Zen Tea Pu-erh Vanilla Mint

I kinda feel like I'm cheating a bit because I haven't really tried good Pu-erh yet (I have another Zen Tea sample sitting in my tea storage), but pu-erh is another tea that you're supposed to drink in multiple infusions and I just don't feel like doing that right now.  I also feel as though this is a great tea for around the holidays since it's a sweet peppermint and all.

Outsides:  First off, this one blatantly states that it's organic and fair-trade so it gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling for supporting a good tea cause.  It contains pu-erh, peppermint, cinnamon (which seems almost contradictory to me), vanilla and the bane of my existence, licorice.  One annoying thing that Zen Tea did was not include how much of this you're supposed to put per cup, so I'm just going to assume that it's a generous teaspoon per 8 oz of boiling water.  This tea is DARK but smells fantastic, like candy canes and holiday cookies all rolled up into one.

Inside:  I know that Pu-erh is different than black tea but I'm going to revoke Adagio's Candy Cane Tea's honor of being the best black tea because this is fantastic.  Pu-erh doesn't seem to be as bitter as black tea and the mint and vanilla flavors come through so nicely.  The licorice is barely noticeable and is actually done right by having it act as a slight sweetener.  I'm going to include a picture of when I add creamer to it because the milk tea has this slight reddish tone to it which I think is very pretty.  Oh, and this is amazing with creamer.  It's like you're having milk and cookies with a candycane in there. 

Milk Tea Goodness

Overall:  I felt like I took a risk getting the 50 gram pouch of this but I'm glad I followed my instincts.

My Rating:  Buy it!

Zen Tea is a Canadian tea retailer specializing in mid to high quality tea.  

Davidson's Tea Bulk: Spring Fruit and Flowers

A pound of tea is a LOT of tea

 

  

I really love this type of blueberry herbal tea.  It's usually tangy and fruity and caffeine-free, so I can drink it before bed without having to worry about not sleeping.  However, I keep on running out of it so I took a risk and ordered a whole pound from Davidson's tea on Amazon for $17.05 (I have prime so I got 2 day shipping for free).  Buying in bulk is always a bit of a risk unless you know your supplier well, but I figured that there wouldn't be that much of a difference in the herb quality between this and Prestogeorge.

Outsides:  The mix in this is pretty much the same as previous blueberry herbal teas; blueberries, hibiscus, green rooibos, blue cornflowers and a bit of cinnamon and chamomile.  The colors are always beautiful as the blue flowers and yellow have great contrast against the dark red of the hibiscus.  I brewed a hefty teaspoon and let it steep in boiling water for 5 minutes, but my last cup before this was left brewing for...10 hours (?!?).  I actually think the color of this is more on the red side whereas the previous blueberry herbal teas were kind of a dark magenta.  It smells fruity with a hint of cinnamon and chamomile.

Insides:  First off, I think the Prestogeorge one had a stronger spice and hibiscus taste to it because this one is a bit more mild in terms of sour.  The hibiscus flavor still dominates, giving this nice sour taste, but the blueberry and cinnamon give a bit of sweetness and warmth.  Now, there was a LOT of blueberries and cinnamon pieces in the mix, but you don't really taste them as much as smell them and they add little nuances to the flavor.  I actually think that the Prestogeorge one used fresher ingredients which is why the blueberries and spices tasted stronger, but this is still good just not the best.  It's very versatile and makes a good iced tea, plus it's caffeine free so it's good for bedtime and kids.

Overall: I'm assuming that this type of tea is popular so try a different kind before you buy in bulk, but if you like these kids of teas then you'll probably like the Davidson kind.

My Rating: Try it.

I got this tea on Amazon, but Davidson's Tea is an online tea vendor which I forgot to mention is organic.  It's funny because if you order this tea from the Davidson website, it's $29 whereas the Amazon price is $17.  

TasTEA Time! Prestogeorge Organic Japanese Tea Garden

From the website:  "Organic Japanese Sencha green tea, chamomile, cinnamon sticks, hibiscus and calendria flowers. Healthy, beautiful full-flavored green tea with a spicy berry flavor."

