Late last year, Adagio teas offered a free set of “rebound teas” for recent customers of David’s Tea and Teavana. While David’s Tea isn’t going anywhere as far as I know, Teavana has been closing its doors and sold out of the final stock in its online shop. Adagio’s rebound teas were blended to be familiar to tea lovers from those other shops in the hopes of encouraging these tea-fanatics to try out more teas from Adagio’s selection.
Now, I am a little biased because I got my loose-leaf start with Adagio, but I feel as though different tea suppliers have different specialities, and I’ve enjoyed tea from both David’s Tea and Teavana. David’s Tea and Teavana tend to have more specialized themed blends. They are a great choice when you want a tea that tastes like a peanut butter cup or an over-the-top tropical peach iced tea. Not to mention, they have some very cute tea tins, mugs, and accessories to jazz up your tea shelf.
Adagio’s Rebound Sampler featured 5 teas (though they are adding new rebound blends all the time, see their listing of comparable teas here)
Teavana had a few popular peach teas, so this sampler has two peach teas of its own: Peach Bellini and Peach Serenity. They are subtly different, with Peach Bellini focusing on more tropical flavors like mango and papaya, and Peach Serenity with more herbal ingredients like lemon verbena and chamomile. In both blends, the strong peach flavoring drives the smell and taste. I think these would be best suited for cold brews, where the sweet candy peach flavor can add sweetness without sugar. These teas are great if you are a fan of peach rings candy. I’m always in favor of having more herbal blends, but I think I prefer the more subtle peach taste in Adagio’s peach black tea or peach oolong.
Raja Oolong is an oolong blend with lots of delicious inclusions like chicory, ginger, and cocoa nibs. Likewise, White Ayurvedic Chai is a white tea with a long list of flavorful spices and fruits, like cloves, pineapple, lemongrass and cinnamon. Despite the varied ingredient listing for both blends, the strong cinnamon flavoring takes over. These teas would be great for fans of Adagio’s hot cinnamon spice tea, or for fans of Hot Tamales candies. I’m all for a spicy tea, but I wish there was more variety in the spice. It would be great to have some sweet ginger heat or herbal black pepper spice share the spotlight. I would recommend trying Adagio’s original White Chai blend as another take on the white tea and spice combination.
Samurai Mate is a sweet and tropical mate blend, with lots of sweet papaya flavoring. The fruit pairs well with the green yerba mate, but it is a little one-note. This might be more subtle when iced, not to mention a cold brew would suit the tropical fruit theme. Not the blend for me, but a very striking fruity blend.
If you were able to take advantage of the rebound deal, I hope all the Teavana and David’s Tea fans out there enjoyed your first taste of Adagio. I think Adagio’s strengths lay with their more naturally flavored or unflavored teas. Let’s not forget their lively fandom blends where customers design themed flavors using the tea blender tools. If there’s a discontinued tea flavor that you’re missing, why not try your hand at creating a signature blend of your own to bring it back?
Here’s to a healthy rebound in your loose leaf tea life!
Here’s the scoop!
Where to Buy: Adgaio Teas
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
A Trio of Peach Teas from Beleave, Rishi, and Teavana. . . .
Who knew I had so many peachy teas in my cupboard? Let’s look at a spontaneous peach tea trio!
Pinkies Up Peach from Beleave Teas
Leaf type: white tea
This is a white tea with peach pieces and added flavors. The dry leaf smells fruity and juicy without being artificial. When brewed, the white tea base is smooth and buttery and pairs perfectly with the bright sweet peach overtones. White tea and peach are a winning combination. Black tea blends tend to get too tart or overbearing against the sweet fruit. Pinkies Up Peach from Beleave would make a great summer iced tea.
Peach Blossom White from Rishi Tea
Leaf type: white tea
Wow, blossoms indeed! There are plenty of buds and petals in the dry leaf, and the blend smells a flower box. Brewed, the fragrance is even stronger with jasmine and peony. The peach takes a back seat in this blend, and taste a bit more peach candies than fresh fruit. The peach tones pop up in the aftertaste, alongside citrus notes like mandarin orange. This wasn’t a very peachy tea, but it was a unique floral blend that surprised me.
