TasTEA Time! Yamamotoyama Hoji-Cha

Tommy kept on kneeding this blanket so I couldn't really get a good picture of  him...

...but I did get a cute picture of him when he fell asleep after having fun.  D'aww.

What:  Roasted Green Tea

Where:  Japan

Why Should I Care:  I really liked the Genmai Cha (tea with brown rice kernels) and I figured that this would have a similar toasty, savory taste to it.  This particular brand is easy to find and relativley cheap for the quality you're getting, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

Packaging:  Despite being pretty cheap, the sachets are all foil-wrapped (it even says so on the box).  Other than that, there really isn't anything special.

Non-Taste Senses:  Despite being green tea, the color is closer to oolong and there's a little bit of a toasty smell to it.

Taste:  Although not as good as the genmai cha, this defiantly has its merits.  Instead of tasting fresh, this has a bit of a charcoal taste to it, but that adds to this savory aroma.  I think this is something that should be drunk during a meal and with a bit of sugar.  It's not that great iced, drinkable, but nothing special.

Overall:  It's worth a shot.  The quality is good and it would be nice with a light meal.  If you see it at your local oriental market and there's no genmai cha, pick it up.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.

Review: O.N.E Active Coconut Water Grapefruit Cranberry

I think I'm just gonna put non-tea/coffee/hot-cocoa/ soda drinks as reviews.  I don't expect to have many of these, but I don't feel like making up a name for every random new type of drink.

What:  Grapefruit and Cranberry flavored Coconut water.

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  Coconut water is all kinds of good for you.  It makes one of the best sports drinks (even better than Gatorade), it's full of potassium, it's isotonic to the body's fluid and supposidly, can be used as an IV fluid.  The sports drink part really stuck out to me though since I hate Gatorade (I bought lime flavored on clearance and despite loving lime, it's still sitting by me with 3/4ths in the bottle).  You really don't need any kind of sports drink unless you're working out heavily for more than an hour and a half, but they're nice to have.  Plus this one has Ginseng and energy-boosting herbs.

Packaging:  I like the box-type packaging.  

Non-Taste Senses:  It's a light red color and smells lightly of cranberry.

Taste:  You know what?  It's actually pretty good.  Unlike Gatorade, it doesn't have that hint of salt so it ends up tasting more like a light cranberry juice instead of a sports drink.  The texture is a little bit thicker than your average non-milk drink and it isn't as sweet or as strong as a juice, but it also tastes like they use actual fruit as opposed to artificial flavoring.  

Overall:  I recommend it.  It's not something I'd drink for fun, but as far as sports drinks or even coconut water goes, it's pretty tasty.  

My Rating:  Try it.  Here's the site.  

Coffee Break! Mr. Brown Macadamia Nut Iced Coffee

What:  Coffee

Where:  Taiwan

Why Should I Care:  Well, I've never seen macadamia nut flavored coffee before (probably because they're expensive).  I got this at my random local Oriental Market for 85 cents while shopping for drinks to try out.  I've seen this brand there and they have about five different flavors, but this one stood out to me the most.  Anyway, it's cheaper than Starbucks but the container is smaller.

Packaging:  It's about the same size as the Monster (8 oz) although the can is fat instead of skinny.  I like the tropical flowers and palm trees in the can design.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks and smells like coffee.

Taste:  I think if you're looking for plain ol' iced coffee, you should try this out.  It's not bad coffee but it's nothing that'll knock your socks off.  There's a nice nutty flavor to it and it's not exceedingly sweet but also not exceedingly creamy (I like my coffee creamy).  The roast seems to be closer to mild so keep that in mind.  If I made a totem pole of the canned coffee I tried, it's better than the Starbucks Lite but not as good as the Monster Xpresso.

Overall:  If your local Big Lots doesn't have Monster Xpressos for 50 cents and your local Oriental Market has these for 85 cents, I recommend trying them out.  It's just coffee, but it's still slightly cheaper than buying it from Micky D's or Starbucks.

My Rating:  Try it!  Did I find a site?  No.  But I did find a Wikipedia, Facebook and general love letter to the Italian-Taiwanese man.

TasTEA Time! Revolution Lavender Earl Grey Tea

What:  Earl Grey Black Tea with Lavender

Where:  I've looked everywhere on the site and I honestly don't know.  If I'd have to guess, USA.

