LiberTEAS

I received a sample of this tisane with the last order that I placed with iHeartTeas (thanks Rachel!) – the label ingredients does not list rooibos, but I could see the rooibos in there and the website lists rooibos.

This is tasty. The strawberry flavor sweet and tart – with the tartness further emphasized by the lemon notes. It is more tart than sweet … and tart is not my favorite kind of flavor, but, I’m still enjoying this.

Not bad … not my favorite lemonade type tisane, but, it’s agreeable.

I’m revisiting this tea because TeaEqualsBliss sent me a bit more of it in the last box that she sent me. (Thanks sister!) Here is my full-length review of this tea: http://sororiteasisters.com/2011/02/25/white-lemon-from-shanti-tea-2/

It tastes as good as I remember, although, I did slightly oversteep it and the bitterness of the lemon sort of peeks out with the longer steep time.

I think that either Shanti Tea has discontinued this tea, though, or at the very least, they’re currently sold out of it, because I can’t find it on their website. It’s a shame, because even with the slight bitter edge to it, it is still quite pleasant.

When I was measuring this tea out into my Breville basket (yes, I normally do brew Oolong teas in my gaiwan, however, this is no ordinary Oolong and I thought that it would be better prepared in my Breville because of the other ingredients), a HUGE chunk of papaya accompanied the other ingredients in my scoop. Papaya is not a flavor that I would normally associate with Chardonnay … but hey, what do I know? In the last 6 months I’ve consumed about four sips of wine … and that was a Merlot. I know less about wine than a wine novice would.

But with all the big chunks of fruit, I will say that my interest was definitely piqued. And once I poured the tea into my mug, I could definitely SMELL the chardonnay.

It has a very warm and luscious kind of smell, and as I sip it … it is like being wrapped in a warm, soft, thick-pile blanket. So soft and luxurious! The cinnamon gives it a warm taste while the vanilla gives it a very soft, luscious kind of feel and taste. I do taste the tropical notes of citrus and papaya, although these flavors are less apparent than some of the flavors that are mentioned by Vintage TeaWorks: pear, butter, melon, and butterscotch. It is silky smooth and sweet and absolutely YUM!

Muscatel!

If you’ve ever read a tasting note or tea review and read the word “muscatel” and wondered exactly what it might taste like – this is the tea to try. This tea will show you through its amazing flavor what muscatel is. It is more than grape. It is a wine-like taste, grape, sure … but a fermented grape. Sweet and dry. Hints of black currant. Even notes of musky spice and wood. This tea has that. And it is SO good.

This is quite possibly one of the most pronounced muscatel tastes that I’ve yet to experience.

The tea itself is also a bit different from other Darjeeling teas that I’ve tried – which tend to be light, crisp and even a bit sparkling in nature. This tea has more of a Ceylon-like body, not quite as crisp and sparkling, it is more substantial. Smooth and silky. Sweet. Dry without a overwhelming astringency.

Just plain … amazing.

I ordered this particular flavor of Matcha primarily because of the mixing options it offered … primarily, I thought that lime and watermelon Matcha would taste amazing … and I also figured that it would add a bright citrus flavor to smoothies as well.

The aroma is very lime. But there’s more to it than just that. It actually smells like a lime tree … like the aroma that one might experience if sitting beneath a lime tree. The limes, the blossoms, the leaves, the earth, even the tree itself. It’s bright and citrus-y but also earthy.

The flavor is lime and matcha (oddly enough! ha!) but it isn’t overwhelmingly tart. The sweet flavors of the matcha sort of offset some of the tartness that I expected – or at least I think so. I expected something that would encourage a little bit of a pucker. But I’m not disappointed that it isn’t sour as I’m not a big fan of sour taste. This is more sweet-and-sour, with a leaning toward the sweet, and even a bit of bitterness from the lime. This makes me wonder how it might be if I added a pinch of salt to the Matcha before I whisk, I might try that next time to see if the bitterness is more balanced.

As it is though, it’s not bad at all … in fact, it’s really quite good. Not as good as the licorice Matcha I had a while ago, but, it’s still quite nice. It has a bit of an acidic bitterness, but it isn’t too much of either of these elements, and the fruit flavor gives off a bit of sweetness and seems to bring out some of the earthier qualities of the Matcha that I don’t often experience in pure Matcha.

