Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tealish
Tea Description:
A little bit spicy and a little bit sweet, this tea is the perfect treat to share with loved ones over the holidays. Rich black tea is blended with orange slices, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander, cloves, apple pieces, and pink peppercorns.
Taster’s Review:
As I sit here, writing this review, it is July. The sun is shining brightly outside, and the thermometer reads 71°F outside, and I wonder what it will be like when this review actually publishes, as I schedule it for December 13 … a little closer to Christmas.
A Steepster friend sent me a bit of this tea so that I might enjoy a little Christmas in July, and yes, it is very Christmas-y indeed. It is warm with cheery spices and a hint of orange, and while a spiced orange tea is nothing new or out of the ordinary, what I’m liking here is how well-balanced it is. It has a nice, rounded flavor that enlivens the palate with spices that are gently warm – not hot or what I’d call spicy – a touch of delicious, juicy orange and a robust black tea base.
The black tea here is rich yet somewhat understated. It doesn’t attempt to overpower the blend, but it is substantial enough to hold its own and be tasted. It doesn’t taste like it’s just there, barely standing up to the spices somewhere off in the background. It tastes solid and strong without being bitter. It has a mild astringency that complements the orange notes quite well.
The only ingredient that I don’t really taste much of is the apple. I suppose it probably adds a hint of sweetness but a strong sense of apple doesn’t really come through – but then again, I don’t think it is supposed to. It may be there primarily for appearance sake, or as I mentioned, for a hint of sweetness to accent the spices.
A really enjoyable holiday tea – very nice during the holidays, or any time of year that you wish to bring a little bit of the holiday joy to your teacup.
Mango Green Tea (Decaffeinated) from Spice & Tea Exchange
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green (Decaffeinated)
Where to Buy: Spice & Tea Exchange
Tea Description:
Chinese green tea leaves are combined with flowers & natural mango for a nice fruity flavor. This is a naturally decaffeinated green tea that is great hot or iced. Contains: organic green tea, safflower & marigold petals, natural mango and citrus pieces & flavoring.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
From the moment that I took a sip, there was something a little different about this. I could tell it was decaffeinated, although I did not put my finger on that right away. It wasn’t until I read the above description that I said “ah… that’s it, it’s decaffeinated.”
That’s not to say that it tastes bad. It doesn’t even have the chemical-y taste that some decaffeinated teas have, nor is it terribly thin the way some decaffeinated teas can be. It is slightly thinner than a typical Chinese green, but, it is not an obvious thinness.
But I do notice a slight metallic twinge toward the end of the sip, a twinge that lingers into the aftertaste. It isn’t a disturbing twinge, but it’s there, and it tells me that this is, indeed, a decaffeinated green.
It is still a tasty tea, though. The green tea is sweet and vegetative, and the mango has a sweet, tropical flavor that evokes thoughts of warm summer breezes which is kind of a nice thought as it is very cold outside! I like the level of flavor here, it isn’t strong or artificial tasting, it tastes like real mango. I can also taste a very subtle note of citrus, which brightens the cup, but I think it also accentuates the metallic tone.
A tasty decaffeinated tea, nice for when you’ve had more than enough caffeine for one day but you’re not ready to switch to a caffeine free tisane, a decaffeinated tea like this one makes a nice alternative.
Spiced Brandy Shou Mei from 52Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
This week’s tea is a spiced brandy flavored shou mei with cinnamon, cardamom, clove, black peppercorns and a little anise seed. It’s like a hard apple cider without the apple, or maybe you’d rather think of it as a brandy flavored white chai. However you think of it, it’s a spicy cup of warming goodness, guaranteed to take the chill out of your bones on a crisp autumn day.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I categorized this as a Chai because it is indeed very chai-like.
The aroma of the dry leaf isn’t as chai-like as I expected it to be, though. (And by “chai-like,” I mean the spiced tea that we’ve come to recognize as “chai” here in the U.S.) Instead, it’s very brandy-ish. It almost smells like bubble gum … fruity and sweet, but there is a distinct fermentation to the aroma as well, the way that I’d imagine brandy to smell. Since I’m not big on alcohol or how it smells, I can only imagine that this is what brandy would smell like … but it does smell very appealing!
Brewed, this takes on a more chai-spice fragrance, with the aroma of cardamom, cinnamon and anise being the strongest scents I detect. I also smell the brandy, and the bouquet of the brandy combined with the aromatic spices is really very intoxicating! It’s soothing and relaxing … like something I’d want in a candle or air freshener! I wonder how well a Spiced Brandy air freshener would go over?
The flavor … well, imagine Shou Mei, flavored with brandy and masala spices. Yeah, that’s what it tastes like. The Shou Mei offers a little more body and flavor than a Bai Mu Dan would, and I think with the stronger flavors of spice and brandy that is just what was needed. It is a crisp, slightly vegetative (think freshly cut hay rather than grass here), and light, with a fair amount of astringency which I think is highlighted due to the presence of the brandy flavor. It gives this an almost “warm, mulled brandy” kind of finish.