So, I had browsed the Prestogeorge website before going to the store and decided that this tea was something I'd get on my second visit.  Well, two things happened.  One was that I found out that I could get a minimum of two ounces instead of four and the other was that I got to smell this tea.  I know I was raving about some of the other teas, but this smells AMAZING!   I had work that day and would periodically pull out the little bag and smell it in all of its glory.  

Outsides:  Even with my crappy camera, you can see the rainbow of colors from the dark green tea, brown cinnamon, red hibiscus and yellow flowers.  It smells so warm and cinnamony and delicious, with hints of sweetness from both the cinnamon and the flowers.  There's a bit of a pinkish-tinge in this tea, making it a light orange color.  It smells spicy and sweet.

Insides:  This is definitely one of the more unique teas I have ever had.  Much like the tropical green tea, this is insanely smooth but the flowers and cinnamon add this lovely warmth to it.  This actually seems like a springtime tea with the added warmth.  It's actually quite naturally sweet between the chamomile and the cinnamon so you don't need to worry about it needing sugar.  

Overall:  Definitely one of my favorites.  Unique and a pure encapsulation of spring.  

My Rating:  Buy it!  Prestogeorge Organic Japanese Tea Garden.

TasTEA Time! Tazo Organic Green Tea

 

There's a lot of things to like and dislike about this tea at first glance.  The good things include how it's organic, is sweetened with cane sugar and has a few herbs to jazz up the normal green tea flavor.  The bad things are that it's still full of sugar and calories, is about as expensive as Lipton Pure Leaf if not more and is Tazo, the purveyors of bland tea that always has a hint of mint somewhere.  But I'm at work with tea and love telling the world every detail about my beverage, so here we go.

Outsides:  Much like Lipton Pure Leaf, this comes in a glass bottle which to me, results in a better flavor than plastic (although plastic is more recyclable (?)).  It looks like slightly cloudy gold green tea and smells very much like the Lipton green tea in a bottle.

Insides:  I think the best way to describe this is a jazzed up Lipton Pure Leaf Green Tea.  There's a hint of lemongrass and mint which gives it a more refreshing taste even when warm.  I personally find it a bit too sugared-up, but it's not nearly as offensive as the Giant Peach (spoiler alert:  if you're not a sugar maniac, it's barely drinkable unless it's chilled).  Other than that, the green tea flavor is nice, there but not too bitter although the sugar overwhelms it a little.  I also like the citrus touch it has.

Overall:  If you find yourself buying Lipton Pure Leaf Green tea and want an alternative, this is pretty much a jazzed-up version of that.  I wish they'd cut back on the sugar, but ultimately, it's not a bad drink.

My Rating:  Try it!  I'm not giving a website because Tazo is literally everywhere.

 

TasTEA Time! Organo Gold Green Tea

I got this as a sample in the mail and really don't know what to expect.   The whole gimmick with this tea is that it contains 100% organic Ganoderma, which is a type of mushroom that has a lot of health benefits.   I managed to get a free sample of both this and the coffee, so I guess look forward to that in the future.  Anyway, let's have some mushroom tea!

Outsides: It's a gold type green tea that smells like normal green tea.

Insides:  Honestly, this is pretty average as far as green tea goes.  It's a little better than a lot of the big brands in that I don't taste any chemicals, but the quality is meh.  I think the whole thing about this is all the health benefits it provides and I have to admit, it does make me feel healthier.  Maybe it's because I've been drinking a lot more coffee, or ate a lot more ice cream, but I feel as though my mind is cleared, my energy level is up and these mushrooms are eating through all the bad stuff in my body.  Or maybe some of that is due to the coffee espresso I just drank.  It really isn't bad though and if you want to have a healthier lifestyle, go ahead and drink this (or organic green tea in general).

