The Tea Review Blog: Reviews Ratings and Forums

Feb 08

Sencha from Tea Forté

Green Tea, Tea Forté, Tea Review, Unflavored Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Green Tea
Name Of Tea: Sencha
Available From: Tea Forté

Green tea is the pick of many people for their everyday tea – with somewhat less caffeine than black tea, it’s easier to drink all day without getting over-stimulated and over-tannined. (Yes, I know that over-tannined is not in the dictionary. Okay, okay, “without feeling that one has tasted too much tannin.”) There’s also some evidence that green tea offers more health benefits than black tea. So, that means many people are looking for a good “everyday” green tea.

Since Tea Forté’s teas come in mesh sachets, that makes them very easy to brew – one uses the sachet like a teabag, but unlike teabags, the sachets hold whole leaves rather than broken, and permits more water flow-through than a paper teabag, so that one gets something very like infusing loose leaf tea. (As it happens, this particular tea from Tea Forté also comes as loose tea, but I only tried it in the sachets.) Especially if one is drinking tea in an office all day, sachets can be a much more convenient choice than loose tea.

Tea Forté describes this tea as:

This steamed, organic green tea steeps a pale and delicate liquor. A hint of roasted chestnuts complements the freshness of a spring downpour.

Although I generally tend to brew my green tea at 180-190 degrees F, the recommended temperature for this tea is just a hair lower, at 175 F. It still tastes good brewed at 190, but one can steep it longer, and save it for a second steeping, if one uses the lower temperature.

The tea is quite smooth, not grassy, and does not turn bitter if steeped for a longer time.

Second steepings are a handy thing to do – and also more convenient with tea in sachets rather than loose tea. Since Tea Forté sells teas of very high quality (and organic, don’t forget!), the prices can initially strike some people as high, as well; however, if one considers that each sachet can be used twice, you can see that you are getting good value for your money.

BunRab

http://bunrab.livejournal.com

» find out more about BunRab by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by BunRab

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 08

Selby Select Rooibos from Local Coffee + Tea

Flavored Tea, Local Coffee + Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review 8:00 am | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Selby Select
Available From: Local Coffee + Tea

Sometimes I really don’t know why I like a tea/tisane…I just do. Some are out of this world and others are ok or a good old standby. As far as Rooibos is concerned, this may be a good old standby for Rooibos.

It’s Selby Select from Local Coffee + Tea.

It’s tasty! It’s not really what I would call orange or yogurt tasting though. There are hints of orange and a creamy finish, so maybe more like a creamsicle taste, but not very strong. Regardless – I like it – and it’s not as sweet as some rooibos, but thumbs up for the creamy attempt – it cuts back on the natural sweetness of the rooibos for a more smooth blend!

Local Coffee + Tea describes this tea as:

This is our custom blended Rooibos with orange peel and dried yogurt pieces. Created to celebrate the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens, this is our perennial best seller. Each sip releases the aroma of sweet ripe oranges, followed by creamy notes on your tongue. You will think you are drinking Florida sunshine in a magnificently serene garden. Savor and enjoy! Naturally caffeine-free.

Good ole-standby’s are good to have around!

JenniferB

http://teaequalsbliss.blogspot.com

» find out more about JenniferB by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by JenniferB

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 07

Chamomile Flowers (Dream On) from Teapigs

Herbal Tisanes, Tea Review, Teapigs, Unflavored Tea 11:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Herbal Tisane
Name Of Tea: Chamomile Flowers
Available From: Teapigs

I usually drink chamomile tea that is a blend of chamomile with other flavors – I don’t often drink plain chamomile, because usually I find the taste uninteresting. This chamomile tea, however, tastes so pure and strong that I just have to mention it! It tastes, if this isn’t too odd a word to use for dried flowers, fresh.

Since Teapigs’ teas come in mesh “tea temples” (sachets), one can see through them fairly well, and so you can see how very large the chamomile flowers are – some of the largest I’ve ever seen.

