Stash Jasmine Blossom Green Tea

When people tell me that they love tea, I tend to put on my snob glasses and judge them because too many people I know who say they "love" tea just drink Lipton bagged black tea (there is nothing wrong with that, but I would inform you that there are better options out there).  Well, one of my friends is a tea snob equal to my snobbishness but without a blog, and when we got into a discussion on Jasmine teas, she recommended this one to me because she said it tasted similar to dragon pearls but at a fraction of the price.   I then got this tea when it was on sale and now I have three bags of this stuff so I hope she's right. 

Also sorry for the crappier photos, especially my stained cup.

Outsides:  I got the 3 pack of the 3.5 oz loose leaf and they come in these foil pouches and the ingredients are just green tea and jasmine blossoms.  Much like any jasmine green, it smells strongly of jasmine.  I brewed a teaspoon in 8 ounces of 170 degree F for 3 minutes.  It has a more golden color to it and smells like sweet jasmine.

Insides:  My friend was almost right about this tasting like jasmine pearls.  The tea isn't as sweet as the ones I've tried but compared to other green teas I've tried, there's a more prominent sweetness and less astringency than normal.  The jasmine is very fragrant but you never get the feeling that you're drinking a flower.  Honestly, this is just a well-balanced tea that gives you a good feeling of zen. 

Tilt:  I bought the 3-pack on Amazon which is normally priced at $19 but since there was a 20% off Stash coupon, it would have cost $15.20, so a little more than $5 for 3.5 oz of tea.  Even at the regular price, it isn't too bad as another tea which is comparable is Adagio's Jasmine Chun Hao which is $8 for 3 oz plus cost of shipping (I will say that the Jasmine Chun Hao is better though).  This is a good everyday jasmine green that's quality is between "I don't care, I just want something floral and cheap" (Sunflower Brand Jasmine Tea) and "Oh god, this is too expensive so I'll just drink it for special occassions" (pretty much any Jasmine Dragon Pearl from a shop, Jasmine Chun Hao).  I'd save Sunflower for iced tea but this one would probably be good too and is just a nice tea to have around. 

Overall:  I like it and it will be consumed.

My Rating:  Buy it!

Stash Tea is a popular American tea company.  Also, they're having a 20% off Friends and Family Event until 11/12/13 by using the code FAMILY13 at checkout. 

Some coupons and deals for November 2nd.

Amazon has a coupon for 20% off of Stash Teas (including loose-leaf), 25% off of Davidson's Bulk tea and various other tea retailers such as Tea's Etc.  I got the Stash Jasmine Blossom 3.5 oz loose leaf (pack of 3) for less than $10 with a gift card and the Davidson's Bulk African Green Rooibos (a whole pound) for $12 (both free shipping).  So yeah, I have enough cheap tea to last me a month now.

Also, Red Leaf Tea was giving away samples of their Caramel Matcha but the sample is gone.  However, you can purchase a sample of their Caramel Machacchino (I'm guessing it's like a Frappuccino except with matcha) for $1.00 and some special custom blend Caramel Machaccino (it apparently uses a lower grade of matcha) which is 10 servings for $2.10.  Shipping isn't too bad ($6 for 2-4 day) so it might not be a bad idea to try some of their teas. 

Happy Drinking!

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!