I can’t believe I am enjoying a ginger tea to the point that I am happily resteeping! I NEED ginger for digestive issues but I have never enjoyed it, especially when there is enough of it to actually do you some good. It is hot, it is spicy, and I am a plain vanilla kind of gal.
One thing I do hold dear is licorice root. I know a lot of people don’t care for it, but I love the sweetness and body it gives to a blend and I prefer it to stevia…and that’s an understatement.
I have the loose leaf version of this tea and the website warns that the pyramid version may have slightly different ingredients so keep that in my mind if you decide to try it.
The aroma is GINGER, first, foremost, front and center. Since it is the first ingredient listed I assume it constitutes more of the blend. The first sip is soft and sweet, and the more you drink, the more the ginger builds.
Pear is a delicate flavor to me even when eating a fresh pear right out of hand, so pear with ginger is no contest. Ginger is definitely going to dominate. The nice thing is that you get little fruity flavors peeking now and again, adding another dimension to the tea. The white tea base is a nice little boost of antioxidants.
The tin lists all of the ingredients as being organic, so another bonus! Finally, a ginger winner for me! This is one I would definitely restock and consider it a treat to drink when feeling under the weather, or just a cup to enjoy.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Forte
Description
Delicate white tea leaves plus a hint of pear and spicy ginger.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Ginger Lemongrass from Tea Forte. . . . . .
I was gifted this adorable box of Tea Forte silken infusers tea. There are several flavors but I just can’t stop drinking the ginger lemongrass. Ginger and lemongrass are two of my favorite flavors. I’ve also been a fan of drinking ginger tea for awhile now.
Combining the two flavors is absolutely brilliant in my opinion. Everything is balanced in this blend. I can taste and smell both the ginger and the lemongrass. The ingredients include lemon peel, which complements the lemongrass. It also has spearmint leaves, so it has a very, very subtle taste of mint.
Everything about this tea is soothing. The smell is invigorating and calming, and the taste is fresh, soothing, and very calming. This is a tea you drink when you have a little bit of a stomach ache as ginger and mint are very helpful for that.
I also should mention the adorable tea bags are actually cylinders, and there is a little leaf at the end of the string that happily bobs around as your tea is brewing.
Everything about this tea is absolutely wonderful. I can’t wait to try the other flavors, maybe once I’ve had all the ginger lemongrass!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Tea Forte
Description
Ginger Lemongrass is a soothing, multi-layered blend radiating with sunny citrus notes enlivened with the tingle of ginger. A fruity, bright cup with a sweet lingering aftertaste.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peach Brulée Black Tea Blend from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Tea Description:
This refreshing black tea offers a masterful blend fragrant with floral and fruit. Mango and marigold blossoms embrace the lushness of sweet juicy peaches with a lingering finish of tropical cut coconut.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
While shopping the other day at Chuck’s Produce, I stopped by the tea section (as I usually do) and this tea caught my attention. Maybe it was the slick, black “Tea Noir” tin that drew me in, or perhaps it was just the name: Peach Brulée … um, yes please! That sounds amazing. I also liked that this was a loose leaf selection, rather than the tea pyramids that Tea Forté is probably best known for. So, maybe it was a combination of the three things, but there was something that came over me and told me to put that tin into my cart.
And I’m glad I did. This is yum!
The black tea base is a very BOLD tasting black tea. And the reason it’s so bold is that this tea has a pan-roasted Assam to serve as the base. Awesome! I can taste the richness of the Assam, notes of malt, and I’m getting a really nice roasted flavor from the pan-roasting. It has an almost “coffee-like” flavor to it. This would make an excellent alternative to those who are trying to switch from coffee to tea, but miss that rich, robust coffee flavor. This tea has that!
And the flavoring here doesn’t overpower the rich, roasted flavor of the tea. This is a tea that has been flavored with notes of peach and hints of mango and a very subtle kiss of coconut … and not the other way around. That is to say, that this doesn’t taste like a tea where the flavors have been overdone. The flavors are right on point, allowing me to enjoy the really flavorful Assam tea first, and then celebrate the juicy, delicious fruit notes.
The peach is the most prominent flavor after the roasty-toasty notes, and then the mango sort of weaves its way in and out throughout the sip in a very soft, subtle way. The coconut is very delicate, and I notice it more in the aftertaste than I do in the sip itself.
It’s a really flavorful, unique take on tropical fruit flavored tea, and with all this bold, hefty flavor, it’s a great way to start the day. It also tastes outstanding as an iced tea – in fact, I’d find it difficult to say which way I like it best. I think right now, seeing as we’re experiencing the hottest part of the summer thus far, I’d go with iced. But, in the cooler weather, I’d probably say that this is better hot!
Lapsang Souchong Black Tea from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Tea Description:
Exceptional, large leaves delicately smoked over smoldering embers of local pine for a tea with strong, smoky character. The burnished liquor delivers a teasing crisp quality in harmony with hazel-sweet notes.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Even though the photo above shows Tea Forte’s “signature” pyramid sachet, this Lapsang Souchong Black Tea actually came to me in loose leaf form, which I prefer over the sachets. Sure, the sachets are fancy and elegant, but, I’ll take the superior flavor of a loose leaf tea over fancy elegance any day.
Not a bad Lapsang Souchong. I brewed this with a quick rinse (15 seconds in boiling water and then strain the liquid and discard) and then for 3 minutes. The flavor is robust and smoky, with notes of caramel and a sweet nutty note.
I think that it’s the underlying sweetness of a Lapsang Souchong that actually won me over to the smoky side. I wasn’t always a big fan of smoky teas and Lapsang Souchong seems to be the smokiest of them all, so it was usually on my “least wanted” list. And while I can’t say that I LOVE Lapsang Souchong now, I don’t dislike it the way I used to.
Because once you get past that heavy smokiness, you find all these wonderful layers of sweet caramel and even a sweet nutty tone that melds beautifully with the toasty notes of the smoky essence. It becomes less like a “campfire” (or other, less appealing descriptives) and more like a sweet, toasty, cozy cuppa that I enjoy curling up to now and then.
It would seem that some Lapsang Souchong teas are more smoky than others and I would say that this one from Tea Forté is not quite as smoky as some that I’ve encountered … it’s what I’d categorize as a medium smoky quality as compared to some of the heavier smoked Lapsang Souchong teas. Sure, it’s still SMOKY but it’s less intense as some I’ve tried, making this an excellent choice for those who are looking for a good, middle-ground sort of Lapsang Souchong. An enjoyable cuppa.
Blueberry Merlot from Tea Forté
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit & Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Tisane Description:
Deep taste of succulent summer-sweet blueberries with a wisp of sage to heighten an excellent cup. Corkscrew not required. Your purchase helps protect fragile ecosystems.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
This tisane is part of the Herbal Retreat collection from Tea Forté. Having previously tried and reviewed the other tisanes of that collection, I wanted to save this one for last (my thinking was to save the best for last!), so I stashed it away … and then I forgot where I put it! I just came across it today (as I may have mentioned, I’m trying to organize my tea stash), and decided that it was about time to try it.
This is a very tasty tisane. A little heavy on the hibiscus, but, fortunately, the hibiscus marries very well with the strong blueberry flavor. The combination of these two ingredients creates a pleasant consistency (but don’t steep it too long or it will become thick and syrupy from the hibiscus) and an interesting balance of sweet and tart.
What really makes this tisane different and certainly the top contender for the best of the Herbal Retreat collection is the addition of sage. The sage lends an earthy, musky taste that is distinct. The sage brings a savory element to the party, and I’m really enjoying the contrast of sweet berry, tart hibiscus, and savory sage. Very nice, indeed!