Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
This delicate pink cup is truly scrumptious! Our Pai Mu Tan white tea is the perfect base for the delicious guava and strawberry flavors, with their complex, fruity aroma and full flavor. Delicious hot or cold!
Ingredients: White tea, organic hibiscus, cornflower petals, marigold flowers and Guava and Natural Strawberry flavors.
Brew: 2 tsp tea in 8 oz. water (at 175°), steep for 4 minutes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Strawberry Guava White Tea from Simpson and Vail is a lovely strawberry tropical treat for the hot days of summer. White flavored teas can be very hit or miss. Sometimes the flavor is spot on, other times, not so much. White tea has such a delicate flavor that sometimes adding different flavors just muddies the flavor.
The look of the dry leaf is something to behold. Gorgeous blue and yellow pops of color amongst a green background. I scooped a few heap fulls into my infuser and steeped the tea. They recommend steeping this tea at 175 for about 4 minutes. I’ve found those recommendations to be pretty spot on.
First sip and this tea is a pretty marvelous example of a flavored white tea. Delicate yet full of flavor. Light floral notes mixed with strawberry tones and a subtle tartness that actually adds a lovely contrast and definition to the tea. This is one of those teas that needs to be shared with others with gorgeous matching cups and saucers. This tea is dainty yet full of flavors. Really great example of a flavored white tea.
Simpson & Vail has a really unique concept on their site. They encourage their customers to create new and different foods using their teas. From this particular tea, a customer created a jello. A great idea and one that I can’t wait to try!
Pretty in Pink from For Tea Sake
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: For Tea’s Sake
Tea Description:
For Tea’s Sake Pretty In Pink Loose Leaf Iced Tea Blend. Juicy and delicious strawberries are a traditional summer treat and when blended together with papaya pieces they make a pretty tasty cup of iced tea! Strawberry,3.5oz/85g Tin.
INGREDIENTS:
oolong and green tea, papaya and strawberry pieces, plum and safflower petals and natural flavors.CAFFEINE: Low
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Pretty In Pink from For Tea’s Sake is a new tea and a new tea company to me. I was enjoying lunch with my parents and hubby when we stopped into a little boutique shop afterwards. At the very front of the shop was a little display of different teas from For Tea’s Sake. I quickly squealed and picked up a few of the sample packs. With names like Pretty in Pink and Mint To Be Together, I was sold!
Pretty in Pink is a lovely blend of oolong, green tea, and fruity pieces. The dry mix had a rich and vibrant candy or cotton candy note to it. One that just made you start drooling.
Prepped this tea per the instructions they provide and I have to say the tea turned out quite brilliantly. First sip and I was hooked. This is one of those teas that a sample pack just will not do justice. Fresh bright strawberry flavors mingled with a sweetness that reminds me of a candy base or even like I said earlier cotton candy flavoring. But not overwhelming to the point of tasting fake. Add in the lovely lush oolong base, and you have yourself one fantastic treat!
This tea is one those that delivers infusion after infusion. I’ve spent a day with the same leaves and still the flavor is spot on. Sweet and spectacular. One that I could see would crave those 3pm sweet tooth cravings I have.
Pretty in Pink from For Tea’s Sake will be one that I will be picking up a larger package of. One that I will need more of soon for sure!
As American As Apple Pie from Cat Spring Yaupon Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Yaupon Tea
Where to Buy: Cat Spring Yaupon Tea
Tea Description:
As American As Apple Pie is our comforting black yaupon tea loose leaf blend as delicious as a slice of apple pie. Take a trip to grandma’s kitchen with every cup.
Contains: yaupon tea, bits of dried apple, sliced almonds, cinnamon, beetroot and flavoring.
(Allergen: Contains Almonds)
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Have you ever looked at a tea and went- yeah right-this tea isn’t going to taste like that? Well I did. I did with As American As Apple Pie from Cat Spring’s Yaupon Tea. I have had a lot of other apple pie flavored teas and for the most part, they just taste like a apple cinnamon flavored tea. They don’t deliver on the baked good flavor.
As American as Apple Pie reminds me of an yerba mate blend when I first looked at it. It didn’t have any other attributes like yerba mate, just the look. The smell was more reminiscent of black tea. This particular tea smelled amazing. Rich apple notes mixed with a baked good aroma that really captivates you. I couldn’t wait to steep up this tea.
Steeped up the tea per the instructions on the back of the package and took my first sip. I have to say I was taken back by how fresh and bright this tea tasted. It really does come across as apple pie!! Apple Pie with touches of caramel drizzled on tea. The notes of flaky baked fresh crust with apples that are spiced with just the right amount of sugar and cinnamon. There is a slight roasted toasted flavor in the background that really elevates every sip.
I highly recommend checking this one out. Yaupon Tea was something I had only tried a few times in the past but never had an experience like this. Take a moment and check out yaupon tea and then check this tea out. It truly is like taking a trip to grandma’s kitchen!
Orange and Papaya from Tea Shirt
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tea Shirt
Tea Description:
Orange and Papaya from Tea Shirt
Flavoured Green Tea
Ingredients: green tea (60%), lemon grass, apple pieces, freeze-dried apple pieces, orange slices, mango flakes, papaya flakes, flavouring.
Preparation: Use one teaspoon of loose leaf tea per person.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Orange and Papaya flavored green tea from Tea Shirt had my interest right away. I mean orange, papaya, and green tea? How could this blend be anything but amazing?
When I received the tea, I was surprised by how big the fruit chunks are in it.The picture is exactly what you get. Huge chunks of mango, papaya, and orange peel along with apple pieces. Really lovely to look at and amazing to smell. Very rich in citrus and tropical notes.
I scooped a few heap fulls into my infuser and cold brewed this tea. With how muggy the summer has been lately, I wanted this tea to be a nice iced cold brew.
I let the tea cold brew overnight and tried it in the morning. I was hoping that those gorgeous chunks of fruit and lovely green tea leaves would produce an amazing treat for my taste buds. And it did just that!
The green tea gives a lovely buttery base that the orange and papaya flavors compliment nicely. Each flavor takes its time in the spotlight and there isn’t one flavor that overwhelms. Simple yet lovely. Lush Orange notes mingling with the tropical hints from the mango and papaya. A really nice refreshing take on a citrus tropical iced tea for the summer or really for anytime!
Well done Tea Shirt!