Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: David’s Tea
Tisane Description:
One sip of this sweet, rich rooibos blend and you’ll know spring is here. It could be the sunny taste of pineapple, or the exotic creaminess of coconut. It could be the pretty calendula and cornflower petals. Then again, it might just be the jellybeans. You heard us right, jellybeans – that’s what gives this tea its irresistibly sweet and fruity kick. So why do jellybeans remind us of spring? Because they make us happy. Why else?
Learn more about this rooibos blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I think I should start off by explaining that the sampling I received of this tisane had no Jelly Bellys in it (I’m told that this is the type of jelly bean that David’s Tea uses in this blend), and since I recently acquired a large jar of Jelly Bellys, I added a couple of Jelly Bellys to the sample before the large jar of Jelly Bellys became an large, empty jar.
At that point, I felt it was important to brew this tisane as soon as possible, as this sampling (prior to brewing) contained the last three Jelly Bellys in the house, and I feared for their safety.
YUM! This is really tasty. Not surprisingly, it is sweet. The Jelly Bellys melted and added some sweetness to the cup, as did the red and green rooibos – but thankfully, I don’t taste that funky red rooibos sweetness in this! The pineapple, strawberry and coconut also contributed some sweetness to the cup as well.
This is very fruity – like a handful of Jelly Bellys that have been liquified and served hot. I taste hints of the strawberry, but the most pronounced fruit flavors are that of the coconut and the pineapple. I don’t taste a lot of flavor from the rooibos. I do taste a slight woody/nutty note from the rooibos, but, it is subtle, and doesn’t interrupt the sweet, fruity goodness that I’m enjoying.
This tisane toes the line of tasting very candy-like, and I can see how it might not be for everyone … those who don’t like sweet drinks might not really enjoy this. But if you have a sweet tooth and find great joy in jelly beans as I do, you should definitely try this! It’s yummy!
Strawberry and Vanilla from Lupicia
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green with Matcha
Where to Buy: Lupicia
Tea Description:
Green tea with matcha is flavored with sweet fragrance of strawberry and vanilla.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
When you open the bag the aroma that will strike you first is strawberry cupcakes! So amazingly yummy of an aroma to be greeted with! It makes me feel joyful and child like!
I was almost giddy the first time I sipped this tea and months later I still get that same feeling when I treat myself to this Lupicia offering!
I have several teas from Lupicia but to me they are like the champagne of teas and I only tend to bring them out when I have enough time to truly savor the cup! Then I am faced with the dilemma of which Lupicia tea to enjoy! I have yet to be let down by any flavor I have chosen when ordering from them!
Now granted I have not loved every sampler I have received in their tea magazine that comes with any order over 30.00. You will get the magazine for a year. More information on that here.
However, when I have selected my own teas based on my flavor choices I have absolutely never been let down! But I digress, back to this selection.
Strawberry and Vanilla from Lupicia is a delight! If you love strawberry tea I can not stress enough how well Lupicia has captured this flavor in all its natural glory in this and every strawberry tea they create! Add to that a lovely vanilla backdrop and the beautiful presence of roses, a perfect green tea with matcha base, and you have magic in a cup! It takes well to sweeteners although I find them unnecessary. The rose lays perfectly in a gentle unassuming manner gently scenting and flavoring the cup yet would not offend those who are not partial to floral teas. The matcha lends a gentle grassy flavor that is not overwhelming and does not come across as too vegetal. The soft buttery note of the green tea lends toward the bakery sensation this cup provides.
At Lupicia you can opt to get this tea in 50g or 100g in a tin or bagged. Prices vary depending on your choices.
The end result is – I love it – there is no other way to say it other than gentle sweet bliss. Try some. It is light, delightful, and refreshing! Also wonderful chilled!
Strawberry Lemonade from iHeartTeas
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos & Herbal/Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: iHeartTeas
Tisane Description:
A perfect summer treat without all the sugar. A slightly sweet and tart blend. Wonderful hot or cold. Add a touch of raw sugar or honey for the perfectly balanced cup.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I received this as a free sample with my recent order from iHeartTeas. I just love it when companies give free samples with orders – it’s like a little gift and a really nice way to make me as a consumer feel special. And Rachel from iHeartTeas is really so very nice, it’s like receiving a gift from a friend, which makes it extra special.
My usual steeping parameters for rooibos blends is to steep for 10 minutes, but because this blend also contained hibiscus, I cut that time in half … and I’m glad I did. At five minutes steeping time, the liquor developed a very deep red color from the hibiscus, but none of the syrupy texture of it.
It also picked up quite a bit of the hibiscus tartness, though, and I did find this tisane to be quite tart. But I guess it should be, right? It’s Strawberry LEMONADE, after all. Lemonade is supposed to be tart.
But even though it is tart, the sweetness of the strawberry comes through quite nicely. I even taste a bit of the berry tartness which may be from the strawberry but may also be the hibiscus as it often takes on a berry-like quality when it’s infused.
The apple in this blend is only slightly distinguishable, but really, what it adds is primarily a sense of sweetness, along with the strawberry. The rooibos are not discernible. The strawberry is delicious, the lemon is quite tart, a little bit puckery tart. I would rather there was no hibiscus, but it does give the tisane the aforementioned pretty, ruby red color.
Overall, a pleasant blend. Not my favorite tisane, but certainly not something I’d turn down if offered. I enjoyed it, and it made for a very relaxing cuppa later in the evening.
Strawberry Lemon Basil from ESP Emporium
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos (red), Tisane
Where to Buy: ESP Emporium
Tea Description:
Only the best for the spoiled berry, the queen amongst the gourmets … A hint of lemon, just the perfect helping of basil and a carpet of red roses with fanfares! Take this “state visit” home with you and you’ll soon win all votes.
