Tea Forte

Strong Nutty Hazelnut Flavors, not so much chocolate.

I might have a migraine – things smell to strong when I do. This smells like cleaner to me…and I could only manage a sip with that image in my head. It may be better iced…Or maybe I’m just picky. I’m not terribly fond of infusions as it is.

I finally got to try this tea, and it’s been one I’ve wanted to for a while, at an upscale restaurant in Northern Virginia. I remember the last time my family and I went there (before I was into tea), my brother got this tea and it smelled amazing. I ordered it this time and it did not disappoint! The waiter loved this tea too – he said it should be made into a gum lol. It is VERY fragrant and is the first tea I’ve had that really tastes like pear. The ginger isn’t overpowering at all. Definitely a win.

I found this sweet peculiar tea by getting the “dolce vita” dessert teas collection from forte. As i read the box with other strange but atractive tea flavors, when i saw this one i refused in my mind that it would taste good at all to me (since i hate coco:/). Thank God one day i was distracted by choosing my tea from this cute purple box the collection has, and i grabbed the coco truffle one.
The aroma is such a pleasure !!!! neither too soft neither too strong, has a perfect combination!! Brings so much sweet memories while drinking it, its one of thoose teas that will make you happy. Another good thing about this tea is that it is sweet but not enough for you to say “no to sweet snacks”, you can mix it with nice cookies (but not cream ones, perhaps italian cookies, some european style of cookies, not so fancy as the french ones but simple as the english) and it will be a pleasure for your mouth, i assure you. :)

Forte, being a nice quality brand for special collection tea’s, surprised me with this nice tea with a strong but sweet aroma of cinnamon. The tea, in fact, is very good, fresh and strong for someone (like me) that loves green tea. By the second drink from the cup, I was feeling this spicy taste and my nose was exhausted from the strong aroma this tea have, something similar that happends with aromatic teas such as earl grey. Besides all that, this tea is distinguished by his quality taste, but personally (being a green tea lover) i do not like it so much.

From: http://www.itsallabouttheleaf.com/2428/tea-review-tea-forte-bombay-chai/

These teabags are adorable; little bendy strings with the leaf, the pyramid shape leaving room for the leaves to dance, the packaging. They’re highly engineered and very cute.

However, it’s what’s inside that counts, and as a chai, it didn’t really stand out. Chai should be bold and brave and spicy. This is a delicate chai. A demure chai. Not quite a wall-flower chai, but definitely not the belle of the ball. Nice to drink, but not something I’d actively seek out.

What I found that I really liked using this tea for was making cocktails with it. I originally got this idea from a class I took at a local tea shop. They had gotten the Tea Forte tea cocktails set in, and this is a modification of one of those recipes. This is a LOVELY decadent drink, to replace dessert when you feel like laying about and being pampered.

1 Bombay Chai Tea Pyramid
Double shot of Whipped Cream flavored vodka (can be done with regular vodka, but this adds an extra dimension of yum)
ice
simple syrup
whole milk (or half and half if you feel REALLY decadent)

Take the bombay chai tea pyramid and put in a small cup. Pour the vodka in, let sit approx. 5-8 minutes. Remove tea pyramid. Take a large juice or highball glass, fill with ice. Pour in steeped vodka. Then add at least 2 tbsp of simple syrup, more if you like things sweet (you can adjust after finishing the drink). Fill the glass with milk. Taste, adjust the sweetness with more simple syrup as needed. Then enjoy.

The tea pyramid can be resteeped two to three times for more drinks. (For you, or your friends – if you want to share.) It’s amazingly yummy. Completely decadent. Lovely.

Meh. It’s a bit of a boring chai.

This was my first time trying this tisane. Overall, I enjoy it! I will agree that it is a bit heavy on the hibiscus. I do like hibiscus, however, and so I don’t mind this. I tasted the blueberries, and just a hint of sage.

I tried this from their tin canisters and not their tea pyramids (makes sense, since we only carry loose leaf teas :p), and I found the taste a bit strong. I actually did want to try this tea with milk for the first time ever (for any type of tea), but we were all out, so I drank it straight.

I really love deep red herbals with hibiscus. This one was good with the sweet and tart mixed together. I had a single tea forte pyramid. I liked it but am not so sure I would buy it loose or in bulk.

I initially agreed with Ottawa Tea that this one was too much hibiscus, not enough sage. But my second cup is really heavy on the sage, and less so on the fruit and flowers- I got two cups worth out of the packet. I like the second cup better, although I do think this one could use a little more blueberry and less hibiscus. I’m not even sure the hibiscus needs to be in here.

The odd thing here is that the merlot name actually does seem sorta fitting. This really does taste a bit like wine to me. I had a cup of this kinda late at night the other night, and I really felt like I was drinking warm wine (which isn’t gross when you think about mulled wine). I really don’t know what to make of this one since the two cups I had were so different.

Bleghhhhhhh! Why do I ever try red fruit teas? I hate them so much. This one in particular is mostly hibiscus though, with a strong undercurrent of cherry. It tastes medicinal and like hot jell-o mix at the same time. I made myself drink most of my travel mug’s worth, and then dumped the last 1oz or so into a bush as I was walking, where hopefully it will grow something other than Cherry Cosmo tisane plants.

