Visited 741 times, 3 so far today
Jul 05

Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose from Culinary Teas

Culinary Teas,Flavored Tea,Green Tea,Tea Review 8:00 am | No Comments

Sencha Kyoto Cherry Rose by Culinary Teas The dry leaf is a pretty showcase of rose petals displaying the summer colors of red, pink, orange, and yellow in a beautiful bright green Sencha tea blend. The lead smells tart, sweet, and fresh.

The steeped liquor is golden-yellow with a thick almost oily like fullness. The smell is blissful cherry! I was anticipating an almost unnatural cherry flavoring like in medicine or candy, and while I can’t attest to if this is a natural flavoring or not, and there were no actual cherry pieces, freeze-dried or other in the blend, the flavor is quite nice. The rose flavor is present and noticeable but not over powering.

I for one, tend to have poor luck with certain flavor additives, and again, I am not sure what the cherry flavor in this tea comes from, but usually I find some flavors like cherry and strawberry to be almost chemical tasting. I can’t say that about this tea, and for that I am happy. There is a sweet “bite” to this tea in the after taste, but I am going to fathom a guess that it may be due to a sweeter that has been added, stevia perhaps? I hope no one takes me for my word on that however, because I have not had much experience with stevia in teas, and this tea does not seem to be cloyingly sweet either. If a sweetener has been added it has been done so very well, and lightly.

This is a pan-fried green tea and I do taste the sencha flavors. I do wish they were a bit more prominent but I am delighted nonetheless to have a very well blended cherry tea and the rose is just a bonus, again another floral tea that I like! I am starting to develop quite a list of floral teas I would reorder!

There is a slight drying sensation to the back of the mouth which I often get with a pan-fried tea.

Culinary Teas says:

The tea tends light liquoring, fresh and smooth with reasonable depth and body. The cherry flavoring and subtle rose hints give the tea a wonderful exotic character.

I steeped 16 ounces of water for this tea because as soon as I opened the bag my husband was all over it, sniffing it and said “oh wow that smells good!” I steeped enough for us both, 3 heaping teaspoons at 180’f (80’c) for 2 minutes. While directions say you can steep for up to 3 minutes I wanted to go with 2 in order to see how this tea does on a re-steep. I also went with just a little more tea (recommended is 1 Teaspoon per 8 ounce serving because I prefer a strong brew. This tea is very forgiving evidently because it turned out wonderful!

I am not going to claim this is the most complex tea ever created, nor is it one of my top favorites but I can absolutely see this being a staple in my stash. For one reason it has a lovely cherry flavor without tasting artificial even if it is. It is one of few floral teas that is not excessively floral, which would turn me off. It is a tea I feel I could honestly brew up at any time for anybody and that they would enjoy it, be that a total novice to tea or someone with a lot of experience. It is a versatile, satisfying tea all around. From the display of the beautiful colors upon opening the bag, which I would be sure to place some dry leaf in a pretty bowl on the table, to the steeped tea being bright as sunshine, it is surely an entertaining tea, and one that tastes quite wonderful.



Azzrian
Azzrian
http://azzrianvisions.com


Be Sociable, Share!
Jul 02

Happiness from Lupicia Tea

Flavored Tea,Green Tea,Lupicia Tea,Rooibos,Tea Review 11:00 pm | No Comments

Happiness from Lupicia Tea

After receiving a sample pyramid bag of Happiness I could not wait to give it a try. Mostly because I was exhausted and really did not feel like messing with my loose leaf tea, which is really all I have anymore.

I was really happy to get a sample tea bag and be able to just boil some water and toss it in. Granted it is not difficult to use loose leaf tea but I was just THAT lazy, the mental aspect of a tea bag seemed right on for me in the moment.

I was not anticipating much, it was after all a tea bag. Yes I have become a bit jaded regarding them. To my surprise and delight I could not be happier, no pun intended, with this Happiness tea!

What Lupicia says about Happiness:

Rose petals, marigold and small mallow decorate this green tea and green rooibos blend scented with energizing grapefruit and luscious white peach. One sip and you will find happiness.

I clearly can taste the peach and the grapefruit gives the tea a nice bright cheery note but is not biting like grapefruit is known to be. The mallow really makes this tea soothing, almost creamy but not as creamy as a cream tea of course, just a slight smoothing effect. The floral notes are very well-balanced and complimenting to the fruit notes.

I steeped my sample bag in boiling water for 2 minutes on the first steep and 2.5 minutes on the second. Yes, this tea bag did re-steep quite nicely!

Happiness is made with a mixture of green tea and green rooibos tea. I do believe that this is the first green rooibos tea I have had the pleasure of trying! Green rooibos is caffeine free, although green tea is not, however is low in caffeine in comparison to black tea. So what you get is a lightly caffeinated tea with Happiness.

Yet still, I felt awake after drinking, not jittery but calm, serene, and happy. Green rooibos is not fermented like red rooibos. The process is stopped by withering the leaves right after being cut. I intend to do more research on green rooibos myself, and always love to find something new that I have not tried before when it comes to tea!

