In theory, Spring is upon us. As the weather heats up, it is time to say goodbye to heavier winter teas and say hello or perhaps Aloha to lighter spring teas. So what is a lighter spring tea?
Well for me fruity greens come to mind. They are lighter in color and lighter in flavor. And Harlow’s Say Aloha with its strawberries and pineapple and other fruits sounds like a spring tea to me.
One misstep I think they took with this tea was using both a hojicha base and hibiscus. Both are such strong ingredients that they wrestle to take center stage, drowning out the fruity flavors in the process. Personally I think the hojicha base would have provided enough of a foundation to give this tea body and depth while allowing the other ingredients to play a bigger role.
As it is now, there is a roastiness from the green tea, a tartness from the hibiscus, and then a generic fruity sweetness from all the various fruits here. Plus, since candied fruit was used, the sweetness is strong, making for another contender in the wrestling match. These components are making war, when they should be blending harmoniously.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Co.
Description
Houjicha green tea, hibiscus flower, myrtle leaf, strawberry leaf, dried strawberries, dried pineapple, dried plums, and cinnamon dried apples.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sparkles in My Cuppa! Spritz of Glitz from Tea & Tins. . . .
Sparkly tea!!! I love teas that sparkle. It’s not like the sparkles do anything flavorwise but I am a sucker for them anyways. They just bring a touch of fun to the whole experience. In fact, DAVIDsTEA’s Glitter & Gold, the first tea I tried with sparkles, happens to be the first tea that truly captured my heart (because I liked the flavor, though the glitter didn’t hurt).
This tea is a light, fruity delight. It’s like a liquid orchard with definite stone fruit flavors. Sweet and smooth. I think I get more peach than I do pear but the fruitiness of this tea is quite nice, and certainly summery in its vibe. The base is also contributing a slight vegetal note which is actually complimenting the fruity flavors.
I could see this being quite a nice tea pop actually. The soft stone fruit might really pop when carbonated. I could see it being reminiscent of a cider. Though the sparkles might be part of the reason I have this idea since they remind me of little carbonation bubbles.
Flavor wise this is subtle and if you are looking for a strong flavor, you won’t find it here. However, the flavor it does have is just the right amount of fruity. Plus, who could say no to more sparkle in their life?
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Tea & Tins
Description
Loose leaf green tea, nicknamed Spritz of Glitz!
Ingredients: green tea, succulent peach and fresh pear with a glitzy spritz of sparkling sugars!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Be wary of the Wendigo …… Wendigo Green Tea
For those of who know the legend of the Wendigo (and those of you who played the video game Until Dawn) know that the tale is a terrifying one. To sum it up, a Wendigo is a creature that has an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Yes, it does sound grizzly but this tea is the exact opposite!
The Wendigo green tea is definitely a lot more pleasant than the creature by the same name. It has a fresh earthiness to it but it is not too in your face. And since I am more partial to black tea myself I thought this green tea was a nice change of pace. So I believe this green tea will be perfect for black tea drinkers who want a something green but not to the matcha levels of green. And with a teaspoon or so of sugar, this tea had the perfect subtle sweetness to it.
Now on to the price and the steeping specifics of this tea which I believe is pretty fair given the quality of the tea. It is $11.99 for 2 oz and $27.99 for 5 oz. This is also very quick to steep as well. For 1-2 teaspoons it takes about 1-2 minutes to steep. I recommend using boiling water that is to the point of steaming and not to where the kettle whistles. That is about 170 degrees Fahrenheit for all of you perfectionists out there.
Now if any of you are like me, you would be very curious as to why the name of this company is Wendigo Tea Company. Well, I happened upon the “origin” portion of their site and I was happy to find an enthusiastic man named Sky White. His reasonings for starting this company were simple: he wanted to drink the very best teas in the world and I can absolutely relate. And if I say so myself, based on my opinions of his Wendigo Green Tea, he is guaranteed to have another customer for I am very curious on what else he has to offer. Now throughout this whole entire section, he doesn’t mention where he got the inspiration to call his company by the name of Wendigo. But I believe that since Mr. White has a desire to be different from other tea companies naming your company after a Native American legend would be a great way to stand out from the crowd.
All in all, I like this green tea and when I run out I will definitely restock. It has a great mellowness and flexibility to it that I can actually see myself drinking this as iced tea as well.
As always I will be posting pictures of this tea and others to my Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram (official_karatics)
See you for the next cuppa!
Kara
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Wendigo Tea Co.
Description:
I am Wendigo Green Tea -behold my beauty and greenness. Imagine picking up the planet Earth and licking a big green part of it in the middle of spring. That is what you can expect out of a glass of my greatness. Once you have tasted my naturally smooth-yet-complex flavors, you will crave nothing other than to get your hands on more.
