Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green, Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
In the lair, a dragon dreams sweet, sweet dreams of glittering treasure, ponies, and those who lurk. And destruction. This warm and spicy brew is full of musical depth and fire.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The other day I walked in my living room to see my boyfriend had the second Hobbit on TV. . .again. . for the 10th time. . and I of course had to watch right along with him. My 9 year old son came in a little after and he was also drawn in to the movie. He had never seen it before so it was fun to enlighten him on all things Hobbit related. His eyes lit up when Smaug came on the screen and was rooting for the dragon to destroy the merry band of traveling warriors. Yep. . he is totally my kid.
While we were watching the movie, I remembered that I had this blend and hadn’t tried it yet. This one was created as a Fandom blend for the Hobbit. Honestly, I am not a fan of the Adagio teas on their own, but I do really enjoy them when they are in the Signature Blends.
This one is a interesting and different blend. Green Chai, Assam Melody, and Cinnamon (black favored tea). Not flavors I would have paired together. It smells very much like a cinnamon cake. When brewed up, it tastes like a buttered up sweet potato with cinnamon on it and a tart like finish. Maybe even some sort of sweet potato pie.
It is a unique flavor. That is for sure. I did overleaf it after I checked out some other reviews about this blend on Steepster. A lot of the other reviews said it was bland and “meh”. If I hadn’t dumped in about 1 1/2 tsps more I can see that being the case. I did brew this up at work with my coffee pot water spout and then dumped the tea into ice for a iced green chai. Maybe if I messed with the steeping parameters more I could bring more flavors out. As it is, the cinnamon and spices don’t over take the tea like some chai blends I have had before. It is a very subtle and enjoyable chai blend with a rich buttery sweet potato finish.
Celebration Medley Rooibos Blend from Sloane Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Tea Information:
Sweet spice and delightful seasonal aromas! Meet the perfect tea to get you through the cold months. Warm baking spices of cinnamon, clove and nutmeg blend seamlessly with citrus and the natural sweetness of apple and rose petals. This is a unique blend destined to become one of your favourites.
This tea is available from Amoda Tea.
Learn more about subscribing to Amoda Tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I loved how apple-y this smelled when I opened the pouch. And as it steeped, I was treated to more apple notes – it smelled a bit like apple cider! YUM!
The apple notes are well-defined as are the spices. The cinnamon and clove add warmth and I’m getting a hint of “spicy-hot” cinnamon, like someone added a red-hot candy or two to my cup and let it dissolve. It’s not overly ‘hot’ but there’s just a hint of that candy-like cinnamon-clove-y hot-sweet flavor.
The nutmeg adds earthy and nutty flavors that meld nicely with the rooibos. The orange is more of a background note, but it adds a tangy, bright taste that is rather pleasant. The orange note also plays with the red-hot flavor of the cinnamon and clove.
I don’t taste a strong rose note, but every once in a while I get this lovely floral note. It seems to weave its way in and out, not always making itself obvious or apparent, but this blend wouldn’t be the same without that gentle whisper of rose.
To steep, I used my Kati Tumbler and added 1 1/2 bamboo scoops of tisane to the basket and 12 ounces of water heated to 195°F. I steeped it for 10 minutes.
I enjoyed this and would be happy to drink it again! It’s a little spicy-hot, it’s sweet, it’s fruity, and it’s got enough going on with it to keep the palate interested. It’s a fun and tasty blend!
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 10 from Teanzo 1856
OK, I can’t believe that it’s already the 10th of December! Sheesh! It seemed like this year disappeared way too fast.
For today’s artistic inspiration, I decided to show you a piece crafted by artist Sherri Auld. Like several of the other pieces I’ve shown you thus far, this ornament was part of a 12 Days of Christmas mail art swap I was involved in a couple of years ago.
The photo doesn’t really do this adorable little ornament justice. What Sherri has done is backed a metal cookie cutter with decorative holiday paper and she’s strung the cutter to make an ornament out of it. Then she finished the piece with a little snowflake embellishment.
I love the dimension of this piece. I also love the sparkle that the silver metal adds to my tree! It’s a fun ornament – something that would be awesome to make for that “little extra touch” to top someone’s gift under the tree.
Today’s tea is one that when I started exploring Teanzo’s website, I hoped that they’d include it! It’s YUMMY!
Signature Coconut Chai Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Our Signature Chai has the spices of a traditional Indian Chai, with a tropical twist. With flavors of coconut and vanilla, this Chai is a real treat without all the calories!
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When I pulled the sampler pouch marked with it’s “10” label from my Advent Calendar box from Teanzo and flipped over the pouch to read the tea for today, I was excited! Coconut Chai! Oh yeah!
The dry leaf aroma is yummy. Strong notes of coconut with notes of cinnamon and ginger. It smelled warm and exotic. It smelled delicious!
The brewed tea doesn’t have quite as delectable an aroma as the dry leaf. The brewing process has brought these essences together and they’ve become more melded. I still smell a strong coconut note, but the ginger and cinnamon seem to have become more of a background note. The black tea notes have more prominence in the aroma of the brewed tea.
This is really tasty. I can see why Teanzo have chosen to call this their ‘signature’ blend.
Although they call this a chai, I would categorize this as more of a warmly spiced coconut tea rather than a “chai.” Sure, chai = tea but, when I say the word “chai,” I’m talking about a blend of spices that may or may not have been blended with a tea base (or possibly a base of rooibos or other tisane-type base). I’m talking about a heavily spiced drink.
If I were to blindly taste this, I don’t know that I would have declared it a chai by taste. It tastes like a spiced coconut blend.