It is smooth and creamy and has a flavor that is quite unlike the other Matcha that I’ve tried – and if for no other reason, I find that to be a good reason to try this one. I love the brightness, and I’m thinking that now I must get some of the lemon Matcha too … another blending possibility with this one! Mmm… Lemon-Lime Matcha!

You can find this deliciously different Lime Matcha here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/lime-matcha.html

EDITED TO ADD: The specs for this order are my usual go-to specifications: basic/classic grade Matcha with distinctive level of flavoring.

I am a licorice FIEND! Black Jelly Bellys are my favorite, my candy choice at the movie theater is usually Good and Plenty. I love the flavor of black licorice – a balance between spicy and sweet, with an intriguing minty undertone … oh so good!

And this has got the licorice flavor spot on. It’s a strong licorice note (my specs for this Matcha were my go-to specs: classic/basic grade with distinctive level of flavor), but it works with the rich, creamy, slightly buttery and vegetative notes of the Matcha. This particular flavor of Matcha is a little less balanced than some of the others, but I can’t really complain about that because the licorice flavor is so crisp and good. The aftertaste reminds me of Altoid’s Liquorice. oh yum yum yum!

I have to admit though, that I was a little scared to try it because I worried that because Red Leaf Tea had proposed a “new and improved” licorice flavor a few weeks ago when they were asking in the forums for input on new flavors to add to their already extensive line of flavored Matcha, and it made me worry that maybe the current Licorice flavor wasn’t good, and NEEDED to be replaced. But if this is the non-improved licorice flavor – KEEP IT. I can’t imagine it getting better than this. I really can’t!

If you like licorice, you should try this. But if you LOVE black licorice – you’ve GOT to try this. This one might just be my new favorite. Yeah… I love it that much!

You can find this amazing Matcha here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/licorice-matcha-organic.html

This is fantastic!

The dry leaves are gorgeous – lots of golden curls amongst the dark chocolate curled leaves. The aroma of the brewed tea is chocolate-y and sweet, with notes of malt and caramel. Nutty too. My taste buds are eagerly awaiting a sip as I wait a few moments to allow it to cool a bit.

Ohhh… so good! Rich and malty with a strong honey-esque tone. Chocolate-y, yes … and deliciously caramel-y too. The caramel and honey mingle together to form a honey-caramel overtone that possesses hints of the caramelized sugar that have not quite burnt… but have developed a really rich, brown color.

It’s remarkably smooth, and the flavor also possesses something I did not anticipate from the aroma – a floral note. Like a hint of flower somewhere in the distance. I did not really smell the floral tone, but I can taste it.

A really REALLY good black tea. It has some vigor to it too.

Wow! If the first time I tasted Pu-erh was at all like this tasting, I would not have ever come to the conclusion that I did not like Pu-erh. This is really very good. Yes, I taste the earthy pu-erh, but, when combined with the sweet-tart notes of raspberry and hints of floral notes and even just a touch of softness from the white tea, it just … works. The earthiness doesn’t taste off in any way. It all works together in such a harmonious way.

I’m really loving this tea. It’s very smooth and has a richness to it that reminds me a little bit of coffee, but without the bitterness. A really remarkable blend!

Backlog: I had one more pot of this tea this afternoon before sending the rest off to my SororiTea Sisters. I really like this – the crisp, sweet fruit notes meld deliciously well with the robust Assam tea.

If this tea is any indication of what I have to look forward to with Foxfire Teas, I’d say that I’m in for a treat with the three other teas I’ve left to try from them!

This is tasty. I don’t know that I’m as excited about it as some of the others who have tasting notes on this one, but it’s good. It’s definitely better as it cools versus when it’s hot. The cheesecake flavors really seem to pop when it gets colder. I taste the creaminess, the tangy flavors of the cream cheese, and even a bit of buttery crust. And the apricot is sweet and juicy and tastes like sweetened apricot … it doesn’t have a fake taste to it.

I hadn’t planned on drinking more black tea today (I already have a black Darjeeling waiting for me after I finish this one) but when the mail came and brought a box of teas from Foxfire Teas – a company from Portland that I’ve wanted to try for a while now – I had to add another black tea to the queue … in fact, this tea “took cuts” in line, because I didn’t want to drink an Assam too late in the day. It’s already 6:20 pm, any later and I’ll be up all night.