Teapigs describes this tea as:

It’s long been known that the best chamomile tea comes from brewing the whole flowers. So guess what we sell? That’s right, only the whole flowers of the Croatian chamomile bush. You may have noticed most other chamomile teas are made from crushed flowers, which in our view is a plain nasty thing to do. Equally, well known are the medicinal benefits of chamomile, which include calming, soothing anxiety and aiding sleep.

Compare the whole flowers in our tea temples to the dust in your regular tea bag; whole flowers are best.

I don’t know whether Croatian chamomile is known to be any different from other chamomile, but I’ve visited Croatia, and it is a lovely Mediterranean-area (Adriatic, actually) country with a climate that certainly seems conducive to growing lots of things – Croatia brags about its olives, wines, and other foodstuffs, and though I didn’t drink chamomile tea while I was there, I certainly enjoyed everything I ate there, so I am not entirely surprised to hear that chamomile grows there.

You can let this tea steep for a long time – they recommend 3 minutes, but letting it steep for as long as 5, one still gets a nice, slightly apple-ish chamomile flavor; it doesn’t turn grassy or bitter. A very pleasant cup of tea for bedtime or a relaxing moment in the afternoon.

BunRab

http://bunrab.livejournal.com

» find out more about BunRab by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by BunRab

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 07

Diamond Grade Tie Guan Yin Fall 09 by Norbu Tea

Norbu Tea, Oolong Tea, Tea Review, Unflavored Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Oolong Tea
Name Of Tea: Diamond Grade Tie Guan Yin
Available From: Norbu Tea

Another winner from Norbu!

The dry leaf smells sweet and clean. While infusing – the leaves are a vibrant color of green and more leafy green veggie-esque to sniff.

The liquid is light in color. This is a stronger oolong.

Tasty! It’s thirst quenching and clean. Very pure. Nice! I really, really like it!

Norbu describes this tea as:

This is our “Diamond Grade” Fall Harvest 2009 Tie Guan Yin from Anxi county in Fujian province. In my opinion, the intensity of the floral aroma is remarkably intense in Fall harvest Anxi oolong, and this holds true with this year’s harvest for sure.

The concept of different grades of this type of tea is largely Western, but, in general, the grade of this style of oolong is determined by the intensity of the floral aromas in the tea. The more intense the aroma, the higher the grade. This tea is what the producer refers to as an AAA grade Tie Guan Yin when dealing with me, which I have named “Diamond Grade” to go with the Norbu/Jewel theme of Norbutea.com…Norbu means “precious jewel” in Tibetan language.

Upon opening the package, the intense floral aroma of this tea is almost overwhelming. The dry leaves are dark green and are tightly rolled into the characteristic ball shape of Anxi Oolongs. When steeped, the leaves are an amazing deep green color…almost the color of fresh Swiss Chard or very lightly steamed spinach. The fragrance is intensely floral. To me it is like fresh cut orchids, but one friend and colleague of mine swears that it is just like Lilacs. Either way, it smells fantastic! The liquor has a moderately thick and satisfying feeling in the mouth, and the flavor has strong floral notes present in the nose especially in the first infusions. The thing that always amazes me about high grade Tie Guan Yin is the lingering bittersweet aftertaste that it leaves in the mouth, and this particular batch carries a lovely & lingering aftertaste. It is truly a treat to savor on special occasions.

The more I think of it – I really like finding a strong oolong that has flavor but doesn’t ONLY taste like bark. This has a great non-tree trunk taste to it. It’s floral and earthy and still an oolong but makes for a great cup!

