Veronica

I’ve been cold all day and wanted something to warm me. As soon as I saw this in my cupboard I knew it was exactly what I needed. Warm cinnamon-y goodness. One cup took away the chill. I’m thinking a second cup will warm me completely.

I made myself a cup of this last might as a way to unwind from all the Easter celebrations. I followed JacquelineM’s advice to use 6 instead of 8 oz. of water and the end result was a fabulous cup of chai. Thanks, Jacqueline!!!

The tea smelled strongly of vanilla while steeping. The spices were there as well, but they were no where near as intense. This made me hopeful since I really want to taste the vanilla. I took the first sip sans sugar and milk. All I could taste were the licorice and cinnamon with a hint of vanilla at the end. Once the milk and sugar were added the vanilla jumped to the front. Thankfully the licorice mellows significantly, and the amount of spice complements the vanilla well. It was so good. So, so, so much better than my previous cup! This will be the perfect late afternoon tea when I don’t need to snack but I’m desperately craving something sweet.

After a few sips I realized this tea taste like a vanilla spice cake my roommate in college use to bake before final exams. She would bake while quoting economics definitions to herself, and once finals were over she and I would celebrate with cake while we rejoiced or despaired at how we felt we had performed on our tests. Good times.

Maybe it ‘s because I have a cold, but I’m not getting a lot of spiciness from this cup. In fact, it taste watery and dull even though I let it steep for the full five minutes. I added sugar and then cream trying to coax the flavor out, but I’m still disappointed. Because I have a cold I am going to hold off on rating this. Hopefully once my sense of smell returns I’ll be surprised by a much more pleasant cup than the one I just tried (and failed) to drink.

I drank this all weekend. I drank it hot. I drank it iced. Both were great. This is, by far, one of my favorite tisanes. I think one of the only draw backs is that the smell of the dry tea is so strong. My entire house smelled like blueberry for a while. I didn’t mind it so much, (there are much worse things a house can smell like!) but it bothered my husband. Even so, this will be a mainstay in my cupboard. I’ll just do my best to make it while my husband is at work. ; )

I had a cup of this while browsing at my local bookstore. Very nice tea. I’ve never been a big coconut fan, but it works well in this tea. The ginger, vanilla and coconut blended together nicely with the green tea being the steady note under it all. One more tea to add to my next Harney and Sons order.

I had Queen Catherine and a slice of blueberry lemon bread for lunch today. I consider such choices one of the joys of being an adult. The tea was as wonderful as always. There seemed to be more chocolate notes today, and the smokiness was far more pronounced. It could be that I brewed it slightly longer than I normally do (closer to 5 minutes than 4). No complaints though! I enjoyed it very much.

I cold brewed this tea, and while it is good it’s not great. I enjoy the tartness of the raspberries, but there is a strange aftertaste – from the hibiscus maybe? – that I do not like. Also, this tea reminds me of Celestial Seasons Lemon Zinger. Given the difference in price the next time I’m in the mood for this type of tea I’ll just pick up a box of CS and find my caffeine elsewhere.

This was my afternoon iced tea. Delicious and nice to sip while watching my kids play at the park. I added a bit of sugar this time, but the tea is sweet enough on its own. Next time I’ll leave the sugar out.

Dear Self,

You love this tea. The sweetness, the cinnamon, the strong base tea… you find it all delicious. So, please, drink it more often. Don’t tell yourself that this is not a spring tea. It’s as yummy in the spring as it is in the autumn. Got it? Good. Now go enjoy.

Love,
Me

Still wonderful.

See my previous tasting note for my thoughts on this tea.

I had several cups of this yesterday, and I woke up craving it this morning. Such a delightful tea. Smoky and sweet. I love the balance between the green tea and mint. Added honey water to one cup, and it was incredibly good.

Today I am going to try a cold brew. I have a feeling that this tea with a bit of honey is going to be my new go-to iced tea.

So good. I am normally not a rooibos fan because of the high astringency factor, but there’s none of that here. It’s all sweet fruity goodness with just enough tartness to keep things interesting. No caffeine… no sugar… and I may go make myself another cup. Watch out people, this could be a sign of the end times. :)

This is the first Gen Mai Cha I have tried. I’ve been curious about it for awhile, so after taking my kids to school I decided to sit down and enjoy some tea rather than attack the mountain of work I have to do. I’m good like that.

Since I mostly drink flavored black teas this cup took a bit of adjusting on my part. The strong taste of toasted rice on the first sip was not entirely pleasant, but it was quickly followed by the sweet grassy flavor of the tea. As the tea cooled the rice and grassy notes combined into an earthy flavor I really enjoyed. The aftertaste was subtle but sweet. Much better. The more the tea cooled (slightly above lukewarm) the fuller the flavor. An enjoyable tea, and one I’m sure I’ll try again.

I received this at Christmas and am just getting around to trying it. I don’t know what’s up with this tea, but there is no hint of pumpkin or spice. The tea itself was very bitter. I don’t think I’ll have another cup of this any time soon.

No notes yet.

My before bed tea.

See previous tasting notes.

A friend of a friend invited me over for tea, and this was she served. It was like springtime in a cup. The strawberry flavor was wonderful, but what I truly enjoyed was the creaminess of the tea. Also, the base tea was really good. The black tea did not disappear even though there was a lot going on in the cup. It’s a great day when you make a new friend AND find a great tea!

Love the mixture of green tea and peach. It’s very light, but sweet and satisfying.

Love this tea! The balance of tea and mint is perfect, and the tiny candy canes are a a fun little treat. Far and away the best mint tea I have had to date.

A nicer mint tea than I remember. I find myself reaching for it when I’m feeling slightly stressed and needing a bit of a break. I enjoy this tea with just a hint of sugar. It helps highlight the mint without masking the flavor of the green tea.

I adore this tea. I love the flavor of citrus without being blown away by the bergamot that is the defining note in Earl Grey. This has been my afternoon (and sometimes evening) tea for several weeks now, and I look forward to each cup.

I am drinking this iced, and it’s decent. It was a bit tart, so I added sugar. There isn’t much pomegranate action, but the raspberry is present and very nice. I don’t know if I would buy a whole box of this tea, but if someone offered me a glass I wouldn’t pass it by.

It’s called Christmas Morning, but it happens to be a nice afternoon tea, too.

(See previous tasting notes)

I am enjoying this tea. It’s just an honest, reliable tea that gives me the kick I need to get myself going. I have a definite caffeine buzz after two cups, and on a Monday morning that’s a good thing.