Rose Garden Puerh by ToCha
This tea came in a convenient sachet with rich brown leaves and lost of rose petals. I steeped it in a Kamjove pot because I plan to resteep. Why waste good tea?
I am careful to watch a new puerh tea because I have seen a few that steep rapidly. This one was good to go in a little over a minute. I had a rose scented puerh once that was so light on the rose I couldn’t tell it was there, except perhaps for a faint sweetness lent by the flower.
Not so this one. The rose is right up front and tingles on my tongue. Rose can be floral, spicy, or peppery. This is more spicey rose. The puerh is a nice carrier for this. It does not have the strong barn/mushroom/earth flavor that you usually find, but comes off like a rather nice, accommodating black tea that could stand on its own if it wanted but isn’t going to steal the rose’s thunder.
Because the balance on this one is so nice, it will do nicely as a stand alone cup to enjoy or a companionable tea to have with cake or tea sandwiches.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Puerh
Where to Buy: Tocha Tea
Description
For centuries, pu-erh tea has been treasured for its elegant flavor and health benefits. The unique natural fermentation process gives it an earthy, woodsy essence that is never bitter, even after a long steep. Rose petals add a graceful note to this delicious and versatile blend, a wonderful tea for everyday wellness.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Unlock your Inner Romantic with Rose Garden Pu Erh from Tocha Tea
Rose Garden Pu Erh from Tocha Tea looks the part right off the bat, with deep, pink rose petals and dark tea tied up neatly in a silk teabag. The dry tea smells strongly of roses, so strongly, the scent verges into being a bit like floral-scented soap.
With the heavy rose smell and the pu erh base, I kept the steep times and temperatures a little lower than the package recommended, brewing for 1 minute at about 195 degrees Fahrenheit, to keep the flavors from getting too saturated.
When brewed, the rose overtones are still the most forward flavor, but there is an added depth from the musky tones of the pu erh tea. This earthiness is a pleasing presence, fleshing out the “garden party” theme.
With the romantic and delicate nature of roses, it makes sense that this is blended with pu erh tea instead of black tea. Black teas have a more astringent bite, while pu erh is smoother and creamier, and this gentler mouthfeel is noticeable.
At first, I wasn’t sold on the rose and pu erh combination from the description alone, but this brew turned out to be lovely. Rose Garden Pu Erh would be perfect with a Beauty and the Beast theme, using the rose petals and earthy pu erh, as stand-ins for Belle and Beast. I say, keep track of your brew times and temperature, and this tea can unlock even your toughest enchantments.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Pu erh
Where to Buy: Tocha Tea
Description:
For centuries, pu-erh tea has been treasured for its elegant flavor and health benefits. The unique natural fermentation process gives it an earthy, woodsy essence that is never bitter, even after a long steep. Rose petals add a graceful note to this delicious and versatile blend, a wonderful tea for everyday wellness.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Morning Pick-Me-Up from Tocha Teas
Good morning, Sisters and Friends! Today I’m trying a tea called “Morning Pick-Me-Up,” which is a thing I very sorely need. I had a 
misadventure this morning involving getting a bag of dog poop on my house’s roof, plus it’s pouring cats, canines, elephants, giraffes, and squirrels. I was good until the squirrels. My jacket isn’t rainproof. I also slept through my morning workout. To sum it up: you have NO IDEA how a Pick-Me-Up is required. ONE CANNOT FATHOM THIS DAY. And it’s only 11 a.m.
This tea is super-interesting, combining a deep, smoky tea with floral elements. The ingredients for this tea just say “black tea;” I suspect the tea is Lapsang souchong.
It’s like a see-saw of emotion. When Pick-Me-Up is on the tongue, you get the smoke, but there’s a floral finish toward the end. There’s something here for everybody. Smoke/leather isn’t usually my thing at all, but the floral touch at the end somehow ties it together. This works.
I kind of see this tea as a rough cowboy sort who likes his Parliaments and meat, but then comes home to his wife in the garden and sits with her while she’s working. He occasionally does the tough stuff with the edger and the trimmer. He prunes the trees, and she makes him a pie. His Harley is parked next to her Prius at the end of their gravel driveway in the country. They’ve got an opposites-attract thing that works for them. All of their friends at Bluegrass Open Mic Night are jealous of how independent they are of each other but how beautifully they mesh.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Tocha Teas
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 even more about this tea and tea company here!
Morning Pick Me Up from Tocha Teas
I’m a green tea drinker for the most part. When I do drink black tea, it’s usually Chai, or some other spiced/flavored black tea. I guess for the most part I just find plain black tea a little flat and boring.
I tried this tea two different ways. One cup was plain, with a little coconut sugar. It’s a lightweight black tea, and the floral notes are very subtle, but they’re there. I actually enjoyed this cup more than I expected, and would drink it that way again. It also has a slight sweetness to it, so I used less than a teaspoon of coconut sugar. If you don’t like very sweet tea, you’d probably love it alone!
The second cup I tried was with the same amount of coconut sugar, and a splash of coconut milk. Now this is what I need in the morning! It was sweet and creamy and just really pleasant. I feel like not only did it give me a little morning pick me up, but it also put a smile on my face.
Think Earl Grey, with a little less floral aftertaste. Very nice for a crisp morning!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tocha 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 even more about this tea and tea company 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!
