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Dec 28

Yorkshire Tea from Taylors of Harrogate

Black Tea,General,Taylors of Harrogate,Tea Review 5:15 am | 1 Comment

  • Type Of leaves: Black Tea
  • Name Of Tea: Yorkshire Tea
  • Available From: Taylors of Harrogate

Yorkshire TeaI was very exited to receive a box of Yorkshire Tea from Taylors of Harrogate. This is the tea off the advert where brits are trying to seek a better brew abroad!

Here is the story of Little Urn…

“Our trusty travelling tea van, Little Urn, started life just over five years ago. Back then he simply toured the country serving up free cups of Yorkshire Tea. But in early 2011 things changed: we packed him onto a boat and sent him off to America, proving to the world the lengths we’ll go to in the name of good tea. After months touring the US and rescuing Brits abroad, he’s back in the UK doing what he was born to do – bringing people a proper brew”.

It seems that this tea has been very popular in the USA as well as England.

I open the box of tea and a lovely refreshing aroma fills my nose. I feel from the aroma that this tea will be refreshing and will have a degree of strength to it.

I put my kettle on and wait for it to boil, I then place a teabag in my favourite china cup (a must I feel for tea-drinking) and pour the hot liquid over the bag and instantly the water turns a deep brown.

I add milk to my tea after a couple of minutes brewing and find that I now have a lovely strong cuppa (just how I like it). I haven’t added sugar to my tea as I don’t normally take it but I also feel that it distracts from the earthy tea flavour (this is just my opinion I am sure some people would disagree).

Here goes the tasting…

Okay so I taste the tea and I am pleased to say I was right. The tea is refreshing, deep with a good strength and full-bodied while still achieving a light refreshing taste.

I really like this tea and can honestly say I would be happy drinking this cup after cup throughout the day as it makes me feel refreshed and happy (just like a good cuppa should)!

While tasting this tea I tried to find out a bit more information about Yorkshire Tea and came across this-

“We do everything properly as all Yorkshire Tea is produced by Rainforest Alliance certified growers and we’ve even pledged to save an area the size of Yorkshire with our Yorkshire Rainforest Project.”

I am not sure whether all readers will know where or in fact how big Yorkshire is but let me tell you its pretty big so finding this out really pleases me and would encourage me to purchase this tea with this in mind.

Taylors of Harrogate describe this tea as-

A proper brew. Pure and simple. To give our blend its refreshing flavour, strength and colour we use top quality Assam and African teas. In the tea trade we’re renowned for paying more to get the pick of the crop. Our experts travel the world to find the people who grow the best teas, which we then blend together using our secret recipe to create a traditional, satisfying brew.

Overall I would describe this tea as refreshing with a deep quality of flavour that is suitable for anytime day or night. I am very pleased with this tea and I will be repurchasing!



The Tea Guru
The Tea Guru
http://www.teareviewblog.com


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Dec 27

Red Velvet Cake from David’sTea

Black Tea,David's Tea,Flavored Tea,Tea Review 4:42 am | 2 Comments

Red Velvet Cake

I was going to pass this tea up as I am not (*GASP*) a fan of cake! I don’t like anything overly sweet at all. So yes, I was very apprehensive about trying this tea and whether I would even like it! Guess what? I loved it! The look of this tea reminds me a bit of a party! Red and white sprinkles are mixed in with the tea leaves along with tiny chocolate chips and white chocolate chips! It is quite a fun looking tea and would be awesome to have on hand at a party.

Upon opening the package of this loose leaf tea, I was hit with the aroma of cake! It was very sweet with hints of milk chocolate, white chocolate and vanilla. There was a very light, almost not there, hint of black tea. The smell of this tea is delicious and reminds me very much of a cake baking in the oven. When the water is poured over the tea leaves, the scent of a baking cake becomes even stronger.

The maximum recommended steeping time given by Davids Tea for is 6 minutes and I highly recommend this! I tried the tea after the minimum recommended time of 4 minutes and it was too weak. Once it hit the six minute mark, it was perfect for me. The taste of the tea is slightly sweet, creamy and delicious! The flavours of milk chocolate and white chocolate with a hint of sweetness from the red and white sprinkles blend in quite nicely with the black tea. I think some of the sweetness in this tea is derived from the beetroot powder. I didn’t find the need to add anything to this tea as for me, it had the perfect level of sweetness and delicious creamy flavour.  I would imagine though that this tea would be quite nice with the addition of your favourite sweetener along with a bit of milk.

