In the depths of winter, when spring seems only an idle dream, the ruthless chill creeps into your bones and you crave a warmth that can touch even the delicate tendrils of your spirit.
Read Article by chickscratch...
The scent of the dried flowers is just a whisper of honey and aged tea…a lovely, earthy scent that is very demure. And the tea brews up much the same!
Read Article by The Tea Guru...
A cluster of handsewn leaves unfolds as two exotic pink amaranth bulbs ascend and float while osmanthus petals swirl and fall. A buttery fragrance, full and delectable, accented by fruity notes.
Read Article by melanie...
This tea truly IS a spa in a cup. Really makes you feel uplifted and relaxed at the same time. The aroma is cleansing and centering. And I can’t stress how much I absolutely love the flavor of this tea. This is a tea that truly speaks to your soul.
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The color, brilliant light green, was beautiful and it had some froth at the top. When I took a sip I was blown away by the almost (but not quite) overwhelming vanilla mango flavor…MMm… If only it came with that hammock they speak of…
Read Article by zippy...
I highly recommend this tisane for anyone who enjoys the combination of chocolate and chili pepper (a very tasty combination, indeed!) An excellent tea, one of my favorites from Mighty Leaf!
Read Article by liber-teas...
The complexity of the Darjeeling tea plays very nicely with the tart lemon. The lemon takes center stage in this blend, but the presence of the caramel cuts through the tartness just enough to provide a smooth, slightly sweet finish.
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You have here a lovely combination of hearth-healthy herbs, herbs that reduce or are said to help prevent stress, herbs to promote overall wellness, and herbs to soothe and relax. A very lovely combination indeed!
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A truly one-of-a-kind blend that is so unbelievably earthy and delicious. The Pu-erh is of high quality, and has a smooth aged flavor. The ginger compliments the flavor of the Pu-erh like nothing else could.
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Convenient real lemon flavor in a sealed packet; you can add this to your lunchtime iced tea with less trouble than a lemon wedge!
Read Article by BunRab...
This is one of my favourite teas of all time. Although this tea is a bit pricey, I think it is well-worth the money and one that will definitely hold a permanent place in my tea cupboard.
Read Article by mary...
These Self Seal Tea Bags are wonderful for filling with your own mixture of Loose Tea or herbs for a custom cup of herbal hot or Ice Tea. Simply fill with your choice of ingredients and use a hot iron to seal the open edge.
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Thankfully, this tea isn’t as sweet as marmalade, but rather it has a light sweetness that doesn’t overpower by the black tea. It has a sweet, slightly tart scent that you can smell, not only when opening the package, but as it brews as well.
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I love that this tea is Caffeine-free because I like drinking tea at night and don’t want to stay awake all night. It smells amazing, berry delicious! It is sweet and light and just the right amount of berry flavor.
Read Article by createathought...
A very smooth white tea base provides a light and lovely premise for the stronger flavors of peach, tangerine, and orange. The jasmine and osmanthus flowers provide a sweet, floral touch to this blend
Read Article by The Tea Guru...
Egyptian mint isn’t as strong, or as sharp as Peppermint, yet it isn’t as sweet as spearmint. Instead, it is a nice smooth mint, with just a touch of natural sweetness.
Read Article by becky...
If you’ve been wanting to try Earl Grey, and aren’t sure where to start, this is a decent place to start. It’s readily available, easy to make, and inexpensive. And it tastes OK. It’s not a great Earl Grey, but it is a good Earl Grey.
Read Article by BunRab...
“Plants that wake when others sleep. Timid jasmine buds that keep their fragrance to themselves all day, but when the sunlight dies away let the delicious secret out to every breeze that roams about.”
Jasmine is a wonderful flavor to have in a tea, especially a nice light white tea like this from Rishi Tea. You can smell the jasmine in this interesting looking brew. The leaves are long and light green, and bloom into large leaves once brewed. This has light caffeine and no bitterness, only light sweetness of smooth jasmine flowers.
