akgrowngirl

Found this in the back of my cupboard today and decided to have a cup. I don’t remember this tasting as good. Either it’s been too long since having earl grey tea period, or all the milk and sugar I added is significantly improving the quality. Tasty for sure, but I’m thinking the remainder of my bag will go towards some Earl Grey Infused Scones, instead of a straight cup.

This is a really fascinating tea. I found it stashed in the bottom of my mother’s tea drawer and decided to give it a go. The dry leaves smell like a peppery amaretto, not what I was expecting. Taste wise, I can detect lots of cinnamon with notes of ginger. There is also just a small hint of apple and a mild, woody flavor from the rooibos base. I don’t think I would purchase this on a regular basis, but I do find it tasty enough to where I might indulge in a small sample or even a to go cup.

I didn’t have many expectations for this tea, I figured, hey, it’s a black fruit tea. Nothing amazing right? Thankfully my assumptions proved to be in error, because this tea really surprised me in a good way! The second I opened the bag my nose was bombarded with a tidal wave of juicy, lush mango. OH oh oh. So intoxicating!

Upon the first sip (after steeping for about 5 minutes) all I could taste is the mango. Bright, tropical, lush mango. I was anticipating some pomegranate but, nope. However, I decided that was perfectly fine, after all, because who can resist mango?!?

I finished about 1/4 of the cup while it still was hot, then stuck it in the fridge because having a cold jar of tea sounded so enticing and refreshing. And it was! Sweet, icy, with pops of fruity mango. Almost as good as the actual fruit.

And then, a few minutes into my glass of iced tea, I noticed I had a little bit of raspberry wine in a bottle left over from a girl’s night the weekend prior. Raspberry and mango? Why the heck not? Into the mason jar went the wine. Wow. Things just went from really good to really, really great. This is a win-win all around. Hot, iced, or mixed with another beverage, Pom Tango pretty much rocks. I seriously cannot think of one good reason anyone shouldn’t buy this tea.

Thanks to jessiwrites for the sample of this! I finally got around to trying a cup, and it is scrumptious! It has similarities to Santa’s Secret (another mint black tea I adore), except this has dark chocolate flavors, and the mint doesn’t seem quite as icy. I’m also picking up lots of vanilla cream tones. Yum! Between Santa’s Secret and this one, I think I prefer the former, but that’s just my personal preference. In the ways of black mint teas, they are both fabulous.

Thank you Josie Jade for the sample of this. Tonight was clear with a phenomenal sunset but it was still pretty nippy out, enough to where I decided to stay inside with a cup of tea instead of going for a run.

This is a really lovely tea. The green tea has sort of a vegetal, buttery taste to it (not at all astringent) and it blends beautifully with the coconut flavoring. (the coconut isn’t as as sweet as I thought it would be. Instead it lends itself as more of a subtle, smooth, rich element, much like full fat coconut milk, which is fine by me) I kind of wonder what it would taste like if it had actual coconut milk added. Although it may be a while before I decide to try it iced, I am definitely planning on doing so. (as soon as it warms up to at least 60 degrees)

EDIT: as this has cooled down 20-some minutes later, the coconut has taken more of a dominant flavor. so good! I’m going to look into pricing for this one, I think. :D

Thank you jessiwrites for this sample, I’ve been dying to try it! This certainly did not disappoint. The leaves smell like cinnamon with hints of chocolate. Yum. Steeped, I can definitely taste the cinnamon with some underlying flavors of chocolate and vanilla. I added milk and sugar and this really reminds me of mexican hot chocolate- slightly less rich, but still toasty, sweet, with that perfect nudge of spice. This one has good potential for making it into my cupboard, for at least the fall and winter months.

I absolutely love coconut, and have a hard time resisting a tea with it, which explains why I purchased this particular one. It’s not loose leaf, so of course the quality won’t be as impressive, but the combination of rooibos, coconut, and almond sounded so tempting I couldn’t resist.

Smell wise, it’s very hard to pick up any traces of coconut. I can definitely tell this has a rooibos base, and there is a very slight aroma of almond. Not much, though.

