Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Upon opening the bag, you’ll be greeted with a heavy scent of fresh, sweet cream. We crafted our Milk Oolong by blending our Green Jin Xuan with natural milk flavors for a delightful, creamier taste that’s sure to please.
Ingredients: Green Jin Xuan, Natural Milk Flavors
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club. Use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you join. This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve been spouting praises about Simple Loose Leaf for quite some time now, and the reason is simple: every month, I open my mailbox to a package containing five different tea samplers. I like that. It’s what I call happy mail. It’s happy mail because it makes me happy. It’s not a bill. It’s not junk mail. It’s TEA! What could be better than that?
Well, one thing that’s better than receiving the tea is actually brewing it and drinking it. And this Milk Oolong from my August Selection Club box is an absolute delight to sip!
Sweet, creamy … luscious!
A Jin Xuan Oolong is the tea that is generally referred to “Milk Oolong” because of it’s naturally creamy, milky flavor. Simple Loose Leaf has taken this one step further and added natural milk flavors to give it a very creamy, decadent flavor that goes beyond the natural flavors in the Jin Xuan.
In the tea community, there is some debate on whether or not this flavoring should actually be done. I find that I enjoy both the pure Jin Xuan and the flavored Milk Oolong so long as the flavoring is a quality flavoring, and this tastes like it’s a good quality product.
My first two infusions (following a 15 second rinse) were combined to make my first cup. And the first cup is very creamy and sweet. A background note of nutty flavor and a light vegetal tone. Later infusions were not quite as creamy – some of the creamy notes begin to lighten up as I continued to steep the leaves. This allowed for some beautiful floral notes to emerge. Lily? Orchid? Somewhere between the two. Lovely!
A true delight – this Milk Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf’s August Box! If you haven’t yet joined the Selection Club, well, why not? It’s a great service from a company that provides exceptional customer service. A win-win!
Blueberry White Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Our delicate Shou Mei White Tea is infused with a playful explosion of blueberries, cornflowers and blueberry flavor. The naturally floral white tea leaves fuse harmoniously with their fruity additions. Enjoy this tea any time you feel like a treat, hot or iced.
Shou Mei White Tea, Blueberries, Cornflowers, Blueberry Flavor
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tried quite a few blueberry flavored teas during my time as a tea reviewer, and just like any other flavor, some blueberry teas are better than others. This one is definitely one of the better ones that I’ve tried. The blueberry is strong and exceptionally well-defined. Put simply, it tastes like BLUEBERRY!
The dry leaf is deliciously fragrant, smelling of sweet berries. The leaves are dark and brown and they look like most of the Shou Mei teas that I’ve seen. There are flecks of blue among the leaves: cornflowers. I see some blueberries, but there are not a lot of blueberries in this, but that’s OK.
When it comes to flavored teas, its not the fruit additions that make the tea taste like the fruit flavor, it’s the flavoring oil. So it’s important that when selecting the flavoring oil that a very high quality flavoring oil is chosen. A low quality oil can result in a flavor that tastes fake, chemical-y, or have very little taste that resembles the desired flavor.
Fortunately, this Blueberry White Tea from Simple Loose Leaf has been crafted using a high quality oil – as evidenced in the flavor that I’m tasting. I taste blueberry. I don’t taste chemicals. I don’t taste a fake blueberry or even an overly-candied blueberry taste. I taste an authentic, true-to-the-fruit, abundantly fruity blueberry flavor!
The flavor is sweet with that familiar tingly berry tart note toward the finish. Yum! As I said, this is one of the better blueberry flavored teas I’ve come across in some time. I love that the blueberry flavor is unmistakable … I like that I can easily identify that this tastes like blueberry. I like that it’s sweet and juicy and refreshing. It’s very summertime!
Incidentally, this makes a stunning iced tea!
The Shou Mei base needs to be credited for the flavor as much as the blueberry flavoring, because the crisp flavor of the Shou Mei doesn’t attempt to impede the delivery of bright blueberry flavor to the palate. It is content to let the blueberry do its thing, but at the same time, it doesn’t allow itself to be overpowered by the flavoring. There is a good balance here of earthy, sweet notes of Chinese white tea and juicy blueberry flavor.
A VERY good tea. This is the first that I’ve tried from the August Selection Club box, and we’re off to a really great start! I’m looking forward to the next one!
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I want to let you know that you can save 25% off when you sign up for the Selection Club from Simple Loose Leaf. Just use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 for that savings when you subscribe. This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Tropical Sunshine Herbal Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
Tropical Sunshine is an explosion of flavor amongst a rich backdrop of organic rooibos. With cardamom, red peppercorn, lemon grass, cornflowers, cinnamon chips, orange peel, cranberries, apples, papaya and grapefruit flavor, this elaborate tisane is as unforgettable on the palate as it is beautiful to behold. Outstanding both hot and iced.
Cardamom, Red Peppercorn, Lemongrass, Organic South African Rooibos, Cornflowers, Cinnamon Chips, Orange Peel, Cranberries, Apples, Papaya Flavor, Grapefruit Flavor
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane has a lot going on! And while it may have a lot of ingredients, they all seem to work together in a very tasty way. It is fruity, sweet, tart, and warmly spiced, and I love the contrast in flavors.
What I’m liking best about this particular tisane is that this is more like a medley of flavors rather than a focus on one or two. The different components of this blend work together to create a seamless, unified taste that isn’t really distinctly one flavor or another, but more of a combined effort of all the flavors into one unique taste.
Notes of subtle spice are there from the cinnamon and cardamom. These two spices offer a mellow, gentle warmth that accentuates the nutty flavor of the rooibos and the citrus notes of grapefruit, lemongrass, and orange.
