RubenClark

Gentle and somewhat soothing. Can be sweetened for those with an insatiable sweet-tooth, though I find it unnecessary here (despite having one or two sweet-teeth myself). I tend to be too harsh in my rating of teas, and so have increased my rating for “Mad Van”.

Now matter how I brew it, I find it to be too bitter for me. Of course, there are days when I crave such bitterness, but more often than not it is a disappointment. Furthermore, the strawberry addition, although fragrant, is negligible – another disappointment.

Another evening pot of this soothing rooibos to get me ready for bed.

Similar to T2’s Turkish Apple, I found it to be rather sweet. Indeed, some would find it sickly so. Still, it is nice as an iced tea and helps to brighten up a gloomy day.

When I first laid eyes on this gorgeous little tin, I felt compelled to purchase not only it but also all of its little brothers and sisters. Of course, the tins aren’t the only good thing about Wedgwood: this English Breakfast, taken with a splash of milk, was the perfect wake-up call.

By far the best peppermint tea I have ever had! I love the sharp bite it has, and the soothing after taste. I find that it can really help to calm nerves or nausea and is a perfect choice for early mornings.

No notes yet.

After a weekend away without my expansive tea collection, it was nice to come home and once more face the challenge of choosing which tea to drink. Like most of T2’s flavoured black teas, Madagascan Vanilla’s flavour is quite subtle, yet here this subtlety works well.

Although it may be considered dull, there are times when all one really feels like is something soft and soothing. This afternoon, comfortably relaxing back in my den, just happened to be one of those times.

No matter how long or brief the brew is, Pu-erh lets off a pungent, earthy scent that could almost make you retch. Fortunately, it doesn’t taste nearly as bad as it smells. This deep and heavy Chinese black will not, however, ever find itself amongst my favourite teas and, bottom shelf material, I shall indeed keep it on the bottom shelf where it will be out of sight.

I suppose it is an acquired taste, one that I have certainly not yet acquired, and the sad thing is, I don’t think I ever will. It’s really a tonic, a detox regime in and of itself, and we all know that medicine never tastes nice, even if you do take it with a spoon full of sugar… or six.

Although doubtful about its claim to the title of “tea” due to the fact that it is brewed by dissolving the sugary concoction into some boiling water, I have to admit that drinking Turkish Apple is quite an enjoyable experience. I would not, however, have purchased my own supply of it, had it not been for a discounted T2 Fruit Stack in which it was contained, along with Citrus Punch and Strawberries and Cream. Overall, pleasant either hot or chilled, Turkish Apple is a light, simple and sweet drink.

I’m down to my last scoop of Terrific Toffee, and can’t bring myself to use it. I prepare it with a dash of milk, preferably Vanilla Soy Milk, and a generous helping of honey, yet I find that it lacks depth. The toffee flavour is so subtle that it can be hard to pick up on it, yet like most flavoured black teas, if it is brewed for too long, the black tea will overpower the flavour anyway and can result in a bitter brew.

My attraction to honeybush and rooibos teas has been growing steadily since I first began drinking them, and I particularly enjoy them in the evening, as they are caffeine free and therefore won’t keep me awake. Initially, when I was considering purchasing Honey Green Almond, a friend told me that he thought its odour was like that of B.O., not the nicest of scents. However, I disagreed and went ahead and bought it. Indeed, my judgement did prove to be the greater, and I can often be found of an evening curled up in my den with a mug of this delightful tea.