tattooed_tea

A cold came up & smacked me in the face yesterday evening.So this morning I decided to brew up some of Teavana’s Jinga Citrus Twist with some honey… but I though, well I’m super congested and nothing helps that better than my Teaopia’s Peppermint. So I threw in some of that. So basically it was a 3:1 combination (perfect tea spoons). 3 Jinga, 1 Peppermint & about a teaspoon of honey.

Stupid me I forgot the Jinga was a green tea, but I had already boiled the water & poured it over my leaves. Oops. And then I forgot & steeped it nearly 5 minutes.

The peppermint kind of killed the ginger taste, which is great because ginger in tea isn’t my fav. So it had a nice citrusy taste, with a hint of peppermint.

Ahhhh so soothing! It tastes really good & soothed all the symptoms of this cold, the congestion & overall feeling of sickness.

I’ve tried this iced in store a few times over the summer, mostly because my kids are crazy about it.

In store it is WAY too freakin sweet, belch. It does have a nice blueberry-ey flavour, if you can get past the sweetness. So on my most recent trip into Teavana I bought the exotic iced tea set, mostly for my kids, but there are some flavours in it that I wanted to try.

The dry.notes of the blueberry alone are so delicious, so much blueberry goodness. I live in Northern Ontario where THE best wild blueberries come from, so I know blueberry. The pineapple on its own smells gross. But I mixed em up anyways (this was my first go at blending teas together). I added 4 perfect teaspoons of each flavour to my steeping basket, plopped it into my pitcher added about 1.5 perfect tea spoons of rock sugar (had I been making this for myself i wouldn’t have added the sugar, but it was for my girls.), then I poured the boiling water over it. i allowed it to steep for about 15 mins as per the guy at teavana.

This is nicely blueberry-ey, it probably could have been sweeter for the kids liking, and could have been more blueberry flavoured for my liking. I’m not even sure that I get any flavour from the pineapple. What I definitely don’t get is a Rooibos taste, thank goodness!

So this is one of the teas my mom brought me back from her trip to the east coast. I can’t fault the woman for trying, even though I detest Rooibos teas.

The dry notes smell mostly of Rooibos with hints of chocolate and banana. Once steeping it smells a little more chocolatey. But oh so Rooibos smelling. Eeek

So this is actually a drinkable Rooibos for me, it probably has to do with the Rooibos honeybush blend of it . The notes of chocolate and banana are there. I do mostly get the rooibos flavour in it. I don’t think I’m gonna keep this one, but I am always glad to try new teas, you never know when you might find a good one.

Meh this is alright. It’s chocolatey, but artificially so. I’m not getting any strawberry flavour from it, nor the rose thankfully.
I do think this tea made me feel, well umm funny. It was almost anxiety like, but less panicky.

Anywho this won’t be a tea that I stock. I probably wouldnt have finished the tea off had there been more than just the one mug.

I finally got around to trying this. I bought it in the spring (to me anything strawberry, rhubarb is a spring/summer treat, not a fall one) and I’ve steeped it twice and left it too long. So this morning I brewed it up.

The dry notes smell fruity and cinnamonie, and it stays like this through out. I didn’t find this to be a very flavourful tea. It’s very nice tasting, but I don’t find it holds up as a strawberry rhubarb dessert. I do believe I over steeped it a bit as it was a little bitter. So this will go into my re- try pile, but I know I will be keeping it.

Mmmm smells so yummy, appley and cranberry. To me this is fall, and reminds me of my mom. In October my mom goes to a cranberry festival down south.

So, anyways I got this in a swap and made a small 6oz ish cup. This was light on black tea taste, I almost feel like I could drink this at night. It tastes like typical cranberry and apple tea, I know its suppose to be pear, but I get apple. It’s really good and definitely one I will be adding to my fall collection.

EDIT: This was my 100th tasting note. Wow hard to believe.

The dry notes are very sweet smelling, it smells almost like freshly made rice krispie squares. The steeped notes are that of puffed wheat, just like i got with another flavoured genmaicha.

It’s earthy, toasty and sweet. Almost vanilla like. I don’t find it tastes like a rice krispie square, but it sure is delicious.

Here’s a tea that is up my alley. It smells so spicey, all those delicious spices mingling. As it steeps you get some of the apple scent.
Oh yea this is tasty. You can taste all the spices separately, but yet together and at the end of the sip you get the Ginger. it could use some more apple flavour, but even without it it’s pretty delicious.

