Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: SpecialTea Brew
Product Description:
Chinese Sencha Green Tea, marigold petals, cornflower petals, fruit pieces, flavor.
Taster’s Review:
This is a delicious tropical tea. It is flavored lightly so the green tea is the primary focus of this cup, and that’s the way it should be.
The green tea is a Chinese Sencha and it is light and buttery. The creaminess from the butter taste lends itself well to a smooth, silky mouthfeel that lingers well into the aftertaste. It is not astringent. It has a mild sweetness to it that melds well with the fruit flavors.
The description does not go in to detail about the tropical flavors that are used in this blend, but, I can detect a pineapple note. It is very much a seamless fruit flavor – like a tropical superfruit. I hesitate to call it “tropical punch” because this tea is in no way like punch. This is green tea gently flavored with a tropical essence. However, you know how when you drink tropical punch, it is difficult to discern which fruits are in there? In that way, this tea is similar. The aftertaste is sweet with a hint of tartness that tickles the tip of the tongue.
This is nice served hot, but it is spectacular served iced! A delightful summertime refreshment!
Mountain Berry Tea from SpecialTea Brew
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: SpecialTea Brew
Company Description:
Hibiscus flower, rose hips, orange peel, cornflower petals & blueberries
Taster’s Review:
Wow… this tea is tart!
Now, I am not ordinarily a fan of tart teas, I prefer things on the slightly sweeter side. But I’m not going to let that stand in my way of offering my thoughts on this tea.
The union of hibiscus, orange peel and blueberry creates a unique flavor – it doesn’t quite taste like blueberry, it doesn’t quite taste like hibiscus. It is like a new berry… is it mountain berry? I think that perhaps “tropical berry” might be more appropriate, but that’s just my opinion.
This new berry – Mountain Berry – has a pungent tartness with an underlying sweetness, it has a very juicy flavor that is very vibrant.
It has been suggested to try blending this tea with other “teas” – such as a white tea or a green tea. I think it would also be quite good with a bit of honeybush. But I think it would be even better as a “cooler” – adding a little bit of lemon-lime soda (or ginger ale!) to it along with a wedge of orange. Doesn’t that sound refreshing?
I didn’t have any lemon-lime soda, nor did I try blending it with other teas… but what I did try is chilling it. It is pretty good as an iced tea, the chill tones down the tarty quality of the tea just enough to make it somewhat energizing.
This is not my favorite tea – but it isn’t a terrible tasting tea either. It is one that I welcome your thoughts on – please try it for yourself and let me know (by writing a comment on this post) what you think of it. I’d love to hear from you!
Assam Reserve from SpecialTea Brew
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: SpecialTea Brew
Company Description:
Ingredients: Assam Black Tea
Taster’s Review:
This is an absolutely wonderful Assam tea.
It is full-flavored with a crisp, pure taste that I don’t normally associate with Assam teas. Ordinarily, an Assam tea is brisk with a malty characteristic and a strong, pungent edge. This tea is also brisk and malty, and has a strong pungency, but, it isn’t quite as edgy as some Assam teas can be. It has an undercurrent of smoothness to it that is sweet and caramel-y and this curbs some of the edgier notes that I often get with an Assam.
Assam teas – that is, most Assam teas – while they are sweet and delicious in their own way, they can become a bit bitter if they are left to brew too long. It isn’t often that I come across an Assam with a little less of that “grumpy” edge to it.
That is not to say I dislike the grumpier, edgier Assam teas – I’m quite fond of them too, because they have their own charm to them. But it IS nice to come across an Assam that is smoother and sweeter – and this Assam IS smoother, sweeter, and has made me rethink what “Assam” tea means! I like it when a tea challenges me this way.
And I like this tea!
It is delicious hot or iced. A drizzle of honey will highlight the caramel-y tones to the tea, but, it is quite good without the sweetener too. And while I usually take my Assam tea with a splash of milk, this one doesn’t need the dairy to soften it – it’s the teddy bear of Assam teas! It is comforting yet bold – lovely!
Vanilla Bean from SpecialTea Brew
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: SpecialTea Brew
Company Description:
Black Tea, Flavor, Vanilla Pieces
Taster’s Review:
This tea is so smooth and delicious!
The vanilla flavor here is very nicely pronounced – it isn’t too subtle or underwhelming. It has a nice richness to it. It is sweet and tastes creamy and it tastes authentic, no artificial vanilla flavoring here!
The black tea base is strong enough to hold its own though, and is not overpowered by the strength of the vanilla. While it is not exceptionally brisk or malty, I don’t know that I would want it to be, because then I wouldn’t be enjoying the vanilla notes that I taste right now. That is to say that this tea is just so delicious just the way it is that I don’t think I’d want to change a single thing about it. It has a silky smooth – almost indulgent! – luxurious flavor to it that I am really enjoying.
While this tea would make an excellent candidate for a latte, complete with the warmed, frothed milk, I found it quite enjoyable plain. It is perfectly sweet without adding anything to it. It is also quite tasty chilled!
This is the first tea I’ve tried from SpecialTea Brew and based upon this very positive experience, it won’t be the last.