But I’m just arguing semantics here, if Teanzo wants to call this a chai – they can! It’s a really tasty blend of black tea, coconut and spice. If you like coconut – it’s a tea that you should try!
The black tea is a prominent flavor – it’s a bold black tea! It has notes of malt. it’s a substantial tasting black tea. It’s got a strong flavor with notes of malt. It’s a powerful presence in this cup and it has some real gusto to it – this would be a great tea to start the day with, especially if you’re looking for a tea with some flavors other than your typical breakfast blend. The warmth of the spices and the sweet coconut notes will add just that change of pace you’re looking for.
The coconut is sweet and creamy. I like how I feel that slick coconut feel in my mouth when I take a sip, however there isn’t that oily taste to it the way some coconut teas can taste. It’s very pleasant. I like the way the coconut is accented by the warm, zesty ginger and the spicy-sweet cinnamon. These spices are not too spicy, as I eluded to before. Instead, they’re a warm, cozy note to the cup that reminds me a little bit of being at gramma’s house while she’s baking cookies. You know, that delicious smell that keeps you going back into the kitchen wondering what’s in the oven? Yeah, that’s what the taste here reminds me of.
It’s really a yummy combination of flavors and one that I’m really thrilled that I got to try. I’m really happy that Teanzo included this in the box! YUM!
Peppermint Ice Custom Black Tea Blend from Adagio Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Tea Description:
I wanted something to help break away from the heat and humidity of summer so I opted for cool peppermint candy (candy cane) tea. I also wanted to be enveloped in a silky creamy sweet dream so I added cream and vanilla flavored black teas. I want this to be comforting, relaxing, a tea that can transport you to fresh powdered snow atop a serene mountain. An escape from reality to a place you dream of.
Learn more about this custom blend here.
Taster’s Review:
This Peppermint Ice Black Tea Blend from Adagio Teas is a custom blend created by one of my favorite Adagio Tea custom blend creators, Rachana Carter. I’ve “chatted” with her a few times via Steepster, and she’s one of the coolest people that hang out at Steepster (and that’s saying something because there are a lot of cool tea drinkers who hang out at Steepster! I call Steepster the facebook for tea drinkers, which probably makes me more nerdy than cool, but that’s OK, I guess.)
Anyway, I’m not really sure how long I’ve had a sampling of this tea on hand, I was going through some of my stash and came across it, but I’ve got to say that it’s held up very well over the course of time. This is really tasty.
I’m not a big fan of Adagio Teas, as I’ve mentioned at least once or twice. Their black tea base that they use for their flavored black teas tends to be very … aggressive and harsh tasting. However, I’ve found that when the flavors are blended like they have been in this Peppermint Ice blend – a blend of candy cane, cream and vanilla flavored black teas – the black tea tends to taste less harsh. I’m not sure why that is. But, it’s been my observation, and so far, of the various teas that I’ve tried, I’ve found this to be true more often than not.
This is a lovely blend of sweet creamy, vanilla-y flavors and just a hint of peppermint. Really, with a flavoring like peppermint, that’s all that’s needed because peppermint can really overpower a blend very quickly. Here, the peppermint is soft and while it does have that crisp, minty taste to it, it doesn’t overwhelm the cup nor does it give the cup a mouthwash-y sort of taste. It’s really nice.
The black tea is strong, but with this flavor combination, I’m not finding it to be a harsh tasting black tea base. Invigorating, sure. But not so astringent that it leaves my palate feeling as though it’s been dried off with sandpaper. (Yeah, that’s the way sometimes a black tea can taste from Adagio. Fortunately, it wasn’t the case here.)
Overall, I’m finding this to taste a bit like someone had melted a scoop of peppermint ice cream and then added it to my morning cup of black tea. It’s rich, smooth and creamy. Minty and fresh! I like this one – another great blend from Rachana Carter!
Thé Des Songes from Le Palais de Thés
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Le Palais de Thés
Tea Description:
A delicious Oolong tea scented with flowers and exotic fruits. Low in caffeine.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Thé Des Songes from Le Palais de Thés is a very fruity Oolong tea! I taste notes of flower, certainly, but, I’m tasting more fruit than flower … and I’m tasting more fruit than I am Oolong tea.
That last part is just a wee bit disappointing, because when I opened the little tin tube of this tea and saw that this is a dark Oolong, I was looking forward to more complexity from the Oolong than what I’m getting because the fruit flavors tend to mask the Oolong just a wee bit.
I am still getting Oolong flavor, I guess I was just hoping for a little more tea flavor and a little less fruity flavor. I think most of what I’m getting from the Oolong here is the texture … that smooth … almost buttery mouthfeel from the Oolong and I do like how it melds with the sweetness of the fruit notes and the hints of flower.
I think that some of my disappointment stems from the fact that the fruit notes are so jumbled together that it’s difficult to discern just what fruit flavors I’m tasting. I taste notes of lush stone fruit … like peach and possibly nectarine. Every once in a while, I also taste a tropical note that is somewhere between papaya and mango. And it would seem that every once in a while I recognize a brightness that tastes distinctly citrus-y to me.
The floral notes are softer than the fruit … but I am appreciating those because they offer an interesting contrast to the sweetness of the fruit.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hating this cup of tea. It’s actually quite flavorful and very tasty. The fruit is sweet and a little bit tart, and the flowery notes come in like a whispering wisp of flavor across the palate. The Oolong has a beautifully soft texture and offers a pleasing backdrop of flavor … I just find myself wishing there was more Oolong flavor and a bit less of the fruit flavor. All in all not a bad cup of tea … it just could be better!