Why Should I Care:  I really want to try pure Lavender tea.  I know it sounds weird, but floral tea is more often than not really good, with sweet notes and really complementing the tea taste.  Earl Grey is something I rarely crave for, but i do like it and I suppose that it could possibly make a good combination with this.

Packaging:  They use the pyramid-shaped tea bags, which is great but they're not wrapped in anything.  There's foil but you'd think a company that boasts about their quality and "bringing real tea taste back" would make their product taste fresher longer.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's a really dark brown color with a slight reddish tint.  It has a light lavender scent mixed in with the earl grey.

Taste:  First off, this needs milk for me.  The Bergamont is really strong and mixed in with the lavender, it has a little bit of a soupy taste to it.  It's not horrible and the tea isn't bitter, but it is really strong and for me, it is practically undrinkable without milk and sugar.

Overall:  My mom said she liked it so I'm sure this may be appealing to some people, but I'm not really that person.  Yes, it's better with milk but honestly, it's not worth it for me.  There are better, cheaper brands out there.

My Rating:  Pass.  I really don't want to dismiss people from trying their other teas since they sound a lot better so here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Mount of Olives Jasmine Green

What:  Jasmine Green Tea

Where:  Israel

Why Should I Care:  Jasmine tea can be tricky.  I know it's one of the oldest ways to flavor tea, but it seems a lot of companies really have trouble balancing a good jasmine scent and good green tea.  I've had a couple where the jasmine was nonexistent but also a good number where it felt like you were drinking perfume.  Does Mount of Olives have what it takes?

Packaging:  The tea is in these paper envelopes, which is annoying but the tea is fairly cheap so it's ok.

Non-Taste Senses:  It has the same yellowish-green color that most green tea has and there's a slight jasmine smell to it.

Taste:  You know what?  Mount of Olives really did this right.  You have a foretaste of green tea and a bold but not overpowering aftertaste of jasmine.  It's refreshing, calming and doesn't taste like you're drinking a bottle of body spray.  It's nice with or without sugar and although I don't think it's traditional drinking this iced, I'm drinking it cold right now and it's fine.

Overall:  For a relatively inexpensive brand, this is some great green tea.  If you've never tried jasmine-flavored green tea and are curious, check this one out.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the real site and here's what Amazon has to say on all this.

Soda Pop! CasCal with hints of Apple and Anise

I'm sorry about the name;  I just want different drinks to be distinctive and this was the first thing that came to mind.

What:  Fermented Soda (soda made from fermentation instead of mixing syrup with carbonated water).

Where:  USA (or California to be precise)

Why Should I Care:  Well, it's not as terrible for you as regular soda is.  It only has 80 calories for the entire bottle.  Also, fermentation is how they make alcohol and the product description says it's made for a "grown-up" taste.  Some people may be wondering why anyone would want a drink that tastes like wine except without the alcohol and I really can't give people's personal reasons.  Maybe they're pregnant and want to have something nice with a fancy meal.  Maybe it's Thanksgiving and those jerks don't want to be too sleepy before shopping at Black Friday.  Maybe they just don't drink alcohol but find sparkling cider disgusting (I know I do).  I think there's a couple reasons that make sense but I haven't reviewed this yet so there may be a big reason to not want it.

Packaging:  Simple glass bottles with a twist-off cap.

Non-Taste Senses:  It is a not-quite clear yellow color and it does have a light wine scent.

Taste:  I think if you come into this expecting soda/pop, you're going to be pretty disappointed.  It's not that sweet and the fermented nature gives it that wine taste.  The juice is primarily made of apples so you're gonna taste that but I honestly didn't taste too much of the anise.  It's there, but it tastes more like gingerbread spice to me.  This stuff is probably best served chilled.  Also, mine is a little expired but I've had it not-expired and even then, it isn't super fizzy.  It's more of something you feel in your mouth than when you're drinking it.

Overall:  It's not bad and I recommend people getting this for pregnant women as opposed to sparkling juice with enough sugar to make the baby hyper for 5 years.  It's not amazing and probably isn't good for kids, but it's a good substitute for wine.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.  They recently went through a product redesign so that's why mine looks different.

