Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green Tea & Honeybush
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Product Description:
Fragrant mangoes and peach scent every cup of our lightly steamed green tea with honeybush and a touch of peppermint.
Taster’s Review:
I received a “single steep” package of this tea along with my KATI tumbler, and before I get too deep into reviewing this tea, I want to say that I just love these single steep packages! They are pre-measured with just the right amount of tea for my KATI cup. Armed with the KATI tumbler and some of these single steep packages, a tea lover has just about everything they need to brew a delicious cup of loose leaf tea anywhere they go! Just add hot water!
Now… on to the tea! The flavors of mango and peach permeate each sip of this tea. It is intensely flavored! The green tea base is able to hold its own though, and isn’t overwhelmed. I can taste the fresh, light taste of green tea in the background.
Less noticeable is the flavor of the honeybush, although I can taste the honey-like sweetness from it. The mint in this blend offers a herbaceous, somewhat medicinal taste to the cup that is reminiscent to menthol. I don’t find this to be off-putting, but I can see how others might. The flavor doesn’t overpower the cup, and I will say that the mint flavor lends a very nice minty aftertaste to the tea experience.
I like the ginger’s presence in this cup. It is not too strong, but it adds a nice dimension of flavor and cuts through the sweeter notes of the fruit. It has a well-rounded taste to it. A lovely afternoon cuppa!
Crimson Nectar from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Company Description:
A vibrant, fruity, hibiscus-based herbal with a naturally sweet and surprisingly buttery finish. A limited edition holiday tea.
Taster’s Review:
Of the five teas that are included in the Winter Collection, this one is my least favorite. It’s the hibiscus. I just think that there is way too much of it in this blend, and I’m not particularly fond of hibiscus.
That being said, this tea isn’t that bad. Or, at least, not as bad as I thought it would be. The trick with this one is to not let it steep too long (because then the hibiscus becomes very thick and tart), serve it cold and to use an ample dollop of honey to sweeten it. (Or perhaps you might use this tisane to make a holiday “punch” – just add some ginger ale!)
The honey serves two purposes, really. It not only curbs some of the tartness of the hibiscus, but it also adds some definition to the overall cup. With the honey in there, I can taste the lovely apple and citrus notes.
And then there is the buttery finish. Yes, I get some tart that lingers on the tongue, but, there is also a sweet, creamy buttery taste in the finish … which nicely offsets the tartness. It’s really quite pleasant, and perhaps the one thing that keeps me sipping this tisane.
As I said, this is not my favorite tisane and probably not one that I’d buy on its own, but it is certainly not so bad that I would choose not to buy a collection just because it happens to be part of that collection. And I know that there are those people who have a greater appreciation for tart teas … this is the tea for you!
Sweet Orange Spice from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where To Buy: Tea Forté
Company Description:
An enticing black tea, with rich cinnamon notes and sweet orange zest.
Taster’s Review:
Having previously reviewed this tea and liking it, I embraced the opportunity to enjoy more when I received the Petite Winter Collection from Tea Forté. I really love this collection – it’s beautifully packaged, filled with delicious, limited edition teas and perfect for gift giving. Sweet Orange Spice is one of the five different teas featured in the Petite Winter Collection (there are two of each of the five teas in the box).
This tea is really delicious and perfect for cold weather enjoyment. It has a very warming and comforting quality to it. The orange flavor is sweet, just as the name of the tea implies; however, because of the spicy notes from the cinnamon and cloves, it isn’t cloying.
The cinnamon is the dominant spice in this cup, but I like the light accent that the cloves adds to the tea. It gives a well-rounded taste to the cup. The black tea base is mellow yet I find that the overall cup is quite rejuvenating with the combination of spices, tea and orange flavor.
There are quite a few citrus spiced teas out there, but this is one of my favorites. It isn’t like those red-hot candy teas (I do like those too, don’t get me wrong) but it isn’t a citrus tea with a little bit of spice, either. It is somewhere in between the two extremes, and I guess that is what I like best about it. Not too hot, not too sweet – just right!
Peach Jubilee from Tea Forté
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Company Description:
An intoxicating infusion of luscious peaches and rich rooibos blended with whole bean Madagascar vanilla and fragrant cinnamon sticks.
Taster’s Review:
Oh, this is yummy! It tastes like peach cobbler in a teacup!
The peach and cinnamon are the strongest flavors in this blend – to be honest, I am not getting a whole lot of vanilla essence, except for a creamy note as the tea glides over the palate. That being said, the creamy note is quite luxurious, and this blend would not be the same without the vanilla.
The cinnamon offers a gentle heat that is quite pleasing in contrast to the sweet, juicy flavor of the peach. I don’t taste a lot of flavor from the rooibos – but that’s quite alright with me. I do get a faint nutty/woody note from the rooibos, but, it doesn’t interfere with the other flavors. Instead, I think it compliments the cinnamon tones quite nicely, and gives the overall cup a very “peach cobbler topped with cream” kind of taste.
This is a tea that I recommend drinking hot. It would be tasty as an iced tea too, but I found that some of the peach flavor diminished as it cooled as the cinnamon became more prominent. It is still rather good, but I like it when I can really taste the sweet flavor of the peach. Plus… peach cobbler is best served warm, don’t you think?
This rooibos blend does have a very nice sweetness on its own, and I found it quite enjoyable without sweetener. It makes for a delightful no-calorie/no-fat dessert, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll be craving it!
This tisane is offered as a loose leaf blend, or if you prefer the elegant Tea Forté pyramids, you can find this flavor as part of the Winter Collection.
PRODUCT REVIEW: Kati Loose Tea System from Tea Forté
Where to Buy: Tea Forté
Company Description:
Loose tea by the cup…..simple.
Our double-wall ceramic tumbler and integrated stainless steel infuser make brewing loose tea by the cup simple. The innovative double-wall construction keeps tea hot and the tumbler cozy to hold. Includes three of our Loose Tea Single Steeps. Brews a generous 12 oz cup and is dishwasher safe.
Product Review:
I’d like to introduce you to my favorite new tea accessory! The Kati Loose Tea System! It has officially replaced my favorite tea mug. I love this cup!
OK, so this is actually a “tumbler.” But, let’s not get lost on semantics. I love this cup! Let me tell you why…
I love the shape of this cup, and how well it fits in my hands. Because it does not have a handle, I cup my hands around the tumbler and experience the warmth from the tea. And because it has a double wall construction, the sides of the cup are warm but not too hot. This is a very important “selling point” for me, because my hands always seem to be cold. I like that I can cup my hands around the tumbler and enjoy the warmth without burning myself!
The double wall construction also insulates the cup so that the tea stays warmer longer. Another thing that helps to keep the tea warm is the lid!
The infuser is also a nice size. I found that there was enough room to allow the tea leaves to expand fully without being overcrowded. Generally, an infuser is something I don’t use because they aren’t large enough to accommodate the tea leaves properly, but, this one is just right.
Finally, I love the leaf design on the cup. Sure, we’re just talking aesthetics here, and it has really very little to do with the tea inside the cup, but, it has a lot to do with my enthusiasm toward the cup. I enjoy using a cup that makes me happy, and this cup (err… tumbler) makes me very happy!