Overall:  You know what, you can get a free sample and decide for yourselves (it should be somewhere on the page, not the $10 one).  It really isn't bad but if you're a complete tea snob, you probably won't care about it.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the real website:  Organo Gold

K-cup Review: Newman's Own Extra Bold Special Blend

First off, Newman's Own makes some amazing cookies.  I love Oreos and all, but these taste like homebaked cookies and that puts them above anything.  They're also Fair-Trade and Organic Certified, wo theoretically you can feel good buying them.  Other than that, apparently, this is extra bold.  I guess that's cool.

Outsides:  Normal K-cup.  It's dark and it actually smells very nice.  Kinda sweet, a little smoky, all the good things about coffee.

Insides:  I would consider this coffee bold but not extra bold.  It's thick and slightly sweet with a slight acidic finish.  There's really not much to say, I mean, it's good coffee.  

Overall:  If you want a feel-good alternative to your normal dark roast, this one's pretty good.  

My Rating:  Try it!  You can purchase it here:  Keurig K-Cup 18-Pk. Newman's Own Extra Bold Coffee

TasTEA Time! Tea Fortè Honey Yuzu

So for those of you wondering what a Yuzu is, it's a citrus fruit.  That's really all I can tell you about them.  Anyway, this is my last Tea Forte sample.  I'm not particularly excited about it despite never having tried a yuzu before.  Maybe this one will renew my opinion on them.

Outsides:  Well, it's in a nice plastic wrapped sachet.  It's a normal green tea color but smells interesting.  It's a sweet citrus scent with a hint of spices, like a citrus scone or other desert.  

Insides:  The tea is that same "it should be better for the price" quality but the aroma is very nice to drink in. It brings a hint of sweetness and zestyness and is a nice tea for eating cookies with.  In fact, the tea itself reminds me of a biscotti.  Other than the scent, this is a bit boring.  

Overall:  This one's not bad but it's far from amazing.  I suppose if you want nice skin, try this and the Cherry Marzipan, but don't get the big pack.  This one's my second favorite of the three samples I've tried.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site:  Tea Forte Honey Yuzu

TasTEA Time! Zhena's Pink Cherryberry Green tea.

Note:  The actual name of this is something like Zhena's Gypsy Tea, Superberry Tea.  Pink Tea for Women's Health Cherryberry.

I feel like this is some of the most proactive tea I have.  It's fair-trade, it's organic and a bit of the proceeds went to help support breast cancer research.  Plus Zhena's is pretty high quality.  I've only tried a few of their products but they would have been worth the money they ask for on the site.  But I shouldn't be praising this tea before I've reviewed it!  This blend contains sencha green tea, cherries, elderberries and blossoms.  It's also discontinued so you probably won't be able to find this fresh.

Outsides:  The sachets are in a nice metal tin and are made out of corn silk.  The tea is a light pink color and smells fruity.

Insides:  This is similar and yet opposite of the Loyd Tea with Strawberry and Raspberry.  Both are berry-focused teas that start out a little tangy, but the Loyd did not ultimately feel like a tea.  Zhena's has a good balance between the tartness of the cherries, sweet and floral notes from the blossoms and sencha backdrop.  It's multidimensional, light and versatile, having a nice fruit flavor that would go well with or without sugar, hot or cold.

Overall:  It's a pity that this isn't around anymore because it's fantastic.  I still encourage you to check out Zhena's and try at least one of their teas (they're a bit expensive but totally worth it).

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site:  Zhena's main site

TasTEA Time! Uncle Lee's Imperial Organic Vanilla Rooibus Chai

So, I think Rooibus makes the best chai tea base.  This is just an opinion, but it tastes like tea, can be steeped indefinitely without getting bitter and holds up a wide variety of flavors.  Now, if you want GOOD chai, you should make it yourself (tutorial coming soon-ish), but there's nothing wrong with having a few sachets for a quick chai once in a while.

Outsides:  The sachets are all individually foil-wrapped for freshness and you can smell that freshness the moment you open it.  It's a lovely rust color and smells like cardamon, cinnamon and hints of vanilla.

