Scheherazade

This is one of the most intriguing tea ideas I’ve seen in a while. I’m a fan of the mojito anyway, so I naturally couldn’t resist trying the tea version. The dry mix has a significant predominance of dried lime pieces, which I think is pretty fantastic. They’re not small things, these are actual slices of lime in halves or quarters, and at first I wondered what the hell these big lumps of brown stuff were in my tea! They’re not the most attractive looking things, but I have high hopes for what they might add to the flavour. The rest of the leaves are more conventional – pieces of lemongrass, chopped peppermint and lime leaves, green tea, and stevia. The scent at this point, as you might expect, is primarily of lime and mint, with a faintly detectable undertone of citrusy, hay-like sweetness from the lemongrass.

I waited patiently for the water to cool this time, honestly I did. It was worth the wait! The lime pieces don’t rehydrate as much as I was hoping, but maybe they’ll soften a bit more with subsequent steeps. Brewed, the scent is sweet and minty with a faint hint of lime, which is pretty accurate as far as I’m concerned. The taste is light and delicate, and seems to take a few seconds to develop fully. The green tea base is one of the most pleasant I’ve encountered so far – it’s very subtle, very smooth, with no hint of bitterness or astringency. I might even go for a slightly longer steep next time, which is seriously unlike me. There probably isn’t actually all that much green tea in this blend, when compared with the quantities of other ingredients, which might explain this to a certain extent. It’d be a fantastic candidate for a cold brew, I think! Anyway, the mint is what I can taste first here, followed by a slight grassy-citrus flavour from the lemongrass and green tea, and then finally the lime. It tastes exactly as if a twist of fresh lime was added to this after it was brewed – it just seems to dance there in the background, highlighting and complementing the other flavours. I’m really impressed with this so far, but I’m going to try a longer steep for my next cup and see how that works out.

Second cup: This time I used slightly more leaves, slightly hotter water, and another minute on the brew time, all of which seemed to help this tea to really shine. The mint is much the same as ever, but the lime is more defined and adds a tangy edge to this otherwise rather sweet tea. Fortunately, I’ve not found the stevia overpowering, which worried me a bit at first. The only thing that seemed to suffer a little bit from my adjustments was the lemongrass, which I can’t detect at all now. I guess the delicate edge has gone, but there’s still absolutely no bitterness from the green tea.

I’m actually torn as to how I prefer this tea now. The first cup was beautifully delicate, but, while all the flavours were there, I was looking for more punch. I’ve got that from my second cup, but at the expense of the lemongrass and the subtle play of flavours. There might be a line I could walk with this tea, which would let me have the best of both worlds, but I imagine it would be difficult to find. I’m more than happy with the versatility of this tea at the moment, though, so I’m not too concerned. Both cups were fine with me! Of the teas I’ve tried from Bluebird so far, this one has been the biggest hit with me. I’ve never had a tea quite like it before, and the flavours work fabulously together. It’s not a bad attempt at recreating a cocktail, either! Truly amazing –well done, Bluebird!

I’ve brought the last of this to work today to finish off. I’ve been drinking it cold-brewed most, but it’s really nice hot. Since I’m getting a cold, I need all the hot drinks I can get! I really adore the combination of strawberry and lemon in this one — it’s comforting and summery all at the same time. Given how I feel this morning, they’re the two things I’m craving most of all. How can it only be 38 minutes since I arrived at work?!

Sipdown! My nightly drinkings have used up the last of this. I’m 99% certain that I’m cultivating a bit of a cold now, and really wish I had an extra cup of this to comfort me, but I don’t. Ho hum. Time to dig something else out of the stash!

Sipdown! Had the last of this cold-brewed over the weekend. I’m sad to see it go, though. It’s one of the few fruit teas I’ve managed to find that has absolutely no hibiscus in it! I’ll definetly be looking to Tea Palace again when I’m in the market for a fruit tea. Great stuff!

