Peach Bellinis were my drink as a young teenager just discovering alcohol. At first I only drank the frozen slush kind that tasted more like candy than it did a cocktail. Then I went to Venice, Italy and tried their take on a Peach Bellini which was a more adult combination of Peach Nectar and Prosecco (if I am remembering correctly).
Unfortunately, the hot tea tastes like neither. It is a sweeter tea and though there are underlying fruity vibes that lean towards peach, the mao fang takes over making this more vegetal than fruit. Also, I hoped for more mango to make this feel tropical but that isn’t coming through very clearly either.
The iced tea is just more of the same. I give this points for consistency but that also means that, like the hot tea, I am left wanting more. More peach. More bellini. More tropical. More of something other than a sort of generic and slightly fruity green tea.
Though the base is nice and the fruity vibes are pleasant, it is not selling the Tropical Peach Bellini flavor I was promised by the name. I wanted to like this one but, for me, it fell a bit flat.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
Like a Bellini but better. A touch of mango and mao fang sweetness make this a 2018 treat.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Pineapple Mimosa from The NecessiTeas. . .
As I get older (hello, 30, comin’ round the mountain), I’ve noticed my body just can’t handle alcohol the way it used to. I’ve never been a huge drinker, but I enjoy a hearty glass of red wine with a big ol’ steak, or a fresh and fruity mimosa paired perfectly with a late-morning brunch. But in the interest of hangover-after-one-glass-of-wine-is-no-longer-worth-it, I’ve been abstaining mostly from alcohol as of late. I occasionally miss the special-ness of a fancy cocktail at a fancy event, but you guys. FOMO-no-more, I have found the perfect replacement.
Some of my very favorite tea companies (The Necessiteas being one) have blended up some spectacular brews that, on ice, make for a killer mocktail. This blend, Pineapple Mimosa, hits that brunch-tastic spot just perfectly. An herbal blend chock-full of fruit and beautiful marigold and cornflower petals, this one brews up to a beautiful golden liquor that looks like a dead-ringer for your favorite cocktail, served in a fancy glass. There’s a definite sweetness there, but a nice tempering of the fruit as well (perhaps from the addition of ginger?) that gives it a little more depth of flavor, mimicking something like a dry-but-fruity white wine. Even tastier is this one mixed with a plain sparkling water for just a hint of fizz.
If you’re like me and choose to stay away from alcohol, but still love the special-ness of a fancy beverage in the summer, look no further! The Necessiteas has the perfect solution.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Fruit Tisane
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
I am a total brunch girl or at least a brunch cocktail girl! I love testing champagne cocktails with different tropical flavors the same way I do with tea. I decided to stick with pineapple for this blend because of it’s delicate taste. But it was the ginger that really blew up the whole combination and turned this fruit infusion into something spectacular! Ginger was the missing puzzle piece to complete this yummy champagne “mocktail”. It’s all there, the fizz, the slight ginger spice and the sweet pineapple flavor balancing everything out.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Lime Mojito from Tickled Tea. . .
I find that like many others, my green and white teas tend to be favored in the warmer months while my black teas are my go-to in the harsh Canadian winters. And yet here I am in the winter sipping on Lime Mojito, a sencha tea by Tickled Tea flavored with lime, lemon verbana, lemongrass, apples, stevia extract, and natural and artificial lime flavor.
Since this is inspired by a cold cocktail, I iced part of my sample while brewing the rest of the sample as a hot tea. I steeped both for 3 minutes in 185F water.
Starting with the hot tea, the first thing I notice is it has a nice lime flavor, albeit a subtle lime flavor. Right next to the lime flavor is the apple, which builds the more you drink. Simultaneously, the lime gives way to a more generic citrus vibe. The base tea and the stevia are non-distinctive, something I am happy about but others might wish they made more of a contribution. All in all, it is an alright tea but maybe more generically apple-citrus than lime mojito, at least brewed as a hot tea.