Insides:  You know, the vanilla really makes it for me.  This isn't the strongest chai and quite frankly, you should make your own, but for a "quick" chai, it hits the spot.  As stated in the intro, rooibus provides a nice base free of bitterness so the sweet spices and vanilla really shine through.  The predominant flavors are cardamon, cinnamon and vanilla,with some ginger, clove and a bit of spice from the black pepper.  There's also a hint of stevia in here but it works well bringing out the sweet flavor.  The vanilla really makes this creamy and delicious.

Overall:  For cheap organic chai, it's pretty good.  Super strong chai purists may not like it, but it's worth a try.

My Rating: Try it!  Here's the website.

TasTEA Time! Made! 10 calorie cranberry lemon green tea

It's so hot here.  Like over 90 degrees hot, which is pretty much as hot as it gets in PA.  I'm not shy to making hot tea in this weather, but right now I don't care.  I don't want to drink something that's over 100 degrees when I want to stay in temperatures below 70.  Just ignore that hot coffee review I'm posting after.  Here's a cranberry iced tea review!

Outsides:  It's in a plastic bottle, presumably PET.  The stuff looks like yellowish cranberry juice and smells like a light cranberry juice.

Insides:  It immediately hits you with the bitterness of the cranberry juice but once you taste it, isn't as strong or thick.  There isn't much of the lemon flavor, but it could just be mingling with the cranberry.  The best way to describe it is one of those cranberry juice cocktails, except not as sweet and with a very light, refreshing flavor that comes from the green tea.  It's actually really good if you like cranberry.  Oh, and that cranberry taste completely obliterates any sweetener flavors too because I couldn't tell there were any in here.

Overall:   I like it.  I'm sure even if you don't, you could mix it up with some booze and go to town.  Plus it's 10 calories, so it's great for people who are STILL looking out for their beach bodies.

My Rating:  Buy it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Touch Organic Earl Grey Green Tea

It's no secret that I love this brand.  For the price you pay (I saw a 100c cube at Marshells for 5 bucks), you get a pretty good quality tea.  I, however, am not the biggest fan of Earl Grey.  It's not that I hate it, in fact I like a cup once in a while.  But the two key points there are cup and once in a while.

This tea is slightly unique in that it's a green tea base as opposed to a black tea.  

Outsides:  Each sachet is individually wrapped and I'm pretty sure they use recycled or biodegradable paper for the filter.  The tea looks like your generic Chinese green tea.  You can smell a hint of bergamot.

Insides:  This is an interesting one.  The bergamot flavor isn't the strongest, but it really is in perfect balance with the green tea.  The tea itself is of good quality, not bitter but still strong.  I think the unique thing about this is that it isn't strong, it probably wouldn't go well with milk and I'm not sure how traditional Earl Grey drinkers would think of it.  But I like it a lot actually as a refreshing summer take on something traditional.

Overall:  If I just reviewed things off my opinion (which I usually do anyway), I'd give this a buy.  It's a well-balanced tea and kind of an interesting take on traditional Earl Grey.  But some people have expectations that might be crushed by this so I can't, but I still think you should try it anyway.

My Rating:  Try it!  Here's the site.

TasTEA Time! Justin Lloyd Fiery Red Rooibos Chai

What:   Chai Tea with a Rooibos base

Where:  England

Why Should I care:  I love chai tea and it happens to be the perfect weather for chai tea.  I'm also trying to get some unique teas for this blog as opposed to the same old green teas and earl greys.  There's actually a couple really nice things about Red Tea Chai:  this brand is organic, red tea is caffeine-free and (my favorite part) this tea is pretty much idiot-proof.  One time I completely forgot I had it steeping and when I finally got it an hour later, there wasn't any bitter taste and it was entirely drinkable.

Packaging:  Your standard IFWS.

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like standard red tea and it smells spicy.

Taste:  First off, if you want insanely strong chai, you should probably just make your own.  This is for the people who want something quick and easy and for that, it's pretty good.  Although the spices are more mild that I'd prefer, they didn't skimp on them and I'm sure you could even add a bit of milk to it if you want.  Chai is good with or without sugar and although I'd go with a spicier kind, I'm sure this would be delicious cold.