I have to confess, I’m not liking the smell of this much at all. Where food is concerned, pineapple and coconut are two of my favourite things. Together, however, and particularly in tea, the scent is a bit…funky. Much like Adagio’s Pina Colada, this one has hibiscus and rosehip in it. I’m not sure why it’s such a prevalent combination. To my mind, red fruity things and tropical fruity things are much better kept separate. Anyway, it’s wrong to knock something before you’ve tried it, so on to the tasting!

Brewed, this smells…better. The pineapple and coconut seem to have settled down a little bit, which is giving me hope. Maybe they’ll even play nicely! I probably shouldn’t have hoped, because after tasting, I’m still in two minds. There’s a kind of oily film on the surface of this one, and I’m not really sure what it tastes of. Mainly coconut, I think, although the whole thing seems strangely muted. Even the hibiscus isn’t up to its usual tricks. Part of me is glad, because after the initial scent of this one met my nose, I was more than a bit worried about the taste to come. I do wish the taste was a bit more decided, though. At the moment, it’s like the pineapple and coconut, and the hibiscus and rosehip are two sides of an army at stalemate. Neither is winning, and the result is that this tea doesn’t taste particularly of one thing or the other. As it cools, a sweetness develops and I can taste the coconut more easily, but this isn’t quite what I was expecting. I guess that’s maybe what you get when you come to something which quite decided assumptions, but this one has me more or less confounded at the moment. I’m just not sure what to make of it!

I’ve just sent some of this out in a swap, but I should have enough for another cup or two before it’s gone. For now, I’m going to give this 50, because it seems like a halfway tea (or a tea of two halves?) if ever there was one.

So, fruity cherry banana. Another sample from Sil, and part of my ongoing quest to find a fruit tea I can really love. The dry mix is pretty impressive – I can identify pieces of most of the things that are supposed to be there, including strawberry, banana, apple and orange, along with the seemingly ubiquitous hibiscus and rosehip. Cherry is notable by its absence, but possibly that’s just in the flavouring. It’s hard to say exactly what it smells like dry – generically fruity is the closest I can really get, and none of the flavours seem particularly dominant at this point.

Brewed, this is a different story. The liquor is a deep pink-red, and the scent is more decidedly of cherry and banana. There’s also a slight background nuttiness which is intriguing. After my first sip, I was concerned that this was going to be primarily a hibiscus tea. Initially, that’s the flavour that comes out most strongly. Fortunately, it’s quickly followed by really quite distinctive notes of cherry and banana. It’s curious, because it sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it definitely does! The cherry is quite tart, and marries well with the hibiscus and rosehip while tempering some of the sourness that those two ingredients on their own would contribute. The banana is sweet and creamy, and just seems to help bring the whole thing together. I know the taste is reminding me of something, but I can’t quite put my finger on what it is at the moment. Some dessert, probably! I’m really happy with this, though. For a hibiscus based fruit tea, it’s not half bad!

Sent out another swap package today, and while I was going through my stash last night I took the opportunity to make a list of teas I need to finish before I’m allowed to open any new bags. I’ve also started making lists of new teas I’d like to buy again, even though I’ve got more than enough in my cupboard to be going on with. Will I ever learn? I’ve been good today, though, and finished up three of the samples I identified. This is another of the teas I’ve had open a while, though, so I’m doing my bit for this one this afternoon. I’ve said it before, but it’s a tea that’s so delicate and easy to drink that it’s always a welcome addition to my “portable handheld beverage interface” as Alan Sugar apparently has it…

I’ve got a couple of flavoured whites that I’m desperate to move on to, but I’ve got to finish up the plain stuff first. Not that that’ll be any hardship!

The third and final sample from my second Bluebird order. I’ve only had lavender earl grey once before in my life, and I wasn’t over struck. To be honest, though, it wasn’t a great brand, so my expectations for this one are much higher. It’s a pretty simple tea for Bluebird – the dry mix is composed only of black tea leaves and pieces of dried lavender. It smells, as you might expect, predominantly of lavender, with maybe a very slight hint of bergamot. Brewed, the scent is much the same.