One thing that transfers from the hot tea to the cold is the softness of the tea. Hopefully people know what I am talking about because I don’t know how to describe it other than saying the mouthfeel is quite soft. Coupled with the soft mouthfeel is that gentle citrus flavor, almost more lemon than lime this time, and it is very smooth, almost creamy. The apple flavor is also noticeable through the iced tea.
Once again, it is an okay tea but certainly not what I would call a Lime Mojito. The cocktail has five ingredients – lime, mint, sugar, soda water, and rum. This tea has the citrus and it is sweet so I could even give it the sugar but this needs a stronger lime flavor and the mint and rum are lacking altogether. It was fun to try though!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Tickled Tea
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery
Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery was one of the featured teas in the Amoda Curated Selection we were sent recently. After taking a look at The Tea Geek’ery’s website I noticed MANY of the teas are currently sold out and after tasting this tea I can see why!
The only 3 ingredients this Rooibos Tisane contains is Red Rooibos, Vanilla, and Coconut. I have to give credit were credit is due…the amount and quality of the large shaved and dried coconut is AMAZING! They are certainly the focal point of this dry mix to the eye. With the sweet and creamy notes of the coconut playing a HUGE part of this flavor it seems to tone down the stereotypical taste of red rooibos and I have to say I am overly fond of this outcome! If you are a person who tends to shy away from Red Rooibos based tisanes you might want to give this one a shot…it’s pretty incredible!
Teana Colada from Tea Geek’ery is a very easy cup to drink. It’s sweet, nutty, smooth, creamy, and just terrific! Based on this flavored red rooibos I cannot wait to try other teas and tisanes from Tea Geek’ery!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Geek’ery
Description
This herbal tea is naturally sweet with hints of cream & nuts. Phenomenal blended with ice & your favorite coconuttie adult beverage
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Elevating Your Tea Game: Pumpkin Brulee Lattes With a Kick!
Sometimes you just need an added kick to wind down from your day. This is exactly what I did with Pumpkin Brulee from The NecessiTeas.
If you aren’t familiar with The NecessiTeas, I encourage you to check them out. They offer amazing fresh teas with wonderful flavors that provide that soul soothing love that you can only get from a proper cuppa. Over the last few weeks, I have really found myself falling more and more in love with them. Particularly this tea.
So before I chat about the latte and how I prepared it, I wanted to properly review the tea itself. If you are a fan of pumpkin, I highly recommend checking out this tea. This is a black flavored pumpkin tea with chunks of caramel, butterscotch and spices, topped off with a dusting of brown sugar. Need I say more? This tea literally tastes like a caramel pumpkin dessert in a mug (without the calories!) One of the best pumpkin dessert teas I’ve had for sure and one that I’ve spent a good portion of the day with. For a flavored tea, the flavor has lasted thru several infusions. Gotta love that!
My husband and I aren’t huge drinkers but we do love a properly mixed drink now and again. I’m always trying to find ways to incorporate a shot of this or that into my tea and I think I have figured out the right combination.
Brew your tea like your normally would. Pour into your cup, leaving room for the topping.
Take 1/2 cup of milk (I use almond) with a shot of Irish Cream. Mix together and pour into your cuppa. Top with whip cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice on top and you are done! Nothing hard by any means but a fun way to enjoy the tea and add a special little touch.
Earlier in the day I did froth up milk with my Breville frother and created an amazing pumpkin latte that rivaled the ones at the coffee and tea shops. It was rich, creamy, and perfectly pumpkin!
Highly recommended this tea for the upcoming holiday season. There are so many different ways you can spruce the tea up or just drink it on its own. I know I’ll be drinking a lot of these tea cocktails over the next couple of months!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas
Description
A bountiful harvest of sweet, spice and everything nice. This warming black tea is the perfect accompaniment to crisp Fall days. A blend of warm pumpkin and flavors of sweet caramel, butterscotch, brown sugar, and creamy vanilla create this seasonal indulgence. Enjoy with a touch of milk and sweetener of choice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!