I think the aroma was what I loved most about this tea. I left the room for a moment and when I came  back, it smelled just like a cake  baking in the oven. While I am not a fan of eating cake, I, like most people, find the smell of anything baking in the oven to be quite enjoyable. This is the perfect tea to enjoy during the day if you feel the need for a sweet treat without the added calories or need a bit of a pick me up. If you’re like me and don’t like overly sweet treats, I would still give this tea a go. As I mentioned at the beginning, I thought I would not enjoy this tea at all and it is definitely one that I will buy again from Davids Tea!

 

David’s Tea describes this tea as-

 What’s not to love about a red velvet cake? It’s chocolaty, it’s rich, and it’s bright red. We’re the first to admit it’s a pretty flashy dessert. If other cakes are birds of a feather, the red velvet is the peacock – which is exactly why we love it so much. And this sweet, lightly creamy black tea blend perfectly captures our favourite dessert. With semi-sweet and white chocolate chips, beetroot powder and little red sprinkles, it’s rich, delicious and a whole lot of fun.

Overall I would describe this tea as rich, sweet and creamy.

 



mary
mary
http://missbellatrixsworld.blogspot.com/

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Dec 19

Finest Fairtrade Tea Bags from Tesco

Black Tea,Tea Review,Tesco,Unflavored Tea 5:12 am | 1 Comment

  • Type Of leaves: Black Tea
  • Name Of Tea: Finest Fairtrade Tea Bags
  • Available From: Tesco

Tesco_Finest_80_Tea_Bags_250gI went into my local supermarket and decided to take a look at teas they offer under their own branding to see if there was anything that would take my fancy.

I came across these – Fairtrade Tea Bags from Tesco which are medium strength.

Tesco has a 3 strength guide-

1- Mild

2- Medium

3- Strong

I am particularly interested in these teas as they are fairtrade.

I return home and open the box to find inside 2 foil sealed packs with 40 bags in each pack.

I now prepare my kettle to boil, take out my cup and wait.

My kettle is now boiled so I pour the boiled liquid over my tea bag and instantly the water becomes a dark brown and gives off a deep and rich aroma (even before leaving to steep for the recommended time of 4-5 minutes).

This smells like the kind of tea I like to drink, rich, full-bodied and brisk. Very enjoyable morning tea I would guess.

On this occasion I have decided to take the tea without milk as I want to really enjoy the rich flavour and somehow I feel milk takes this away slightly.

Here goes the tasting…

I begin to take a sip and I am plesantly surprised by a refreshing yet full-bodied, malty brisk tea.

I take a look at the pack whilst the tea cools and read-

” We have ensured the highest quality of the Finest tea blend by selecting the best high grown teas in Assam, Ceylon and regions of Africa, where the tea is particularly favoured for its brisk, refreshing flavour and bright colour”

I feel the statement is very fitting for the tea and would completely agree with the flavour description.

Tesco describes this tea as-

“This fine-flavoured black tea blend originates from Fairtrade certified tea estates in Africa, India and Sri Lanka. It is mellow with a deep colour and rich taste”

Overall I would describe this tea as malty, brisk, full-bodied and rich. A winner for me and I will be more than happy to finish the whole box!

 



The Tea Guru
The Tea Guru
http://www.teareviewblog.com


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Dec 18

Chocolate Vanilla Mate (Yerba Mate) from Tea District

Herbal Tisanes,Tea District,Tea Review,Yerba Maté 9:16 am | 2 Comments

Chocolate Vanilla Mate Yerba Mate by Tea District

Here we have Chocolate Vanilla Mate from Tea District and I have to say I am really looking forward to this.

Firstly here are a few facts about the tea-

Ingredients: Yerba mate, cacao nibs and natural flavourings

Company: Tea District

Tea Name: Chocolate Vanilla Mate

Tea Type: Mate

Steeping Vessel/Leaf: cup/ loose leaf

Liquor Colour: dark reddish / rich chocolate

Leaf Characteristics: grounded much like leaves with the nibs of cacao giving it a roasted and chocolatey aroma.

1st Steeping:

Water temperature:  200 Fahrenheit

Time:    5 minutes

I am continuing with my teas from Tea District and today I selected this chocolate Yerba mate. I scoop out one heaped teaspoon and put this in my cup, adding the boiled water to my cup, I leave it to steep for five minutes. When done I strained out the tea grinds with a strainer and observed as the tea is poured into another cup it has a lovely dark reddish colour; similar to coffee and with the aroma of roasted chestnut.