The spices are delightful here, and I realize that the reason I’m so over the moon for this is the anise. It is in there! Not a hint of it either. It is a prominent spice, but at the same time, I find a nice balance. This isn’t overly cinnamon-y or clove-y. The pepper is a bit of a background note. The cardamom and cinnamon and clove are on equal footing with the anise shining through a little stronger than the others. And that’s just the way I like it. I love anise, and while it can be a polarizing spice, I am glad that 52Teas had the guts to include it in this blend. It really accents the brandy in a very flavorful way.
I’m really enjoying this, and it does, indeed, take the chill off a cold, autumn-y day like today!
Xocolatl From Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal/Spice Melangé
Where to Buy: Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Description:
This lovely blend will get your day off to a great start or can be perfect for an afternoon pick-me-up. It satisfies a chocolate craving without overwhelming your body with processed sugars. All it takes is a little honey or agave added to the brewed tea to create a healthy treat for yourself. Calming chamomile and mints in the blend help relax and calm the nervous system while the chocolate gives its characteristic energy kick and mood boost. Rose petals were added to bring out the subtle floral character in chocolate. Chipotle powder increases circulation and adds a slight smokiness to the overall tea flavor. Cinnamon, ginger, and star anise add a dessert like quality, but also support healthy immune function.
To learn more about this tisane, click here.
To learn more about subscribing to Bird’s Eye Tea, click here.
Taster’s Review:
Recently, the SororiTea Sisters were introduced to a new tea company that is LOCAL for me – well, kind of local (the same state, anyway!) and I was so excited to learn about them! The company: Bird’s Eye Tea!
They are a subscription tea service – which means that for just $22. every month, they send a box with several different selections of teas in it. This Xocolatl is from the October box, and it is a yummy blend of raw cacao powder, chamomile, rose, mint, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, chipotle powder and roasted cacao nibs. I know, it sounds amazing, right?
Because the ingredients are so different from any other tisane that I can remember drinking, and because it LOOKS so different too, I followed the directions precisely … I even got out a measuring cup and spoon! I measured 3/4 cup of hot water to steep with 2 teaspoons of the tisane, and I steeped it for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, I heated 3/4 cup of milk, and I added the steeped liquid to the warm milk and I frothed it a bit with my handheld frothing tool. I did add a little bit of turbinado sugar to the cup just to enhance the spices, and it created the most delightful tasting cup of Xocolatl!
Oh, my… I have GOT to get some more of this! This is amazing. This tastes so much like the hot chocolate that my Latina friends would serve in their homes! Sweet and chocolate-y, but with just the right amount of warm spice. The rose offers hints of flavor and an interesting dimension to the overall cup. It isn’t too spicy, and it is a gently comforting heat rather than an invigorating spicy-hot taste. Every one of the ingredients is represented in the flavor, but at the same time, they all come together to form an amazing taste that is greater than the individual parts.
Like I said, I want more. MORE of this, please!!!
Mint-Chilla Chai-Nilla from The Spice and Tea Exchange
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Puerh, Chai
Where to Buy: The Spice and Tea Exchange
Tea Description:
An organic pu-erh chai tea with creamy vanilla and bright peppermint. A rich, smooth tea that adds a refreshing twist to the traditional chai tea flavors. Moderate caffeine. Contains: green pu-erh tea, vanilla, peppermint, ginger, cinnamon, licorice root.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I received this from a fellow Steepster and I was totally not expecting to! When you wake up to a nice box of unexpected samples from a friend – that is the best day ever! This tea was included in that box. I have never sampled anything from The Spice and Tea Exchange before that I can recall so I grabbed this right away to try! The name of this tea also got me, with its quirkiness.
The puerh base here may not be the most complex out there by any means but it does provide a nice bold backdrop for the other flavors and is strong enough on its own not to let strong flavors like mint, for example, take over.
The puerh has a leather aspect to it, and a slight sandalwood note. A very nice puerh to use in a blend. I would not want to see a highly prized puerh used in a blend personally, yet I also want one with enough character to give the backdrop a good blend deserves and I feel that The Spice and Tea Exchanged selected a good base for this blend.
The vanilla is noticeable and the spices are quite lovely. Nothing tries to take over here. There is a wonderful mint lift which still allows the vanilla to have its time in the sun. Something of an after dinner mint flavor is what I am getting. You know those Chocolate Andes mints in the green wrapper? Yup that kind of mint flavor, so good! Now I am not saying that this tea tastes all that chocolaty but the spices and puerh tend to lead it in that direction just a little.
On the spices, they are lovely! I am not one for licorice or anise in any amount by nature although there are a few blends out there that have surprised me – this is one of those blends. I feel that The Spice and Tea Exchange has captured the best elements of a chai and added the fun vanilla and mint aspects very well all in a really solid puerh base.
I have had three very successful steeps from these leaves and am going on steep four.
This tea does make me want to check out The Spice and Tea Exchange website now and see what other teas they have to offer. I can also order my spices and herbs there as well. That is a bonus! It is always nice to try a new company and enjoy the cup, even more surprising when it is not a blend I would choose for myself yet I still enjoy it. That leaves a great first impression!