TasTEA Time! Touch Organic Mango Green Tea

What:  Green Tea with Mango

Where:  China

Why Should I Care:  So, mango green tea done right is probably my favorite mixture of fruit and tea.  Mango has this sweet, slightly floral flavor that is great as a refreshing summer drink or in the winter when you really want a refreshing summer day.  However, I mentioned in the Dilmah Mango Tea review that mango isn't that uncommon of a tea flavor, but it's apparently hard to get it right.

Packaging:  Foil envelopes with the eco paper.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's a slightly golden colored green tea with a nice mango scent (which isn't as strong as the Dilmah).

Taste:  Oh sweet lawd, this is good.  Yes, I know I'm a sucker for mango tea but this is pretty close to perfect. The mango and tea flavors are perfectly balanced.  It's a relatively sweet and fragrant tea while also being light. I would like to see a slightly stronger mango flavor but I always want a stronger mango flavor and this tea is good with sugar and iced.

Overall:  I don't think I've ever been disappointed by Touch Organics.  Each tea of theirs is fragrant, full-bodied and premium quality.  This one is no exception and is sure to bring a little sunshine on a winter day.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Hedley's Royal Pomegranate Green Tea

What:  Cheap Pomegranate Green Tea

Where:  Apparently, Sri Lanka

Why Should I Care:  Well, I love pomegranate.  And this tea boasts that it is "the Finest Tea on Earth" and I just can't stand that.  

Packaging:  What's nice about this is that it's a metal tin with a foil bag containing the tea sachets.  Of course, this isn't so great for the tea sachets but if you buy loose leaf tea, it's nice to use this if you need a spare container.  

Non-Taste Senses:  It's slightly more golden than your average green tea (ceylon is like that) and it smells like pomegranate.

Taste:  Well, it's not the finest tea on Earth but it is a heck of a lot better than the Arizona Pomegranate tea I reviewed.  The tea itself is very light tasting and has very little bitterness.  This allows the light pomegranate flavor to come through nicely.  There's a little bit of tartness but I think that comes from the pomegranate as opposed to the tea and it's not enough to make me squint.  It goes well with sugar but I think it might be better warm than cold due to its lighter flavor.

Overall:  It's pretty cheap and is probably worth the money, but you can probably get better green tea for the same price.  If you like pomegranate, this'll be worth it for you.  

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.  I got this before the product redesign so be warned.  

Coffee Break! Starbucks Frappuccino Lite Mocha

A comparison between the large diet and the small regular

What:  Diet coffee

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I really don't.  Starbucks is a giant corporation that makes pretty mediocre coffee at a pretty high price.  The Frappeccino is a coffee drink meant for non-coffee drinkers, however they are pretty fatty (the smaller one in the comparison picture is 200 calories while this one is 150).  People are going to buy their drinks whether I say anything bad about them or not so let's just review this.

Packaging:  I actually like the bottle.  It has this milk-bottle shape to it which makes it seem classier than it actually is.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like coffee and it smells like coffee

Taste:  So, you probably wouldn't be able to tell it's diet from the before and middle tastes.  There's a hint of cocoa in there (Mochas are coffee drinks with a little bit of chocolate in the foam) and the coffee goes down smooth.  But then the Splenda hits you and stays in your mouth forever.  And since they're using skim milk, that hits you too (although I like skim milk).  Oh god, and the coffee breath!  I know you should expect it, but it just seems worse with Starbucks.  Unlike the Monster coffee drink, the coffee tastes cheaper than what you're paying for and I know this is because of the brand name (it's weak and it has that strong aftertaste cheap coffee has).

Overall:  Wow, I complained a lot there.  I think what I want to say is that this isn't something I'd recommend to most people (which is pretty obvious).  There are times when I give the go-ahead, like if you're in a hurry and need a caffeine boost and don't mind the horrid Splenda.  However, you can make this same product at home for about 30 cents at home (that's probably including the start-up cost of getting a coffee machine) and that's what gets it for me.

My Rating:  Pass.  You can get these anywhere, even if you're in other countries (I think).

Coffee Break! Monster Xpresso

First off, I'm sorry for not posting in a while.  It's been a crazy two weeks for me and this is one of the first days that I got a decent amount of sleep.  See, I worked 50 hours last week and 40 this week while hectically getting ready for my next semester at Pitt so even though I've got of big posts started, I was stupidly tired.  But it looks like I'll have some time next week.