Rishi Tea describes this tea as:
White tea buds harvested from the Fuding Da Bai varietal infused with the fresh flavor and aroma of jasmine flowers according to a totally natural process that uses only freshly picked jasmine flowers and expert tea mixing, sorting and drying techniques. Refreshing, soft and subtle with sweet flavors, smooth white tea body and a lofty floral aroma.
* Hand-harvested in China’s Fujian province in early spring; USDA-certified organic; kosher-certified
* Selected by Rishi buyers (no middlemen) from small heritage-region farms; packaged in Milwaukee, WI
Jasmine is a very universal flavor that goes well with many types of leaves, green, white, black, etc. White tea scented with fresh jasmine flowers using 900-year-old technique; no harsh flavors. This tea is intoxicating and exotic and will whisk your taste buds on a trip to the East. You can even get a lighter jasmine flavor by brewing for less than the recommended 4-5 minutes. Three minutes give an even lighter tea with still a lovely jasmine flavor!
The perfect summertime berry blend! A delicious mix of red raspberries and blueberries fall against a lovely light to medium bodied black tea – it’s a tea that Tea For All Reasons uses regularly, and I’m fairly sure it’s a Ceylon tea, but it does make a lovely background for this tea.
I think it’s special that not only is this tea a holiday, 4th of July themed tea, but is also a tribute to a special friend – the owner of Tea For All Reason’s friend Kathy, who owns a retail business also called Uncle Sam’s Niece, because her birthday actually falls on the 4th of July. So everyone leave a comment here helping me to wish Kathy a Happy Birthday today!! Kathy, we hope you have a wonderful and patriotic birthday today, and every 4th of July to come!
Tea For All Reasons describes this tea as:
The subtle flavorings of this black tea are Raspberry and Blueberry with additions of blue flowers and red, white and blue candy stars for a touch of whimsy. My friend and collaborator, Kathy, has a retail business called “Uncle Sam’s Niece,” specializing in giftware. This tea was created in her honor as she was born on the 4th of July!
The berries in this blend make it a fantastic summertime tea whether you prefer it hot or iced. Although I am not usually a fan of berry tea blends, this blend is not tart or bitter, and does not include hibiscus or rosehips as flavoring, just plain, realistic raspberry and blueberry flavoring. I like the fact that it isn’t tart and doesn’t overwhelm the palate. And the cute little red white and blue candy stars which add a celebratory flair to the appearance of the tea are a wonderful addition to this blend also. Have a happy Independence Day, America, and enjoy it even more with a cup of Uncle Sam’s Niece tea.
I was afraid I wasn’t going to get a chance to review this tea, because Liber-Teas’ proprietor wasn’t sure she would be making another batch. But she did get in the organic green tea that serves as the base for this, and voila! Green Apple Tea!
When one opens the tin, one sees the beautiful long leaves of the green tea, and immediately smells the green apple scent – summer! When brewed, surprisingly the tea aroma becomes stronger and the apple aroma a little less strong. I felt that a good pinch of sugar brought the apple back to its rightful place, smoothing out the very slightly grassy note of the green tea. A little more sugar, and it made an absolutely terrific iced tea, which I plan on drinking a great deal of this summer. Granny smith apples are my favorite, and this tea just made me feel as if I was surrounded by them. Yum.
Liber-Teas describes this tea as:
Imagine biting into a crisp, juicy apple fresh off the tree! Tea time now can bring you that delightful experience – any time of year!
100% Organic Green tea leaves from China, flavored with 100% organic ingredients. Vegan.
Many things go with the apple flavor – if you want to add a wedge of lime, for example, it tastes tart and brings out the tartness of the apple; if you prefer to concentrate on the sweeter notes of the apple flavor, then add a sprig of mint – especially good in iced tea. (And for a colorful, if eccentric, note, add a maraschino cherry instead of sugar – the cherry goes well with the apple!)
Green tea from Japan gets classified as sencha or gyokuro, and often labeled as to harvest (first through fourth). Since the demand for green tea has grown, China has started producing it for export as well, but hasn’t fully adopted the Japanese labeling conventions, so it’s difficult to tell how much caffeine this green tea might have, and which and how much anti-oxidants are in this particular tea. So you’ll want to drink this for the flavor.