To taste, this is very…lavendery. Teas like this usually make me think of potpourri, and that’s not something I’d ever want to drink. I just don’t know about the combination of bergamot and lavender, either. It’s a little odd. I think I usually end up feeling like this because I like earl grey quite a lot, and I’m not over keen on having it messed about with. On the other hand, I don’t like lavender at all, other than to smell or as a plant in the garden, so I guess I’m biased as well. I’m sure if you like the combination, this would come across as a great tea. It’s quite subtle, the flavours are well balanced, and the black tea base slightly malty and supports the flavours well. It’s not at all astringent, so it’s easy to drink without milk as well. To me, though, there’s something about that taste that’s just a little…off. I know it’s only because the flavour combination just isn’t one that appeals to me, though, so this is by no means a bad tea. Some you win, some you lose, and I’m afraid lavender is always going to lose with me.

The second of the samples from my second Bluebird order. This one smells beautifully herbal dry; sweet, floral and minty all at the same time. I can see whole chamomile flowers, pieces of liquorice root, and peppermint leaves among the dry mix, and it’s just so pretty to look at!

To taste, this isn’t quite as sweet as I feared. My last experience with a liquorice tea was Teapigs Liquorice and Peppermint, which is majorly sweet. I kept a close eye on this while it was brewing, but even so, this one is much more palatable. Chamomile is the dominant taste, followed by peppermint. It’s a combination I’ve tried before, and it’s by no means a bad one. The ginger is a bit lost, though. I was hoping I’d really be able to taste it, but it’s hard to pick out at all.

Apart from being less sweet than I thought it was going to be, this one isn’t really wowing me. It’s made me reconsider liquorice tea for the future, since I know now that they’re not all hellishly sweet. Chamomile and peppermint is a combination I’ve tried before, though, and there’s nothing particularly special about it here. If only the ginger was more discernible, then I think it would be really something. This probably isn’t one I’d buy for myself, but I’m glad to have had the opportunity to try it. Thank you, Bluebird!

This is the first of the samples from my second Bluebird order. I love the little packets they come in – so cute! This one actually looks a lot like the Yumchaa Enchanted Forest I’m working my way through at the moment. It’s a sencha, with quite long, flat, folded leaves and a smattering of rose petals. The difference is the addition of cherry blossom, and the fact that this one smells divinely floral and (as you might expect!) strongly of cherry.

Brewed, this smells really marvellous. It’s actually filling my reception area with the scent of cherry blossom! The cherry comes out surprisingly well in the taste as well, although it’s more floral than fruit. Given that this is supposed to be cherry blossom, though, I suppose that’s not too surprising. It’s quite delicate and pleasant, perfect for drinking on a sunny morning. I guess I picked a good day to try this one! There’s a very slight bitterness from the green tea base, although I think that might be my fault for not letting the water cool quite enough. Patience is something I’m still working on when it comes to tea! Ultimately, this is a very pleasant tasting tea. It’s sweet, delicate, and very moreish. I feel slightly disappointed now that I only had a one cup sample. This is definitely a candidate for future orders!

Approaching sipdown on this one. I’ve been drinking it most evenings, at the expense of the other teas in my stash. I really do enjoy the caramel-popcorn combination it’s got going on — it’s almost like it was made for drinking in front of the TV (Dr Who particularly, obviously), or while watching a film. I’ll be sad when it’s gone, but at least it’ll force me to start drinking something new again!

This is the other one in my desk drawer at the moment. Until fairly recently, I wasn’t a huge fan of green tea. This was one of the ones that helped to change that. I’m trying to run down my stash of Yumchaa teas a little bit, which is why I’m drinking this and Raspberry Vanilla pretty intensively at work atm. I like the sweet, creamy, rhubarb flavour this one has. It’s actually making me want to sample Bluebird’s Rhubarb and Custard, just to compare, but it’s not like I need to buy any more tea just at the moment. If anything could make me think of unicorns wandering through a magic forest on a work day, it would be this tea. I don’t know why it makes me think like that. Possibly because I’m so tired I’m almost hallucinating? It’s a pleasant thought, anyway, and now I’m going to stop rambling. This is a great flavoured green tea, one of the best I’ve tried. That’s really all there is to it.

