With the birds chirping, flowers blooming, and in general, the weather getting warmer, I’ve found that my hot tea drinking days are few and far between. I’ve been craving cold brew tea and when I say crave, I mean I am gulping and sipping down cold brew tea with reckless abandonment. All I do is set up either my Libre Tea Infuser with a healthy dose of ice and water with either my loose leaf/tea sachet or I set up a giant mason jar I have with ice, water, and a larger ice tea pouch/reusable muslin tea bag with lots of loose leaf. Both produce amazing results and are quick for this mom on the go.
The other day I was wanting more of a citrus tea but wasn’t finding one that really sounded like it would hit the spot. Hence where Citrus Green from Adagio Teas enters the scene. As soon as I saw this lonely tea sachet in the midst of my loose leaf tea stash, I knew this was the tea for me.
I promptly filled my Libre Tea with ice, freshly filtered water and popped the tea sachet into the infuser. Waited about 30 minutes and took my first sip. Refreshing citrus green tea happily greeted me.
Refreshing green tea with a hint of a citrus note eagerly greeted me. With only cold brewing the tea for a short span of time, the flavors were not allowed to really settle and develop. But what I had, I did like. Crisp Green tea with hints here and there of a combination of orange, lime, and lemon. I think with this being a citrus flavored tea, an addition of a dash of mint would really escalate the tea and I plan to do just that the next time I find myself with this particular tea blend. Even with the more subtle tea flavors, this tea hit the spot and I would have no problem picking some more up to properly cold brew and yield the fullest flavor I can.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Adagio Teas
Description
Green tea from China with the delicate flavors of lemon and lime. A happy marriage of great taste and proven health benefits. Just the right touch of citrus flavors to liven up the cup. Makes a light and refreshing drink that’s popular both hot and iced. If you are new to green tea, this lightly flavored tea may be a good place to start. Full-leaf tea in portable, individually wrapped bags – superior taste and maximum convenience.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Blue Lady from Zest Tea
Blue Lady from Zest Tea instantly caught my eye with the modern packaging and the idea that there is extra caffeine in the blend. I have tried Zest Tea in the past and have really loved the tea. I had high expectations for this blend.
Black tea, cornflower petals, hibiscus, orange, lemon, and passion fruit flavors are lovely packaged into each sachet. This blend has a lovely citrus slightly fruity note while steeping. I steeped the tea with boiling water and allowed the tea about 3 minutes to create the lovely brew.
My first sip was a solid sturdy black tea presence with subtle hints of citrus and a nod to a tartness that I enjoyed. Sip after sip, this tea sachet delivered a sturdy full bodied flavor. Here is my only complaint with this tea. Drink this tea while it is warm, because as the tea cools, the black tea becomes very astringent and the hibiscus starts to overwhelm with tart notes.
Even though I did enjoy this tea hot, I think this tea would be best presented as an iced tea. By cold brewing I think the tart and astringent notes would calm giving way to a softer and gentler tea.
All in all, yes this is a solid tea to keep on hand, but I can’t say this would be an every day tea for me. But this could be that great tea to keep in your desk for when you start to feel that 2pm crash start to happen. . .. . .
Here’s the Scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Zest Tea
Description:
Our Blue Lady Black blends a sultry South Indian black tea base with an aromatic mix of orange, lemon, passion fruit, and hibiscus. A peppering of vivid blue cornflower petals and bits of orange peel make for a visual spectacle. Blue lady will excite all of your senses. No wonder this is a favorite among hot and chilled tea drinkers.
Learn more about this tea here.
Morning Pick Me Up From Tocha Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tocha Tea
Tea Description:
The fragrance of purifying Osmanthus flowers is the perfect complement to the subtle sweetness of whole leaf black tea. Quench your thirst and revitalize your spirit with this smooth, full-bodied blend; ideal for kick-starting your morning or uplifting your afternoon.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
A few months back, I won a contest that Tocha Teas was having on their Instagram page. I was ecstatic! I didn’t know a whole lot about their teas, but just by the name alone, I couldn’t wait to try them. Morning Pick Me Up was one of the blends I was sent.
First lets start this off by saying Tocha offers their line up in tea sachets, not as a loose leaf tea. I rarely drink anything but loose leaf. There are times-I will admit-that a tea bag or sachet is just easier to steep than loose leaf. But these sachets are full of gorgeous looking tea blends. Especially this one!
Morning Pick Me Up is a blend of black tea and osmanthus flowers. Almost a floral black tea if you will. But this tea isn’t a dainty floral tea by any means. My container of this tea is just about empty and I can feel myself wanting to buy more!
Steeped like a black tea with the recommended parameters offered on the package, this tea yields a gorgeous dark liquor full of malty notes mingled with a sultry subtle sweetness that yields almost a floral hint now and again. Really well done and one that gives you that full-bodied experience you look for in a brilliant black tea blend. I’m quite surprised by the fact this tea is a tea sachet and not a flavor I’m getting from a loose leaf. These pyramid sachets are packed full of robust marvelous black tea flavor that sticks with you.
So what I’m trying to say is what a gorgeous way to start your morning or afternoon off right- I need to steep up another cuppa to finish off my day for sure!
Earl Grey Black from Camellia Sinensis
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Camellia Sinensis
Tea Description:
From Dooars, in northern India, this quality black tea is scented with a natural flavouring extracted from organic Italian bergamot, a highly aromatic citrus fruit. You’ll be spellbound after one sip of this English classic.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Recently I made an order with Camellia Sinensis for some teaware and they included several free teas such as this tea. Personally, I’ve never really sought to purchase an EG blend from Camellia Sinensis; I do enjoy Earl Grey but not enough to need more than one good kind on hand (and currently I’m loving the Liquid Proust’s Peach vs. Bergamot twist on the traditional Earl Grey) and when I’m ordering from Camellia Sinensis, which I frequently do, it’s more for the interesting and often unique straight/pure teas they carry or for the teaware.
That said, I’m grateful for the inclusion: I love the fact this Earl Grey is both organic and fair trade as those as aspects of tea I look to support as often as possible. This sample was a sachet style tea bag, and I ended up making it early in the morning before work. I have to say, I thought the dry leaf smelled fairly mild and quite floral and even as it was steeping up I was noticing more floral traits than anything overwhelmingly bergamot-heavy. However, the taste wasn’t bad! I enjoyed how smooth and clean the overall flavour was in addition to the light floral notes and medium concentration of bergamot flavour. There was also a very natural sweetness which I was fond of. That said, I wouldn’t have minded if the bergamot was a little stronger. For people who really LOVE Earl Grey and drink it on a more daily basis this could be perceived as a little light handed.
Overall, not a ‘stand out’ Earl Grey but a solid choice if you’re already placing a Camellia Sinensis order and want to do all your shopping in one place. And like I pointed out, the fact it’s Organic and Fair Trade (and still reasonably priced) makes it a tea easy to get behind.