The apple pieces in the tea are also organic, by the way! And this tea will stand up to a second steeping. If you have a garden, after you’ve gotten the most out of your tea leaves, place them right on your garden – they provide instant mulch, and the tea has natural insect-repelling components.
This is a lovely light rose black tea, feminine and bright. While the rose flavoring is noticeable, it’s not overwhelming, although it leaves a very distinct floral aroma and flavor, just like a real rosebud. It has a nice, extremely light black tea base, probably a Ceylon or Chinese Congou, which is very light bodied that provides a delicate black tea base for the rose flavoring.
Compass Teas describes this tea as:
This light and delicious rose scented black tea will have you wanting to throw a Garden Party. The beautiful presentation of the rose petals mixed in with fine quality black tea make a beautiful gift as well for showers, tea party favors, or a favorite friend. We suggest trying this with a spoonful of our sugar gems. Also makes a unique and refreshing iced tea (Great for Garden themed parties!)
This is a lovely garden party tea, and also makes a lovely springtime tea. The aroma is one of the best parts and smells just exactly like a real red rose in every way. Posy Party is not as strong as some other rose-flavored teas I’ve tasted, so this might be a refreshing change of pace if you are looking for a floral tea, but not a heavy floral. The light rose balances well with the light black tea, and the rose petals amongst the black tea leaves make this a beautiful tea to display as well.
This is a hard tea review to write. Not because I didn’t like the tea, in fact I loved it. Rather, the mix of mint and vanilla forms such a unique taste that it is hard to describe. It is somehow very sweet and candy-like, and at the same time, very natural tasting. See, I told you it was tough to describe!
Golden Moon Tea describes this tea as:
Vanilla Mint is a smooth and refreshing blend of both green and black loose leaf tea with fragrant mint leaves and rich vanilla bean pieces. Delicious hot or iced, serve by the pitcher or in tall glasses with a sprig of fresh mint for a naturally sweet refreshment.
What’s great about this tea is sometimes vanilla can be a sickly sweet smell that ends up overwhelming the tea. Not in this blend! In fact the vanilla seems to tone down the mint, while the mint (and the other black and green teas) seems to tone down the vanilla. It’s interesting because the tea itself is pretty small (some of the small pieces slipped through my infuser) so it’s hard to tell the mix of the different teas. If anything, you can taste the black tea slightly, but the green tea seems pretty much invisible to me. What you can see are small twig like things in the tea which I assume are the pieces of vanilla.
The best, and only way I can think to describe this tea is by comparing it to candy. There is some candy that tastes just like this tea, I think it is a mint ice cream flavor candy, but it is one that I’ve had a long time ago so I can’t remember. The vanilla smooths this tea out and adds almost a creamy flavor while the mint adds a real sweetness without adding any sharpness that mint sometimes does.
I also love the smell, which is sweet as well. In fact, I keep the bag of this tea right next to my computer desk and occasionally sniff it. Yeah, I know, weird, but the smell gives me a little energy boost! I could see how this tea would be great after dinner as a desert, but it is also one that I’ve enjoyed first thing in the morning. Overall, I have to say that this is one of the best teas that I’ve had. And seeing as I have about 80 different kinds of tea in my house right now, that is saying a lot!
Yep, it really tastes like Orange Creamsicles, especially if you add milk and sugar. Myself, I added a generous amount of Vanilla Soy Milk, and Amber Sugar Gems from Compass Teas, and it came out incredibly fabulous – just exactly like a Creamsicle!
And what is a Creamsicle? If you aren’t already familiar with this classic ice cream treat, here’s a quick explanation from Wikipedia:
Creamsicle is a brand name, also owned by Unilever, for a frozen dessert which resembles an ice pop, with a center composed of vanilla ice cream, and an exterior layer of flavored ice – usually orange flavored - all around a wooden or plastic stick.
I didn’t try this tea any other way (plain or without soy milk), so I can’t say if it tastes as much like an Orange Creamsicle without the addition of milk and sugar, but it certainly has the flavor and aroma there with the milk and sugar.