Also in case anyone was wondering, my new adviser is awesome!  We both love tea and sci-fi and she was really nice and called the prof about one of the classes I needed but was full.  I'm taking Neuroscience 1, Psychology of Personality, Music History after 1945, Contemporary Literature and Science Fiction East and West (how awesome is that!).  I'm hoping this semester is awesome!

Anyway, here's the review.

What:  All the caffeine of espresso with even more caffeine from the energy drink.

Where:  USA!  But they make a point saying it was imported from Holand.

Why Should I Care:  I don't drink energy drinks often, partially because they are either horrible or expensive but also because most of them give me heartburn and I just don't drink things with caffeine often.  Coffee isn't something I frequently indulge myself in but I like it and enjoy drinking it (until the horrible caffeine crash).  I ended up getting the Monster Xpresso (it says Hammer but I don't think there's any other flavors) for 50 cents and it looks like it's just espresso (a stronger version of coffee) with cream and energy things.  Monster's stuff is  still drinkable at its worst so let's see how this holds up.

Packaging:  Seeing as this is caned coffee, this section isn't too important.  I will point out two things though:  the size and the description.  The can in eight ounces so you're getting a pretty small amount of liquid.  Also, if you have any kind of brain, ganglia, etc. don't read the descriptions on Monster products.  It sounds like it was written by a 16-year old douche bag   This one isn't the worst but they're talking about these "nifty cafe in Europe" with their "crafty foam' and some "madman" at Monster.  This might be why I stick with Red Bull when I want energy drinks because at least I don't feel dumber reading their product descriptions.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks and smells like coffee.

Taste:  It's actually got a really nice texture.  The liquid itself is think but there's a little bit of foam in there from the Nitrous (yeah, that's in the product description).  It's sweet but not an overpowering, syrupy sweet and the espresso is...decent quality for the price (not great but not bad).  I just drank it room temperature but it probably is good cold.

Overall:  It's pretty good.  Obviously, you need to like coffee to like this, but it has a good flavor and it's actually only 80 calories per can.  The energy part made me feel numb (which means it's either not enough or too much) but it might be great for you.

My Rating:  Try it!  You're probably not going to find it for 50 cents, but here's the site with all the other awful product descriptions we know and love from Monster.

TasTEA Time! Touch Organic White Tea

Back from Thanksgiving festivities and working after black Friday.

What:  Organic White Tea (with a little bit of green mixed in)

Where:  China

Why Should I Care:  It's pretty hard finding inexpensive white tea (even more when it's organic) and in a way, this brand is cheating.  Touch mixes lightly oxidized silver-needle white tea with green tea for a supposedly young taste.  Another thing is, I usually find white tea to be too weak.  Maybe it's because I get the cheapest ones though.

Packaging:  The sachets are in these foil envelopes and the paper used looks more brown-paper-bag than other sachet papers.

Non-Taste Senses:  It has a light green tea color and it's practically odorless, although it had a strong tea scent in the package.

Taste:  Now, I've tried the fruit-flavored white teas from this brand and those were nice (more reviews coming sometime).  I don't know if it's the green tea mixed in there or if this brand is just so much better than what I've been getting because this tea is really good.  it's light, there's no bitterness and there's this sweet, floral flavor to it.  For something with such a light color, it actually has a nice, full-bodied taste.  Sugar only brings out the light hints of floral and sweetness and I'm sure if you like iced white tea, you'd like this (mix in some fruit too).

Overall:  Freaking great is the only way I can describe this.  Brew it at a slightly lower temperature (about 70 degrees Celsius) and it'll still be strong.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site.   It seems to be a little pricey online but I got it at Big Lots for 2 dallas!

TasTEA Time! Touch Organic Apricot White Tea

What:  White Tea with Apricot

Where:  China

Why Should I Care:  Inexpensive White tea is relatively hard to find, organic is even harder.  Now, this particular brand mixes with green tea which isn't that uncommon of a practice (I read in an article that dim sum restaurants usually mix in a little black tea to add color and flavor).  Plus, apricot is a unique flavor.

