Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Where to Buy: Inspired Leaf
Tea Description:
Bold spices and aged tea are mellowed to perfection with smooth caramel.
Inspiration#79 “Age is a state of mind. What’s yours?”
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Yummy! I like this way better than I expected to.
I mean … let’s look at the name of the tea, shall we: Caramel – yep, love the stuff. Chai? Oh yeah, one of my favorite teas. Pu-erh? Um … not so much.
OK, so, I will be the first to admit that over the past few years, I’ve discovered that I actually like Pu-erh. Most Pu-erh, that is. But there is always still that lingering doubt. My first few experiences with Pu-erh really tainted my brain and turned me against Pu-erh, even though most (I’d say at least 96%!) of my Pu-erh experiences since those first few have been positive experiences. But those first few have set some sort of unbreakable alarm that sounds off every time I see the word Pu-erh (or any variation on the spelling).
So, I’m always just a wee bit hesitant when it comes to trying Pu-erh.
So, I didn’t expect to love this Caramel Chai Pu-erh the way that I’m loving it.
Since this is a blend rather than a pure leaf Pu-erh, I used my Kati Tumbler to brew it. I added about 1 ½ bamboo scoops of leaf to the basket of the tumbler and filled the tumbler with water heated to 190°F. I then waited 20 seconds and tossed out the liquid (a rinse!) and then I filled the tumbler with another 12 ounces of 190°F water and steeped it for 1 minute. The result is a lovely caramel-y chai!
The base tea is a Pu-erh, but I’m not getting any brine-y, fishy or overly earthy notes from it. I taste lovely spice notes from the ‘chai’ – notes of cinnamon and clove and ginger! The nutmeg is a little less obvious but I don’t think this blend would taste the same without it. The spices aren’t “spicy” but warm and comforting. The earthiness of these spices melds with the earthy notes of the Pu-erh and the result is a very smooth flavor that you’ll want to curl up to.
The Pu-erh is very rich and mellow. The sweet caramel tones of the Pu-erh accent the caramel flavoring to make a really lusciously sweet, dessert-y kind of flavor.
This is a very autumnal taste: cozy, rich, warm and decadent.
I’d recommend this to anyone who doesn’t like pu-erh because of the strong earthy tones or that fishy-briny taste. This tea doesn’t taste like that at all! I believe you’ll be very pleased with the flavors!
Pu’erh Spice Tea from Simple Loose Leaf
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Pu-erh
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf here.
Tea Description:
Pleasantly perky spices add warmth and sweetness to the mellow mineral notes of Pu Erh. Sweet cinnamon and anise with tingly ginger liven up the palate while soothing the soul. A great companion for a chilly day.
P u’erh Tea, Cinnamon Bark, Natural Spice Flavor, Orange peels, Ginger Root, Aniseed and Safflower
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Simple Loose Leaf’s Co-Op program here.
Taster’s Review:
To brew: I used my gaiwan and after a 15 second rinse, I steeped the leaves for 45 seconds in water heated to 190°F. I added 15 seconds onto each subsequent infusion.
My first infusion had a nice balance of sweet and spicy. The cinnamon, ginger and aniseed offer an intriguing “chai like” flavor which is why I decided to categorize this as not just a Pu-erh tea but also a Chai. The pu-erh is a deep, mellow flavor that is very smooth. It’s a little earthy but I find that the earthiness works to this blend’s benefit. The natural earthy tones of the spices complement the earthy notes of the tea. I didn’t pick up a lot of orange flavor at first, but as I neared the bottom of my first cup, I started to notice more orange notes, hinting at what is to come with further infusion.
The second infusion allowed me to explore some of the characteristics of the tea a bit more. It’s earthy, but more like a mushroom-y earthiness. It doesn’t taste brine-y or fishy. It has a soft texture that reminds me of silky cream and the creaminess seems to translate to the flavor too. As I mentioned previously, there is a good balance of spicy and sweet. It’s not overly spicy, it reminds me a bit of pumpkin pie spice with brown sugar … warm and gentle and pleasantly sweet.
With the third infusion, I noticed a much darker color liquid. The flavor was deeper and smoother this time. I was getting a profound flavor of the rich, aged tea. It wasn’t so earthy anymore. Just deep, molasses-y, with hints of warm spice. The spice notes are much softer now, but still identifiable. A very smooth, mellow flavor.