Tea For All Reasons describes this tea as:
Remember when you were a kid and the most anticipated sound every evening was the persistent ring that emanated from the Good Humor Ice Cream truck? With its creamy character and dreamy goodness this blend hearkens back to your favorite summer ice cream treat, the one you could only get from your favorite nightly visitor. But this blend you get to enjoy all day long!
The orange flavor here is a bit subdued, but in a way that makes the tea much more realistically represent a real Orange Creamsicle, which is heavy on the cream and only accented with orange ice. This tea is exactly the same – heavy on the cream, with an undeniably sweet whisper of oranges underneath. A perfect summertime tea!
In the United States, National Creamsicle Day is celebrated on 14 August annually. Be sure you have your Creamsicle tea in time to celebrate!
Okay, let’s face it, jasmine pearls are just plain fun to drink. If you’ve never seen jasmine pearls before you should definitely check them out. They are tiny balls of wrapped jasmine scented and flavored green tea leaves that slowly unfurl when you put them in hot water. It’s fun to watch them unfurl (and it helps that I have a glass infusion mug to watch). You start off with a bunch of neat and tidy balls and after brewing you end up with an full infuser or surprisingly large leaves.
Teavana describes this tea as:
This exceptional tea consists of the youngest green tea leaves scented 8-10 times with fresh jasmine blossoms. After the lengthy flavoring process, the leaves are hand-rolled into the shape of a pearl. During the infusion, the pearls unfold, slowly releasing the rich and surprisingly smooth fragrance and flavor of jasmine flowers. Good for multiple infusions.
You really don’t want to steep this tea too long (recommended time is one minute) and it’s best to use fewer pearls than you think because they are really quite powerful, and like most jasmine teas, can become incredibly bitter if too strong. The good news is that because of their strength, you can make multiple cups of tea from the same leaves without losing flavor.
The tea itself is good, strong jasmine. It has a wonderful jasmine scent and you can tell that this is a high quality tea. Of course, you do have to pay for high quality and jasmine pearls are usually more expensive than bagged or loose jasmine due to them being rolled. But I would say it is worth it as it is more than just a cup of tea, it is a show as well!
This is one of the most intensely scented and flavored Earl Greys I’ve ever tasted. As with the majority of Earl Greys, its base is a Ceylon tea, and it’s a strong one. The flavoring includes a large dose of bergamot, and lemon added as well, for a very strong citrus aroma and taste.
As soon as one opens the packet, the bergamot aroma is evident. The leaves are large (that’s the P in BOP, for Pekoe, the larger, lower leaves on the tea plant), but broken (that’s the B in BOP), and broken leaves release more tea flavor than whole leaves do. The tea brews up medium-to-dark brown, and the aroma stays quite strong. With the first sip, the lemon note hits your tongue an instant before the bergamot, and then the bergamot has a long finish. If you aren’t already acquainted with Earl Grey tea, this might be too strong for a first tea. If you are already an Earl Grey fan, and are disappointed in Earl Greys characterized as “mild,” then this is definitely the tea for you.
Upton describes this tea as:
A recent addition to our Earl Grey Blends. The base for this tea is an elegant long-leaf Ceylon BOP1. The fresh, full bergamot flavor is married with lemon notes to produce a rich and full bodied tea.
I add sugar to this tea when I drink it, to balance out the citrus a bit. I personally think that milk in an Earl Grey is an abomination, and in this one it would be even more so because of the additional lemon. I know many people add milk to their Ceylon tea, just as if it were an Indian tea, but I really don’t recommend trying it here. I don’t recommend adding lemon, either – this is already strongly flavored. If you must add something besides sugar, use a very mild lime, or a sweet orange wedge.
Upton’s instructions say to steep this tea for 4 minutes; I found that a little too strong even for me. Steep it for 3 minutes, and save the leaves for a second steeping, which will give you a milder Earl Grey with less caffeine for later in the evening. Because there is so much flavor, both from the tea and the flavorings, this is a good choice for saving to have second or even third steepings.
