What a clever tea! For those who don’t already know, Bad Wolf is a pop culture reference from the long running British tv show, Dr. Who. The Doctor’s companion in that series was named Rose. She was a street smart, brave, adventurous working-class British girl.
If you have seen the full Bad Wolf series, you know that Rose is no shrinking violet. (See what I did there?) So a tea named Bad Wolf can NOT be a foofy, princessy teatime blend. It has to be STRONG! But it has to have the essence of Rose, too, and the love that never, ever died.
Don’t go into this tea expecting a Victorian romance novel. They named it Bad Wolf, not Rose!
This is a bold black tea base with a hint of rose, the peppery kind of rose, running beneath. I have found that when rose flavor in tea is subtle, it tends to lend subtle sweetness rather than tasting full on floral. That’s the case with this tea for me. The lingering aftertaste is a little sweet, but not overly floral or cloying.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Geeky Teas
Description
Black floral rose tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Wild Black Tea / Dian Hong / Teabook
Superb. When one thinks of wild tea trees the picture of an old tree with moss and lichen growing on it comes to mind but I had never thought of what it may taste of.
If you have a chance to try the tea of an old, wild tea tree do not pass it up. (And for all you funny bunnies if you send me a picture of yourself biting a tree I will laugh).
The woody characteristics are like nothing I’ve had before. Along with it’s woodsy notes it is also malty and has honey notes. It is incredibly smooth with a glorious mouth feel.
Currently on the third steeping of this tea. Using a gaiwan, hot water but not boiling, for the first steep and let the water gradually cool.
When the liquid first enters my mouth I get a floral sensation but it always dissipates quickly into the woodsy flavors.
We are on four steepings now.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teabook
Description
This tea is not available but click below for teas that are.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Tropical Flip from 52Teas. . . .
HELLO FROM THE TROPICS, MY LOVELIES!
I type to you from my cabana, where a fella with a GIANT leaf is fanning me in addition to the Bahama winds. My skin is tanning, not burning. I have a floppy hat. My hubs and friends are frolicking on the shore, leaving me alone with a novel, some tea, and the giant-leaf-guy. I feel their joy, but do not have to stand up. Ahhhhh.
Oh wait. That isn’t happening at all. I just FELT that way because of this tea. Only the tea is real.
Today’s sipping buddy is Tropical Flip Green Tea by 52Teas, which they sent me in a special sneak-peak-for-reviews package. (They do not, at this time, send out island vacations.) I will not allow the free nature of this tea to sway me; I genuinely love this tea. (Though, for the record, if someone sends me a vacation package, I will say literally anything you want about your teas. I’m open to a cruise, with a meet-a-dolphin excursion and unlimited alcohol.)
Tropical Flip tastes like a pineapple, coconut, and banana smoothie. Sweet and bright. Usually I think that bananas belong on their own, or in breads, not as a flavoring for something else. But here it works. It adds a little bit of a tang that counters the pineapple’s.
I think that the difference between banana-candy (ick!) and this tea (yeah!) is the ingredients. There’s nothing artificial about the flavor at all. I suspect that it’s because there are freeze-dried actual bananas in there instead of some kind of chemical that Mr So-And-So cooked up in his pharmaceutical company’s basement.
So if you want to briefly dip your toes in the sand without actually paying money or shaving your legs, give this a sip. You might be surprised at how transported you’ll be!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but click below for teas that are.