I have looked for a peach tea that really tastes like peaches right off the tree! One that is very natural tasting, I have found that in Happiness. Of course everyone’s palate will pick up some notes more strongly than others but this cup provides so many wonderful offerings!

This tea would appeal to floral tea lovers, green tea lovers, and fruit tea lovers and I also feel this would appeal to anyone in your life who does not particularly care for tea at all. Without the sugary, fake flavorings this tea reminds me very much of many bottled drinks on the market today, or a smoothie even. I know my entire family would enjoy this tea! I also allowed the second cup to get cold setting beside me and it is absolutely wonderful cold so would make a very nice summer iced tea!



Azzrian
Azzrian
http://azzrianvisions.com


Be Sociable, Share!
May 15

Pink Sonoma White from Red Leaf Tea

Flavored Tea,Red Leaf Tea,White Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Pink Sonoma White from Red Leaf TeaPink Sonoma makes me want to try a glass of wine!  I am not a wine drinker so I wasn’t sure how much I would love this tea, but this is one of my faves!

 I steeped this tea in 175°F water for 3 minutes.  I used 2 teaspoons of tea to 10 oz of water and added a touch of Tupelo Honey for a little added sweetness.  I am not sure how to describe this tea.  It is very smooth, with a floral, jasmine, white tea flavor with, is that a grape finish?  The color is a light brown.  This is another tea to add to my “always keep in stock” collection.  I haven’t tried it iced yet, but I bet it would taste delicious!

Red Leaf Tea describes this tea as:

We are proud to introduce our newest wine infused tea, the Pink Sonoma!

Thoroughly saturated with the flavor of a light Cabernet, Pink Sonoma is based on the sweetness of a strong white tea. We have given this base a powerful floral aroma and body by adding a good measure of rose petals, as well as a light touch of jasmine. Try steeping Pink Sonoma in boiling water for a little over two minutes, at a ration of one teaspoon tea leaf each five ounces of water.

This Cabernet infused tea is one of our most popular flavors for its unique taste and excellent flavor.

I can definitely understand why this is one of Red Leaf Teas’ most popular blends, it is so tasty!



QuiltingDiva
QuiltingDiva
http://quiltingdiva.etsy.com


Be Sociable, Share!
Mar 29

Three Wishes Tea from David’s Tea

Black Tea,David's Tea,Flavored Tea,Green Tea,Tea Review 4:00 pm | No Comments

Three Wishes Tea from David's TeaI am not fortunate enough to have a David’s Tea in my area, so I purchased some online.  I love jasmine so just the fact that this tea had jasmine in it, I was sold.  The scent of the tea is a strong floral.  I don’t smell the jasmine right away, but it is sweet and inviting.

The tea is a blend of both black and green and has a colorful mixture of florals.  I was a little worried to steep at 208°F considering it includes green tea leaves, but I followed the directions.  I steeped for 5 minutes, 208 degrees, 2 heaping tsp to 10 oz of water and added 1 tsp. German Rock Sugar.

I used my little mug screen and the leaves expanded a lot so I shook them a little to keep them immersed in my water again.  I was surprised by the color of the tea, it was a rich brown like a black tea.  The steeped leaves are rich in color and smell quite grassy.

David’s Tea describes this tea as:

In old Arabian tales, there was always a genie around ready to grant you three wishes. In comparison, the modern world seems a bit dull. So how do you escape reality? Try this rare tea. Its exotic fragrances of jasmine and rose-water will transport you to the time of Ali Baba. Enjoy it chilled, or look into the hot steam and dream of genies. Ingredients – Chinese green tea, black tea from China, sunflower petals, jasmine blossoms, rose petals, artificial flavouring.

Very nice black/green blend with a subtle jasmine and floral twist.  I love the flavor of the tea.  Initially it tastes black, then you get the floral infusions and a green twist at the end.  It really is like 3 wishes!  If you are looking for a strong jasmine, I would recommend blending with a few pearls, but this tea is very tasty!



QuiltingDiva
QuiltingDiva
http://quiltingdiva.etsy.com


Be Sociable, Share!
Mar 12

Amoré from Persimmon Tree Tea

Flavored Tea,Persimmon Tree Tea,Tea Review,White Tea 4:00 pm | No Comments

Amore from Persimmon Tree TeaThis is a gorgeously romantic and refreshing minty floral tea which delights the palate and the senses.  A truly fine white tea base forms the beginning of this blend, and the white tea is silvery white whole curled tippy leaves with a soft fine downy feel to them, indicative of their high quality and freshness.

The white tea leaves a refreshing, smooth and soft tea flavor that is the star of this show.  However, the organic peppermint and wild roses are also very prominent in this blend.  The white tea, mint and rose flavors are all the best quality and have a delicious flavor that is well-balanced in this tea, leaving no flavor dominating, but all flavors present and forming a mouth-watering overall minty floral white tea.

The Persimmon Tree Tea Company describes this tea as:

A beautiful blend of organic flower-scented white loose-leaf teas, wild roses, organic peppermint and seasonally selected botanicals.

