Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tisane Description:
Kiwi lovers rejoice, your tea is here. Non-kiwi lovers rejoice, you’ll love it too. This tea smells sweet and tastes sweet (not a huge surprise since it’s a blend of different fruits).
There’s a hint of spice courtesy of the ginger bits that gets ya mostly in the delightful cherry ginger finish.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Learn how to subscribe to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
OK, I didn’t have my hopes too high for this Kiwi Cherry Bonanza from Tiesta Tea – the third of the three teas in this month’s Tea Tasting Box from Amoda Tea. I enjoy fruit tisanes on occasion, but generally, I find them to be pretty weakly flavored infusions, and kind of boring, really.
Not so with this tisane! This tisane has a lot of flavor to it! It is definitely one of the better FRUIT tisanes I’ve had (that is, a tisane that is primarily fruit and not so much herbs, hibiscus and other stuff). The only non-fruit ingredients this tisane has is carrot, which is my favorite vegetable so I’m all for the carrot being in there; and ginger, which adds a pleasant hint of spice to the cup … a really nice contrast to the sweet and tangy flavors of kiwi and cherry.
The apple plays a big role in this cup, which is often true of fruit tisanes like this … and that’s one of the reasons that I typically am not a big fan of fruit tisanes. The apple is often all that I can taste in fruit tisanes, and it ends up tasting not like apple juice or apple cider, but a washed out, weak apple water. But, again, this tisane is NOT like fruit tisanes I’ve tasted in the past. The apple here is strong, but, it doesn’t leave the cup tasting like a weak apple water. It enhances the overall cup, adding a little bit of body to the cup as well as sweetness to amplify the flavor of the cherry and especially the kiwi.
I love the cherry here. It is a little bit tart and a little bit sweet, and it is the star of this cup. I like the role that it plays. The cherry steals the show with it’s flavor, brightening the cup with tangy notes and a sweet, juicy cherry taste that is not at all medicinal the way many cherry flavors can taste in teas and tisanes.
The kiwi flavor is what I was most excited to experience though, because there really are very few kiwi teas and tisanes out there. And I love the kiwi! Here, the kiwi flavor is sweet and tastes a little subdued in the midst of the stronger cherry and apple notes, but I find that the kiwi comes through especially well toward mid-to-end of sip, I notice that sweet, distinct kiwi note. YUM!
This is really much, much better than I anticipated it to be, and I’m really glad I got to try it. Despite my woes with having too many tisanes in these tea tasting boxes from Amoda Tea that I mentioned in my Amoda Tea Box post, I really quite enjoyed both tisanes that were included in this month’s box. Sure, I would like very much to have more teas than tisanes in these boxes, BUT if Amoda keeps picking winners like they did this month with tisanes, I would still say that I’m a very satisfied Amoda Tea subscriber.
Lychee Black Tea from King’s Zen Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tea Description:
The dry leaf smells incredible. Lychee fruit is unique and distinct. Hopefully you’ve tasted lychee before, because it’s flavor is tough to compare. It has a natural sweetness that is present in this tea. Mixed with the smoky Chinese black tea, you get something a little exotic, sultry and sweet. This tea is smooth and light-bodied.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn how to subscribe to Amoda’s Monthly Tea Tasting Box here.
Taster’s Review:
Lychee teas are often hit or miss with me. Sometimes the Lychee is just too much – way too fragrant, way too over-scented, and the cup ends up tasting like someone spiked my tea with artificial tasting, nasty chemicals. Then there is sometimes the opposite side of the spectrum, where the tea is lacking in scent and flavor.
But this Lychee Black Tea from King’s Zen Tea – a tea I received in my Amoda Tasting Box for February – is really fantastic. The black tea base is nicely pronounced here – it isn’t hidden behind the Lychee flavor. It tastes rich and smooth, with a hint of smoke and I think that this smoky tone interacts quite well with the sweet, exotic flavor of the lychee fruit.
