Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
Black tea delightfully married with French plums, cranberries, and raspberries then kissed with just a touch of strawberry essence. The refreshing tea was made to be iced. A lightly fruity way to quench your thirst.
Taster’s Review:
When I was young, we had a plum tree in the backyard, and when the plums were ripe, we would have plum cobbler for dessert. The smell of those sweet plums baking was intoxicating. While this tea was brewing, my kitchen was filled with that aroma from my childhood. YUM!
This tastes as good as it smells, too. The plum flavor really stands out, and the berry flavors fill the background with a fruity flavor that screams summertime! The combination of sweet and tart fruit flavors is really delicious.
The black tea doesn’t just sit off in the distance and let the fruit flavors do all the work, though. It is a brisk, flavorful black tea that is lightly astringent. The astringency gives this one a sort of wine-like finish which was quite unexpected but certainly enjoyable. The black tea flavor isn’t overly aggressive, but it lets its presence be known in every sip.
This tea is alright hot, but, I really prefer it iced. This is the kind of tea that would be perfect to serve at your backyard gatherings and barbecues as well as just keeping a batch brewed and chilled in the icebox whenever you want some cool, delicious refreshment. Everyone is sure to love this one!
My Cheap Hubby from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
Is your man too cheap to buy you roses and chocolates? Don’t be mad, enjoy all your favorites in this delicious black tea with dark chocolate, sweet creamy cherries, rose petals and Schizandra berries. This Tea comes in a stylish tin and includes T-sacs, so you can enjoy your Tea on the Go.
Taster’s Review:
My first impression of this tea was similar to that of TeaEqualsBliss – chocolate covered cherries. As I continue to sip it, though, I am finding myself more drawn to this tea than I would be to a box of chocolate covered cherries.
Not that I dislike chocolate covered cherries … it’s just that I find them a bit too cloying. But that is where this tea and the confection begin to part ways. While this tea is sweet, it isn’t overwhelmingly so. I think the Schizandra berries provide just enough tartness to the cup to cut through some of the sweeter notes.
The chocolate is a dark chocolate flavor. It is rich and smooth. The cherry flavor is sweet, and I can also taste a hint of that distinctive floral note from the rose. Together these components make for a deliciously rich, chocolate-y treat.
The black tea base is a fairly mellow, smooth-tasting tea. While it does not lend a strong, stand-out flavor to the cup; it does provide a delicious flavor that enhances the complexity of the chocolate tones very nicely.
This tea is plenty sweet on its own – it needs no additions. Of course, if you like a sweeter tea, a little sugar won’t hurt it. And if you like a creamier tea, milk would be very nice in this tea as well. A delicious indulgence any time of the day!
Iron Butterfly from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
Tie Guan Yin is one of the most enjoyed of the Chinese Oolongs. The spring leaves and buds are toasted in large woks which enhances the tea fragrance. Mild and smooth, this tea is easy to pair with any meal.
Taster’s Review:
The dry leaf has a very subtle yet intriguing aroma that is very “outdoorsy” to me. I can smell elements of wood and smoke, as well as hints of flower. There is also a distinct fruity note. On Steepster my SororiTea Sister – Jennifer aka TeaEqualsBliss – described that fruity scent as grape-like, and I agree with that comparison. It’s really a beautiful fragrance.
After steeping, the liquor has a strong smoky scent but I am thankful that that smoky essence does not translate as strongly to the taste. There is a hint of smokiness to the flavor, but, I would really describe it more as a roasty-toasty kind of flavor than a smoky flavor.
This tea also possesses a lovely peach-like flavor in the background, as well as a deep woodsy flavor. It is very smooth with a light astringency at the tail and a sweet roasted aftertaste. The overall cup is mellow and quite soothing. A great tea to enjoy later in the afternoon, when you’re wanting to unwind, or after a meal to help calm the spirit.
Lovely!
Emerald Ice from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
All the good stuff. Beautiful green tea, Ginger, Jasmine and tropical fruits. Our beautifully refreshing melody was made for iced tea and packed with antioxidant richness.
Taster’s Review:
I tasted this tea back in January, but I saved the review for it until May because Emerald is the birthstone for May (and my birthday is in May), so I thought it was appropriate. Also, because this tea is outstanding as an iced tea, I thought it would be a good time to highlight some of the better iced tea options.
The aroma of the brewed tea smells amazing with notes of flower, tropical fruit and ginger. It is so delightful! When I first smelled this tea, I thought back to the Hawaiian Ginger plant that my gramma had in her back yard. I don’t remember if it smells like this or not – but the tropical/gingery/flowery scent made me think of the Hawaiian Ginger… and warm memories of my gramma are always welcome!
The flavor is just as delightful (if not more so!) The green tea is the dominant flavor, but, not by much. It is a nicely balanced set of flavors. The green tea tastes light and fresh and has a moderate astringency. It has a unique “green” tea taste in that it doesn’t taste grassy or vegetative, exactly. Nor does it have a buttery taste that is sometimes associated with green teas. It falls somewhere in between butter and vegetable, without tasting like either one, if that makes sense. It is delicious though, and melds well with the flavors.
The jasmine is the next flavor I detect, followed by the ginger. The ginger doesn’t have that peppery taste, it is more of a mellow spice that nicely compliments the bright flavors of tropical fruit. In the background rests the tropical fruit flavors. I taste pineapple distinctly, but I am finding the other flavors difficult to specifically discern… mango perhaps? Papaya? It tastes sweet and juicy and delicious. The jasmine lingers throughout the sip and into the aftertaste.
The unique and delicious combination of flavors in this tea makes it one of my favorites from WhiteAugust! It is delicious hot, but even better iced! Refreshing and exhilarating!
Pinup Girl from WhiteAugust Tea Company
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black & Oolong
Where to Buy: WhiteAugust Tea Company
Product Description:
This complex beauty has the strength of a smooth black tea with the mellow fragrance of a classic oolong.
Taster’s Review:
This is a very interesting tea. The name is somewhat diametric to me, mostly because it is quite an expressive name and evokes one kind of image or thought, while the taste of the tea, in my opinion, is somewhat masculine and therefore evokes a completely different image.
That’s not to say I dislike this tea – I like it very much – so I guess it’s rather silly of me to be nit-picking about the name of it… so shall we move on?
The tea has a very distinguished and smooth character to it. It is a mellow tasting tea making it a nice choice for afternoon enjoyment. There is a very pleasant sweetness to it and I like the way the qualities of the two teas meld together. It has a deep, complex flavor and a soft mouthfeel that does not linger, but is cut by the hint of cleansing astringency in the tail of the sip.
The overall flavor is somewhat woody and there is the faintest wisp of smoky flavor in the background, too. It is sweet with a subtle sour note that arrives mid-sip, and a peach-like flavor that weaves its way in and out. The aftertaste is sweet and even vaguely floral but it is like a whisper and does not linger.
So maybe the name is not such a diametric one, after all! Maybe what I mistook for masculinity is actually bold strength. While the soft, feminine touches in this cup highlight some of the delicate nuances, it is the strength that defines the tea – and it is a woman’s strength that truly defines her. This tea is woman! Hear her roar!