Peach Cran Tango from Teavana
Leaf type: black tea
Even before Teavana closed its online shop, I believe the Peach Cran Tango blend was discontinued. So it’s a bit of a moot point for me to review it now. To help soothe the Teavana ache, I tried to replicate this blend on Adagio’s custom tea builder. Give my Peach Cran Tango and try and see how it stacks up.
The last of the Teavana sample I tasted was simple but enjoyable. Sweet peach is balanced with a bit of tart cranberry, all atop a solid black tea base. This is technically a peach blend, though it also features a good dose of cranberry. Cranberries are sweet, tangy and versatile, and seem to tango with just about any fruit partner. The red-berry tartness help the peach from being too cloying and make for a balanced fruit blend.
Well I’m feeling just peachy after all these peach teas. All this sweet fruit makes me feel like warmer weather is on its way already…
Blackberry Mojito Green Tea from Teavana . . . .
My coworker brewed up a bunch of this upon arrival this morning and gave me a cup. (AN ANGEL UPON EARTH.)
Brewed hot: It’s a very deep, rich, sassy berry blend, with a lot of blackberry and raspberry notes. You can taste each note individually. I think of those as the semi-sweet berries instead of the super-sweet berries (strawberry, cherry) — like the difference between dark chocolate and milk chocolate. The mint/mojito part of it is more of a mouthfeel* sensation than a flavor. It’s a tingling sensation, like when you brush your teeth.
* Is there a worse word than “mouthfeel”? It’s a great descriptive tool, but as a word, it’s horrid. Gross.
Iced: I drank about half of my cup hot, and then iced the rest, just to see. The mint is a little more pronounced cold, so if you’re a mint fanatic, ice it. The berries turn into a less distinct sensation-of-berry as opposed to an individually-nuanced every-berry-for-itself melee.
In neither case can I taste the green tea much. So if you want just a pinch of caffeine or green tea benefits — but don’t like the flavor of green tea — this might be a workable solution for you!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Teavana
Description
This refreshing flavored green tea perfectly captures the Latin-inspired minty mojito cocktail by combining succulent blackberries and raspberries with a spearmint kick.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tropical Nut Paradise from Teavana. . . . .
Why is it that I always try a tea, end up loving it, and then it’s nowhere to be found? Always discontinued. That is the worst thing ever. It makes me so sad. However, maybe this Tropical Nut Paradise rooibos blend by Teavana will make an appearance at some point in the future so that all you readers out there can try it. And I do suggest you try it…because it is dang good!
I always like a tea that involves nuts- whether coconut or almond or pistachio nut, i’m down for it. This one happens to involve coconut and hazelnut! As well as pineapple and papaya! I was a little concerned that the pineapple and papaya flavor may take over the cup and cause it to be too fruity or tart. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. This tea is so creamy I second guessed myself as to whether I had added milk or not! I would describe this tea as creamy coconut, with tropical fruit undertones, and a finish of hazelnut and rooibos. It is not overly anything, no ingredient overpowered the other. They all were balanced and in perfect harmony.
I think that this is my favorite rooibos tea I have ever tried! I highly recommend keeping an eye on Teavana’s website to see if/when this comes back in stock, I certainly will!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Teavana
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Citrus Lavender Sage from Teavana. . . . . .
When I sit down to write reviews here at Sororitea Sisters, I like to ask myself, “what does this tea remind me of?” … and usually a memory, a story, a flavor will follow. I’ve gotta be honest with you guys– this year doesn’t really remind me of anything. Or rather, it reminds me of lots of things?
It’s a little like lemonade when it’s iced, but it’s got an earthy, almost slightly bitter aftertaste from the herbs. It’s almost like a green tea, in how light and fresh it is, but not entirely. It’s almost a little bit like walking into a hippie general store– you know, when the waves of patchouli and kombucha hit you as soon as you cross the threshold? But it’s not, of course, because it’s fruitier and springier than that.
Truly, this tea is pretty unique. Fresh citrus, herby sage and floral, sweet lavender combine in a way that’s totally new to my palate, and I like it. A hot cup makes for a great nightcap, and cold (though sometimes a little bitter, as mentioned) is refreshing and sweet. I’m willing to bet it’d make a fantastic Arnold Palmer, which transports me right back to warm & sunny summer days. Which remind me a little of this tea. 🙂
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Teavana
Description
Citrusy orange, sweet pineapple and delicious apples complement and soften to a smooth perfection with luscious lavender,sage and sea buckthorn.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
