Sometimes flavored green teas and I don’t get along. I don’t know if a sharper base is usually used or if my stomach – and tastebuds – sometimes object to the flavorings themselves. I looked up the ingredients on this one to see if I needed to brace myself before sipping, but I am hopeful since this isn’t technically a flavored tea but rather a blend of lots of ingredients.
And this tea is a blend of wonderful things that I need! The base is Chinese green, and the herb sideritis from which Greek Mountain tea or shepherd’s tea is made is in there as well. This herb has long been used as a folk remedy for soothing stomach ailments as well as for treating colds. Thyme and juniper berry are savory smooth ingredients, and olive leaves are also in the mix, giving a richer body to the tea, all also touted for health benefits. There are also apple pieces and calendula petals.
The tea itself is warm and embracing as I sip. I can taste the thyme, not strong but easy to pick up since I usually put French thyme in my omelette. (Today I used oregano instead.) Perhaps it is the juniper berry adding the warm hug. It could be the sideritis, but I have never tasted it on its own so I don’t know exactly what it contributes to the flavor profile. I have no worries about post-breakfast heartburn today.
Bottom line – this is a warm and savory cuppa that did very well as a breakfast tea, holding its own when served with an oniony omelette, and did NOT eat up my poor gastritis prone tummy! Hooray!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: Balcony Tea
Description
This blend is inspired by flavours and aromas that bring back childhood memories of walks through Mediterranean valleys. An invigorating blend of green tea, sweet apple and mountain herbs.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hazelnut. . .Chocolate. . .Yerba Mate. . . Mocha Nut Mate from Adagio Teas
Okay, full disclosure here, I was really hesitant about this blend. I am not a fan of mocha/coffee flavor at all. I switched from coffee to tea a long time ago and don’t really like tea that tastes like coffee. However, the smell of the dry leaf was enticing me because I could smell the hazelnut and chocolate and it smelled delicious. I’ve never had mate before and I hear its loaded with caffeine, so if you are looking for an energy boost this just may be a great tea for you.
The steeped liquid looked as dark as coffee and I feel like if I added a little cream you would have thought it was coffee in my cup opposed to tea! I added just a pinch of agave to this one, and that’s usual for me, but I really did it because this blend includes dark chocolate and mocha flavor- both of which can be very bitter especially in combination with each other. Not going to lie, I was not a fan of this. The only reason I didn’t like it is because it was true to its name- mocha. This tea tasted just like a cafe mocha with a dash of hazelnut and chocolate! I did not finish the cup, but my coffee-loving boyfriend did and he thoroughly enjoyed it!!!
Unfortunately this tea was not my “cup of tea” (pun intended). But that doesn’t mean that this wasn’t a good blend. It actually would have been a favorite of mine if I enjoyed the flavors of mocha and dark chocolate. It was true to its name and the flavors were bold and smooth and comforting. I think that if you like coffee or are looking for an alternative to coffee, you will really love this tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Mate
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Don Quixotea by Novelteas
I steeped one very heaping teaspoon of dry leaves in one cup of 210 degree water for about 4.5 minutes. (I decided to be generous with the amount of leaves I put in, probably because it just smelled so amazing and I was in the mood for something strong.) I could see whole cloves and bits of cinnamon bark in the dry leaves of this tea–lots of them.
I always enjoy trying out new chai blends and seeing which spices come to the front and how the chosen spices blend together and so on. This one seems to be heavy on the spice bits and relatively light on the black tea bits, and the spices include plenty of cinnamon and ginger.
After steeping: Cinnamon does seem to be a prominent flavor, going by the smell of the steeped tea. It’s remarkably light in color for a chai, with a sweet rich smell (not just spicy but deeper and sweeter) and has an orangey tint also.
First sip: As foreshadowed by the scent, some of the spices are sweet! The sweet smoothness is what I notice first. The spiciness isn’t overwhelming and doesn’t hit until the sip reaches the back of the mouth. I think I’m mostly tasting clove, cinnamon, and ginger. (There’s pepper in the blend too but not too much.)
With milk: as expected, this delivers a much more well-rounded cup. It’s still not very spicy though. My personal preference would be to steep this one much stronger next time as I consider it fairly mild when steeped to these specs. And I’d probably steep it in milk instead of steeping it first and then adding milk.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: NovelTeas
Description
Join book-lovers and tea-lovers alike and take up your arms to a cup of our traditional organic chai spices – red cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and the root of ginger.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Jasmine Creme Brulee Delight! #DAVIDsTea
I have tried one other creme brûlée tea before, and while it was yummy, I think I prefer this one. This blend by DAVIDsTEA includes apples, rosehips, and jasmine green tea! I actually really like the addition of Jasmine because I think it gives a nice, refreshing twist to classic creme brûlée flavor.
The smell of the dry leaf on this one reminded me of DAVIDsTEA’s caramel corn, I think it was because of the sweet/buttery scent of creme brûlée flavor and the apple pieces. I couldn’t detect the scent of jasmine in the dry leaf, but could smell it once the tea was steeped but just ever so faintly. It was very lightly floral and the jasmine was very much in the background. I could really smell the apple pieces and the buttery/caramel sweetness of creme brulee.
On taste, I think this tea was really on point. It tasted buttery, sweet, and lightly floral. The apple was there, but really just added a hint of fruit flavor and was not tart or overpowering. The buttery custard flavor was there in the aftertaste and really resembled creme brulee, for me. I know that a lot of people may be a little scared of this blend because of jasmine if they don’t like floral, but trust me when I say that this tea is not overwhelmingly floral. It is so slight and really just a hint and it blends really well with the apple and buttery custard flavors. I actually enjoyed this green tea version of creme brûlée better than the black tea creme brûlée blend I tried from a different company. I like how this one was made lighter by the green tea and the addition of jasmine and apple pieces definitely gave it a nice twist.
Overall I would say that this blend was very “springtime”. It was light, sweet, and comforting. I’A Jasmine Creme Brulee Delight! #DAVIDsTeam wondering if it would be good iced, but I think that hot is the way to go with this one.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Description
Rich and creamy with a delicate jasmine twist, this sweet blend is downright addictive.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Date Cake from Steeped Tea. . . .
Orange Date Cake from Steeped Tea. Whit a name like that I knew I HAD to try it! Best part was it’s dairy and guilt free! It contains Date Bits which are made up of Dates and Rice Flour, Currants, Sunflower Oil, Orange Wedges, Cinnamon Bits, Fig Bits which are made up of Figs and Rice Flour, and flavors.
I was super excited that they used the Rice Flour as the ingredient for the cake likeness and not actual cake chunks that could contain dairy and/or eggs! And I was also stoked that they used Sunflower Oil for the anti-caking agent and clearly noted that on the bag!
Orange Date Cake from Steeped Tea was pretty fantastic! I have to admit I was completely blown away with the flavor of these natural ingredients! The Dates and Figs were so wonderfully sweet! The Orange was juicy-citrus at it’s best! The Cinnamon played an important part, too, and was hefty on it’s own. YUM!
This is a VERY LARGE and CHUNKY blend of ingredients. You can see everything without looking real close.
It has sweet and almost caramel-like notes to it in addition to a brown sugar flavor without it actually having any added sugars! Only the natural sugars from the dried fruits here, folks!
Yeah! Totally LOVING this Fruit Tea/Tisane. I don’t know if I have ever said that about a fruit based tea. This was a beautiful surprise!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Tisane
Where to Buy: Steeped Tea
Description
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