Another sample from the wonderful Sil! I did actually try and order this one, but a bag of Malted ChocoMate turned up instead. Still, it was just as welcome, and I’ve got to try both in the end anyway!

The dry leaves smell sweet and woodsy, and ever so slightly like maltesers. It’s only very slight at the moment, though — the main scent is undoubtedly the honeybush. That’s okay, though. Honeybush and I can get along.

Brewed, this smells rich and deep and chocolatey. Not so much like malted chocolate, more like a bar of chocolate that’s been melted. To taste, this isn’t quite what I was hoping. It is vaguely chocolatey, but I’m not really getting chocolate malt. There’s also a slightly odd chemically flavour that I know some others have picked up on too. It’s not overpowering, but it does seem to mask the flavour a little.

With my second and third cups, I tried a little more leaf and a slightly longer brew time, but that didn’t really change anything. I’m not 100% happy with this one. It’s a palatable enough honeybush, but it just doesn’t wow me like some other 52Teas blends have. I’m not missing the full bag after all!

This is another one I’ve been drinking almost exclusively cold-brewed recently. On the whole, I prefer my tea hot, though, so it’s high time I tried this one before I run out.

The dry mix smells insanely strong — just like freshly squeezed apple juice, with a touch of pineapple swimming around in the background. It reminds me a little bit of apple fruit leather, only jucier!

Brewed, this smells completely different — a bit like freshly baked apple pie. There’s a slight hint of cinnamon and caramel about it, which is probably what’s giving me that impression. The pineapple also comes out much more clearly than I was expecting. It’s a bit of an odd combination, actually.

I needn’t have worried, though. This has got to be one of the better fruit teas I’ve tried — not least because it’s got no hibiscus in it! The natural flavours of the apple and pineapple shine through, and it really is like drinking a fruit salad. The “baked” element I detected in the scent doesn’t really translate to the taste, except slightly in the aftertaste. It’s just fruity, refreshing, tropical wonderfulness. Another hit from Tea Palace!

I loved strawberry lemonade when I was a child (and anything pink, come to that). Now I’m all grown up, I like tea more than carbonated drinks — and fruit tea is a particularl favourite. When the two can combine, it’s a good day in my book. The dry leaves of this tea are insanely summery. Huge chunks of strawberry, lemon and orange peel, small pieces of apple, hibiscus, and sunflower petals. The scent isn’t exactly strawberry lemonade — it’s somehow more sherbet-like than that. I suppose that could be the “fizz” element. Either way, it definetly smells of strawberries, with maybe the faintest hint of lemon. Fresh, sweet, beautiful!

I tried this cold brewed a couple of weekends back, and was a tiny bit disappointed with how well the strawberry came out. It was a little flat tasting, and the hibiscus seemed to take over, so I’ll be interested to see whether it’s different brewed hot.

Brewed, this is definetly a fight between the strawberry and the hibiscus, but I think the strawberry just about wins. The same sherbetty element I picked out in the smell survives and adds a certain lemonade-esque quality to this tea. The lemon itself comes out really clearly in the aftertaste. On balance, I wish there was a little bit less hibiscus, but this is a pretty good fruit tea. I certainly get strawberry lemonade from it, and accurate taste can sometimes be a rare commodity in fruit teas. I could drink this happily all summer — it’s so juicy, naturally sweet, and nicely balanced in flavour. Great work, Bluebird!

Drinking this at work right now. It’s sweet and comforting, as always, but I think on the whole I prefer it with milk. It seems to lend this a milkshake-like flavour that I can really get behind. Anyway, there is no milk, so black it is. I’m having a hard time staying awake today for some reason. I can’t think why I should be so majorly tired, but I am. I think I’m going to switch to something caffeinated for my next cup or two. Honestly, 5.00 can’t come quickly enough!