I have to disagree slightly with the description above, I don’t think I’d categorize this as a “light-bodied” tea. The lychee taste is light (when compared to a typical Lychee Congou tea) but the tea itself is what I’d categorize as a medium bodied tea … or even a medium to full bodied tea. It has a nice richness to it, it certainly isn’t as thick or rich as … say, an Assam tea or a Yunnan tea, but, it has an understated yet satisfying richness to it that is a bit more than what I’d call “light.”
The lychee fruit flavor is indeed subdued compared to some of the other lychee scented teas I’ve experienced. But I think that’s what I’m digging so much about this cup … it doesn’t have that overwhelming lychee taste that almost tastes of chemicals. This tastes light, sweet, and naturally fruit-y, while still maintaining that rather unique lychee taste.
A very nice cup. Thank you Amoda, for including it in this month’s box!
Minty Winter Wonderland from Tiesta Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Amoda Tea
Tea Description:
Tastes just like the ingredients would suggest: white chocolate, vanilla and mint… yes! It came as a surprise to us that the natural flavours of rooibos made their way through all that mint. The honey and almost woodsy characteristics are definitely there. Of course though, that peppermint keeps going and going and going.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m a bit behind on reviewing some of my teas … this tea came in my Amoda Tea Tasting Box for December. The 12 Days of Christmas thing threw me for a loop, and then there was that nasty head cold … but, enough with the excuses. Let’s talk about this delightful Minty Winter Wonderland from Tiesta Tea!
This is really yummy. It is a rooibos blend, but I don’t taste a lot of rooibos here. There’s a nutty sort of flavor – something between nutty and woody – that is definitely rooibos but, it is such a small part of this tisane.
Mostly what I taste is MINT! Crisp, cool peppermint! And the way this tisane has been composed, it tastes very much like a candy cane. The white chocolate gives it a sweet, creamy note … and the touch of vanilla enhances that sweet and creamy note. It is so yummy … it tastes like someone may have melted a candy cane in a cup of rooibos. There is a honey-esque tone too … something I don’t usually attribute to rooibos, but, it’s there.
Overall, a delicious cup of tisane.
Annoucing Another Giveaway – It’s our Season of Giveaways!
This giveaway is now closed, and a winner has been selected. Please watch our blog, though, because another giveaway is on its way … SOON!
The response to our Season of Giveaways has been HUGE! So, let’s keep it going, what do you say?
This week, we’re giving away December’s Tea Tasting Box from Amoda Tea! (Value $15 plus shipping!) I heard about Amoda Tea on Steepster, they started out with tea tasting box that was exclusively for Canadian tea drinkers for their first month (October) and expanded to the US market in time for their November Box. I received their November box and I squealed with delight when it arrived. I love the the packaging and I love being able to try three brand new teas that I had not tried before.
These boxes are FUN, FUN, FUN – Of course, when is it NOT fun to receive tea in the mail? Second only to drinking the tea, it is the best part of my job as a tea reviewer! – and the boxes would also make a great gift or stocking stuffer for someone special (even if that someone is you!) It’s also a great opportunity for you to see what Amoda is all about. I love this company – and I think you’ll love them too!
Here are the teas that were in the box in November:
And you can bet there will be some fabulous teas for their December Box – the box you can win just by entering this giveaway! This contest allows you to get in on the fun for the month of December. The winner of this contest will receive the tea tasting box from Amoda Tea for the month of December!
To enter:
- Comment on this blog post. Sounds simple enough right? Well, it is! Be sure to include in your comment a way for us to get in touch with you should you be the lucky winner of this week’s contest.
To earn additional entries:
- Tweet this contest. Be sure to include a link to this blog post so that those that read your tweet can enter to win too. Also, be sure to add @SororiTeaSister on your tweet so that we can easily find it. This will help us verify the tweet, and plus we like to see our name on tweets. It makes us feel important and special.
- Follow Amoda Teas on Twitter. Really simple, and it earns you an entry into the contest. Be sure to come back here and let us know that you’ve done this.