Oh this would be great mixed with DTs Forever Nuts. Oh god, I wish DT was closer.
As it has cooled to about room temp I have some more apple tartness. Yummers!

oh booo after reading everyones reviews I feel let down. I mist have done something wrong with this one. but here goes my pre-written review.

I’m not sure I’m going to like this one. I can’t quite describe what the dry notes smell like. they’re different. Perhaps a little nutty, but mostly off putting.
As it’s steeping it smells like when something was on your stove element and is now burning.

Wow! I am just having a rough morning with tea so far. this is my third and so far I haven’t been able to finish a mug. I don’t think this is going to be a cup that I can get through.
I guess it tastes like chestnuts, perhaps they aren’t a nut I’m familiar with or not one that I enjoy. at the very end of the sip I do get a nutty flavour but there is too much before that flavour for me to enjoy this.

the dry notes are slightly chocolatey but kind of that musty artificial chocolate. once steeped it smells like a plain black and I can actually smell the astringency in it? so weird.
I had a couple sips and I cannot finish this, too black, too astringent. cup #2 of the day that is headed down the drain.

well I finally decided to try the after having it for months. I got it really cheap, I think about $7 for the whole tin. good thing too, cause this is gross, blech!
the dry notes smell a little earth, slightly sweet, kinda chocolatey. once steeped it smells earthy, but more like dirt, than good earthy. and it pretty much tastes the same way. right at the end of the sip I get a slight touch of Graham cracker. I had like four sips and ditched the rest of my mug.

to the swap list this goes.

This is the first time I ever have a tea house made latte. I have had Tea & Bloom’s Vanilla Chai many times, I even own a large tin because it is that good of a chai. I decided to have it as a latte because I have been feeling like crap and I thought maybe it would help.

This has got to be one of, if not THE best thing I have ever drank. It tastes just like pumpkin pie fresh from the over. The frothy milk is so creamy and whipped cream like and all the vanilla and spices lend its self perfect to tastes just like pumpkin pie. Unbelievable delicious.

Well its a Rooibos, so what can I expect. It smells so good, very minty and a nice amount of chocolate. But of course once steeped it tastes lightly minty and mostly like Rooibos, I’m not getting any chocolate flavour.

Mission sip down is working. My stash is thinning out. (Haha mission… Sorry I’m watching Spy Kids 4 with my girls)

I feel that perhaps I shouldnt be the first person to review a tea. My reviews may not he quite as eloquent as others around here. And this is a fairly to the point review. So here goes nothing.

I’m still working on my sip down, which I feel is taking FOREVER. I have thinned out the pack so to speak, uetuere just aren’t enough hours in the day while I am working to drink enough tea, especially sinceI don’t have a kettle at work (note to self: purchase electric kettle for work, Northern Ontario winters are on the way). I need another day off, especially since I am not feeling well.

The dry notes smell like a chocolate orange with a touch of spices. Once steeped it smells of the same artificial honey scent that I dislike.
In taste I get a green tea taste with light notes of caramel and orange at the end of the sip. It’s quite nice, a light tea with an earthy start and dessert finish.

I’m likely going to repurchase this also with their Tea and Cookies, because that is a definete gem!

Sip down day #3/tea #3

Oh the almond goodness. This smells just like almonds. We’ll see if that’s enough to mask the Rooibos.
Almond-ie goodness. I love when the good flavours over power the Rooibos. It means I can have a yummy cuppa before bed without dissrupting the little sleep I do get.

This tastes just like almond biscotti . So delish!

Sip down day #3/tea#2

I haven’t met an oolong that I like yet. Blasphemy I know. But carrot cake is one of myfav baked treats. My local tea house, which is owned by two sisters make and sell TUE very best carrot cake EVER!

The dry notes smell like carrots, cream cheese and spices. Once steeped it smells a little earthy.
This tea is very light in colour and taste. I tastes a mostly earthy taste with a tpuch of sweetness similar to cream cheese icing.
This is decent, it will stay in my cupboard and hopefully my next cup tastes more like delicious carrot cake.

Now I want some real carrot cake :(

Sip down day #3/ tea #1

I got this in a swap from TheDJBooth. I’m not generally a fan of mate. Actually I hate it, almost as much as rooibos, I have found one that I can manage. But this one sounded too good not to.try.
I LOVE chais, especially in the fall. I don’t think I’ve ever met a chai I didn’t like. I was fully expe tcing to dislike this one.