I don’t like this particular Earl Grey as an iced tea; to my tastes, the milder an Earl Grey is, the better it ices, and mild is not a word I’d ever use on this tea. If you do decide to ice it, though, drink it immediately – bergamot oil pools and tastes funny if you leave the tea in the refrigerator overnight.
Upton offers over a dozen Earl Grey varieties, including some besides this one that have other citrus flavors added. There’s also an “Extra Bergamot” version. Earl Grey fanatics, take note!
Teas have such creative names these days, it’s often hard to guess what the ingredients are based on the name alone. But when I see a tea called “Serenity,” I want two ingredients: Mint and chamomile (the two most serene herbs in my book). Luckily this tea delivered and there are actually a few other calming herbs in it as well.
Tavalon describes this tea as:
A relaxing caffeine-free herbal blend consisting of Chamomile, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Rooibos and Vanilla.
sommelier’s notes:
8 oz water (212F) | 2 tsp loose tea | steep 5 minutes
…the night is yours
I have to say that it really surprised me that there was rooibos in it because it was unrecognizable. I am not a big rooibos fan, but before I knew the ingredients I happily drank this tea without even noticing it. The tea itself is finely ground. The mint and lemongrass are not huge leaves, but rather they are ground pretty well. Rooibos is usually grounded finely and it was in this tea as well.
The strongest taste is the mint, followed by the chamomile, but I thought the two tastes mixed quite well. I recently drank a mint vanilla and I’m not sure but it seems that vanilla helps to tone down the mint taste. In this tea I couldn’t taste the rooibos or vanilla at all, and the lemongrass was very subtle. It is more like the tea is blended together so that no one flavor dominates over the rest, which is very nice. And yes, I did drink this tea before bed and yes, it definitely made me ready for bed!
Organic White Peony Blossom
I have grown to really love white tea. There is a certain gentle, soothing quality to white tea that I can appreciate, and that seems to “capture” me — mind, body, and spirit!
This particular tea, while it does contain some rose petals, has not been “flavored” or scented with rose (a process that involves layering young tea leaves with rose petals and blossoms to infuse the tea leaves with the essence of the rose; the tea becomes “flavored” with rose and offers a very distinctive floral flavor), but rather, the rose petals seem to add a certain aesthetic quality to the tea.
Two Leaves and a Bud describes this tea as:
Organic Whole Leaf White Tea with Rose Petals
The Chinese name,”Bai Mu Dan”, literally means white peony blossom. There is no Peony in this tea, just luscious white tea. Harvested only during a brief period in early spring, white tea is the unopened bud of the tea plant. Classic white tea is smooth and savory, but so light in the cup as to be called “white”. White tea is the very early spring growth of certain tea plants that is handled very delicately to preserve the white “hairs” on the leaves. It is very gently sun-dried to preserve the mellow flavor of the tea.
This tea reminds me of meditation. Please allow me to illuminate on this idea: when I meditate, I am able to focus and find my “center” – my mind becomes clear, I can breathe a little easier, I’m a little more relaxed, and I feel connected with my own body and the rest of the world. Everything becomes clearer, and seems to make “more sense” when I meditate. Even my usually bespectacled eyes can see perfectly for the first few moments following meditation.
This is how I feel when I drink a white tea such as this White Peony Blossom. The scent is calm, earthy, delicately floral and provides an overall sense of calm when you breathe it in. The flavor is light, with a mere hint of rose, and a whisper-soft earthiness that washes over your palate and brings me to that moment of meditation where I feel relaxed yet focused.
This is truly a beautiful tea to experience.
by liber-teas on July 4, 2009 at 3:32 pm
by liber-teas on July 4, 2009 at 3:29 pm
by The Tea Guru on July 3, 2009 at 9:11 pm
"In used to have a travel mug in which I could make iced tea. I would fill the bottom with ice, put on a sort of lid for the teabag, pour boiling water, and ZI guess thyere was another lid. The mug was brown and tan plastic. Does anyone no what I’m talking about or where I might find one? Thanks!"