I am reminded that this is tea and when sipping this tea it is most smooth and creamy; again resembling black coffee or black tea even. But it has none of the astringent notes that are found when drinking a cup of black tea. Instead this tea is smooth, creamy and is naturally sweetened with the cacao nibs.

2nd Steeping:

Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit

Time: 4 minutes

I steep the tea leaves/grinds a second time for several minutes and scooping/straining the grinds I drink the tea just as before, it is a warm and it feels like a chocolatey cup of tea that is naturally sweetened with no need for anything else to be added to it.

I was able to steep the tea for a third infusion and this time tea was much milder than first or second steep with the chocolate flavour more mild and dissipating in the cup. I mean it is more diluted. Where there was once stronger chocolate flavour, it is milder and more of hints of the cacao nibs with chocolate. The tea is still nice, just not as potent.

Overall tasting notes observed:

This tea has a lovely colour and a delightful chocolate/roasted aroma. I am sorry I never did discern the vanilla in my cup of tea. I liked the tea straight away and I am confused when I read that this tea is one where the taste is to be acquired. Those liking coffee or black tea are sure to love this Yerba mate. It really is a drink for long social occasions since it is so sublime and delicious.

I highly recommend this Yerba Mate from The Tea District. It is one that I wish to keep in my cupboard to enjoy occasionally for the wonderful health benefits that is offered. Thank you Tea District for sending me this excellent tea!

Tea District describes this tea as-

Our Chocolate Vanilla Mate is sure to please. The fall like flavor not only tastes good, but is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant rich ingredients.

Available by the pound, 2 oz and .5 oz size!

Tea Facts

TEA NAME: Chocolate Vanilla Mate
DESCRIPTION: Our Chocolate Vanilla Mate is sure to please. The fall like flavor not only tastes good, but is packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidant rich ingredients.
ORIGIN/ESTATE: South America, Tea District Blend
CAFFEINE: Yerba Mate contains 4 0 – 60 mg of caffeine per cup depending on the blend.
TASTE: A fall like flavor of chocolate and vanilla combined with soothing mate.  A coffee like flavor with the benefits of tea.
INGREDIENTS: Yerba Mate, cacao nibs, and natural flavors.
BREWING: Water: 212°F / Boiling / Leaves: 1 tablespoon per 8 ounces / Infusion Time: 4–5 minutes


Overall I would describe this tea as smooth and creamy with a naturally sweet taste.



seule771
seule771
http://seule771.wordpress.com


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Dec 17

Anastasia from Kusmi Tea

Black Tea,earl grey,Flavored Tea,Kusmi Tea,Tea Review 12:19 am | 1 Comment

I’ll make my debut Tea Review Blog post on a tea named after one of my favorite historical figures.  Kusmi tea is a high-end tea from France, which seems to be spreading to the North American market via trendy cafes and boutiques.

Anastasia is one in a series of 18 Russian teas, including Troika, Prince Vladimir, and St. Petersburg.  First off, I adore the packaging.  It is elegant and luxurious, and would definitely “wow” any gift recipient.  You do have to be careful when first opening the air-tight tin, because they are filled to the brim, and if you’re somewhat of a klutz like I am, you may spill some of the precious tea!

Now as for the tea itself, the dry leaves smell like a lemony candy from my childhood, sweet, delicate, and fresh.  My review panel (family in town for Thanksgiving) passed around several dry tea leaves for sniffing before we settled on a pot of this one.  The scent of the dry leaves brought smiles all around.

At 185 degrees and 3 minutes (careful not to oversteep!), it comes out a lovely medium amber shade in my teacup.  I’m not the sort who adds anything to my tea typically, and I thought Anastasia stood on its own quite nicely.  However, I can see this one going well with a slice of lemon or a lump or two of rock sugar.

This appears to be Kusmi’s take on the classic Lady Grey.  The bergamot can be a bit strong, but this is how I like my Earl Greys.  The taste of the brewed tea was elegant and refined, the sort of tea I’d imagine a Russian princess sipping in the afternoon with a shortbread cookie.  It’s a bright, medium-bodied tea that can be sipped throughout afternoon.  Please note however, that it has high caffeine content, and for those who are sensitive to caffeine, it may be better suited to early morning.

Kusmi describes this tea as:

A blend of black teas from China and Sri Lanka flavored with bergamot, lemon, and orange blossom.
Delicious as iced tea on hot summer days!

