There is definitely no mistaking that I don’t love banana- banana bread, banana tea, banana pancakes, banana smoothies. I just love bananas! I actually made chocolate covered bananas the other day. I dipped them in milk chocolate and covered them with crumbled graham crackers, crushed peanuts, sprinkles, chocolate chips, and shredded coconut. They were really really good. Sometimes I don’t always have the time to freeze, coat, and roll out chocolate covered bananas. Naturally, tea would be the next best option! You can always rely on 52 Teas for creativity and I know Anne (the mad tea artist at 52 Teas) is a huge fan of banana tea, so I had high expectations for this one.
My expectations were certainly met! This tea was a honey bush blend. I definitely prefer honey bush to rooibos, any day. It does still have a nice nuttiness to it though, just isn’t as woodsy or earthy. The nuttiness of the honey bush almost gave the illusion that this was more of a chocolate covered banana rolled-in-pecans tea. Either way, its delicious. The chocolate adds a creamy component and of course- the taste of chocolate! And who doesn’t like chocolate? The banana flavor is present but not overpowering or artificial. It is quite delicious and realistic!
I would definitely recommend this blend. I know not everyone is a fan of banana flavor, but even if you’re not I would suggest you try this. It is really good. A great after-dinner treat!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Honeybush
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This blend is longer available but click below for blends that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Cuppa That is Akin to Wilde’s Garden – NovelTea’s Wilde’s Rosy Tea Blend
“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” ~Oscar Wilde
And that is exactly how I felt about this tea. I wanted to enjoy over and over and I couldn’t get enough! And as the title suggests, I feel that when I drink this tea I am enjoying this beverage in a garden full of freshly bloomed roses while the door that leads into the garden has some jasmine incense wafting out of it.
But before I get into my full review here are the specifics. This tea is made up of a lovely blend of organic jasmine green tea and a rose-blended bergamot. The site doesn’t dictate how long to steep it so I just went with my gut and steeped it for a good 3 minutes and that method seemed to work perfectly. Lastly, the price for this tea is not too bad for you only pay $14.99 for a 3 oz bag which is about $3 dollars more than the 2 oz Rose Petal China tea that I have. Now if you want the beautiful “Picture of Earl Gray” novel tea tin that will set you back $29, which includes the 3 oz bag of tea as well. As a side note, I am honestly obsessed with the tin and I will get it in the near future.
Now to the taste of the tea, which is just beautiful, simply beautiful. It does mimic a black tea with that bitter fruity taste that is the jasmine flower. But don’t fret if you are not a fan of the slight bitterness that the jasmine offers for it is mellowed out by the soft green tea that is paired with. Now to the rose flavor which pairs perfectly with the jasmine. I will just say that I absolutely love roses in my tea. So the roses in this tea were absolutely delightful. And if you are wondering what roses taste like remember the aroma of a fresh rose and that is how they taste; a weird perfumey, watery sweet. It is definitely something I urge tasting but then again I am a rose lover so I am a bit biased.
Now as I drank this delicious tea I was instantly reminded of the beginning of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Mr. Oscar Wilde himself:
“The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through the open door the heavy scent of lilac, or the more delicate perfume of the pink-flowering thorn.”
All in all regardless of if you are a fan of Wilde or not this tea is delicious and refreshingly different compared to the other rose teas that I have tried. I am now officially a lover of this blend and I look forward to seeing what else the brand comes out with! My hopes are that there will be a Jane Eyre or a Lovecraft inspired blend.
See you for the next cuppa!
Kara
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea
Where to Buy: NovelTeas
Description:
The delicate flavorings and novel-inspired decorations of The Picture of Earl Grey™ may deceive you at first. This tin and tea provide for an exquisitely deceptive and Wildely elegant experience for any new collector. Organic jasmine green tea and a rose-blended bergamot radiate hedonism and reflect your eternal beauty as you sip.
Inspired by Irish author Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’ it makes a great gift for the book lover in your life.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Orange Cardamom Black Tea from Aftelier Perfumes
I didn’t have much information on this tea going into my first cup, so I was surprised to see these black tea leaves unfurl into a deep, dark, red brew. This tea almost seems like a pu erh rather than an astringent black tea. The base is earthy, almost smoky, and much richer and more savory that I expected.
Aftelier Perfumes describes the tea as “red tea rolled into pearls and roasted,” which makes sense with the musky, toasted notes I tasted.