This is an AWESOME black currant tea. I think it might just be the best black currant tea I’ve tried. Not that I’ve sampled a whole lot, but, of the ones that I have tasted, this one belongs at the top spot.

It smells incredible. The fruit tones really POP … it smells a bit like my gramma’s kitchen when she’d make grape jelly. I’m not a big fan of grape flavored foods, but, my gramma’s grape jelly? Now that stuff was awesome! She’d make it from the grapes right off her grapevine, seed the grapes and then cook them then mash them through a sieve. She’d then pour off just a little bit of the juice and let me drink it after it had cooled and before she’d add all the sugar and pectin to make the jelly. To this day, I really don’t like other grape juice, because nothing compares to that juice.

And while this does SMELL like grapes cooking, it doesn’t taste like grapes. It tastes like currants. Although I must admit that currants and grapes do have a similar flavor profile, or perhaps I should say currants and fermented grapes (wine) have a similar flavor profile. This tastes more like currants than fresh grapes. It is sweet and tart … leaning more toward the tart than the sweet, but balanced enough between the two to keep it from being too tart for my sometimes tart-sensitive palate.

The Assam here is fantastic. I love that this is an Assam and not a Ceylon! It gives the cup a very rich, bold flavor. This is a wine-y Assam as opposed to a really malt-y, biscuit-y kind of Assam, but, there are some really lovely malt tones to this as well.

Truly lovely!

Here’s a link to Foxfire Teas: http://foxfireteas.myshopify.com/ They ROCK!

For my matcha of the day, I went with one of my favorites. I have a few Matcha that I’ve not yet tried, still sealed in their shiny gold pouches, but I have quite a few reviews on queue back at the SororiTea Sisters blog that before I add more to the list I think I should drink a bit of what I have opened. Once upon a time I did make a “deal” with myself that I wouldn’t open any others until I finished off at least one … and I went bad on that deal but I still want to polish off some of these.

There is a reason why this Matcha has obtained the top spot on the Teas page, it’s awesome. Sweet, delicious and caramel-y. So good. It’s amazing how well the caramel goes with the vegetative Matcha. It’s a bit like a melted candy in a tea bowl… only better.

Revisiting this tea today … it tastes a bit more malty today than I remember it from my first tasting. It is sweet and creamy from the vanilla, and while I am not having it latte today, I suspect this would be incredibly decadent as a latte.

As it is, though, it tastes smooth and pleasant, with a brisk sort of flavor. Medium bodied, a good afternoon tea.

I’ve had this yesterday and today, and it’s really quite lovely. It has a strong vegetative note that is somewhere between “grassy” and “smoked spinach,” leaning slightly more toward the grassy tones than the vegetable tones. Yes, that’s right, I said smoked spinach, rather than steamed. Now, I don’t think I can recall ever tasting smoked spinach, but, if you can imagine what spinach might taste like if it were smoked rather than steamed, you’d have what I’m tasting here. The smoked notes are not heavy flavors, but, they do add a compelling flavor to the cup.

There is also bitter tone that sort of reminds me of dandelion greens. I like the way the vegetative notes are balanced between the sweet tones and the bitter tones.

A very enjoyable cup, it leaves the palate feeling very clean and refreshed.

My Matcha of the Day today is a combination of Bavarian Cream Matcha and Strawberry Matcha, both from Red Leaf Tea, of course! And the combination today just tastes stunning… the strawberry is deliciously fruity and sweet, and the bavarian cream is sweet and creamy. YUM! I think that the strawberry goes much better with the bavarian cream than the boysenberry does… maybe just because I love the boysenberry so much on its own.

Backlog:

I always tend to have my misgivings about bagged teas before I try them. I am glad that quite often, my misgivings were unfounded, because not all bagged teas are bad. I certainly would prefer loose leaf, and I do wish that this tea was loose leaf, but, as bagged teas go, this one isn’t bad.

It’s quite hearty and robust, with a pleasant malty tone. It has a hint of bitterness to the background, but it isn’t off-putting. It is more like a warning telling me that a longer steep time would be bad with this tea, but the very slight amount that I am getting now actually adds an interesting contrast to the cup.

