I keep trying to write my review, but you guys– all I can think of is apple cinnamon instant oatmeal.
(Okay, let’s back up a sec.)
I brewed this cup of Souvia’s Harvest Moon green tea this morning looking for something calming and settling on my stomach. I wanted something sweet and tasty, but light and not overdone. The dry leaf smells strongly of apples with a hint of spice, which bodes well for what I’m in the mood for.
The literal second the hot water hits my steeper, I am immediately hit with the overwhelming scent-twin of the instant apple cinnamon oatmeal packets of my youth. Seriously, it’s spot-on. I steep for a few minutes, and the flavor matches the scent exactly, with just a hint of grassiness from the green tea. Overall, it’s a pleasant cup, no need for honey (as I often prefer my greens) but there’s the tiniest, lingering thought that I’m actually drinking my adolescent breakfast-to-go. If you’re a fan of warm, comforting scents and chilly-weather-appropriate green teas, this might just be your perfect cup.
In the meantime– I’m going to the grocery store. I’ve got an oatmeal craving to fill.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: Souvia Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but check out the link below to see what is.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Mango Dream from Souvia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Souvia
Product Description:
A smooth blend of Indian black teas with a taste of juicy, ripe mangos.
Ingredients: Black tea blend, mango pcs., marigold petals, flavoring
Taster’s Review:
I enjoy mango teas, but to be honest, I never really have given much thought to how much I like them until right now. I’ve tried quite a few, and have enjoyed many of them. I even created my own mango flavored tea when I was doing the tea flavoring thing, and it was certainly one of my more successful blends. But it wasn’t until I actually opened this pouch and began to scoop out the tea into the basket of my Breville One-Touch that I realized that there was a big smile on my face.
I don’t know if it was the intoxicating aroma of the tea (it really smells good!) or if it was because there were yummy chunks of dried mango tossed amongst the granular shaped tea leaves. But I was apparently quite pleased at the prospect of trying this tea. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m usually excited to try any tea, but, I don’t recall ever having been so happy to be brewing a mango flavored tea.
And one sip tells me that my joy was not unwarranted. This is truly a Mango Dream!
The black tea blend provides a strong base and has a very pleasing, bold flavor to it. It is remarkably smooth, and I think that this smoothness is further highlighted by the smooth, sweet flavor of the mango. It tastes bright and fruity. Sweet and luscious, just like the fruit itself.
At the time of writing this review, I was unable to locate this particular tea on the Souvia website. I am not sure if this is due to temporarily being sold out of this particular flavor or if they’ve discontinued it… but I hope it is not the latter, because this is a delicious tea, one that I’d recommend to anyone who enjoys fruit flavored teas. It is delicious hot, but even better iced!
Talk about a pleasant dream!
Raspberry Mint from Souvia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Souvia
Product Description:
A nutritive blend that will please your taste buds. Refreshing and cooling on a hot summer day.
Ingredients: apple bits, hibiscus, black berry leaves, peppermint, bean peels, chamomile, raspberry leaves, flavoring
Country of Origin: Germany
Taster’s Review:
This is really quite nice. I was a little unsure about it when I first poured it into my cup, because the color was a deep, ruby red and the liquor was a bit thick, and my thought immediately was “too much hibiscus!” However, while the hibiscus has colored and thickened this tisane, it really hasn’t adversely affected the flavor.
Yes, I can still taste the hibiscus. But this is not an overly tart tisane. The hibiscus seems to round out the flavor of the raspberry, enhancing the tartness without going overboard.
For me, the real star of this tisane is the peppermint. I really enjoy the refreshing, crisp taste of the peppermint, and the way it provides contrast to the sweet/tart flavor of the berry notes. And it is just the right amount of peppermint: minty undertones without tasting like toothpaste.
This is a very satisfying tisane … one I wouldn’t mind drinking every now and again. I was unable to find this tea on the website, so I don’t know if it is still available. I hope so, because I’d like to add it to my shopping list!
Sencha Piña Colada from Souvia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where To Buy: Souvia
Product Description:
You’ll take a mini vacation as this refreshing blend sweeps you off to a tropical isle. Smooth green tea with coconut and pineapple in the the classic concoction.
Ingredients: Green Tea, pineapple pieces, coconut shreds, flavoring
Taster’s Review:
Even though I’m not much of a drinker of alcohol, I’ve quite enjoyed many of the classic cocktail flavored teas – like this one.
The Sencha base tastes refreshingly light and crisp. This is a very smooth tasting Sencha. There is not a strong grassy or vegetal taste to this one. It is not bitter, but there is a little bit of astringency toward the tail end of the sip. The astringency is dry and clears the palate nicely so that I can enjoy the sweet aftertaste of pineapple and coconut.
Even though the tea base is remarkably light, the flavors are still well-defined. The pineapple is sweet and tangy and the coconut is creamy. There is even a hint of rum to this cup. The flavors are very unified… I not tasting one particular note trying to overwhelm the others. In each sip, I can taste the pineapple, the coconut and the rum, as well as the bright flavor of the Sencha tea. The taste is delicate and very refreshing.
I like this one hot, but, I think its even better iced!
Grey Duchess from Souvia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Souvia
Product Description:
A Souvia exclusive! We compine the flavor of real vanilla, earl grey and lavender. Mellow and mild, a great soother.
Ingredients: Black Tea, Organic Lavender, Vanilla, Bergamot oil, flavoring
Taster’s Review:
This is lovely!
I adore a good Earl Grey tea, and this takes a good Earl Grey two steps further with the addition of lavender and vanilla. This isn’t an Earl Grey Cream or an Earl Grey Lavender – it’s both! Two great tastes in one (or perhaps I should say three great tastes in one!)
The black tea provides a solid base for this blend. It is strong and flavorful with a light astringency that hits at the tail. The astringency is delicate and slightly dry, allowing for enjoyment of the sweetness of the vanilla tones in the aftertaste.
I find this tea to be very well-balanced. No one flavor seeks to overthrow another. The sip begins with the brisk strength of the black tea, and the bergamot comes up immediately which is tempered with the smooth, creamy taste of vanilla. The lavender comes in about mid-sip, a beautiful, mellow floral taste.
The overall cup is quite soothing and smooth, sweet and delicious. I would recommend this to the tea drinker who finds most Earl Grey teas to be a bit too strong or overbearing for their tastes – this one is very mild and calming. Very nice!