We suggest to enjoy this tea during the whole day.
Main flavor: Citrus fruit and orange blossom

This is a lovely tea that I’d describe as a “safe” crowd-pleaser.  While it’s not a bold exotic flavor, it’s one that I can make an entire pot of to entertain guests, and there’s something to be said for that.  It was nicely paired with the pecan pie I had made that weekend, and I’m planning to try it with a ginger scone recipe I just found last week!



kimlovestea
kimlovestea


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Dec 14

Genmaicha Green Tea by Tea District

Green Tea,Tea District,Tea Review 1:42 am | 2 Comments

I received this tea as part of sampler packaged sent to me from the Tea District Sales Support Team. I want to thank them for giving me sampling of their teas.

When I open the tea pouch as I scoop out the tea is filled with the bancha green tea, popped corn and toasted hulled rice kernels and it smells mostly of popcorn; it is lovely and fragrant.

I scoop out half of the tea pouch contents and put this in my tea mug and add the boiling water to my cup and covering it to steep for a few minutes. I am enjoying the tea’s aroma so early in the day which conjures fresh popcorn mixed with the rice kernels.

I take the saucer from the tea to remove the rice and leaves and straining the tea into my small tea cup. Tea is a lovely light green with a yellow base and the aroma is that heady popcorn and toasted flavoring.

This tea is a lovely combination of toasted mulled rice kernel that is well blended with the popped corn and the organic bancha green tea leaves. It is filling as it is smooth making for a hearty cup of tea.

Overall tasting notes observed:

Tea color: light green with yellow for a base note.

Characteristics: grainy texture with roasted aroma and lightly salty making for a thirst quenching cup of enjoyment.

 



seule771
seule771
http://seule771.wordpress.com


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Dec 13

Good Fats Tea from Vitalife

Black Tea,Flavored Tea,Tea Review,Vitalife Matcha 8:23 am | 1 Comment

Good Fats Tea from VitalifeToday I received yet another one of Vitalife’s teas.

This time I get the Good Fats black tea which contains an exciting blend of Coconut, Cashew and Vanilla…Sounds exiting!

I open the canister and pop open the foil pack and get hit with an almighty scent of coconutty creaminess-  I am a huge lover of Coconut so I think this may just be a winner for me.

As with all of the other Vitalife tea’s these are teabags (which is handy today as I want convenience).

I prepare my kettle for boil whilst sniffing the pack (I can’t seem to get enough of this aroma and I really hope the tea tastes as good as it smells).

After a few minutes my kettle is boiled so I pour the hot liquid over the teabag and let it infuse for 4 minutes (as stated on the packaging).

4 minutes later my tea is ready to drink. Before that though I just have to share a few things- The tea smells creamy yet smooth and once brewed to 4 minutes gives off a golden brown colour like some black teas do.

I take a sip and well wow, this tea is smooth, creamy, nutty and delivers all the flavours as stated. I first get Coconut then the Vanilla and then a mild Cashew flavour adds nuttiness to the flavour.

This is a tea that you would find exceptionally rewarding if you are feeling a little under the weather or for when you want an indulgent tasting cuppa without having to add syrups, sugars or creams like you can with most warm beverages. This is all flavour and no guilt. This would be great for people who are dieting or for those people who struggle to incorporate good fats into their diet or just for those people like me who love Coconut!

This tea is sheer brilliance for me and I would even go as far as saying it is the nicest blend I have ever tasted- Thank you again Vitalife

Vitalife describes this tea as-

This smooth, creamy blend delivers a dose of good fats to help you lead a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Good fats are essential and have been proven to help promote heart, brain, and joint health

How it works:

Coconut’s fats have been shown to provide the body with energy

Cashews, with 72% poly and mono unsaturated fats, deliver a good dose of essential fatty acids plus a host of other nutritional benefits

Black tea, like all other teas from the camellia sinensis plant, offers antioxidant properties

Vanilla adds a great, creamy flavour dimension to this tea

Great for: Those people who struggle to incorporate good fats into their diet

Serve with freshly boiled water, infuse for 4 minutes, leaving the bag in the cup while you drink. Enjoy.

Store in a cool dry place. Drink 2-3 cups per day for maximum effect.

Ingredients: Black tea, Coconut, Cashews & Vanilla. Absolutely nothing else.

Overall I find the tea exceptionally indulgent with a lovely smooth and creamy flavour which is perfect for me any time.



The Tea Guru
The Tea Guru
http://www.teareviewblog.com


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