My leaves are organically grown, clipped from the highest-quality tea plants, and packaged without any additional flavors or preservatives. Drink me, and you are drinking nature itself.
I am perfect for brand-new tea drinkers, lovers of green tea who want to experience a higher quality than they are used to, and purists seeking something special alike.
You could call me a Premium Grade Pure Organic Japanese Sencha… if you must. But none before me have a taste quite like Wendigo Green Tea.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Eggnog Poundcake from A Quarter to Tea. . . . .
This was the third tea I tried from A Quarter to Tea. I got a small sample because I wasn’t sure if I would like it. I do like a glass of eggnog during the holidays, but when it comes to the tea I was concerned it may be over spiced. I have had really good experiences with other flavored blends from A Quarter to Tea, though. However, I don’t usually go for white tea so this is different for me. I am more so into green, black, and occasionally oolong. I was really excited to try this one.
It was a little hard for me to smell this dry blend because I stored it with a bunch of other samples and to be honest, it smelled like a medley of spices and teas. I can comment on how it smelled once steeped though. The steeped liquid is light, and gives off a custard/cinnamon/nutmeg smell- which is clearly eggnog! It smelled light and tasted light. The floral white tea was a perfect backdrop for eggnog and custard flavors. This tea was smooth and custardy with a perfect balance of floral and cinnamon. The custard taste came out more when the tea cooled significantly. The spices were very light and airy and just really accented the floral white tea. I’d say this was an accurate eggnog representation and very well put together. I think samples of this are still available on their website!
Overall I have been really impressed with A Quarter to Tea, and I just placed another order with them so more review to come. Stay tuned!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
White peony with a delicious eggy vanilla custard flavor and pastry notes and classical eggnog spices.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Super Starling’s Top Ten Wanna-Try Teas. . . . .
I have a long list of to-try teas, but these ten take the top!
The Bees Teas, S’mores
If you click on the tea, you will notice the ingredient list:
“Black Tea, Green Tea, Cocoa Beans, Barley, Chocolate Flakes, Apple, Vanilla, Yogurt Bits, Sea Salt, Cocoa Powder, Dried Marshmallows, Graham Cracker Cookie Bits, Citric Acid”
I love teas with a ton of ingredients. What the heck is that going to taste like? Put it in my mouth post-haste.
52Teas, Patridgeberry In A Pear Tea
Speaking of ingredients… What’s a partridgeberry?! Have I tried one before and not noticed? I need to try this.
Whispering Pines, Wild Grey
“A warm, sweet citrus note mingles with creamy cocoa, sweet potato, and light spice.”
I am deeply curious about a “sweet potato” tea.
August Uncommon: Indigo
If you have several moments to spare, read this description:
“An ordinary door leads downstairs to a shoebox nightclub. Your eyes adjust to the darkness of a room dotted with candles and a spotlight. From the first sip, this tea is smoky and spiritous. At the heart of the tea, you taste burnt orange, aromatic herbs, vanilla and allspice. The tea finishes with blackberry and the pleasant bittersweetness of Italian amaro and rye whiskey. Milk mellows the tea’s smokiness and plays up its sweet orange notes. Slow insistent strains of music are muted by cascades of laughter and conversation.”
Wait. What?
Give me this. Don’t let the crazy-description train leave the station without me.
Liquid Proust, Oolong Spa
Speaking of descriptions catching my eye, this tea allegedly tastes like:
“[the] middle of [a] forest in autumn while surrounded by lavender flowers as [you’re] eating a cream puff with a dab of honey.”
Would YOU turn that experience down?
Tea Hippies, King Arthur’s Royal Tea
Here’s a historical listing:
“Sip like a true royal with this King Arthur inspired tea! It’s fun and fruity and a little bit sweet, with a hint of citrus for that true sassy character.”
Was… King Arthur… sassy?
That adds an LGBT element to the mythos I hadn’t considered.
Art of Tea, Happy
Is that a guarantee? I want assurance of forthcoming joy.
A Quarter To Tea: Tiramisu Ooolong
I don’t have any quips about this tea — just a desire to have it in my face.
Palais des Thes: Montagne Bleue
INTERESTING COMBINATION OF INGREDIENTS ALERT!
“Honey, lavender, blueberry, strawberry and rhubarb.”
Okay. You have my attention.
and, last but not least:
Harney & Sons, Fruits D’Alsace
“Inspired by the delicious Alsatian cuisine of Chef Jean Joho, this is a dessert tea with the flavors of the tree fruits from that region of France: apricots, cherries and plums.”
Call me uncultured, but I don’t know who that guy is. The tea sounds really good, though.
What do you want to try, Internet?