Not a bad tea, and glad that I have enough to try it cold-brewed. Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me a generous amount of this tea.

What a lovely Oolong!

Sweet, delicious, roasty-toasty nut flavors with hints of browned butter that has been drizzled over mild steamed vegetables, and a lovely peach-like taste in the background. Honey tones too!

YUM! I love this tea … I’m on my second cup (third and fourth infusions, combined), and I am noticing now a hint of vanilla starting to peek through, as well as the peach tones emerging more. The vegetative tones have softened some what, as has the charred roasted taste that I experienced with the first cup.

A really enjoyable tea… I need to spend more time with this one!

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this tea. It’s really delightful.

The leaves look so incredibly fresh! The taste is light and crisp, with notes of vegetation and flower, and a creaminess that is rather comforting. This is the kind of tea that I like to curl up to in the evening … making this the perfect tea choice for RIGHT NOW!

A really wonderful tea. But I’ve come to expect that from Steenbergs.

I am revisiting this tea this evening. (I also revisited it last night, but, did not have a chance to log that because my daughter stopped by for a visit!)

The first time I brewed this, I thought it was a black tea because I didn’t read the box very carefully … I had noticed “Yunnan” but not “dark tea” on the website, and thought it was a black Yunnan that had been scented with the cinnamon wood. The first tasting, I thought I had tasted pu-erh, but, had I realized that this WAS a pu-erh I would have brewed it differently.

Now that I was able to brew this the way I would normally brew a pu-erh, I am able to really appreciate this tea. The cinnamon flavor is pleasantly subtle as the tea has been scented by the wood caddy that it is stored in, rather than flavored with cinnamon oil or blended with cinnamon chips. This makes for a pleasantly light cinnamon taste that allows me to explore the sweeter side of the spice, as well as the warm side. It is really nice, and I like how well the earthy notes of the Pu-erh meld with the earthiness of the cinnamon. It’s really quite nice.

Plus… the caddy is SUPER cool!

I love this flavor. Seriously, this tastes like cotton candy. Sweet and yummy. Plus the delicious taste of Matcha.

This one is definitely one of my faves.

Well, this isn’t the best tea from Rwanda that I’ve tasted, but, it is decent. I do appreciate that it’s fair trade and organic, and that gives it bonus points in my book. I would rather it not be a bagged tea though, and I don’t know if it’s my mind set or if I can actually taste the paper that the bag is made from in my cup, but I do get a slight “wet paper” kind of taste.

But, aside from that, it is a rich, pleasantly malty black tea. I do recommend brewing it strong though – I found that my first time brewing this one tea bag for 10 ounces of water wasn’t quite enough, but this time I brewed it with two bags in my mug and found it to be really pleasing.

Not bad. I’d rather it were loose leaf, but, that being said, it’s better than some bagged teas out there.

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me a bit of this tisane.

This is almost “underflavored” – the tropical fruit notes are there, but they are so faint. But, I do like the way the floral notes mingle with the tropical flavors. Usually I’m not a big fan of the flavor of rooibos, but somehow here it works. The rooibos tastes sweet and nutty, but it isn’t that funky sweetness with which I often associate rooibos.

An interesting blend. Not my favorite, but not bad either, and one I’d happily accept if it were offered. Enjoyable.

Well, after a less than stellar experience with the Apricot Matcha, I decided to “clear my palate” with something that’s been tried and been GOOD. This was the first tin I came across so this is what I prepared.

And it is so yummy. So yummy and boysenberry-ish, with lovely vegetative notes. This is one that I think everyone should try! OH, and by pure coincidence, my full-length review for this tea will publish in a couple of hours on the SororiTea Sisters blog: http://sororiteasisters.com

I tried this again, hoping for a different result than the first time I tried it. Unfortunately, the result is very much the same. I tried mixing it this time with 1 part Royal grade Matcha with 1 part Apricot Matcha and while this did soften the chemical/perfume/soap taste slightly, it did not soften it to the point of making it drinkable. It only softened it enough so that beyond this very strong chemical/perfume/soap taste I can taste the Matcha and the Apricot… but this is not enough to be able to look beyond that terrible flavor.

I’m sorry, I just don’t like this. :(