Yesterday’s tea was a cold brewed pitcher of this I’d prepared the day before. I seem to have finished it without really paying attention to what I was drinking, though, so I’ll add a better note at a later date. As for what I can remember — the both dry and brewed reminded me of apple juice, as did the colour of the liquor. As I expected, given that this is primarily an apple tea, apple was the main taste coming through. I also detected a hint of cinnamon, and a dab of pineapple in the aftertaste. I had to work to find the pineapple, which is a shame as I was hoping it’d be a more prominent flavour. Still, apple is nice, so that’s fine with me! I found this quite a subtle tea, at least brewed like this. The flavours are there, but they’re not really in your face. I might experiment a little bit with quantity of leaf and brew time, just to see, and I’ve yet to try it hot as well. Definetly refreshing, though. Just perfect for our first summery day!

Today’s cold-brew is a pitcher of this. It’s recommended for icing on the packet, but it’s somehow fallen a little short in my estimation. I put it in the fridge yesterday, in the early evening, so it had a good 14 hours plus to infuse. I’m getting strawberry, just about, and a slight bitter sweetness from the lemon in the aftertaste. What I can taste most is hibiscus, which I dislike in fruit tea, although it’s pretty unavoidable. It’s pleasant, but the whole thing just tastes a bit washed out. I used 4 tablespoons, so I doubt I underleafed, but I suppose it’s possible. I think next time I’ll maybe try making this in a smaller quantity, and possibly adding some actual lemonade. It was definetly refreshing, though, and pleasant to taste. I just wanted the strawberry to come out a litle more strongly. I can work on that, though, and it smells divine in any case!

Another sample generously sent my way by Sil. My experiences with chamomile tea so far have been good, and orange blossom is a flavour I know I like, so I’m looking forward to this one. My new job is still stressing me a bit, so I’m hoping this will help me to relax a bit after a long and tiring week. The dry mix has generous amounts of whole chamomile flowers, lemongrass pieces, orange blossoms and orange zest. It smells primarily of chamomile — that very distinctive, honey and hay-like scent with a slightly sweet, floral undertone.

Brewed, this still smells primarily of chamomile, but with a definite edge of orange. There’s also something slightly lavender-like in there, although I don’t think lavender is actually one of the ingredients. I guess the taste will tell. One thing that did take me by surprise is the colour of the liquor — it’s bright, grassy green! As the tea cools, it seems to mellow into a more ordinary golden yellow, but it certainly made me question my vision for a few seconds. I’m assuming the purple flower petals (are they orange blossom?) were the cause. Interesting, but unexpected!

To taste, I’m not getting lavender any more, I don’t think. Instead, I’m getting mint. I saw it listed among the ingredients, but I couldn’t see any in the dry mix, and it certainly doesn’t come out in the scent. It’s very subtle and complementary, though, so I’m happy enough with the combination. The taste is mostly of chamomile and a sort of floral orange in any case, so the name is pretty accurate after all. It’s not the over-sweet chamomile I’m used to, though. It’s somehow more herbal, more floral, and more grassy in taste than those I’ve tried previously. While the orange blossom isn’t strong, it adds to the flavour delicately and pleasantly, contributing a fresh, zesty, floral aftertaste.

A very enjoyable evening drink. Thanks again to Sil for sharing it with me!

Opened a bag of this today. It’s so delicate and beautifully floral, just perfect for this time of year. I’ve been resteeping the same leaves all afternoon (about 4 times, I think), and they were still going strong when I chucked them just before I left at 5pm. I like white tea in general, but this one never fails to impress me. Amazing stuff.

I’ve got one more cup of the loose-leaf version of this left, but it’s not a sipdown because I’ve got a box of the bagged version still to go. No worries, though, because it’s one I almost always enjoy. I say almost always because I managed to oversteep this today (I only went back to my desk to get a spoon, and ended up being buttonholed by a visitor…). Anyway, for some reason, I got a foody kind of note from it, which wasn’t 100% pleasant. That’s not my usual experience with this tea, though.

In a way, I wish this was a sipdown. I’m heartily tempted to buy more tea, and I have too much already (and more in the post…) The trials of life :)

The last of the samples from my first Bluebird order. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a white/green blend before, so this is a first for me. I also fear it may be rather an odd experience, because while white tea and spearmint are two of my favourite things, green tea and jasmine are not. Frankly, I think the orange might get a bit lost. Still, assume makes an ass out of you and me, so perhaps I should get on and try this before I expand this note further with my unfounded misgivings.