Packaging:  I would say it's IFWS, but it's in this folded envelope style as opposed to the foil pillow (yes, that is how i'm describing them).  Also, the paper used in the sachets is like brown bag paper.  I'm pretty sure it's unbleached so that's a plus.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's this nice yellow color and has a light, apricot smell.

Taste:  Both the tea and apricot flavors can be described as light and refreshing but that doesn't mean that they're weak.  I'm also gonna suggest that you lower the steeping temperature too since there's a mixture of green tea in it.  It's nice with some sugar and would be refreshing chilled.

Overall:  It's pretty hard to screw up white tea,   This has a nice fruity flavor with a light tea taste.  Is it freaking amazing?  No.  Is it worth checking out?  Yes.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Mount of Olives Berry White Tea

What:  Berry White Tea

Where:  Israel

Why Should I Care:  Yeah, my mouth is still try from the previous review and as much as I love the Dilmah Mango Tea before that, that's also a little bitter.  Yes, I could have grabbed water but this was sitting nearby and I figured I could review one more thing.  White Tea is generally light and consists of the first few tea buds, but unlike green tea, it is oxidized a little.  Also, you can't go wrong with berry.

Packaging:  Unfortunately, this was wrapped in paper.  This particular brand is actually relatively inexpensive but still, if you're going to make something portable, you should make sure it can go through the elements.

Non-Taste Senses:  It has a really interesting color which can be described as pink with an overlay of light brown.  There's a light berry smell to it.

Taste:  I was right to think this would quench my thirst.  It has a light tea taste (which can also be attributed to it being old) and although the berry flavor is there, it doesn't overpower the tea.  Since the taste is so light, it makes a great chilled tea in the summer and is pretty good with or without sugar.

Overall:  I like it.  I think it's a good tea for tea newbies and is very versatile, plus it's relatively inexpensive.  Actually, it's one of my favorite flavors from this brand (Apple spice is also good if i don't get to review it) so check it out if you can.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site.  You can probably find it cheaper at other places, but that's true of any tea I post.

TasTEA Time! St. Dalfour Organic Pure Darjeeling Tea

What:  Darjeeling Tea

Where:  Darjeeling is an area in the Indian Himalayas, but this tea is a product of France

Why Should I Care:  Most of the teas I have on this blog are Ceylon or mixed, meanwhile there are several other regions that produce their own tea with its own distinctive taste.  What's more, this particular brand is organic meaning we are tasting the purest tea without any pesticides or chemicals.  It's also from France, which is a nice change from the usual countries of England, the US or random Asian countries depending on what kind of tea it is.

Packaging:  IFWS.  Another thing of note is that the bag don't use staples (they claim it changes the flavor of the tea).

Non-Taste Senses:  Slightly darker than Ceylon with a very strong "tea" aroma

Taste:  I have a confession to make.  I tried most of the tea before I review it.  Now, this isn't true in all the reviews but I'm still starting out and it's kinda hard finding tea I haven't tried.  The other reason I mentioned this is that the taste of the tea depends a lot on how you brew it and when you don't brew something right, it ends up being too bitter or doesn't have enough flavor (I judge this on the tea taste as opposed to the various flavorings).  The reason why I mentioned this is that I've tried brewing this a couple of times and it always ends up being insanely bitter.  I don't know if i'm soaking it for too long (I did it for about 3 minutes which is low for black tea) or I should rinse it longer, but it's probably twice as bitter as your normal black tea.  When you ignore the bitterness, the tea seems to be slightly sweeter than Ceylon while still retaining that same clarity but wow.  It actually was a bit cheaper than the other teas I got but now I see why.

Overall:  I'd really like to try another Darjeeling tea just to see if it's supposed to be this bitter but for now, I'm gonna tell you to pass, although I was about a half a step away from a Stay Away rating.  If you don't care about region, there are better black teas out there and if you do, I'm sure you can find something that doesn't make me want to drink something else.

My Rating:  Pass.  Well, the company seems to like making things other than tea.  Maybe that's why it isn't that good.

tasTEA Time! Dilmah Mango

What:  Ceylon Tea with Mango

Where:  Sri Lanka

Why Should I Care:  It's mango-flavored!  Oh sure, I'd prefer a green tea with mango, but it should be delicious, right?  Actually, mango tea suffers the same problem as strawberry tea in that it should be good but people rarely add enough of the fruit so it ends up tasting more like a mango afterthought (which is why I'd prefer green tea since that's generally a bit lighter of a flavor).  Dilmah successfully pulled off Strawberry though, so lets see about Mango.

