Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Tea Description:
This may have been a long, cold winter, but this exotic fruit-filled black tea is a sure sign of sunnier days ahead. Bursting with fruity pomegranate seeds and big, luscious pieces of mango, it’s like a cross between your favourite breakfast tea and the best juice ever. And since spring weather can still be a bit unpredictable, you’ll be happy to know it’s equally amazing hot or iced. One cup and you’ll feel like dancing for joy. Limited edition.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is part five of a five part review of the DAVIDsTEA Summer Collection.
This is obviously a popular blend because this is the third, I believe, year it’s come back in a row! It’s also the only non-herbal blend in this years collection. This is my first time trying it. Similar to Just Peachy I’m not really big into mango as a flavour, though you wouldn’t be able to tell based on how much of it I’ve been drinking lately. This year I’ve been much more open to trying things I’ve previously avoided, so I figured it was time to try this one out and see what the big deal about it is.
I prepared it cold brewed for my first tasting; based on the smell of the dry leaf I’m expecting more mango flavour than pomegranate though the smell of the tea steeping did smell strongly of both mango and pomegranate so I could be pleasantly surprised here.
The first thing I taste is indeed a very strong mango flavour; but it’s vibrant and juicy and I don’t mind it at all. The pomegranate flavour is pretty strong too. I don’t think I’ve ever tried mango and pomegranate paired together in anything, but they work really well together! The sweet, almost berry-like pomegranate flavour and tropical mango have really great juxtaposition and are just phenomenally mouth watering. I really, really love the flavour of pomegranate but it’s one of those fruits that I never think about or crave so when I do have it I kind of have that moment where I mentally go “I love pomegranate – why don’t I eat it more often?”. I’m definitely doing that right now, and kicking myself for not trying it sooner.
Other notes observed are sweet red apple, not surprising given that pomegranate is often described as tasting like a cross of cranberry and apple, and very juicy, ripe orange. The black base is smooth and mild, providing the perfect background for the lovely array of fruit flavours. Overall, this is a hydrating, robust and ultimately fun tea. I can definitely see it lending itself well to hot preparation methods, or to tea soda!
I may end up purchasing more of it so I can test out both of those methods of prep, though I don’t see myself getting a larger quantity because like I’ve talked about neither of the primary flavours, mango and pomegranate, are ones I lean towards heavily in every day drinking. I finally understand the popularity of this blend, though!
Overall thoughts about the collection as a whole?
Just Peachy and this Strawberry Colada are my favourites and I _will_ be picking up more of each. I’m kind of leaning towards a full 100g of Just Peachy because it’s so different from the other tisanes that I have on hand, but while Strawberry Colada is my favourite I know I wont get more than 50g. I made the mistake of getting a ton of Tropicalia (over 100g) and the coconut turned before I finished all of it. This blend was solid, and I might pick up another sample size just to try it in a few other ways. Coconut Ice and Hard Candy were easily my least favourites, though neither were necessarily bad. But there’s no way I’ll be spending money on either again.
As a whole, I think this is the best collection DT has had in a long time – though more variety would be welcomed.
Thé Vert à la Menthe Nanah (Spearmint Green Tea) by Kusmi
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Kusmi
Tea Description:
Nana mint is the mint used for teas in the Middle East and North Africa. Its refreshing taste makes Spearmint green tea perfect for after a meal.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
The first thing I noticed about this one is how wonderful it smells – fresh, strong, sweet spearmint, right from the get go! I prefer spearmint to peppermint in general, but spearmint teas seem relatively scarce in comparison, so I’m pleased to have found this one from Kusmi. The dry leaf is very dark green and tightly rolled. There’s no indication on the tin of the variety of green tea this is, but I would guess Gunpowder from looking at the leaves alone. I could be wrong, but that’s my educated guess. For my cup, I used 1 tsp of leaf, and gave it 2 minutes in water cooled to around 180 degrees. The resulting liquor is a golden yellow, and smells primarily of spearmint with an underlying hint of green tea.
To taste, this one reminds me a bit of chewing gum, or softmints. It has the same intense initial sweet mint flavour, which lingers decently into the aftertaste. Spearmint is pretty much all I’m getting from this one, so it comes across fairly one note, but if spearmint is what you’re looking for, then it’s certainly what you’ll get. I had thought I’d be able to taste the green tea base a little more, but it remains firmly in the background. There’s the tiniest hint of it right at the end of the sip, but in a blind tasting you could tell me this was a pure spearmint tea and I’d probably be none the wiser.
As a fan of spearmint, I really like this one. It’s sweet, clean-tasting, and refreshing, and makes for a very pleasant cup on a warm summer afternoon. I imagine it’d also work well cold brewed, which is something I’ll have to try in the coming weeks. It’s not as punchy as peppermint in terms of flavour, and it lacks the intensely cooling effect that mint sometimes has, so this tea is just the thing if you like your mint a little softer and more gentle. This is a wonderful offering from Kusmi, and well worth a look this summer if you’re in the market for a mint green tea.
Strawberry Colada Tisane from DAVIDsTEA
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Tea Description:
Picture it. You’re sitting poolside, basking in the sunshine and sipping something cool and refreshing out of a coconut. Okay, so maybe the pool is a bit of a stretch. But with this sweet and fruity, retro cocktail-inspired tea, at least we’ve got that exotic drink covered. With strawberries, pineapple and coconut, it’s like a perfect summer getaway in a cup. Try it over crushed ice with a splash of rum. The only thing missing is the little paper umbrella.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is part four of a five part review of the DAVIDsTEA Summer Collection.