The orange and cardamom are minimal, the most noticeable on the back of each sip. There’s something sweet and herbaceous in this blend, it’s not a full-on smoky black tea, but the brightness is slightly subdued and more noticeable in the mouthfeel than the flavoring.
This tea was unexpected, but very enjoyable. I was waiting for the astringent bite of orange, or the baked-good sweetness of cardamom, and instead tasted a complex, smooth, and earthy tea. This makes me curious to check out other flavors Aftelier Perfumes has to offer!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Aftelier Perfumes
Description:
This delicious full-bodied tea is flavored with Aftelier Chef’s Essences: the perfect marriage of mouth-watering blood orange and the spicy warmth of cardamom. Organic Red Pearls Black Tea, a rare tea from Fujian, is fully-oxidized Mao Feng tea leaves that have been rolled into small black pearls. They are then pan-fired where they develop a burnished sheen, toasty caramel-like aroma, and spicy, assertive — yet wonderfully sweet — flavor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Black Tea Featuring Tulsi. . . . #ChaiSafari
Spiced Tulsi Black from Chai Safari features a wonderous herb called Tulsi/Holy Basil and it’s been a part of the Indian household and culture for ages. This Tea combines the spicy flavour of ginger with the freshness of Tulsi leaves and it has properties to cleanse your mood and deliver a fresh punch that shall sooth your mind and body.
I really liked the deep, dark, strong black tea base that was used in this flavored tea. The ginger gave it a spicy pep and the tulsi added the herbal factor into the mix and it was just the right amount of everything!
This was aromatic to the nose and brisk on the taste buds. It was robust and that was my favorite characteristic of it. It had a dry texture to it. I say texture because I hate the term ‘mouth feel’. I’ve said that before and I will say it again…it’s just one of those words that make me cringe…like moist or shin-dig or panties. BLAH! But I think you can catch what I’m throwing here, folks, right? I really liked this tea and I wish I could come up with better words to describe the dance on the tongue it does!
It’s the best of all worlds…black tea base, spicy SPICES (Ginger), and herbs (Tulsi)! Now excuse me while I take another peaceful moment with this tea.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Chai Safari
Description
The herb Tulsi/Holy Basil has been a part of the Indian household and culture since ages. This Tea combines the spicy flavour of ginger with the freshness of Tulsi leaves. This tea has properties to cleanse your mood and deliver a fresh punch that shall sooth your mind and body.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Black Tea Inspired by Ireland. . . . #SimpsonandVail
Dunmore East Black Tea from Simpson & Vail was inspired by a small fishing village in Ireland called Dunmore East. It’s on the southeastern coast in County Waterford and is a beautiful village and very popular as a vacation destination known for its fishing and water activities, beaches, fabulous restaurants and cafes, music, and breathtaking scenery. Simpson & Vail created Dunmore East Black Tea to honor Cyndi’s wonderful memories of holidays in the village visiting her friends.
Cyndi is part of the Harron Family – the Family that is running Simpson & Vail. Simpson & Vail has been a well-known tea company since 1929. Prior to that it was known for being a Green Coffee Merchant established in 1904.
Dunmore East Black Tea is a delightfully bold blend of teas. With a golden cup, a malty flavor, and a slightly fruity aftertaste this is a sure WINNER if you are a black tea fan like I am! Simpson & Vail mentions on their website that Dunmore East has become one of their favorite blends! They suggest starting the day with this hearty black tea blend and claim it’s enjoyable with milk or sweetener but also perfect without! I completely AGREE with the WITHOUT option! It’s fine and dandy as-is and straight-up! Just the way I like it! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Simpson and Vail
Description
Dunmore East is a small fishing village on Ireland’s southeastern coast in County Waterford. This beautiful village is very popular as a vacation destination known for its fishing and water activities, beaches, fabulous restaurants and cafes, music, and breathtaking scenery.
This delightfully bold blend of teas, with a golden cup, a malty flavor and a slightly fruity aftertaste was created to honor Cyndi’s wonderful memories of holidays in the village visiting her friends. This tea has become one of our favorite blends! Start the day with this hearty black tea blend, enjoyable with milk or sweetener but also perfect without!
This tea blend pairs well with chocolate, spiced desserts, cheeses, eggs, pastries, meats and more.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!