Raritea

I used 1.25 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

I’m getting a good balance of smoky-roasted green flavour, mint and marshmallow root sweetness. There is a light airiness to the flavour. The immediate aftertaste is delightful.

As the tea cools, I am detecting hints of creaminess and slight heaviness near the end of the sip.

I used 1 tablespoon of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

There’s a bitter earthiness in the flavour. I am detecting lime flavour with marshmallow sweetness. The tanginess of the pineapple is present.
There is a cloying stevia-like sweetness in the middle of the sip.

As the tea is allowed to cool, I’m starting to taste the roasted flavour from the green tea.

Lingering aftertaste is a very authentic lime jello flavour.

As the tea cools further, the roasted green tea is becoming present in the aroma and balancing nicely with the lime jello scent. The cloying sweetness is faded.

I may have have infused this tea for too long. I should maybe try to infuse closer to 2 minutes next time.

I used 1 tablespoon for 375 ml of water.

The banana flavour tastes only very mildly artificial. The genmaicha flavour is very well balanced with the banana. Genmaicha has a sweet roasted flavour. I don’t feel that the two flavours compliment each other the best.

As the tea cools, I’m feeling like the flavours are melding together. I’m getting a banana-rice crispies taste. The banana is fading a bit into the background.

I’m not getting a very strong cheesecake flavour but there is a tang and heaviness in the flavour.

As the tea cools further I’m detecting a distinct creaminess.

Thank you to Indigobloom for sharing this with me!

I used 1 tablespoon for 375 ml of water.

On the sip I’m detecting a soft melon-like flavour with a bit of a sour spinach-y edge. The spinach edge gives a heaviness to the overall flavour. Alfalfa sweetness is present. Very mild roasted flavour near the end of the sip in the background. Mildly buttery. I’m not getting an overwhelmingly swampy flavour. Almost a sugary sweetness is present.

Lingering aftertaste has peppery notes.

As it cools, I am getting hints of the licorice/ginseng tingly sweetness.

Rating: 85

I used 1 tablespoon of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

Smooth and sweet tasting. I’m really getting a pumpkin-y flavour that reminds me of the stringy stuff when I’m pumpkin carving. There a liqueur-like taste in the background which must be from the caramel. It is a little too alcohol-like for me to enjoy. Clove-nutmeg and maybe cinnamon spice flavour is present. Earthy astringency does not compliment the overall flavour profile very well. Caramel sweetness (reminding me of butterscotch pudding) present in the immediate aftertaste.

I am not detecting much cheesecake in this blend. There may be some subtle notes of it as the tea cools.

I am not a fan of the pumpkin-caramel combination but I believe that this blend did a very good job in capturing the flavours.

Rating: 84

I used 1 tablespoon of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

There is still too much astringency even with the reduced dry leaf and reduced infusion time. The astringency did back off a bit as the cup cooled but not as much as in my previous attempt. I didn’t get enough of the cotton candy flavour in this cup.

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

The dry leaf smells like strong cherry medicine. I did pick up on Black Currant notes similar to what I was getting in the Black Currant Bai Mu Dan by 52teas.
I’m not detecting any bergamot aroma from either the dry leaf or the brewed tea. The brewed tea has a sugary berry aroma.

There is a sourness present. The white tea swampy flavour is very prevalent and there is a roasted-vegetal bite to the immediate and lingering aftertaste. The berry taste is quite faint. The sugary berry taste is present in the aftertaste. I’m not picking up any definite notes of bergamot.

The black currant flavour becomes more prominent as the tea cools.

I used 1 tablespoon (emptied triangular pyramid bag unit) for 188 ml of water.

Brewed tea has a chocolatey richness to the aroma with the mint in the background.

On the sip I getting primarily a mint flavour with the chocolate in the background. The mint flavour is found near the front of the sip which disappears into the chocolate taste near the end. The immediate chocolate aftertaste is rich and reminds me of a thick hot chocolate.

Thank you to Indigobloom for passing on a couple of bags of this tisane to me!

I used 1.5 tablespoons for 375 ml of water.

The dry leaf smell reminds me of lemon meringue pie. The brewed tea has a lemon mixed with smoky aroma which I’m guessing comes from the lemon and green tea. There is a sweetness to the aroma which, I think, is coming from the marshmallow root.

On the sip I’m getting a bitter-celery-metallic flavour at the front which turns into a more lemony flavour.

As the tea cools, I’m getting a more smoky-lemon flavour and the bitterness is faded. I’m also detecting an enjoyable green tea aftertaste in the aftertaste of the tea.

Rating: 57

I will try to keep my infusion time closer to 2 minutes in the future.

I used 1.5 tablespoons for 375 ml of water.

Upon smelling the dry leaf, I was immediately reminded of bubblegum scent which I think arises from the mixture of banana, pineapple and orange smells. This scent also carried over to the brewed tea. I’m detecting that honeybush beeswax candle smokiness in the background of the aroma as well.

On the sip I am definitely getting bubblegum flavour that blooms into a very full aftertaste. The beeswax candle smokiness is barely present but still there. This tisane is mildly sweet and hints at sourness. I can detect the citrus of the orange, the tang of the pineapple and the sweetness of the banana in the flavour.

I used 1.25 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

The dry leaf smells overwhelmingly like freshly spun cotton candy.