The delicious apricot zingy scent of this in the bag made me bump it to the top of my list of teas to try. It’s so good, with its almondy and fruity flavor mingling together harmoniously, and giving me the wherewithall to actually get my work done this evening (are not you jealous of my grad student life? admit it!) This is YET ANOTHER Tea Forte blend that is not only more than the sum of its parts, but going on my ‘buy a whole bunch of’ list. Love you, Tea Forte!

This would make an outstanding cocktail. It’s simply delicious- a bright, vivid lime with a backdrop of the ginger. I might have to acquire more of this one just to make the best iced tea ever- if not this summer, than really any season in Houston. This is so limey that I’m almost tempted to think about lime lollypops, but I hate lollypops and am enjoying this, so…. maybe I shouldn’t have brought up lollypops. Again, I say, why do I not order more often from Tea Forte? They’re excellent tea mixologists. They’re going on my Steepster shopping list.

I really need to order a lot more from Tea Forte. I adore everything I have ever tried from them, and this is no different. They have such a way with flavor combinations. This is minty and citrusy at the same time- two tastes that I’d have been a bit wary of pairing, but am loving nonetheless. Both are very well balanced- the mint hitting first, and the citrus hanging on a bit longer. This would be so nice as an iced tea. p.s. thank you to OttawaTea for letting me try this one!

I love this herbal tea, the initial perfume coming out of the holed lid of Solstice teapot by Tea Forté ALWAYS reminds me of Crème brûlée / Crema Catalana so I am already in the right mood before starting sipping it. Then this strong vanilla perfume diminishes and even the taste reveals the other ingredients. I like to have my teas plain as much as possible, but I love to add some milk or a little bit of sugar to this one.
No need to remove the leaves from the pot, the infusion doesn’t get bitter.

I have used the pyramid infuser and only steeped it for a little less than 2 minutes, I think it was enough as the color is not pale and the taste is not weak, but I need to concentrate on my sip completely if I want to find out the ingredients mentioned on the packaging, a part from citrus.

Oof! This is the most intensely ginger-scented tea I’ve ever experienced, that dry leaf is a knockout. Luckily for those of us who aren’t all in it for the big G, this tea tastes much milder than it smells. The dominant taste is still ginger (especially as it cools), but the peach provides a hint of sweetness and the white tea base adds a pleasant taste as well. I’m not sure what prompted me to buy this, but I’m glad I did!

It’s not the most nuanced Darjeeling on the market, nor is it the most sophisticated (I mean, it literally comes in a “tea fort”). But this Darjeeling is probably the strongest on the grapy note I’ve ever come across. It’s also light on the astringency, which gives it even more added points. Some of the floral profile give it a Ceylon feel. I liked it quite a bit.

Full Review: Pending on www.itsallabouttheleaf.com

I had tried this tea a long while ago and wished to refresh my mind because recently, when drinking green teas, I have mostly chosen China Gunpowder. I steeped it (pyramid infuser) for less than 3 minutes as I don’t like over steeped green teas at all, and I guess it is enough as the color is nice, it is very tasty as well. There is a very slight hint of mango (its scent is stronger than its taste), the green tea’s flavor still prevails, which is what I expected otherwise it would have been more of a fruit infusion than a tea. It seems to have different layers of taste because when I sip it it is a little bit bitter, the after taste is not bitter at all and it is at the end that the fruity taste comes out more.

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 packet
Water: 12 ounces hot spigot water
Tool: kati loose tea system
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes (http://steep.it)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: alcohol, cherry, hibiscus
Steeped Tea Smell: hibiscus, cherry
Flavor: sweet fruit then tart
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: tart
Liquor: translucent dark purple-pink

It smells alcoholic! I found it a bit tart and would add sugar next time, but it was a fun cup of tea (not often you can drink at work!).

Rating: 2/4 leaves

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2011/04/tea-forte-loose-leaf-herbal-tisane.html

Steep Information:
Amount: 1 single steeps packet
Water: 12 ounces hot spigot water
Tool: kati loose tea system
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: nutty, apricot
Steeped Tea Smell: amaretto, fruity, rooibos
Flavor: rooibos, fruity
Body: full
Aftertaste: sweet
Liquor: translucent orange-brown

I love amaretto, so this tea is right up my alley! A sweet afternoon treat.

Rating: 3/4 leaves

Pictures: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2011/04/tea-forte-loose-leaf-rooibos-tisane.html

I keep being not as vigilant as I should be and ending up with fruity minty teas when I was expecting just a fruity tea. Darn you, peppermint and/or spearmint! Exit my melanges!

As you can tell this is the latest case of that happening. I think this must be where my fellow reviewers have been getting the menthol-y medicinal taste from, it’s that random addition of peppermint getting all up in the tropical fruit’s business. It’s unfortunate, because the tea smells really good when you’re bringing it up for the sip, but the mint just sits on top of all the other flavors and makes for a weird experience when you’re expecting to taste mango…or peach…or green tea, you know, any of those seemingly random words that ended up in the title.

That said, I don’t hate this! It’s a plenty refreshing cup and enjoyable on its own merits. But I certainly can’t say it does what it says on the tin.