Its refreshing and aromatic qualities make it great for an after meal pick-up, or for sipping in the evening with someone you love.

Persimmon Tree Tea indicates that there are also “seasonally selected botanicals” in this blend, which I can’t pinpoint what those are, but they are what makes this tea much more than just a refreshing blend of white teas, roses and peppermint.  It has a very unique and soothing flavor and aroma.

In fact the aroma of the leaves (both dried and brewed – more so brewed) are so aromatic I daresay these teas are a form of aromatherapy as well, because they relax and help you to unwind.  As this is a white tea with a lot of relaxing herbals in it, it has a very low amount of caffeine in it, much less than a normal cup of black tea, so this tea is not only a zesty wakeup in the morning, but also a soothing aromatic bedtime tea.   Waking up to this tea on a fresh spring morning is very close to perfection.

This tea leaves your mouth feeling refreshed and helps to improve bad breath.  The floral rose notes in this tea are wild roses, and not a heavy sickening floral flavor, so it is a very light and flavorful tea.  I would recommend enjoying this tea served hot, as icing it will cause it to lose a lot of its more subtle flavors, and with or without sugar as you prefer.  Don’t add milk to this one, it would completely clash with the flavors of the tea and mute most of the flavor notes.

An incredibly delightful herbal white tea that I would love to keep on hand when possible, especially in the springtime! Romantic and invigorating!



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


Be Sociable, Share!
Dec 04

Rose China Black Tea from Choicest Tea

Black Tea,Choicest Tea,Flavored Tea,Tea Review 11:00 pm | No Comments

Rose China Black Tea from Choicest TeaThis tea was given to me and I was very surprised to have received a full tin of this tea. I have decided to try this tea the simplest way; basic black.

Steeping instructions:  Place 1 tsp of tea leaves for every 8oz (1 cup) of water then bring the water to a rolling boil about 2120F

I made sure to add enough water so that the leaves were fully submerged and let steep for a few seconds; then pour out the water. I am told that rinsing the tea leaves and teaware i n boiling water first before brewing your tea makes for better brewing.

After a minute of doing this, I then add boiling water and the let the tea leaves steep for 3 minutes.  The color of the steeped liquor is a deep reddish-brown.  The leaves are black and finely curled, more like pieces of leaves however when brewed they unfurl to become full leaves and retain their black color. With three steeps the leaves still remained the same.

This is a beautiful black tea with tiny flakes of rose bits, not bitter but sweet even without adding sugar, and malty. When first inhaling the aroma I can smell the scented rose, which had a slightly smoky nose to it with high floral tones.

Choicest Tea describes this tea as:

A specially selected of buds and young leaves of tea prepared with traditional sanitary method. And giving the most fragrant flavor when cooked. An excellent drink guaranteed.

I am enjoying this malt liquor brew as I try to envision what it might be like to add sugar and perhaps milk to this tea. It would go well if fully brewed on the stove after removing the tea leaves to add milk and honey or sugar and let it cook a bit longer; this would be an ideal way for true lovers of black tea to have it.

Something about this tea reminds me of The London Cuppa tea I have been enjoying, making this similar to a Darjeeling perhaps.



seule771
seule771
http://seule771.wordpress.com


Be Sociable, Share!
Nov 30

Velvet Garden White Rose from Numi Tea

Flavored Tea,Numi Tea,Tea Review,White Tea 8:00 am | No Comments

  • Type Of leaves: White Tea
  • Name Of Tea: Velvet Garden White Rose
  • Available From: Numi Tea

Velvet Garden White Rose from Numi TeaThis is far and away the best smelling rose tea.  It is an exquisite scent, reminiscent of old roses.  I have a rosarian friend who specializes in antique roses and this reminds me of his garden in June.  it is very heady stuff.

Both the tea and the rosebuds are finely chopped and packed into a bio-degradable  tea bag.  In fact, the whole packet is bio-degradable – kudos to Numi.

Since this is a white tea, I brewed it about 175 for 2 minutes.  It is much darker than I expected, kind of an old gold color.  The brewing tea’s aroma is a bit softened from the dry, but maintains its lovely scent.  I almost don’t want to drink it – what if it doesn’t live up to the aroma?  However, I bravely take a sip and hooray! the tea lives up to its potential.  It is a lovely rose flavor, nicely under-girded with a floral white tea.

This is a tea which looks sturdy and feels it in your mouth, but the flavor is delicate.  The packet instructs us to think romantic thoughts while it brews and I guess it is like love – strong,  but delicate and to be savored.  Now, if I only had some marzipan to go with this, my tea-time would be complete.

NumiTea says this about it:

Our enchanted White Rose blends the smoothness of delicate, organic white tea with whole organic rose buds. This sweet and fragrant liaison is as provocative as it is healthy.

White tea is fairly low in caffeine, so this might make a nice tea for an evening at home with your true love.



Marlena A.
Marlena A.
http://teafortoday.blogspot.com/


Be Sociable, Share!
Older Posts »

Review Search


Categories

By Store

Latest Forum Posts