Overall:  It tastes fine, is generally pretty healthy for you and is inexpensive.  Not perfect, but definately worth a try.

My Rating:  Try it!  Again, i have not found a website so if you find it for 2-4 dollars, it's worth a shot.

TasTEA Time: Justin Lloyd Lavender Earl Grey.

First off, sorry for not writting any posts in a month.  It's been extremely hectic between the 50 hour workweeks, getting everything ready for school (OMGOMGOMGOMG) and me esentially being quarentined from my room.  Heck, I even have a couple half-written reviews but just didn't have time or forgot or whatever.  Anyway, I'm back.  I may not be as active as I was in November but I still will try to post more often.

What:  (another) Lavender Earl Grey tea

Where:  I'm assuming England.  There is no website for this tea and the box suggests England

Why Should I Care:  It's snowing here in Pittsburgh.  It's pretty substancial too which is great because I need to have at least one good snow in the winter (A personal story:  I used to live in Meadville PA, which is farther north and close to a late, meaning they would have snow from the end of October to the beginning of April.  There would be at least three feet of snow for about 4 months of the year.  Now, I love snow but it's like having your relatives over for the holidays:  it's great to see at first but it overstays its welcome fast).  This is the time of the year where I prefer drinking the heartier teas (black and herbal tea) so it was between this and the Fiery Rooibos Chai (I swear I'm going to review that soon).  

Packaging:  IFWS.  The outside packaging is nice too and makes it look more bohemian and adventurous.  

Non-Taste Senses:  It looks like normal black tea and smells like a slightly more floral Earl Grey.

Taste:  There are two types of Earl Grey (and Chai for that matter) that I like:  relatively mild and ridiculously strong.  This falls into the former category.  It's fresh and the spicy part does tingle your mouth a little, but i don't feel the need to add milk or sugar.  The tea itself is decent quality, not bitter but not strong either.  Like I said, I don't think this would really hold up well with milk, but I don't think it would completely fall flat either.

Overall:  I like it more than the Revolution one.  I mean, it's drinkable and the other one...wasn't.  I think there are better Earl Grey teas out there but this one was cheap and it's organic.  If you get this for a gift-basket, you won't be disappointed by the extras.  

My Rating:  Pass.  It's good, but there are better brands out there.  I really have not found an official website for this so just try your luck Googling it.  

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! 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! Yogi Egyptian Licorice Mint!

If you think this is cute, I'll let you know that he's snoring.  

What:  Mint Tea with Licorice.  It's organic and promotes well being too!

Where:  USA

Why Should I Care:  I was going to write about how my stomach is still a little sensitive and I need some mint as well as ginger, but then I looked up the company information to see where they were established.  Yogi Teas are blended using traditional Ayurvedic spices and are made to promote well-being and holistic health.  I especially love how they have different teas that are supposed to help with different ailments, like tea for cold, arthritis and even Women's Health (Note:  I don't want people to think that by drinking tea, you'll cure your ailments.  However, a lot of medicine is naturally derived and using herbs has helped people with certain conditions).  I'm trying the Egyptian Licorice Mint, which sounds a little terrifying thanks to the licorice.


Packaging:  First off, this tea is probably about three years old but thankfully is packed in individually foil-wrapped sachets.  

Non-Taste Senses:  It's yellow colored and it smells strongly of mint.


Taste:  You know, for a tea that's at least three years old, it held up pretty well.  The licorice is there, it's not excessively strong, but it's there and you have to deal with it.  I also read that the tea has Stevia flower in it (an ingredient found in artificial sweetener) and that attributes to this strange sweet taste.  It takes sugar well if only because it already has a bit of sweetness and I just don't recommend drinking it any other way than hot.  


Overall:  You know what, I review things on taste and price and not whether they're healthy for you.  There's other mint tea out there and more than likely, they're better than this.  If you want strong mint tea or something that REALLY takes care of a sore tummy, check this out.  It's not bad, I just can't say go out and buy it.


My Rating:  Pass (unless you want something more healthful than your average mint tea which is already pretty healthful.  Or you like Licorice).  Here's the site.