Ingredients: Rooibos tea, basil, flavoring, freeze-dried strawberry pieces and lemon granules (fruit (lemon juice), malt dextrin, natural lemon oil, gelling agent: sodium alginate), red rose petals.
Serving Size: 1-2 level tsp./6oz serving
Brew Temp: 203 to 212 degree F
Brew Time: 8 to 10 Minutes
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I love it when someone wants to do a tea trade and asks me for a tea I have not had myself in ages. It is a nice reminder to dig something out and enjoy it all over again! This is what happened with this lovely red rooibos tisane!
As I have said in other reviews – I’m not big on red rooibos, but once in awhile there is one that grabs my attention. I have had this in my stash for quite awhile now and it is overdue time to savor it again.
Speaking of savoring something – this is quite the savory tea – although it is also quite sweet. It may even be a little too sweet for some but the lemon and basil do a wonderful job of aiding in it becoming cloying.
Upon first sip, the ripe sweet strawberry flavor is most present, then followed nicely by the basil, with lemon not far behind to give a nice cleansing of the palate and taking away the initial sweetness of the sip. I appreciate that the lemon is not too tart as well.
This tea is good cold but I prefer it hot, although I have read where most others prefer it iced. You can let your own taste buds decide how you like it but the fact that it is a versatile tisane is nice.
Roses take only a minor role in the cup so if you are not a fan of the more floral teas I would not shy away from giving this one a try. The rose comes though not in the aroma but in the flavor and only a slight bit yet I find personally I have to really swish the tea around in my mouth to get that flavor. The rose is also present in the aftertaste for only a few moments – as if they bloom quickly and then the petals delicately blow away into thin air.
Another thing I love about this tea is in my opinion red rooibos is a difficult tea to work with. Too many times the rooibos flavor takes over and the other flavors become hidden elements or are not complimentary. This blend works perfectly with the natural flavor of the rooibos, which is why it is still in my cupboard.
One could say this is a lovely summer brew but I am finding it will be a nice tea to sip on in colder weather. Between its savory appeal and the strawberry, lemon, and rose, it will be a nice reminder of the warmer days as well.
A big thank you to my tea trade parter for reminding me to appreciate this good tea hiding in my stash!
Lady Londonderry from English Tea Store
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: English Tea Store
Tea Description:
Our Lady Londonderry Tea is a delightful afternoon tea with a malty floral flavor and hints of strawberry and lemon. This tea is made from black tea, dried orange, daisy white, and natural flavors. This tea is delicious hot or iced, and either way, your family and guests will feel like royalty!
Tea has been a British delicacy for hundreds of years. Royalty, lifestyle, and tea have long been connected. Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza brought the tradition of tea to Britain after she married Prince Charles II. She served it to her aristocratic friends at Court, and soon it became fashionable in London to have afternoon tea. With its light and elegant flavor, Lady Londonderry would have been a hit with ladies and gentlemen!
For the best brew, Lady Londonderry Black Tea should steep in water that has been brought to a rolling boil for 2-5 minutes.
50% or more of this tea comes from estates that are part of the Ethical Tea Partnership. The ETP is an initiative started within the tea industry to monitor and regulate living and working conditions on estates around the world.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This tea has pleased and delighted so many, just even judging on those I shared this tea with in tea swaps, everyone has commented back raving reviews, and good times shared with others and this tea! One lovely lady had a sweet tea party with her daughter and granddaughter, and this is the perfect tea for that! Lady Londonderry steeps to a really intense looking reddish brown cup which you would think by looking at it would really have a strong “in your face” flavor or be really robust but it’s a dainty tea. However it boasts such wonderful flavor offerings that it has also been enjoyed by the men I have shared it with as well! Now, if you are a male reading this and feel its too much of a girly tea for you, just simply order it as a gift for your wife or girlfriend and she will love you for it and you can sneak it from her!
Lady Londonderry is wonderful hot, and excellent iced it has such divine fruity and floral flavors in a rich base that does not get covered by all the added goodness!
While there is no added sweeteners to this tea, it is lightly sweet yet not so sweet that you could not add sweetener of your own, also it takes to milk or cream quite well!
You may not want to add any cream though as in my opinion it already has a sweet creamy flavor and mouthfeel! Add to that the berry notes, along with a light citrus taste, and the best silky malt base flavor that just floats around and dances playfully on your taste buds like butterflies in a garden of flowers.
When I first bought this tea and tried it, I clung to it ravenously! I was sure I would never want to share this tea – letting the cat out of the bag about just how good it is. Yes I wanted to be selfish and savor it all myself, but in time, I realized something this wonderful should not be kept to oneself. It was truly MEANT to be a tea to be shared with others. A tea deserving of everyone experiencing its loveliness. The Lady, as I call this tea, is perfection in a cup. She melds all of her qualities perfectly into this mysterious brew that everyone seems to get a slightly different taste from. Just like women, this tea is complex, but gentle, and LADY-like.
Its interesting that sometimes when reviewing teas, some of the most difficult to review are those that I adore so much. I believe that is because when I really love a tea it is because it is so unexplainable! Some things we just need to try for ourselves.
Lady Londonderry however has been one of my long time favorite teas and has a permanent place in my collection!
I also love the English Tea Store, their pricing is excellent, they have a wide array of tea ware, and treats, and their tea selection is amazing, not to mention the pricing is shockingly affordable! Some have reported that shipping is a little slower than most places but I feel that it is well worth the wait!