JenniferB

http://teaequalsbliss.blogspot.com

» find out more about JenniferB by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by JenniferB

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 07

Raspberry Riot Lemon Maté from Teavana

Flavored Tea, Tea Review, Teavana, Yerba Maté 8:00 am | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Yerba Maté
Name Of Tea: Raspberry Riot Lemon Maté
Available From: Teavana

The raspberry taste of this tea is so fresh and natural that I could practically feel those little raspberry seeds in my teeth! Really, it’s a very impressive flavor, as one would expect when one looks at the dry tea and sees whole freeze-dried raspberries in there. I can also see all the other ingredients clearly; no dust-size stuff here – it’s all large chunks of fruit, lemongrass, and flowers, along with the green mate.

One thing to note about mate is that even though it isn’t “real tea” – that is, not from the Camellia sinensis plant – it nonetheless has as much or more caffeine as regular tea; although mate teas taste like herbal blends, one can’t treat them like herbals.

Teavana says about this tea:

Get all-day energy from the invigorating fusion of tart raspberry and lemon, with a high-octane jolt of pure Argentinean Mate. The brisk lemon and tangy raspberry give this green Mate the character and flavor you’re craving.

This Mate tea contains 21 vitamins and minerals. In addition, studies show that Mate teas are a cardiovascular aid, help supress hunger, aid in weight loss, and act as a mental and physical stimulant. This tea contains approximately the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee.

Ingredients: Green Mate tea, raspberries, apple bits, rosehips, hibiscus blossoms, lemongrass, and pink rose buds.

Although they don’t mention specific vitamins, one can guess from the berries, apple, and rosehips that this tea is probably high in Vitamin C in particular. Combined with the stimulant properties mate is known for, this could be a good choice for drinking when you have a cold (gee, winter and colds, who’d ever connect those?) – after you brew it, first inhale the hot steam for a while to unclog your nose and dilate your bronchial tubes, then drink the tea to let the stimulants decongest your nose further and the vitamins help your immune system. This isn’t medical advice, mind you – I am not a doctor. But I’ll bet if you asked your doctor whether hot tea with real fruit and rosehips would be good for a cold, she’d agree!

A quick note about looking for mate teas: since many web sites are made using American English, where we don’t use accent marks over letters, you will usually find these using “mate” as a keyword – Teavana’s web site, for one, has it that way – but it is really maté (mah-tay), with an accent over the e, and is also called yerba maté.

BunRab

http://bunrab.livejournal.com

» find out more about BunRab by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by BunRab

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 06

Tangier from American Tea Room

American Tea Room, Black Tea, Flavored Tea, Tea Review 11:00 pm | 1 Comment

Type Of leaves: Black Tea
Name Of Tea: Tangier
Available From: American Tea Room

This is a semi-floral/semi-tangy/semi-sweet blend with hints of this and hints of that…just enough to keep you guessing!

It’s Tangier Tea from American Tea Room, formerly known as Le Palais Gourmet.

It’s a medium brown in color and somewhat smooth. The apricot is a nice touch.

American Tea Room describes this tea as:

A premium Sri Lankan black tea with apricot and saffron petals evokes an exotic evening in Tangier. Delicious hot or iced.

Just for kicks I googled Tangier just to see what happened.

Tangier was a fictional casino in the movie CASINO…but you certainly won’t take a gamble with this tea!

Tangier is also a noted as being a hard rock, glam metal, southern rock band. Well, this tea certainly ROCKS and there is a bit of GLAM to it!

But whatever the connection this is a tea that is worth a taste!

JenniferB

http://teaequalsbliss.blogspot.com

» find out more about JenniferB by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by JenniferB

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 06

Himalayan Apple Spice from Yogi Tea

Black Tea, Flavored Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review, Yogi Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Black Tea, Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Himalayan Apple Spice
Available From: Yogi Tea

: Buy Himalayan Apple Spice at iHerb.com! Use Coupon Code DUC468 to get $5 off your 1st Order!

I was very interested to try this tea after reading some of the other reviews as well as the description on the Yogi website.

It’s listed as an “herbal tea”, but it contains black Assam tea so I’m not sure it quite qualifies as “herbal”.

I was quite curious how this blend of spices, herbs , rooibos and Assam would taste. It smelled delicious as it brewed.