It smells fantastic, both in the dry notes and once steeped. It’s very spi rd smelling, a menagerie of spi es…. And a little like cinnamon gum.
It’s a little on Tue sweet side. It doesn’t quote taste as spicey as it smells, which is unfortunate. This isn’t my favourite chai, but its decent. I think this will probably stay in my cupboard for mornings I need a jolt of caffeine.

Sip down day #2/tea #2

This is my second attempt with salted caramel. The first time was a failure.
The dry notes and steeped ones still smell of stinky, gross artificial honey.
I think I may be the only one who doesnt like this tea.

Second go around seems like a bust as well. First time too salty from my added salt… this time no salt. I al getting the slightest hint of caramel. However for the most part it tastes like hot water.
So far sip down is working and I have eliminated a few teas.

Sip down day #2/tea #1

The dry notes smell nutty and slightly sweet. Once steeped it smells just like Brazil nuts, I feel like I should be reaching over and popping one of Tue deli opus, crunchy nuts into my mouth.
The tea tastes mainly like a black tea. The Brazil nut flavour lingers at the end of The the sip.
Unfortunately this tea is nothing to write home about. I’ll finish the cup because I need Tue caffeine this morning. I finally fell asleep around 5am and was up at 7:15am to get my girls ready for school. And now I have to work till 8 tonight. Tea is the only thing that will keep me sane.

Technically this is sip down #6. #5 was Blazing Strawberry, but I realized I had previously tried it jot and it still does nothing for me.

Onto the tea at hand. The dry notes smell artificially fruity. As it does once steeped. I saw a little chuck of kiwis in there.
Fruity… apple-ish… cherry, yum. So far no nuttiness. This should he called fruit salad. I feel like I can taste a million different fruit in this all playing off each other.
This is a good-un. Too bad i only got a sample. I bet this would also be great cold.

Sip down #4

The dry notes smell mostly of cream with a hint of candied pumpkin. Once steeped it smells very creamy.
It’s a little spiced like pumpkin pie and mainly creamy. There is however some astringency.
I’ve been having issues with my black teas lately. I must be steeping too long. So I’m going to add a bit of milk to this and see how that goes. It definitely helped to get rid of Tue astringency and it still tastes mostly like cream with that hint of pumpkin pie.

Although not my fav tea, it will stay in my cupboard.

Sip down #3
I got this as a sample when I placed my first order with Fusion Teas.

The dry notes smell bakery and like blueberry. The steeped tea smells more Haley than the dry notes.
The first sip is slightly tart, it has a nice blueberry taste, mostly artificial blueberry and quite Haley. It’s more like one of those pre-made muffins you’d get in a convinience store, than a fresh made one.
This is a solid tisane. A great morning cup. I bet this would be great with a hit of milk added to it. It looses a little because it is tart.
As I was typing my review for sip down #2 this tea was sitting beside le and smelt just like a blueberry muffin was next to me.

My local kitchen store had all their loose leaf teas on sale for ONE DOLLAR! :o That was suppose to he for 50g, but when i got there I found 2-4 oz bags for $1 no tax. Oh my. Unfortunately there weren’t many flavoured ones left. But I did grab this one which i thought would be a gem and then some teas for the travelling tea box.

The dry notes smell very spicy, mostly of cinnamon, almost like cinnamon hearts, but not as sweet smelling. Once steeped it stills smells spicy.
On the first sip its still very hot and I mostly get a black tea taste :( booo, with the yummy spices taking a back seat. I prefer when the tea taste takes a back seat to the flavour aspect of Tue tea.
Unfortunately the black tea stays at the forefront. This isn’t a horrible tea, by any means, but with the smell its not what i was expecting. I’m not sure if this is making its way into my cupboard. I will probably have to have it again to make that decision, for now it goes back into my sip down pile.
Can’t really complain since I did only pay $1 for 2.4oz of it.

Sip down #1

The dry notes smell like mango candy. Once steeped it smells like mango and peppers. Maybe this will be the first tea to deliver the spice. I love how you can see the chili strings and seeds in the leaves.
The first hit on your tongue is peppers, not spicy, but peppers. As the tea hits the back of your tongue and your throat you get the spice from the peppers. Oh deliciously spicy peppers. The hit of mango is very light and lingers on the tongue.

I am so glad I finally found a tea that promises the heat. This is going back into my cupboard. The only downfall of this tea is that I feel the mango could come out more strongly.

You’d want to avoid this tea if you’re prone to heart burn

EDIT: as this cools to about room temp, the first taste on the tongue is of mango and the spice looses some of its power.