The rooibos is not a strong flavor, but there are some nutty tones. The papaya offers some sweetness, as does the apple, while the cranberry offers a light tartness that plays well with the citrus-y flavors.
It’s a harmonious blend of spices and fruit with hints of nutty sweetness. A really tasty cup – this is the kind of rooibos blend that I tend to appreciate most, where the rooibos doesn’t present a strong flavor profile, instead it becomes part of a combined flavor.
A really tasty herbal that’s naturally caffeine free, it tastes great hot, but I like it even better iced!
Don’t forget to check out Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription. I received five different teas every month! It’s an awesome deal! And if you want an even better deal use the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 when you subscribe to this club and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
Ginseng Oolong Blend from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
A classic Taiwanese Tie Guan Yin (Iron Goddess of Mercy) blended with just a touch of Ginseng for a satisfying sweetness that isn’t cloying. A masterful blend which features a delightful interplay of Ginseng while maintaining the true essence of our tea, giving you the wonderful taste of flowers, fruit, and herbs.
Ingredients: Tie Guan Yin, Ginseng
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m not usually a huge fan of teas with ginseng. I’m just not big on ginseng. I don’t necessarily hate ginseng, I just … don’t love it, you know what I’m saying? It’s kind of like chamomile for me – I don’t hate chamomile, but I don’t love it either.
That said, I’m enjoying this Ginseng Oolong from Simple Loose Leaf (it came in my July Selection Club subscription box!) I’ve had a few different Ginseng Oolong teas in my years as a tea reviewer, but, this one might just be the best that I’ve tried thus far, and I think the reason for that is because the ginseng is mild here. It doesn’t present an intrusive flavor that interferes with my enjoyment of the Tie Guan Yin Oolong. I like that I taste more Oolong than ginseng. I like that a lot!
I approached the brewing of this tea the same as I would most any other Oolong – in my gaiwan. A quick 15 second rinse, followed by a first infusion of 45 seconds. I added 15 seconds with each subsequent infusion.
The first cup (infusions 1 and 2) is sweet and buttery, very reminiscent of a Tie Guan Yin (which it is) and not so very reminiscent of ginseng. I do taste a slight earthy/woodsy note from the ginseng, but it melds in a pleasant way with the sweet, slightly “green” notes of the Tie Guan Yin.
The second cup was a little stronger in flavor, and I could taste more ginseng this time but I also tasted more from the Tie Guan Yin. This cup seemed to be more of an evenly matched combination of ginseng and Oolong tea. A stronger, earthier note from the ginseng. Woody notes. The Tie Guan Yin tasted a little less creamy and a little more sharp with floral notes. I taste notes of vegetation that unite with the woodsy notes of the ginseng and it’s near seamless in flavor.
Later infusions, I found the ginseng notes begin to wane, which was perfectly alright with me. The Tie Guan Yin allowed me to explore its flavors. The floral notes became softer and sweeter, and as I continued to sip, I noticed soft hints of vanilla and notes of fruit that reminded me of a cross between a sweet plum and a ripe peach.
If you want to incorporate more ginseng in your diet, this is the way to do it. And this one tastes great iced! A very tasty and energizing glass of chilly refreshment.
I received this tea as part of the sampler pack from the Simple Loose Leaf Selection Club. You can subscribe to this club – using the coupon code SISTERSELECTION25 and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas.
I love my subscription to the Selection Club!
Yin Gou Mei Green Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Description:
This Chinese tea is often referred to as eyebrow tea due to its eyebrow shaped tea leaves. The leaves are hand picked during early spring to result in a floral and robust flavor without the bitterness often associated with this type of tea. The rich green tea leaves brew to reveal a bright jade liquor with a fresh aroma, balanced earthiness and smooth, subtle finish. Yin Gou Mei Green Tea is best served hot.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Selection Club subscription program here.
Taster’s Review:
It’s been a while since I’ve had a Yin Gou Mei, so, I was really looking forward to having this tea when I discovered it was part of this month’s Selection Club sampler box from Simple Loose Leaf.
Yin Gou Mei is often called “Chinese Eyebrows” because of the cute “eyebrow” shape of the leaves. But, I don’t like calling it Chinese Eyebrows because that sounds … weird and not in a good way. So forgive me for not calling it by that name and instead going with Yin Gou Mei.
And this is a really LOVELY Yin Gou Mei!
This is sweet and creamy with soft nutty notes, but there is a light crispness to the cup as well. There are delicate floral notes that meld with the soft, creamy sweetness. It makes my palate swoon how these two tastes mingle together. It’s very smooth from start to finish, with no bitter notes and very little noticeable astringency.
What I like about Yin Gou Mei is that it’s a little different from the typical green tea in that it tastes somewhat “earthy” but not really overly vegetal. While there is a slight vegetative note to this, it’s not a heavy, grassy taste, nor does it taste like steamed veggies or any of the other vegetative comparisons that I often make. It’s smooth, floral and lightly earthy/vegetal note that is softened with a pleasant creaminess.
I know I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again in the future, but, I just love getting my monthly Selection Club box from Simple Loose Leaf! It really is a GREAT bargain: I get five different teas each month and there’s enough for several pots of tea from EACH of the five teas in the box. Plus you get a sample from the next month’s box to whet your appetite for the teas to come! And there are a couple of different payment options available to you that have been designed for savings and convenience in mind.
And if you want to save even more, here’s what you do: use this code – SISTERSELECTION25 – and receive a 25% discount when you sign up for the Selection Club! This discount is applicable only to the monthly Selection Club subscription and not the retail selection of teas. It’s an awesome service!