I think this was secretly the one I was most looking forward to, despite the abundance of hibiscus in it. I just can’t get enough pineapple in my life, and Pina Colada is one of the best flavor pairings to ever be thought up, in my not so humble opinion. It’s better than Peanut Butter and Jelly! I think the only thing that could rival it is Ham & Pineapple; and I’m going on scent alone (because I don’t eat meat and haven’t actually tried the pairing) there…
I actually don’t know how DT managed to pull off a collection with only one hibiscus inclusive blend. Well, now that I think about it maybe I do; they stuck coconut in everything. As a company, they’re definitely guilty of over using those two ingredients. Mmm, the dry leaf smells exactly like promised; rich Pina Colada with fresh strawberries. It’s got a faint tartness to it because of the hibiscus. I’m preparing this one as a cold brew; I’m worried that if I make this one hot than the hibiscus will take over too much.
The taste is… It’s amazing.
There’s nothing overly fancy about this blend, if I’m being honest. But it’s exactly as advertised and that’s a pretty rare thing; it’s Pina Colada with semi-tart strawberry juice, and the hibiscus actually blends really naturally into the strawberry. When you get past bold, vibrant strawberry top notes there’s a really solid, fresh coconut foundation and sweet, candied pineapple notes that are taking me back to DT’s Tropicalia Blend – which is one of my all time favourite blends from them. This is definitely my favourite of the five Summer Collection teas; and I don’t know if that’s really predictable, because of how I feel about Pina Colada, or surprisingly given how I feel about hibiscus.
I’ll certainly be picking up more, though.
Rainbow Sherbet Iced Tea by Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Southern Boy Teas
Tea Description:
Creamy raspberry, orange and lime sherbet in an iced tea, from our Southern Boy Teas collection. This is a great blend of finely processed (CTC) Indian black tea blended with organic flavors and sealed in an oversized teabag. Each individually packaged teabag will yield 2-quarts (a full gallon if you re-steep) of the best iced tea you’ve ever had.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is my first iced tea of 2015! I tried this one for the first time last summer, and it was so good I went back straightaway for another pouch. I was a bit of a Southern Boy Teas doubter at first, because I didn’t see how tea could taste of ice cream or sherbet, jello or bubblegum. Somehow, though, they do, and this one is no exception.
I brewed this one up the way I usually do – the bag gets 2 minutes in 1/4 litre of boiling water, which is then topped up to 1.8 litres with cold water and put in the fridge overnight. I usually drink half a jug a day (so just under a litre), and as the tea bag is good for a second brewing, these teas represent great value for money. More important than that, though, is the flavour! This one is out of this world! The sherbet is creamy, fruity, and even a little effervescent tasting. I can detect flavours of raspberry, orange, lemon and lime by turns, although they’re not particularly distinct. Just tiny flashes that skip across my taste buds and are gone. Ultimately, the individual fruit flavours merge together into a generically sherbet-y taste. However it’s done, it’s truly amazing.
It’s also worth mentioning that the black base here, although remaining firmly in the background, is beautifully smooth, and neither too heavy or too light for the flavourings. It gives the tea a decent amount of body, so you know that’s what you’re drinking, but it’s never overpowering, and it’s not at all bitter of astringent.
To sum up my thoughts, then: this tea is magic. You need to try some.
Coconut Ice Tisane from DAVIDsTEA
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal/Tisane, Honeybush
Where to Buy: DAVIDsTEA
Tea Description:
We all know the feeling. Sometimes, you just need a little something sweet. And creamy.And fresh. You know, the perfect rich and frosty summer treat. Lucky for us, we’ve got this tea – a refreshingly decadent blend of honeybush, coconut and cocoa shells. Rich, smooth and totally addictive, it tastes just like a scoop of coconut ice cream. Want to take it to the next level? Try it as an iced latte. It’s the answer to any summer craving. (MK Kosher).
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is part three of a five part review of the DAVIDsTEA Summer Collection.
Ah DAVIDsTEA, your love of coconut is so predictable. I’m pretty sure no one was surprised by the inclusion of an obviously coconut focused blend this season. What did surprise me, however, was the classification of this tea. It’s got honeybush listed as the first ingredient which to me says that it’s the ingredient in the largest quantity and yet this is still listed as a herbal/tisane and not classed as a rooibos/honeybush blend? That confuses me a lot. I’d really like a break down of the thought process that took place here.
Also surprisingly, I had the perfect excuse to do a cold brew for this one and instead I found myself brewing it up as a hot tea! It was alright; the most dominant flavor was the honeybush which again begs the question ‘why did you class this as a herbal!?” but it was pretty equally matched by the strong flavour of both fresh coconut and toasted coconut. I actually did expect a little more coconut flavor because DT had the biggest excuse to go all out here, but I’m happy with the level that’s present. Yummy! It definitely reminds me of coconut ice, minus the ice part. But the crisp, fresh flavor is really well conveyed.
Also, COCOA SHELLS! I’m really happy that DT hopped on board with the love of cocoa shells here because they do such a better job at conveying a smooth chocolate flavour than chocolate chips would have done; plus no oily chocolate goop! Their use here was definitely a smart decision, though I did find the flavour mild in comparison to everything else going on and I don’t know if the blend would have been lacking had chocolate not been included at all. I think they contribute more to the aroma than the taste itself.
I liked this one; probably would have liked it better cold but I wanted to switch things up a bit and be less predictable with my preparation. I’m sure I’ll happily finish off the rest of my trial sample though I do doubt I’ll pick more up afterwards because while this was tasty I just don’t think it was different enough to warrant a need for me. Coconut lover will be all over this one, though. I’m sure it’s gonna do really well.