I found that with each subsequent infusion, this tea just became even more delightful to drink. By the fourth infusion, the spice notes and the tea had become a nearly seamless flavor. The warm notes of spice were still present; they just seemed to taste like they were part of the tea rather than individual spice notes. I managed eight lovely infusions from this tea and enjoyed every one of them.
It’s a perfect autumnal tea. So warm and comforting. It tastes like autumn.
This is one of the best Pu-erh blends I’ve yet to sample. I found my experience with this tea to be very enjoyable – this is a really lovely tea. I’d recommend this to anyone who is looking to expand their tea horizons into the world of Pu-erh. This tea would be a wonderful “gateway” tea to explore the wonders of a Pu-erh.
Aniseed Balls Tisane from Bluebird Tea Co.
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Spice Melange
Where to Buy: Bluebird Tea Co.
Tisane Description:
Award-winning nostalgic aniseed, star anise + liquorice herbal tea blend
This blend won the highest food award in the country. The judges said: ‘Truly original and delicious infusion that packs a true punch.. finally a blend that’s blokey’! It’s also the nation’s favourite childhood sweet. Not just our opinion, it’s fact. There was a survey, questionnaire and everything.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
When Bluebird Tea Co. asked me what teas I’d like to try, this one was near the top of my list. After reading the ingredient list, you might wonder why it was that this was one of the teas I requested…
Ingredients: Liquorice, Aniseed, Star Anise, Hibiscus, Stevia, Chilli.
I mean, this tisane has two of my “I’d rather this tisane not have this ingredient” ingredients: hibiscus and stevia. So you might be wondering why I’d choose this tea. But this tisane also has three of the ingredients that I love to see in teas/tisanes: Licorice, Aniseed and Star Anise! And I guess my requesting this tisane proves that my love for these three ingredients overpowers my disdain for the hibiscus and stevia.
Oh, I’m still wishing that the hibiscus and stevia weren’t in there. Before even taking a sip, I’m thinking that it would be a better tisane without them, although it isn’t really a fair assessment because I haven’t yet taken a sip.
The dry leaf is gorgeous. Lots of whole pieces of star anise! They’re so pretty. It smells delightful too: sweet, warm and zesty.
To steep this tisane, I used my Kati Tumbler. (I prefer to use this device when I’m brewing a spiced tea/tisane like this because when I brew a spiced tea in my Breville, the spices become “embedded” in the tea maker and it requires a soak in baking soda to get the odors to release. Then again, I need to soak my Breville anyway, so maybe I should have used it to steep this!) I measured out 1 1/2 bamboo scoops of the tisane into the basket of the Kati and then poured hot water (195°F) over the tisane and let it steep for 8 minutes.
Ordinarily, when brewing a tisane with hibiscus, I steep it for 6 minutes or less. However, I could see very little hibiscus in the loose leaf blend so I figured that this tisane could benefit from a little more time. Spices need time to get their flavors to release fully.
OK! So now it’ sip time. I can definitely taste the hibiscus. Next time I try this tisane, I might go with 6 1/2 or 7 minutes rather than a full 8 minutes. That said, it doesn’t taste too hibiscus-y. But I’m still wishing it wasn’t there.
That said, this is really quite nice despite the presence of hibiscus and stevia. And for those who don’t really mind hibiscus quite so much, it does add an interesting tart, berry like flavor to the cup. It’s a little bit tart and I can feel the insides of my cheeks pucker slightly as I take a sip, but because there is enough going on with this blend from the warmth of the chili to the zesty sweetness from the licorice-y notes, I find that the tartness doesn’t upset me.
The stevia adds sweetness (obviously) and this is a nice contrast to the spicy chili tone. And take note: even though chili is listed as the last ingredient, this tisane has a real spicy kick to it from the chili! I can feel the heat at the back of my throat. It’s not too spicy or hot. I’m not running to the kitchen to find something to temper the heat. But it is warm enough to alert the sensors in the mouth that something spicy is dancing around the palate.
But the three real stars of this cup are the licorice, star anise and aniseed! This has a really lovely licorice-y flavor! If you are a fan of black licorice, this tisane should be at the top of your must try list! This has a lot of snappy licorice flavor! Sweet and zesty. It reminds me so much of the black licorice candy that I love. In fact, it tastes as though someone liquefied some black licorice candy and then served that in a cup with a splash of hibiscus, a pinch or two of chili pepper and a little bit of sweetener.