Packaging:  IFWS

Non-Taste Senses:  It's the typical golden Ceylon color.  Yes, it smells fantastic, like real mango only more pungent.

Taste:  What's really interesting about this tea is that the tea flavor and the mango flavor are both very strong, but they also balance well with each other.  For those of you unfamiliar with Ceylon tea, it generally has a strong, clear taste and a slightly bitter undertone (least it does in this case).  Another thing of note:  Since the mango flavor is so strong, this would be a great tea to drink without sugar and would also be fantastic cold.  It also makes me really want to eat curry.

Overall:  I really like this tea.  If you're looking for a mango tea that honestly delivers on the mango, you should check this out.  It's great for summer, winter, hot, cold, with food or by itself.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Unfortunately, Dilmah doesn't make plain mango anymore.  There's a variety with mango and strawberry but that's it as far as that goes.  I can't imagine that kind being bad though since I gave both the Mango and Strawberry good reviews.

Hot Cocoa Time! Stephen's Candy Cane Cocoa Peppermint

What:  Hot cocoa with bits of candy cane in it.  A thing to note is that this candy cane is supposed to melt but will more likely end up sticking to anything and everything it touches from the mug to the spoon you mix it with.

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  Mint tends to be one of the more popular hot chocolate flavors and this one has little bits of candy mixed in the cocoa.  My mom got me a huge box of this stuff and I can tell you that it's great for company after a night of throwing snowballs or walking two miles in the opposite direction from the dorm (I will never trust that person with directions again).  But I have matured and tasted many more a hot cocoa so how will Stephen's hold up?

Packaging:  Foil bags.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's standard hot chocolate with a little bit of a pinkish tint.  There's also that hint of peppermint in the smell.

Taste:  Well, it's not as creamy as Land-o-Lakes, but it has a really strong minty candy cane taste.   It's sweet but not too sweet and another nice thing is surprisingly, it does mix well and doesn't leave as much of a cocoa residue as other brands.

Overview:  I think one of the nice things about getting close to the holidays are some of the limited edition flavors of food and this is no exception.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.  Something tells me that this is the uber-bulk pack, though.

TasTEA Time! Good Earth Red Tea with Lemon

What:  Possibly one of the worst teas I've ever tasted

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I mentioned in another review that I was a little apprehensive about buying Red/Rooibos tea and the reason is this tea.  I found it when going though our kitchen's tea stash (as opposed to my own personal tea stash) and this was crammed in the corner because nobody would drink it.  Red Tea is practically idiot-proof in that you can stick it without regards to temperature, steeping time or caffeine levels (it's decaf).  I've also noticed that when there are flavored varieties available, it's usually more along the lines of sweet or spicy as opposed to zesty like a lemon.  Maybe this tea improves with time?

Packaging:  Lucky for me, it's in a lovely IWFS.

Non-Taste Senses:  This particular brand is lighter than the Heath and Heather tea.  It smells lemony...and spicy.

Taste:  It's not the red tea's fault.  I didn't realize this when I was young, but it really isn't the red tea's fault.  Whoever designed this tea should have picked a flavor and stuck with it.  You have the citrus, which is slightly faded due to the passage of time but it's still zesty and a bit bitter.  Then you have the spicy herbs like chicory root that make this spicy.  Overall, this is far too busy in terms of flavor profiles and and the naturally-sweet red tea doesn't help it.  Nothing, NOTHING, will save it from milk, sugar, ice, booze, anything!

Overall:  There are some Good Earth teas that I like.  This is not one of them.  I can't imagine anyone enjoying this but if you do, you are one heck of a masochist.

My Rating:  Stay Away!  If you ever have the desire to buy something that is liquid torture, here's the site.  Like I said, I don't hate every product of theirs but be warned that Good Earth teas tend to be....busy.   Apparently, they realized that this tea was horrible too since I don't see it on the site.