betsy said, in reply to Tea Travel Mug from Teas Etc on July 4, 2009 at 4:43 pm
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
CREATEaTHOUGHT said, in reply to Uncle Sam’s Niece from Tea For All Reasons on July 4, 2009 at 9:40 am
"Thank you for the fantastic review of my Green Apple Tea. It is one of my favorite teas, and am so happy it’s back in my tea cabinet!"
liber-teas said, in reply to Green Apple Organic Green Tea from Liber-TEAS on July 4, 2009 at 12:08 am
"Good review, although, my favorite silver needle is from Ocean of Tea. You can check it out here: Silver Needle Tea 
"
Terry said, in reply to Silver Needle Jasmine from Rishi Tea on July 2, 2009 at 4:53 am
"Tea Guru: I’m so glad that you finally were able to find the right combination for a pleasant cup with this tea, it’s definitely a favorite of mine, the combination of white tea and lavender is absolutely heavenly!"
liber-teas said, in reply to Lavender Dreams from Teavana on June 30, 2009 at 5:22 pm
"Whoops, the case of the disappearing pictures! Well, trust me, it looks like black tea."
BunRab said, in reply to Cherry Almond Black Tea from Enjoying Tea on June 30, 2009 at 5:08 pm
"Moroccan Mint Green Tea from Stash has been a favorite of mine for a number of years now. Delicious! It is wonderful iced, also. "
LaDonna said, in reply to Moroccan Mint Green Tea by Stash Tea on June 30, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Copyright 2009 The Tea Review Blog. All Rights Reserved. All opinions expressed by our reviewers are their own.
The Tea Review Blog is an online community of tea lovers and tea reviewers to share their love of tea with one another. Tea reviews are posted quite frequently, and we love sharing information about teas and tea-related items!
*The statements made on our website and our community message forums have not been evaluated by the FDA (U.S. Food & Drug Administration). Statements made in our review or on our forums (or in comments) are not intended to diagnose, cure or prevent any disease.
Recent Comments
"In used to have a travel mug in which I could make iced tea. I would fill the bottom with ice, put on a sort of lid for the teabag, pour boiling water, and ZI guess thyere was another lid. The mug was brown and tan plastic. Does anyone no what I’m talking about or where I might find one? Thanks!"
betsy said, in reply to Tea Travel Mug from Teas Etc on July 4, 2009 at 4:43 pm
betsy on:
Tea Travel Mug from Teas Etc
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
CREATEaTHOUGHT said, in reply to Uncle Sam’s Niece from Tea For All Reasons on July 4, 2009 at 9:40 am
CREATEaTHOUGHT on:
Uncle Sam’s Niece from Tea For All Reasons
"Thank you for the fantastic review of my Green Apple Tea. It is one of my favorite teas, and am so happy it’s back in my tea cabinet!"
liber-teas said, in reply to Green Apple Organic Green Tea from Liber-TEAS on July 4, 2009 at 12:08 am
liber-teas on:
Green Apple Organic Green Tea from Liber-TEAS
"Good review, although, my favorite silver needle is from Ocean of Tea. You can check it out here: Silver Needle Tea
"
Terry said, in reply to Silver Needle Jasmine from Rishi Tea on July 2, 2009 at 4:53 am
Terry on:
Silver Needle Jasmine from Rishi Tea
"Tea Guru: I’m so glad that you finally were able to find the right combination for a pleasant cup with this tea, it’s definitely a favorite of mine, the combination of white tea and lavender is absolutely heavenly!"
liber-teas said, in reply to Lavender Dreams from Teavana on June 30, 2009 at 5:22 pm
liber-teas on:
Lavender Dreams from Teavana
"Whoops, the case of the disappearing pictures! Well, trust me, it looks like black tea."
BunRab said, in reply to Cherry Almond Black Tea from Enjoying Tea on June 30, 2009 at 5:08 pm
BunRab on:
Cherry Almond Black Tea from Enjoying Tea
"Moroccan Mint Green Tea from Stash has been a favorite of mine for a number of years now. Delicious! It is wonderful iced, also.
"
LaDonna said, in reply to Moroccan Mint Green Tea by Stash Tea on June 30, 2009 at 4:55 pm
LaDonna on:
Moroccan Mint Green Tea by Stash Tea