The dry leaves smell mostly of spearmint, with a slighty grassy, slightly smoky undertone that I’m assuming is the green tea. It’s an interesting mix — there are quite a lot of white tea buds and a few twigs and leaves, slightly less of the green tea, a generous sprinkling of shredded spearmint, and some really quite generous orangey pieces. Some of them are undoubtedly zest, but a few look more like blossoms to me. Jasmine? Orange? I’m not sure, having never encountered either in their raw state before. Could be.

Anyway, this is definetly an interesting tasting tea. Brewed, the scent is mostly of spearmint and jasmine, which is a strange combination. It’s surprisingly delicate to taste, though, and seems to have a base that owes more to the white tea than it does to the green. There’s the initial hit of sweet spearmint, the floral and perfume-like jasmine, a slight grassiness, and then the smooth, honey-like taste and texture of white tea. It’s only the very slightest bit astringent, and that might even be my fault for being a bit impatient with the water.

I like that Bluebird are trying to do something different with their teas, like this white/green blend. It’s a deceptive tea, as the liquor is golden brown, and the scent definetly lead me to expect more of a green tea. That’s not what I got, though, and this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It’s not 100% my kind of thing, but it is pleasant, and the spearmint is simply glorious. Another I’m glad to have had the chance to try!

Backlog from Thursday.

The second of the samples that came with my first Bluebird order. This one is a herbal, with generous amounts of chamomile (whole flowers, and truly massive at that!), rose petals, lavender, and lemon verbena. The scent is mostly of chamomile with a hint of rose, so quite sweet and floral. I am tired right now, but I’m having trouble winding down, so hopefully this will help to ease me into sleep!

I gave this four minutes before calling it good. It tastes rather like it smells. Sweet, perfumey, floral, but mostly of chamomile. The lavender is quite prominent, and adds a pleasant edge to this tea. I’m not usually a fan of lavender in tea, so it too me by surprise a little. It’s actually very delicate and not at all overpowering. The rose all but disappears, but that’s perhaps not a bad thing. Lavender and chamomile are strong enough flavours in themselves without having rose to compete with also.

The thing I like most about this is that it smells just like the countryside in summer, which I’m guessing is the effect of the lavender. Lavender is a big thing in Norfolk, so it’s a smell I always asspciate with weekends out in the warmer months. It’s evocative, and I like that in a tea. The flavour is interesting, too. I probably wouldn’t have put chamomile and lavender together, but they work quite well. Especially since the lavender is sweet rather than large and reminsicent of pot pourri.

This probably isn’t one I’d drink regularly, simply because I’m not a fan of floral teas, but I’m glad to have tried it — I’m always willing to challenge my taste buds! Thank you, Bluebird!

I’m a bit of a Doctor Who geek, so admittedly it was the name of this tea that intrigued me most at first. I mean, Weeping Angel…that’s inspired. Then I read the description — buttered toffee caramel corn. Also my kind of thing. Did I have to buy this? Obviously!

The dry leaf smells a little odd. There’s a tang of something that’s almost alcoholic, then something quite floral (the marigold petals?), and then a caramel scent, buried deep. Not quite what I was expecting.

Brewed, the tea itself is, thankfully, pure joy to drink. It tastes nothing like it smells, and instead is reminding me primarily of Butterkist toffee popcorn. The toffee/caramel is rich and buttery. Werther’s originals would be another good comparison, but to me this just tastes like popcorn. My favourite type of popcorn. It even has that slightly nutty, toasted flavour about it. The black base is perfect too, and beautifully supports and complements the flavours. I do get the slight sense that the flavouring has more to give, and might be hiding a little, but not to any great extent. It’s certainly one of the more convincing caramel/toffee teas I’ve tried. I might give it a try with sugar next time just to see, but at the moment I’m pretty happy with this tea.

As far as I’m concerned, Doctor Who, toffee popcorn and tea make an amazing combination. Possibly unbeatable. Great work, Frank!