TasTEA Time! Zhena's Cacaoberry Tea

What:  Zhena's Gypsy Tea:  Pink:  Tea for Women's Health Cacaoberry (to be exact)

Where:  California

Why Should I Care:  So, this is by far one of the most interesting teas I've seen.  Unfortunately, this was a special edition and is not available though the site (we got it about a year and some months ago).  However, Zhena's has a lot of interesting flavors and is generally a nice company.  They're fair-trade, organic, give you these cool tins for your tea and offer cheap(er) refills.  This particular tea is a mixture of Sencha (Japanese green tea), Rooibos, Raspberry and dark chocolate.

Packaging:  All their teas come in these nice metal tins, whether it be loose-leaf or sachets.  Unfortunately, the sachets aren't individually wrapped, but they are made of corn-silk meaning that if you don't have a metal ball for brewing tea, this gives you the same effect.

Non-Taste Senses:  It's darker than your typical green tea but lighter than Ceylon.  The smell is fantastic.  It's like you have a cup of raspberry hot cocoa in your cup.

Taste:  The flavors really blend well.  When you drink it, there isn't a specific taste that overpowers and makes you say "Oh, I'm drinking green tea" or "Oh, I'm drinking hot cocoa".  I'm thinking the rooibos is used to make the tea have a slightly thicker texture and add a bit of that sweetness.  The green tea itself is actually really high quality, having none of that grassy taste that a lot of green tea does.  It's naturally a little sweet so you don't need sugar, but you can add it to bring out the chocolate notes and personally, I think this would be a little weird as an iced tea, but you can try.

Overall:  Let's see.  It has a hit of chocolate without the calories and even boosts your metabolism, organic, fair-trade, tasty.  The only two real downsides are that 1)  it's discontinued and 2)  Zhena's is a bit pricey.  I'm going to counter the second point by saying that it's high quality, worth the money you're paying and you really shouldn't buy it for everyday drinking anyway.  If you see it, buy it or beg the person who has it to make you some.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's Zhena's site.  I should also point at this sight for some great gift tea for holiday gift-giving, whether it be the tropical ones or the holiday ones.

Hot Cocoa Time! Land O Lakes Classic Dark

What:  Extra Chocolatey Hot Cocoa

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  The thing I've noticed about dark chocolate cocoa is that it generally has more cocoa with the same amount of sugar and cream.  I mean, dark chocolate is pretty much just more chocolate and less milk.  Anyway, this is usually my stand-by when I drink hot chocolate

Packaging:  Foil bag

Non-Taste Senses:  It's a little darker and grayer than your average cocoa and smells more chocolaty 

Taste:  Oh man, it's so chocolaty.  It still has the same creaminess of the other ones but with double the cocoa

Overall:  If you like chocolate, check this out.  If not, stay away from this.

My Rating:  Try it.

TasTEA Time! Twinnings Herbal Revive Blackcurrant Vanilla

What:  Something that sounds really delicious

Where:  Britain/England

Why Should I Care:  I'm not gonna lie, I was pretty excited when I saw this tea.  Even though Berry Vanilla type things are fairly common, it's hard finding tea with that flavor combination and Blackcurrant is pretty much the perfect match with Vanilla.  Plus Twinnings is generally pretty good at combining flavors so my hopes are high.  Oh, and it has Ginseng too meaning it's a nice alternative to coffee in the morning.

Packaging:  IFWS

Non-Taste Senses:  The tea is this reddish pink color that most hibiscus teas are.  It smells nice, like berries and herbs.

Taste:  I think this would work a lot better as a black or oolong tea, the herbal tea is almost a little bit too busy. It's not bad, you get a hit of berry and the orange peel gives a little bit of spice.  The thing is, the blackcurrant and vanilla isn't in the forefront.  That being said, it's nice with sugar.  This probably wouldn't make a good iced tea.

Overall:  It's not a bad herbal tea and it's definatly worth getting if it's cheap, but be warned that the blackcurrant and vanilla aren't the only flavors in there.  This is on the lower end of try for me.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! The Tea Farm's Rosemary Tea

First off, the instructions they put on the package is wrong.  If you do buy this, make sure the water is boiling then soak it for at least 5 minutes.  The package gives instructions for green tea and it doesn't work so well for the tough rosemary.

What:  It's pretty much just rosemary

Where:  Apparently it's a product of China

Why Should I Care:  When I ordered from the Tea Farm, they mixed up the sizes of the tea I got so I'm stuck with a 4 oz bag of Rosemary tea (which is actually pretty sizable).  The question is, do I want to return this or should i just keep the tea since it'll last me for a while.  Wikipedia tells me that rosemary forms a neurlogical barrier against free radicals, is anti-carsigenic and improves the quality of memory although it reduces the speed of recall.  In other words, this might be a great study tea.