I steeped this for about 6 minutes and at the first sip, all I can taste is rooibos, with the soft lingering notes of almond. No coconut to be detected, sadly. I added cream and sugar which significantly improved the quality to a mellow, buttery, toasty cup of tea. For being in a bag, AND caffeine-free, this isn’t a total loss. Worth trying once, but not any more.

Thanks Mitch for the sample of this. Ah… I like this. I’m tasting mostly bright, juicy apple ,with muted pineapple flavors, with some floral traces as well. I’m a little disappointed with the fact that the pineapple isn’t as bold as I wanted and this is tasting just a LITTLE too similar to apple juice, but this IS good. Not great, but good. I’d drink it again.

I decided to give this sample a go today just for fun. I’m not really into citrus-y flavors, but this one smelled so infectious- creamy, sweet, with some mellow orange undertones. I steeped the leaves for about 5 minutes and I’m surprised with how “quiet” this tea is. I was expecting juicy, bold, orange accents with a milky black base, but no. The orange flavor, while definitely present here, is much more mild, while the creaminess takes more prominence than I anticipated. I think I will have to steep a second cup to see if anything changes. I really enjoy this as is, though.

Thanks Josie Jade for a sample of this. A zesty, smooth, very drinkable, blend. I can taste coconut the most, followed by subdued notes of lemongrass and ginger. I like this! If I can hold myself off from gulping down the rest of my mug, I might stick what’s left in the fridge to try it iced later.

This tea has a bright, lush scent to the dry leaves. Lots of mango detected. It makes me think of palm trees and white, sun-drenched beaches. So far so good, right?

Sipping a mug of this, I’m getting a lot of the green tea with notes of ripe mango popping through. Also, strangely, peach. Refreshing and light, for sure. But it’s starting to taste a little artificial. Meh….

Um, yeah… This unfortunately isn’t what I was anticipating. Sigh. Nice try, David’s Teas. If I want mango tea I’m sure there’s a better alternative to this, somewhere. Suggestions, anyone?

I am always game for a good cream tea. While browsing on Adagio Tea’s website I noticed this and decided to order a sample. Straight out of the bag, it smells almost sickeningly sweet and creamy. It reminded me of the filling inside an eclair. Once brewed, the aroma is very similar to honey.

I added real cream and sugar to my cup, and I can definitely attest to that this lives up to its name. Lovely! Smooth, indulgent, and downright delicious. While I can’t foresee myself drinking this on a regular basis due to the richness, I might treat myself on occasion.

While this tea IS good, it most likely won’t be a regular in my tea drawer.

A little sample pack of this on my counter has been mercilessly taunting me all weekend. I am not very partial to anything banana related, except for maybe banana bread (and I have to be in a very specific mood for that) I’m not even sure WHY I’m going to even try this instead of just saving it for a swap… maybe I’m hoping this tea will prove me and my taste buds wrong. Hmmph. Let’s see.

Out of the pouch, WOW. So much potent banana smell, mixed with some other intangible tropical aromas. I’m feeling veeeeeeery hesitant about this….

First sip- um, bleeeegh. Again, overwhelmingly, straight up banana. It literally tastes like I just ate the actual fruit. There are some other milder notes of other tropical flavors in here, but they all take the backseat. If a day ever arrives where I suddenly want to drink banana in liquid form, I’ll know which tea to turn to. In the meantime, this one is definitely NOT for me.

This tea caught my attention from the first second I saw it advertised on David’sTeas’ website. Coconut? Lemongrass? Ginger? And white tea? All in the same cup? Yum! Sounds too good to he true.

Tart notes of lemon accentuated with a zap of ginger were the first scents I noticed with the dry leaves. Once steeped for 5 minutes or so, I can begin to smell the warm, creamy coconut seeping through the brighter fruits.

Sip wise, the first flavor to hit my tongue is the coconut, not artificial tasting at all, very silky and rich. Totally yummy! The ginger and lemongrass punctuate with a tart, spicy, clean finish. The back of my throat feels all tingle-y, and even after having swallowed I can still taste the coconut. (In a good way! Not in the bad I-can’t-get-this-taste-out-of-my-mouth-feel)

Fabulous blend! Now all I need is a trashy novel to read and my shades, and I’ll be ready for summer!