I drank this tea with nothing added and it has a lovely soft flavor, with a nice foundation of Assam, a sweetness from the rooibos and stevia and a gentle apple spice flavor.

I also drank this with some added sweetener and found that it brought out the apple taste and was even tastier!

Being curious, I also tried adding both sweetener and milk. I didn’t expect to like this, but I was surprised how it changed the flavor. With a bit of milk added, the spices rose to the surface of the flavor and quite a little bite afterwards.

Here is how Yogi Tea describes Himalayan Apple Spice:

Ascend the foothills of the legendary Himalayas, where the ancients created the perfect cup of tea. The journey begins with rich, full-bodied Assam black tea tempered with the sweet and earthy flavor of organic rooibos—also known as the red tea of South Africa—a powerful antioxidant. We’ve blended these delicious teas with a traditional Ayurvedic combination of cardamom, cinnamon and clove, warming spices known for their cleansing properties. Fragrant with the subtle sweetness of apple and pear, this gently invigorating tea refreshes the body and awakens the mind.

INGREDIENTS: Assam Black Tea, Cinnamon Bark, Ginger Root, Rooibos Leaf (redbush), Nutmeg, Black Pepper, Stevia Leaf, natural flavor.

My favorite was with a bit of added sweetener, but on a cold wintry night… this a bit of milk really brings out the bite of the pepper and ginger and spices and I may drink it that way occasionally too.

I also want to add that this is not overly fruity, or fake apple flavored. I really enjoyed this tea and the unusual mix of Assam Black, Rooibos and spices!

***********
Himalayan Apple Spice sent to us by iHerb.com, a natural products company, with over 200 tea products available. Use Coupon Code DUC468 to get $5 off a first time order!
***********

melanie

http://TheCreatorsPalette.etsy.com

» find out more about melanie by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by melanie

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 06

Mexican Winter from Hina’s Tea

Flavored Tea, Hina's Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review 8:00 am | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Rooibos
Name Of Tea: Mexican Winter
Available From: Hina's Tea

This was too unique and crazy NOT to try!

It certainly ORANGE to the nose with a slight peppery aroma prior to the steep. After steeping the coloring is somewhere between a light brown and a reddish-orange and it still smells like orange, and pepper, but with a more Rooibos and floral scent added in.

I can taste the orange but not as much as I thought I would based on the scent. I can taste the pepper a little at first sip, not so much in the body of the sip, and a little again at the end of the sip. I guess I can ‘get’ the chili part…I can certainly pick out the Rooibos taste, and the cinnamon comes in as an afterthought. I kind of thought the chili, pepper, and cinnamon was going to mesh into a HOT or spicy awkwardness but it didn’t. It all came together nicely.

Hina’s describes this tea as:

No caffeine.Want to try something totally different? How about adding orange peel, cinnamon, coconut, chili bits, red pepper? If you have problems imagining how this “concoction” will taste we can assure you that you will be pleasantly surprised. What a flavor combination. You will not find anything like it.

Cup Characteristics:

A guava chili taste! You will love it!

(other) Ingredients:

Rooibos, Lemon grass, Rose buds, Red Rose blossoms, Lavender.

This is another one of those tea/tisane experiences that if you try it you might like it and really expand your tea horizons! I challenge to you give it and other a try…you never know what you might find in the wonderful world of tea!

JenniferB

http://teaequalsbliss.blogspot.com

» find out more about JenniferB by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by JenniferB

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 05

Malted ChocoMaté from Zoomdweebies

Flavored Tea, Tea Review, Yerba Maté, Zoomdweebies 11:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Yerba Maté
Name Of Tea: Malted ChocoMaté
Available From: Zoomdweebies | 52Teas

I am a chocoholic. When I come across any tea that is chocolate, I’m interested. So, when I found this Malted ChocoMaté from 52Teas.com I knew this was a flavor I had to try.