The brewed tea has a definite cotton candy aroma which is overpowered by the scent of black tea.

Too much astringency from the black tea base. I might have to experiment with the infusion parameters. A delightful cotton candy flavour is present in the background- it seems quite authentic as well.

As the tea cools I am getting a lemony taste from the black tea base. The bitterness backs off a little bit but the cup is slightly too bitter to enjoy.

As the tea cools further, the bitterness backs off even more. I’m starting to detect a creamy taste. There is still a bit of a bitter edge but it is quite enjoyable.

Second infusion at 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Lighter tasting but there is still enough cotton candy sugary taste to make it an enjoyable experience. There is only a slight bitterness that I experienced in the first cup.

This tea would not likely do well past the second infusion.

I might try only 1 tablespoon for 375 ml of water in the future.

I used 1.5 tablespoons for 375 ml of water.

Detecting a licorice-like sweetness that tingles my tongue into the aftertaste. Pleasant swampy-vegetal taste that may be a little strong. I am strongly reminded of the scent of alfalfa hay. Very mild astringency. No bitterness. Sweet throughout. Slightly buttery. Overall refreshing flavour. Lemon notes present, reminding me of the taste of a freshly squeezed lemon in water.

Second infusion at 5 minutes. Flavours from first infusion are still present but softer. Smooth and buttery quality. Softer sweetness throughout.

Third infusion at 7 minutes tastes very similar to the first infusion. More vegetal-tasting.

I used 1.25 tablespoons for 275 ml of water.

The longer infusion time does not produce any bitterness. I would chance infusing this tea for a longer period of time to see if the flavour profile can be enhaced further.

I used 1.25 tablespoons for 375 ml of water.

The longer infusion really brings out the flavour. I am reminded of the taste of baked goods or cookies.

I am still not a fan of the apple-mint combination. I feel that it results in an overall bitter taste and reminds me of when I eat fruit too soon after brushing my teeth.

I used 1.25 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

The brewed tea has a definite alcohol quality to the aroma. I am smelling a mixture of peach and pineapple which is reminiscent of champagne.

On the sip, I am detecting a very mild green tea flavour on the forefront which blossoms into a peach/pineapple taste. I am getting a bit of a fizzy mouth-feel which I think is sourced from the tangy-ness of the pineapple. Sugary sweetness in the background is strong in the aftertaste. Mild toasted astringency coming from the green tea close to the end of the sip into the aftertaste.

I would like to try to infuse this for a shorter amount of time (maybe only 2 minutes 1 minute) in the future.

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

No overwhelming astringency even when prepared at a higher temperature of closer to 80 degrees Celcius.

I used 1.25 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

Roasted and buttery flavour. Rice flavour is also present.

Pairs well with pizza.

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

No tartness, but a bit of tang is present which compliments the flavour profile. The flavour, however is quite faint with and only 4 minute infusion. Very authentic berry tasting. Possibly just a hint of artificial taste near the end of the sip.

I used 1.75 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

Cakey apricot flavour on the aftertaste.

Thanks to Kitenna for sharing this with me!

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water. Infused for 8 minutes.

Very mild tasting. Coconut and pineapple flavours really come out in the aftertaste. The honeybush imparts a mild sweet-smokey flavour to the aftertaste. I am reminded of the extruded ‘Rockets’ candy by the scent and the flavour.

The diluted flavour is really driving down the rating for me. I maybe let the dry leaf sit too long in the bag before trying it. I’ll hold off giving an official rating for now.

Thanks to Kittenna for sharing this with me!

I used 1 tablespoon of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

Creamy flavour I can detect the coconut and vanilla. There is something that reminds of hard liquor smell and what I imagine it would taste like (but milder and much more manageable). There is a definite corn flavour. This tea could probably use 0.25 tablespoons more leaf.

I used 1.4 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375 ml of water.

The aroma of the tea reminds me primarily of packaged berry oatmeal. I can detect the oolong as well as a sweetness which it likely sourced from the maple syrup.

Very sweet on the sip. The taste of this tea also reminds me of mixed berry oatmeal. I do appreciate the presence of oolong flavour (the oolong seems like a quality oolong that I would enjoy drinking on its own) and delightful astringency and toasted-ness imparted to the cup, however, I am not sure if it is best paired with a berry-type profile. I am detecting a sweetness and hint of saltiness near the end of the sip. The berry taste is a bit more on the artificial side. I can almost pull out the flavour of maple syrup from the mix but it is either very well blended or too faint for good taste detection.

As the tea cools, I’m getting hints of peppery notes.

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 400 ml of water.

The black tea is too prominent with the addition of the extra leaf (over 1 tablespoon per 375 ml) and drowns out the other flavours. More astringency comes through and borders on being bitter. Toasted flavour coming through. Bitterness comes through as the tea cools.

I used 1.5 tablespoons of dry leaf for 375ml of water.

The aroma of the brewed tea is very maple syrup-y. I can smell a mellow sweetness and creaminess of the chocolate and possibly a hint of black tea.

On the sip, there is a sweetness all the way though which increases into the aftertaste. I am detecting an earthiness that is likely sourced from the beetroot powder. Creamy-tasting. The dark chocolate flavour mixes well with the black tea and earthy taste. Drinking this tea reminds me of biting into a dense, moist chocolate cake.

This tea pairs well with brie and raspberry jam on crackers.