It’s almost April (which means spring SHOULD be arriving sometime in the next few weeks up north) The sun is shining, and it’s a nice 30-some degrees. Tomorrow is Easter, and here I sit, curled up on the couch with a mug of Santa’s Secret. (quite happily so, I admit) I kept trying to reason and convince myself to try a tea that fit better with the season (Lime Gelato, Pom Tango, something more summery…) but I just couldn’t do it. But ya know, sometimes you just need Christmas in July. Or March. Same difference, right?

This stuff is so ridiculously intoxicating! I am totally swooning over here. It’s definitely more of a wintery flavor, with blasts of sweet, icy peppermint infused with a luscious black tea base. Mmmmm…..

I have officially found another staple for my tea stash. Can winter last forever so I have an excuse to drink this all the time?

Thank you Josie Jade for the sample of this! The dry leaves smell heavenly- warm, rich and spicy. It’s one of those teas that intrigues you from the very first whiff. (the anise really dominates the dry leaves) I steeped my cup for about 5 minutes (I could have waited a bit longer but it was rather difficult to restrain myself) First sip. Hm… Yum. Although I felt slightly apprehensive due to the fact I don’t exactly love anise flavored anything, I convinced myself the coconut and chocolate would make up for it. I had initially assumed this tea would be bolder tasting, but surprisingly, this tea sits more on the mild side of things. Sweet and subtle, with a kick of anise complementing the sweetness of the coconut and chocolate. What’s not to love?

The dry scent of this is simply fantastic. I steeped the leaves for 4 minutes per the instructions on the bag (really, Teavana? 4 minutes for a white tea?) The first few sips tasted lovely….a subtle, clean base with bright, sweet, juicy notes of berry to round things out. Halfway through the cup I started detecting bitterness (I’m guessing from the amount of steeping time?) All in all, this isn’t a bad flavor, but I’m not especially drawn to it. (then again, I happen to have a thing for green or black teas anyways) I’ve tried this blended with the wild orange blossom from Teavana, and after having it straight, I think I prefer it blended.

My mom got me some of this for Christmas and I’m surprised I’ve managed to restrain myself from drinking it all at once. This is a perfect combination of crisp green tea blended with splashes of sweet, juicy blueberry. I’m definitely going to be stocking up for iced tea this summer! YUM!!

This is one of the few bagged teas I drink. This is my “comfort” tea. It’s a great way to unwind at the end of a day and an instant go-to when I’m feeling sick, stressed out, or need a quick pick me up.

The smell of the dry loose leafs is very fruity and sweet- it almost reminds me of cough syrup I used to take when I was a kid. I let it steep for 6 minutes or so. Overall, it’s a nice tea. Nothing memorable for me, though. I did enjoy all the different combined fruit flavors.

Oh. My. GOSH. This stuff is amazing!!! The first sip took me by surprise, being quite astringent, with notes of rum and black tea… not necessarily amazing in my book. However, the rich, creamy buttery-ness that follows in the aftertaste is divine. Pure decadence. New favorite tea, hands down.

Oh my goodness! This is scrumptious. I could probably drink this by the gallons. (and I don’t like lime flavored anything, at least before now) It’s not potent or tart by any means, and very refreshing. It smells just like it tastes- like key lime pie. Sadly I only had a small sample of it so I’m going to have to re order some before I can try it iced.

Out of the three teas from The Gentlemen’s Collection, this was the tea I was afraid of not liking. (I’m not a fan of the taste of raisins whatsoever) However, this very well may be my favorite out of the bunch. A toasty, nutty, smooth, buttery cup of perfection. Tasty! I’m taking it with cream and sugar (my weakness) but I’m planning on braving a cup or two without as well at some point. I’d bet this tea would make a fabulous tea latte too.

I celebrated the first official snowfall of this year and bid goodbye to autumn with a mug of pumpkin chai this morning. Yummy. It’s indulgently delicious! The pumpkin flavor dominates moreso than the traditional spicy chai taste but that is perfectly okay by me. Pumpkin pie in liquid form? Yes please!