Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Matcha, Green
Where to Buy: Red Leaf Tea
Tea Description:
Boysenberry is an interesting fruit that greatly resembles a big sized raspberry, loganberry and blackberry. Its sharp and tart taste is mellowed by Matcha’s velvety flavour to make a Boysenberry Matcha treat that blends perfectly into the palate. This richly fruity treat is perfect for those people who want to expand their fruit filled snacks with different fresh new flavours. Boysenberry Matcha can also become a perfect hot weather treat to both cool and excite the palate with its enlivening sharp taste. It forms an interesting addition in the occasions of young children with its interesting reputation for being the surprise fruit-based treat.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Boysenberry Matcha from Red Leaf Tea is heaven in a chawan! To me, boysenberry is much like a blueberry flavor, only perhaps a bit more tart. Yet, there is this unique flavor to boysenberry that is almost earthy, a bit savory. It is such an interesting fruit, truly. I love it. Its an excellent palate cleanser as well. Its fresh, refreshing, and just so yummy.
The matcha base is excellent! I normally go with a basic grade of matcha but for boysenberry I selected Royal Matcha base as I really wanted this boysenberry matcha to be a true treat, and let me tell you – it sure is!
Now when it comes to Red Leaf Tea’s matcha you really can’t go wrong, you will enjoy any of their matcha bases and as I said I generally go with the basic grade but now and then I do treat myself. Yes I can tell a difference from the basic grade to royal but I just can’t say enough about how good even their basic grade is.
Strange thing, back in the day…I used to really down the Red Bull energy drinks. I loved them. I think I was craving the Vitamin B 12 but regardless, this matcha interestingly has a similar flavor profile, but so much better, and by far healthier!
I just can’t get over how succulent this flavor profile is. Sweet, yet tart, savory, yet sweet, tangy, mouthwatering, dark berry goodness! Then we have those grassy like earthy notes form the matcha which if you love matcha like me, are just simply divine!
Don’t be afraid of the boysenberry! If you are looking for a new fruit adventure grab some of this and give it a go! I can’t see how you could be disappointed in this one. It is so fresh, so refreshing, ripe, and juicy you will swear you are eating the berries themselves!
As a type 1 diabetic this is a treat that I can have with no guilt! Flavored matcha have no added sugar and are very low in carbohydrates, calories, etc. That is why I stock up on as many flavors as I can!
Darjeeling Mim from Pekko Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black (Darjeeling)
Where to Buy: Pekko Teas
Tea Description:
Country of Origin: India
Region: Darjeeling
Shipping Port: Calcutta
Grade: TGFOP1 (Tippy Golden Flavoury Orange Pekoe 1)
Altitude: 6800 feet above sea level
Manufacture Type: Orthodox
Cup Characteristics: Good body with a classic muscatel character. This quality is only available during June when the 2nd flush growing season is at its peak.
Infusion: Bright tending light
Ingredients: Luxury black tea.Mim is in the Darjeeling area of Northern India. From the town center on a clear day the peak of Mount Everest can be seen. The genus of the Darjeeling tea bush is the Chinese Jat, which gives it the distinctive muscatel character. Because the tea is grown at such high altitudes and in relatively cool weather the bushes do not grow quickly, and as such the production is limited. The best time of the year for quality is during ‘second-flush’ (end May – end June). During this time Darjeelings are incomparable to any other tea in the world. The fragrance and taste is a complex bouquet that reaches right out of the cup. Some would describe the taste as nutty; others find it reminds them of black currants, but most often it is described as similar to the taste and fragrance of muscat grapes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Now I am not as knowledgable on Darjeeling as my SororiTea Sister Anne, so I can’t pretend to know just how good this stacks against others of its caliber, however I am throughly enjoying this tea!
I can taste the muscatel in this tea, the base is great, and the mouthfeel is rich, almost creamy.
Its not AS robust as some black teas but yet it has its own nice level of somewhat roast-y flavor.
As Anne stated in her review, there is a slight bit of astringency not to be confused with bitterness – its like it is meant to be there – almost a little tart, like a fresh grape.
I have enjoyed this tea many times now, but one thing that I find with this particular Darjeeling, that I have not found in others, is a sweetness, not just from the muscatel, but rather a maple syrup flavor that is quite amazing!
It is almost a dreamy sort of tea, one that takes me away from the chaos of the world and eases me into a very relaxed, yet rejuvenated state of mind.
This is truly a stash must have. I find myself reaching for it regularly. Its not just a dependable tea but an impressive tea as well. One to enjoy while reading, with breakfast, enjoying the outdoors, excellent cold brewed, and by all means, serve this to your tea friends, as they are sure to be impressed by its quality. I know that I am impressed by it every time I steep it.
Chinese Flower from Harney & Sons
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green, Flower
Where to Buy: Harney & Sons
Tea Description:
Green Tea with Flowers and Lemon A reinvigoration of the senses. Chinese Flower, flawlessly blended of hand plucked Chinese green tea, three types of flowers, and citrus flavors, yields the most high-caliber tea experience. A synergy between tea, flower, and fruit, every part gorgeously synchronized – crisp citrus aroma that bursts and floral notes that woo, Chinese Flower grasps the sensations. It is a rare jewel in the teascape, its bold vitality spellbinding.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
What an absolutely stunning tea! So many pretty petals in this cup my first thought was it looked like potpourri! It smells divine as well and one could actually place this out on a table in a bowl and enjoy the aroma and colors of it.
