like, is a minty marshmallow in a cup of green tea! YUM! I can almost taste and feel the fluffiness of the marshmallow puff. I definitely get the whole “Graveyard Mist” thing here – the flavor from the marshmallow root and the hint of malt really give this tea a sort of haunting kind of flavor. It’s amazing, and demonstrates, once again, that Frank from 52Teas is a tea genius!
The combination of the Chinese Sencha and Yun Wu green teas provides a delightful base for this blend. It is vegetative, with a taste that is somewhere between sweet grass and mild spinach. It lends a very fresh taste to the overall cup, a freshness that is further emphasized with the crisp, clean taste of spearmint. I like that the minty tones are not overwhelming the cup – as mint has been known to sometimes do. Instead, it sort of lingers in the background.
I love the way the mint and the marshmallow root work together here. It is almost like a veiled, wispy essence of mint … like a ghostly mint because of the marshmallow and I think this plays to the whole Graveyard Mist concept.
Really unique … and so good, it’s scary!
Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Product Description:
Had some extra genmaicha (and a little bit of uji (matcha mixed with-) genmaicha that we blended together to create this awesome blend. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough of anything to make it a tea of the week, so here’s a bonus blend (VERY LIMITED EDITION) for this week.
We’ve blended genmaicha (Japanese sencha (I got it before the earthquake, so no worries) blended with toasted rice) with mini marshmallows and natural flavors. This blend is going to go FAST, and we won’t be able to blend any more for a while, if we ever do, so DO NOT drag your feet about this one.
Taster’s Review:
I want to preface this review by saying that the package of Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha that I ordered was from the original batch, not the re-blend. The re-blended Marshmallow Treat Genmaicha is slightly different in that it was made vegan, using marshmallow root rather than mini marshmallows. In addition, the re-blended batch did not contain the Uji Genmaicha (Genmaicha + Matcha). It is the original batch that I will be reviewing here, and I don’t know how different the flavor will be from the re-blended batch.
Now, with that said, let’s get to the review!
This is AWESOME! I think I have only tried one other flavored Genmaicha from 52Teas (the Malted Genmaicha) and while I did really enjoy that one, this particular blend takes Genmaicha to a whole other level. It is amazing.
The Sencha is light-bodied with faint vegetative notes. It tastes fresh without tasting too grassy. And I really am enjoying the hint of Matcha in there – it lends a creamy, smooth flavor to the cup that melds perfectly with the other flavors. The Matcha contribution is not a strong one, but, it is enough to keep the palate intrigued. And, of course, the toasty, sweet flavor of the popped rice is right on target with the Marshmallow Treat concept.
The mini-marshmallows melt in the hot water, and give just a little bit of creamy texture to the cup, as well as the expected sweetness. (No additional sweetener is needed here!) I really love the addition of the mini-marshmallows, they do really enhance the flavor of the cup. It makes me wonder how the marshmallow root compares.
Yet another example of why 52Teas is my favorite tea company!
Organic Ginger Root from Element Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Element Tea
Product Description:
Ginger has been well researched and is known as a common remedy for nausea and indigestion. It is also anti-viral and makes a soothing cold and flu remedy. Our ginger root is a pure and natural ginger root with no added ingredients. Whether you need ginger to heal an ailment or simply want to sip on relaxing cup, there’s nothing like the real thing!
Ingredients: Organic Ginger Root from Indonesia
Taster’s Review:
Over the last couple of days, I’ve been battling a stomach issue. I don’t know if it is a bout with the stomach flu or if it is the result of something I ate (as this did occur after about six hours following a trip to a teriyaki grill place I had never visited before). What I do know is that I feel terrible and have been having symptoms that I am not going to discuss … why? Well, mostly because that’s probably not why you’ve tuned in to this review. Just believe me when I say it has not been an enjoyable couple of days.
One thing that made it a little better is ginger teas. I’ve enjoyed several others that I’ve had in my stash until I came across this package from Element Tea. And now that I’ve found this, I really don’t need anything else. This is just what the doctor ordered! (Assuming, of course, that I’ve seen a doctor, which I haven’t… but just play along, won’t you?)
This is pure, organic ginger root from Indonesia. Nothing else. But then, nothing else is needed. This is delicious just the way it is, and it is incredibly soothing and helps to calm the upset in my stomach. It has that peppery, ginger-y taste that you’d expect, but interestingly enough, it doesn’t taste as strong as some ginger blends that I’ve tasted. There is a mellow sophistication to this ginger that is a welcome surprise.
If you’re looking for a ginger tea to keep on hand during times of digestive distress, I would recommend this one. Infusing this spice for just eight minutes and adding a drizzle of honey makes for a very comforting and delicious cup of relief!