- Add a link to your Facebook Page. Just mention this contest on your facebook page and include a link so that your Facebook friends can enter. Be sure to add a comment to this blog post with a link to your facebook page so that we can verify the Facebook entry.
- Like Amoda Teas on Facebook. Again, really simple, and it earns you an additional entry into the contest. Be sure to come back here to let us know you did this.
- Follow our Blog! This is really simple to do too. Just click on the button on the bottom right hand side of the screen, and enter your email address. Do that, and then let us know that you’re subscribed to our blog and you’ll earn yet another entry!
So you can earn an additional five entries in this contest, for a total of six entries to win! It’s really easy!
Now, for the fine print: This contest is open from today, December 11, through December 17. A winner will be drawn via Random.org on December 18 and will be contacted privately before the name of the winner is announced. If we are unable to reach the winner within three days, an alternate winner will be drawn until we can contact the winner to obtain their shipping information, which will then be forwarded to the staff at Amoda Tea.
This drawing is opened to US and Canadian residents only, because at the moment, that’s where Amoda Tea ships. If you are a SororiTea Sister, you’re not eligible to win – then again, there’s only three of us, so if your name is not Anne, Jennifer, or Joely, there’s a pretty good chance that you’re not a SororiTea Sister. The same goes for the staff at Amoda Tea. For the rest of you, please enter and join in on the fun!
This Giveaway is now closed, and a winner has been selected! Congratulations to eugaet … he is the winner of this week’s giveaway sponsored by Amoda Tea!
Watch our blog for another giveaway … coming soon!
Awake from Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Yerba Maté & Tulsi
Where to Buy: Bird’s Eye Tea
Tisane Description:
This energizing blend will brighten your mornings! This is a really fun blend that I hope will invigorate and keep you focused during this cool dark season we are entering.
Ingredients: Yerba mate, Tulsi, Bacopa (brahmi), Spearmint, and Currant
To learn more about this tisane, click here.
To learn more about subscribing to Bird’s Eye Tea, click here.
Taster’s Review:
I had a hard time waking up this morning. I just didn’t want to. I was all warm and snuggled in my bed, so comfortable … but I had to get up. Too many things to do today!
This is exactly the kind of tisane that I need on a day like this. Awake from Bird’s Eye Tea is a Yerba Maté blend that was included in their November subscription box.
Yerba Maté – as many of you probably already know – is super-charged with caffeine for an eye-opening experience, but, what I like about this tisane isn’t the earthy/vegetal taste of the Maté (although I don’t dislike that), I’m liking the hint of mint that I taste from spearmint and tulsi – it isn’t a strong MINTY taste, but it is a nice touch. I find mint to be an invigorating taste, and tulsi has a sort of calming effect … which allows me to become alert but not jittery.
I don’t have much experience with brahmi … in fact, I cant tell you with certainty that I’ve ever had this herb in a tea … or in anything else, for that matter. The Bird’s Eye Tea Newsletter for November says that brahmi is an adaptogenic herb, which is supposed to help the body adapt to stress.
OK, so what I’m deriving from that is that this tisane helps you wake up and face the day, stress free! Heck yeah! I certainly could use a little of that!
My one complaint about this tisane is that I wish I could taste more of the currant. I taste the mint, I taste the herbaceous, earthy flavor of the Maté (and of course the other herbs contribute to this herbaceous note as well), but I don’t really taste a whole lot of berry, except in the aftertaste. Not even in the immediate aftertaste, but, after I’ve finished the sip, about a minute or so afterward, then I notice a hint of berry flavor come through – just a wee hint of tingly, tart-yet-sweet currant. I like that … but I’d like there to be a little more.
Overall, though, I found this to be a very enjoyable herbal tisane. It is energizing, as I am just over the halfway point with my cup here, and I am already feeling invigorated. A really pleasant blend – I’m really liking Bird’s Eye Tea!