The tea has a lovely lemon flavor which is tart but not sour. The floral notes seem to meld nicely enough but I do seem to feel at times – in some sips – that the floral notes are arguing about which is prettiest and going to get the most attention. Yet, somewhere between the floral chaos, and the lemon’s tart little attitude there is a sweetness that shyly peeks through and politely says a meek hello. This is the note that is worth waiting for! Then in the after taste this delightful and refreshing grassy green pokes through from the base!
This tea makes you pay attention, the more I found myself wondering if I even liked this tea at all the more I found myself taking another sip and smiling because I did enjoy it.
This tea is a lady indeed, complex, beautiful, aromatic, confusing, profound, sweet, sassy, and delightful.
I applaud Harney & Sons for using such a wonderful base for this tea as it could have easily been hidden behind all these other notes but it was not lost at all. I find that if you wait long enough between sips that the flowers dance on the grassy green flavors of the base making me feel like I am sipping this cup in a field of wildflower.
Thanks to a Steepster friend I have a pretty healthy sample of this tea here but I already want to buy a tin of it just because I want to have it in my permeant stash in its own lovely home, as this tea is deserving of it.
Its not often a floral tea catches my eye, or the favor of my taste buds, but this tea has so much more going on than just a flowery bouquet.
The after taste is what gets me the most. Absolutely not to make you think this tea is remotely perfume-y because it is not, but it does remind me of an expensive French perfume. Even if this is a Chinese floral tea. Fresh, rich, romantically floral, beautiful, sweet, tart, sexy and expensive, except Harney & Sons, in my opinion, is reasonably priced tea.
If my tea breath smells half as good as this tea tastes lingering around in my mouth then people should be oohing and aahing over me, following me around wanting to kiss me, yes I can be my own romance heroine if only in my own mind!
Oh La La!
Ruby Zing from The Rabbit Hole
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: The Rabbit Hole
Tisane Description:
The tart liquor of this calming scarlet brew is sure to wake your palate and recharge your Vitamin C supplies. Great hot or iced with a touch of sweetening.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
TART! If you’re a fan of tart-tasting teas and tisanes, this one is for you.
Yes, this definitely is Zesty! This tisane is aptly named: It delivers a ZING and brews to a beautiful, deep ruby color.
Fortunately, the tart is not all that there is to this tisane. I probably wouldn’t be able to finish the cup if it were. Once my palate gets over the tart, it finds other flavors: cherry, blueberry, and even coconut! YUM!
The flavors of the cherry and blueberry are certainly enhanced by the presence of the tart hibiscus, as it not only brings out these fruits slightly sour side but also enhances their sweeter side. The hibiscus, of course, is responsible for the majority of the tartness, as well as the pretty ruby-red color and the richness to the body of this tisane. I only steeped it for five and a half minutes which allowed the hibiscus enough time to provide some body without it becoming too thick and syrupy. And as for the tart, I found that this could be dialed down a notch with the addition of a little bit of sugar. I didn’t add a whole lot – just a half a teaspoon of turbinado sugar to my jumbo-sized tea mug – but it really made a difference in the overall flavor.
Generally speaking, I’m not overly fond of tarty-tart-tart teas like this, but, somehow, I’m finding this to not be so bad. It’s actually tasty and I’m able to enjoy the cup. I think that has something to do with the fact that there is more to this than just tart, and the tartness does not completely mask the flavors of the cherry and blueberry – and especially the coconut, which adds a sweet, creamy goodness to the cup that has quickly become my favorite aspect of this tisane.
Plum Berry from Rishi Tea
Tea Type: White Tea
Where To Buy: Rishi Tea
Product Description:
A blend of white teas combined with succulent plum and wild forest berries. It’s juicy with a deep ruby colored infusion that’s tart, fruity and naturally refreshing.
Tasters Review:
If you have followed this blog for a while now you may have noticed I tend to make special notes about plums from time to time. They aren’t necessarily my favorite fruit but they are on my top fruits list! The reason I mention them here on SororiTEA Sisters is because I sometime find an ingredient that I am on the constant search for that perfect taste or flavor or aroma or feel IN a tea. Plum is one of those flavors! Each time I see a tea with Plum in it – I will most likely try it. With Plum – specifically – I am looking for a plumpiness to it even in my tea! So I am looking for a plump and juicy plum flavored tea. Not one that is artificial tasting or barely there. I guess my plum tastes are quite specific one could say.
I’m not going to tell you that Plum Berry is my favorite Plum tea because it isn’t. BUT…I am going to tell you what I do like about this tea and why it’s different and why I would have another cuppa!
The first thing that came to mind when I smelled this DRY and prior to infusing was KOOL AID! Once infused it does smell more like plum and maybe a hint of raspberry. I prefer the infused aroma better than the dry. It is pretty juicy smelling!
Thumbs up to Rishi for creativity! It’s quite plum and berry like and it’s juicy but you can also taste the white tea a little underneath. It might be a little too flavored for some white tea purists but I think it’s alright! If you are looking for a plum or berry fix and need something a little different – you might want to try this one!
