On The Eleventh Day of Christmas, Southern Boy Teas Edition!

My Christmas Tea countdowns are about to come to an end!  Tomorrow is the last day.  I’ve enjoyed trying all these new iced teas from Southern Boy Teas.  Some teas I enjoyed more than others, of course, but, I had fun with this countdown!

Strawberry Zabaglione Iced Tea

StrawberryZabaglioneSBTTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.

Taster’s Review:

Yum!  At the start of this countdown, I was hoping that one of the teas featured would be this new iced tea flavor.  The original Strawberry Zabaglione black tea from 52Teas is one of the very best that I’ve tried from 52Teas, so, just like with the Coconut Cream Pie Iced Tea, I had high hopes!

And this is good … although I don’t know if I can say that I like it as well as I liked the aforementioned coconut cream pie iced tea.  I think that the original 52Teas version of this tea was better.  Then again, it’s been a while since I’ve had that tea so I’m basing that opinion solely on my memory.  It was a very memorable tea, though!

This does have a nice strawberry taste that is particularly noteworthy in the aftertaste.  In the aftertaste, there is a flavor that is very much like the taste I’d experience after I’ve eaten a fresh, ripe strawberry.  And this tea does have a nice creamy, custard-like flavor, although I think that this is where this iced tea pales in comparison to the original, because it had a very decadent, sweet, custard-y flavor that was so delightful.  And while this tea does have a certain creaminess to it, it isn’t quite as memorable as the original version.

That said, this is still quite tasty.  The black tea is brisk and invigorating.  The strawberry flavor tastes delicious and true to the fruit.  The custard-like notes are creamy and sweet.  And it’s a very refreshing iced tea … one that I wouldn’t mind having chilling in my refrigerator on a regular basis.

Frankenberry Black Tea from 52Teas

FrankenberryTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  52Teas

Tea Description:

If anyone from General Mills is reading this, please don’t sue us. My wife suggested we rename this tea Frank’s Berries so as not to get in trouble with the cereal company, but (and maybe this is just my dirty old man mind, but) “Frank’s Berries” just doesn’t sound right to me. ‘I like Frank’s Berries hot with a drizzle of honey…’ Uh, yeah, just doesn’t sound right. This tea, on the other hand, is nothing but right. We’ve paired our premium black teas with freeze-dried strawberries, marshmallow root and organic flavors, including a touch of malt to give it a cerealistic (ie realistic cereal-like) flavor. 

Learn more about this blend here.

Taster’s Review:

I am a huge fan of the General Mills Halloween cereals, although my favorite is Count Chocula.  COUNT CHOCULA, FRANK!!!  Every time I’m in a store and see those cereals, I’m grabbing at least one box, because they don’t last long.  (I seem to recall when I was young that they were available year round.)  So, when 52Teas announced Frankenberry Black Tea as their tea of the week for the week of October 21st, I was happy.  (It also indicates to me that maybe, just maybe the tea next year might be Count Chocula.)

Having tried the Boo-Berry and the Boo-Berry Cotton Candy flavored teas from 52Teas, I was confident that Frank would do this Frankenberry justice.  And, yeah … this is better than I remember the two Boo-Berry teas tasting and I think it might have something to do with the malt addition.  This really gives it that cereal-ish type of flavor.  It tastes like someone liquefied some of one of my favorite childhood cereals and added it to a cup of black tea.  YUM!

The black tea base is robust and full-flavored, and the malt not only gives the tea a “cereal-y” sort of flavor, but it adds a “roundness’ to the overall flavor.  The strawberry is sweet and it tastes a bit candy-like in this blend, but, I guess for a tea that is channeling a children’s marshmallow cereal, perhaps a sweet, candy-like flavor is the way it should be.  I’m liking it!

But it’s the marshmallow that really makes this tea taste like the cereal, because let’s face it, when one is sitting down to a bowl of Frankenberry cereal, they’re doing it for the marshmallows!  The marshmallows make the cereal something special, and the marshmallow root in this cup make this tea something special too.

A delicious, fun, sweet and fruity tea.

1000 Cranes White Tea Blend from Zenjala Tea Company

1000CranesTea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  Zenjala Tea Company

Tea Description:

Bai Mu Dan white tea, strawberry pieces, rose petals, and coconut shred – an unusual and satisfying blend.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

When I saw the ingredient list for this 1000 Cranes White Tea blend from Zenjala Tea Company, I was intrigued.  It seemed like a really unique blend:  strawberries and coconut, rose and Bai Mu Dan tea.