Packaging:  It's in a nice foil-lined bag, which is resealable but still a total pain.

Non-taste Senses:  The tea itself is almost clear with a yellow-green tint.  It smells like Rosemary.

Taste:  It's actually pretty refreshing.  It has a light taste with a bit of a cooling effect and a little bit of natural sweetness.  Sugar is a nice touch and I'd recommend just drinking it warm.

Overall:  It's not bad, but I kinda wish they would have added some ceylon or something.  I mean, why would I want to order this when I can just go to Giant Eagle and get some rosemary.  On the other hand, I can make some delicious pork chops with the extra.

My Rating:  Try it while it's still november.  If you order something from the Tea Farm, you can add this to your order for free this month.  Yeah, it's just rosemary but if you don't like it, use it for some recipes   Pass any other month.

TasTEA Time! The Tea Farm's Lychee Black Tea

I ordered two teas from the Tea Farm on Wednesday, Lychee Black and Rosemary tea (which was a free gift with any purchase).  I appreciate how I got the tea in three days but unfortunately, I must shake my fist at the Tea Farm for screwing up my order.  The Lychee Black was supposed to be 4 oz while the free gift was 2 oz.  Meanwhile, I have this big honking bag of Rosemary that I really don't need and a (still relatively larger) 2 oz bag of lychee.  A pox to you, Tea Farm.  This better be some awesome tea!

What:  Delicious lychee in some black tea

Where:  The Tea Farm is located in Hawaii, this kind is from China

Why Should I Care:  For those of you who don't know, a Lychee (or Lichee) is this amazing, delicious fruit that has the texture of an orange and tastes like the gorgious lovechild of an apple, Mandarin and some sweet scented flower.  It's really difficult to find outside of season and even if you do, it's probably not ripe or in the peak condition.  However, that's why we have lychee candies, drinks and tea!  I got this particular brand because I figured that even though it's a little pricey, you actually get a free 2 oz tea of the month so more bang for your buck (*grumble grumble* jerks screwing up my order *shakes fist*).

Packaging:  I'm actually pretty satisfied with the packaging.  They're in resealable foil bags with a nice little label on it.

Non-Taste Senses:  It has the same color as that Banana Ceylon Tea I got from EnjoyingTea.  There's a little hint of lychee in the smell but I dunno.

Taste:  First off, don't drink this when it's boiling hot because you won't taste the lychee that well.  It's ok, don't know if it's worth the price but ok.  The tea is better than average quality while the lychee flavor is there but could be stronger.  It would probably be even better at room temp or cold and a little bit of sugar is nice.

Overall:  The best word to describe this is OK.  It's good but anything with lychee is good.  I don't think it's worth the price but check it out.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Stash Black Currant Herbal Tea

What:  Herbal Tea with Blackcurrant

Where:  Oregon, USA

Why Should I Care:  First off, this tea is probably at least 3 years old because my mom buys tea then never drinks it.  Anyways, Black Currant is pretty much just a souped-up blueberry.  It's stronger in flavor, has more vitamin C and can withstand stronger teas.  I can't say much about this company except they seem to have a wide variety of unique flavors.

Packaging:  Thankfully, they know how to package their teas so this may have a chance.  The outside is paper while the inside is foil.

Non-Taste Senses:  The tea is this reddish-brown color and smells like berries and licorice.

Taste:  The taste itself is kinda weird, but not quite bad.  There's a strong berry taste but it's also mixed with the taste of licorice which gives the impression that it's thicker than it actually is.  Unlike the Yogi Egyption Licorice Mint, there isn't any weird sweet aftertaste and ultimately, if you like licorice, this one is the better bet.  I don't recommend drinking this cold but you can add sugar since the tea takes it well.

Overall:  I never realized that I'd be reviewing two licorice teas on the same weekend.  The good news is that this particular type doesn't quite taste like death and if you do want licorice in your tea, this one's the way to go.  Do I say that you should go out and buy it?  No, but it's not terrible and that's all that matters.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site and that tea has Yumberry in it!