This is a very good chocolate flavored yerba maté – the rich, chocolate essence permeates the air the moment you open the pouch. And the flavor – WOW! It is really as good as the name implies: Malted ChocoMaté. It is quite a bit like drinking a chocolate malt, with the exception of the temperature and texture. But the flavor is spot on.

The yerba maté in this blend is roasted – which is my personal preference when it comes to yerba maté. By roasting it, some of the very strong vegetative quality is softened, and the flavor becomes toasty-ish, giving it a more balanced, palatable appeal. It is a brisk, full-bodied yerba maté, and is perfectly matched by the flavors of this blend.

And, let’s face it, what it really all comes down to is the chocolate. Well, at least, for this chocoholic it does. And the chocolate flavor here is strong, smooth, and creamy-tasting. The malted flavor is complimented well by the roasted yerba maté. With the exception of my own (what can I say, I’m biased) this is one of the best yerba maté blends I’ve had the opportunity to taste.

Zoomdweebies/52Teas describes this tea as

Roasted Yerba Maté with organic cacao nibs and all natural chocolate and malt flavors.

I personally prefer my yerba maté hot, with an ample amount of sweetener, just as they do in Argentina. I don’t, however, serve it in a gourd with a bombilla, I keep it simple and sip it out of my favorite tea mug (it’s been printed with “Starry Night” by Vincent Van Gogh, my favorite painting by my favorite artist). The creamy flavor is enhanced by a splash of milk or cream.

I found that steeping this for five minutes made for a very delicious brew, however, because there are little to no tannins in yerba maté you can steep it longer without bitterness, and for my second cup, I brewed it for 10 minutes. The flavor was intensified significantly, especially the chocolate, so I highly recommend it. After all, it IS all about the chocolate, am I right?

At the time I am writing this review, I see that there are just 5 more pouches of this tea available. I don’t know if Zoomdweebies is planning on re-blending it, so, you should hurry and get it now, while you can! You’ll be glad you did, especially if you’re a chocoholic like me!

liber-teas

http://liberteas.blogspot.com

» find out more about liber-teas by viewing their profile
» see other articles penned by liber-teas

Useful Things You Can Do With This Post - Please Share!:

Feb 05

Vanilla Temptation from Adagio Teas

Adagio Teas, Black Tea, Chai Tea, Flavored Tea, Rooibos, Tea Review 4:00 pm | No Comments

Type Of leaves: Rooibos, Black Tea
Name Of Tea: Vanilla Temptation
Available From: Adagio Teas

As many of you know, Adagio Teas has a feature on their website where you can blend teas or make signature blends! I personally LOVE this feature! When I saw this Vanilla Temptation blend by Chandler Weiner I had to try it!

Not because I am a vanilla freak but because any time I can try a creative blend, I will, if given the opportunity!

Vanilla Temptation was featured a while back by Zach Luye at Adagio TeaV (as you can see from the screenshot above).

These different bases do blend really well together. It smells like vanilla and it looks like a cross between a lighter black brew tea and a Rooibos. The wet leaves smell like vanilla Cheerios.

Adagio describes this tea as:

Vanilla is the most consumed ice cream flavor because of its simplistic and filling taste. Temper your vanilla craving with a sweet Vanilla Temptation. This mixture of vanilla chai, rooibos, and black teas is a delightful sweet treat and a healthy way to enjoy vanilla. Brew this tea with milk for an even stronger vanilla experience. Perfect for an after dinner treat or a sweet morning start. The rooibos vanilla chai gives this tea a sweet kick that compliments the smooth vanilla and cream of the black teas.

Created by: Chandler Weiner
Contains: rooibos vanilla chai, cream, vanilla

All-in-all I like this cup! Kudos for the creative attempt and if you have the opportunity to try it -please do- if you would like to buy it – it’s available here:

Vanilla Temptation from Adagio Teas

Below you can watch the episode of Adagio’s TeaV where/when this tea was featured.