Visually, it’s a really beautiful blend.  The white tea leaves are some of the freshest looking Bai Mu Dan leaves I’ve yet to see!  They vary in color from light green to pale beige and each leaf is covered in tiny, soft white down.  The rose petals are plentiful in the blend, and it makes for a very pretty contrast with the white tea leaves.  I also see lots of coconut pieces and bits of dried berry.

The aroma of the dry leaf is very nice – I smell roses and berries and coconut!  The brewed liquid has a much softer scent, but I still smell the rose.  The pale, golden liquid also has a slight earthy note to it, reminding me of the fragrance I might experience if I were to walk through a garden of roses after a light rainfall.

The flavor is quite pleasant.  The rose and berry are the two strongest flavors, and I notice a soft, creamy coconut note coming through about mid-sip.  The flavor of the white tea is present throughout the sip as well, offering a slight earthy, hay-like flavor that mingles with the other flavors in an agreeable way.

I like that I taste the white tea and as I continue to sip, the flavors of the white tea emerge more.  This tea is not all about the flavoring, and one might think it would be, what with the strong notes of strawberry and rose, but, this tea is not just a celebration of fruit and flower, but also Bai Mu Dan!

So far, I’ve tried a couple of teas from this company, and I’ve been very satisfied with what I’ve tried.  I look forward to trying more from them in the future!

With Open Eyes Green Tea Blend from Butiki Teas

With Open EyesTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Butiki Teas

Tea Description:

With Open Eyes pairs our premium Hangzhou Dragon Well with the flavor of fresh picked strawberries, soothing ginger, and subtle buttery toffee. The chestnut, damp moss, and marine notes of the Hangzhou Dragon Well mingle with and compliment the strawberry, ginger, and toffee notes. Adding a little bit of brown crystal sugar will enhance the strawberry and toffee notes while subduing the ginger notes.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

Yummy!  This tea is really awesome!  With Open Eyes Green Tea Blend from Butiki Teas is a sweet, nutty Dragon Well tea combined with the flavor of strawberry, ginger, and toffee to create a really unique and deliciously flavored blend!

What I’m noticing immediately with this blend is that the ginger is not overpowering.  It is a very subtle warmth that I’m getting from the ginger here, just enough spice to keep things interesting but not enough for it to come off as fiery or spicy.

The Dragon Well is sweet and nutty with notes of vegetation.  The strawberry notes are really delightful  Sweet with just a hint of berry tart.  The strawberry in this cup reminds me a lot of the strawberries you’ll experience “mid-season” … when they’re at their sweetest peak.

And then there is the buttery toffee!  Oh my goodness!  I would not have thought of combining ginger and strawberry with the flavor of toffee – but it works so well together.  The toffee adds a little bit of sweetness and buttery creaminess to the cup and these notes marry so well with the natural nutty tones of the Dragon Well.

The flavors all meld so beautifully together, creating a very unified taste that it almost tastes as though they are one flavor rather than several individual notes.  Everything is subtly flavored and well balanced to create a very seamless tasting experience.  Another awesome tea from Butiki Teas!

Energy Green Tea Blend from Byron Bay Tea Company

energyTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green Tea

Where to Buy:  Byron Bay Tea Company

Product Description:

Brighten your day with this clean, balanced and lively infusion of Green tea, Siberian Ginseng, Gotu Kola and mixed berries. A perky and delightful tea to pick you up in the morning, inspire your afternoon, or energise your evening. A healthy alternative to coffee. Enjoy!

Learn more about this blend here.

Taster’s Review:

I am liking this Energy Green Tea Blend from Byron Bay Tea Company, even though I really didn’t think I would like it.  It’s got two strikes against it right at the start:  hibiscus – yikes!  ginseng – ugh!  But I’m enjoying it … it would seem that it’s a hit even though it started out with a lot going against it.

The berry flavor is strong.  I can taste the currants and the strawberries and hints of blackberry.  And yes, I do taste the hibiscus, but somehow, when paired with berries, hibiscus is less … difficult for me to drink.  Hibiscus seems to highlight the tart notes of the berry and somehow make the berries taste a little more like berries.

The green tea is tasted in there too, although I will say that the flavor is slightly obscured by the rest of the ingredients.  I taste the fresh vegetal tones of the green tea though, and I like the way all these ingredients work together – yes, even those ingredients that I’m less than enthused about!

Overall, this is a refreshing drink, and it lives up to its promise as stated in its name – it’s an energizing beverage that will help get you going when you need that snap of vitality.