I like this served straight up without additions but it would also be quite nice with a cinnamon stick garnish. (I like the combination of cinnamon and licorice.) Really, it doesn’t need anything other than that. It could do without the hibiscus, although I’m not hating that the hibiscus is there. The same goes for the stevia. I like the little bit of sweetness that the stevia adds to this. It’s enough sweetness without getting that funky flavor that I sometimes taste from stevia in teas. Bonus!
Yet another huge win for Bluebird Tea Company!
Tuk Tuk Chai Blend from Tay Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tay Tea
Tisane Description:
This Thai inspired chai is bursting with flavor. Red vanilla rooibos tea provides the base for this infusion mixed with lemon grass, cinnamon, cardamom and ginger.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I really love autumn and one of the main reasons for that is because as I’ve said before, hot tea just tastes better when it’s chilly outside. When that chill of autumn nips the air, it just feels better to hold a steaming cup of hot tea in my hand to warm me up. And no blend of tea does that better than a chai blend.
To brew this Tuk Tuk Chai from Tay Tea, I used my Kati Tumbler and measured out a heaping bamboo scoop of the tisane into the basket. I generally use some extra leaf when I’m brewing a chai blend because I like my chai blends strong. If I’m going to go latte with a chai, I add a scoop and a half of leaf, but since I didn’t want to go latte with this particular blend, I just used a heaping scoop. The rest of the parameters go like this: 195°F for 10 minutes. Remember, with rooibos, you can steep it extra long without worry that it will get bitter!
This chai blend has an interesting combination of flavors. The rooibos base has a honey-like flavor with earthy/nutty undertones and these flavors accentuate the earthiness of the spices in this blend nicely. The cinnamon, cardamom and ginger add a pleasant warmth that is well balanced. I’m tasting each of the spices without one overpowering the rest. The lemongrass adds a bright splash of flavor to the cup. And the vanilla softens the edges and adds a delectable sweet and creamy note.
It’s sweet and spicy, earthy and bright. It has a very satisfying warmth to it. It’s something that would be a nice, uplifting drink in the morning and a wonderfully cozy beverage for later at night. And because it’s naturally caffeine free, it’s something you can drink at any hour without worry that it will keep you up all night.
Peruvian Spiced Berry Tisane from Inca Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tea
Where to Buy: Inca Tea
Tisane Description:
This is our Original blend to characterize the true ancient Incan recipe.
INGREDIENTS: Hibiscus Petals, Elderberries, Currants, Purple Corn, Apple Pieces, Pineapple Pieces, Cinnamon, Cloves and Natural Flavors. This is the tea that the founder Ryan came across during his hike. Its is an enlivening herbal, fruit tea blend of purple corn, berries and spices.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I wasn’t sure exactly what to think about this new tea made with purple corn! Weird, right? But, I decided that I had to give it a try. It was just weird enough. Not so weird that I’m put off by the thought of it, but weird enough that I’m really intrigued!
The aroma of the dry leaf is spicy and sweet. I can smell the cinnamon and cloves, and the sweet notes of pineapple and berries. I steeped the pyramid sachet for 6 minutes (I don’t usually go over 6 minutes with hibiscus blends because I don’t want the tisane to become too syrupy) in 195°F water.
The brewed liquid is a dark plum color (hibiscus!) and smells of spiced fruit. The cinnamon and cloves are still a dominant scent to this, but I like that it’s not overwhelmingly spicy. The fruit notes come through nicely, smelling a bit like a spiced berry compote.
Tasty! Really tasty!
This Peruvian Spiced Berry is the first of the teas created by Inca Tea. It’s their “original.” And it certainly is original, because as I said, I can’t recall ever encountering a tea that is made with purple corn. And Inca Tea’s original is a tasty offering! I am really enjoying the combination of berry flavors and spice.
I taste a bit of corn in this too! The corn adds more of a nutty, grainy sort of background note than a strong, obvious “corn” flavor. This ends up tasting a bit like a liquefied spiced berry cobbler – YUM!
Yes, there’s hibiscus and rosehips in this, and this would ordinarily make for a tart cup, but the warmth of the spices and the sweetness from the apple and pineapple soften those tart notes so that the tartness of these herbs does more to accentuate the berry flavors rather than stand out on their own. There’s still some tartness, but it’s a berry tart rather than a hibiscus tart that I’m tasting.
There is some texture to the cup too, but it’s not coming off as syrupy. It’s pleasantly thick without feeling as though my tongue is coated with hibiscus syrup.
I really enjoyed this – my first experience with Inca Tea! I will be trying more from them – and I’m looking forward to it!