Vanilla Rooibos Parfait

I picked up a tin of this at Starbucks as I was getting some coffee beans. I am looking for some low/no caffeine teas for evenings (my poor husband was up ALL night the evening we had the Tiger – literally not a wink of sleep!! Me – I’m pretty sure there is actually coffee and tea in my veins, and not blood, and it doesn’t bother me. ANYWAY!).

This was in the new pouches with the full leaf tea – well, as full as rooibos gets – they were like twigs (which is actually fuller than the plain rooibos I have which looks almost like a powder). There were all kinds of bits and pieces of Stuff in there too (the tin tells me licorice root, blackberry leaves, cinnamon, apple pieces, peach pieces, vanilla extract, chamomile flowers). I put a touch of tupelo honey in our cups – maybe half a teaspoon each.

This was really good! The tisane tasted a little like an herbal apple pie to me, crust and all :) I did a resteep at 6 minutes and it was a little watery- I would try it at perhaps 8 minutes. It was a real treat.

It’s a little expensive (a little over .46 an 8 oz serving if you don’t resteep) but really nice. Good job Tazo and Starbucks! I would definitely repurchase and now I’m curious about the other full leaf offerings! If you’ve had one you enjoyed, do tell!

Had a Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte at Starbucks tonight. It was pretty tasty. I told them to leave out the sugar syrup that they usually add. So it was just the tea and steamed milk. Think next time I’ll just go with the tea because the milk muddles the flavor a bit I think- and they charge extra just to put steamed milk in there!

I was in an un-name-able store in order to buy little tea cups so I could have a tea party with my guy friends. Because I couldn’t have tea party without the cups. WELL they had freaking nothing, so I bought four “appetizer bowls” and they work perfectly! They even seem fancy. haha! http://www.webstaurantstore.com/cardinal-r0742-4-oz-spirit-china-deep-appetizer-bowl-24-cs/552R0742.html

I digress, the store also had some Tazo teas! I only go to Starbucks for Pumpkin Spice Lattes, but I thought I would pick some up knowing it’s a decent brand at least!

It’s a nice tea, it’s making me sleepy. It is a little bit like apple pie, but the taste is very mild. After eating a very rich supper of homemade jerk chicken and spinach feta pizza with 13% alcohol honey mead and dark chocolate beer… the mild tea is just what I need to sober up and go to sleepytimes.

It is a bit licorice-y but not too much. Mostly apple and cinnamon, with a lot of woody rooibos. I will try as a latte, and I have vanilla syrup to sweeten so it will be perfect!

My favorite way to sweeten lattes is just drizzle a bit of syrup on top, none inside. This has been such a random note…

I had been eyeing this one for a bit now. I must admit the price swayed me for awhile. But, my husband cancelled our plans to go out with his old high school friend, so in the midst of a hissy fit I finally bought it. lol

I love rooibos in the evening. I’m really not getting much of a vanilla from it though. Apple and cinnamon come through quite a bit, the spice is actually a little strong. It is quite nice though, I will buy it again… next time I throw a hissy fit. ;)

It’s suppose to be hot here – like upper 80’s, low 90’s hot. I’m not looking forward to this, especially with any added humidity there might be…

So I’m trying to prepare. I currently have in the fridge a fruity white tea and a vanilla mint green. When it gets hot, I usually crave a sweeter non-black tea (because I start my day with black tea). So I’m trying this cold.

Brewed the usual hot way I use 4 tea bags for 32 ounces of water, brought to a boil and steeped for just over 5 minutes. Let it cool and stick it in the fridge to get friendly with the other iced teas.

I really don’t like the taste of this unsweetened. Don’t get me wrong, it tastes sweet without adding anything extra to it. I believe it to be the licorice root as Aveda’s Comforting Tea also has this in it – both I’m not crazy about. And for a vanilla rooibos, Tazo’s tastes apple-y. Again not a bad thing, but it’s not really what I want out of a vanilla rooibos. My remedy for this: homemade vanilla syrup.

So I’m always up in the air about getting a new tin. I like it, but it has to be doctored – usually with some vanilla syrup. :-/

This was surprisingly not bad. I liked the mix of flavors, though I do wish I had been told that it was more than just a basic vanilla rooibos, but it warmed me up on this chilly night.

The conversation leaving up to the conversation, however, had me cringing every time I took a sip. Mind you, tonight was my first time inside a Starbucks.

Me: What kind of teas do you have?
Barista: Oh, we have lots! For herbals we have….pause to think of list
Me: Oh, I don’t want an herbal (hibiscus feaaaar)
Barista: Oh. For greens we have…
Wife: She doesn’t like greens, either.
Barista:….okay, for blacks we have Awake, Earl Grey, and Vanilla Rooibos.
Me:…
Wife:…
Me:…I’ll have the Vanilla Rooibos.

Anyway, I would definitely drink this one again.

I don’t normally like rooibos teas. So according to me the rating I am giving this tea is good for a rooibos tea. I liked this tea but the vanilla was overpowering. Once I got past the vanilla it was enjoyable, smooth, and relaxing. I expected a fanning grade tea but got a better grade tea than most Taza teas that I’ve tried. Therefore the tea bags were larger. Tossed out the tea bag and then realized I should have tried for a second steeping.

Just dropped a bag of this in my cup for an afternoon chill out. It has been one of those days and I need something soothing or else someone might loose an arm. ANYWAY…to me this tea has a nice smooth flavor and a even mix of rooibos and vanilla flavors. Now if only I had some steamed soy milk to mix in here….yum! But alas simply the tea with a few sugar cane crystals.

Co worker passed along … reminds me of Adagio Foxtrot without the peppermint. I’m not getting any of the fruity stuff, but it’s not bad.

I got this, like so many other folks, in part to try to recreate a Starbucks tea latte at home (when I use up my current stash of earl grey I’ll try the Tazo earl grey too). For me, the vanilla syrup seems to just make the beverage, so I am trying to compensate at home. Next time, for example, I am going to try vanilla sweetened soy milk rather than my unsweetened vanilla almond milk+ honey. (The almond milk otherwise did a good job).
The trick for me is to just leave the teabag in the cup, and use no water. Steep the thing in the milk directly. Do you get a better result from steeping it in water for a long time first? Curious.

Anyway, I like this one plain as well. It’s a nice sweet vanilla-apple pie type of aroma. Well done on Tazo’s part, as I usually cannot stand apple.

Have been drinking this tea off and on for a while now, as it is one of the few teas in the cupboard. Now seems like a perfect time to sit down, relax, and write something up.

Removing this tea from its tin resting place I am immediately struck with the scent of loving, caressing, vanilla. Underneath, a slight smell of cinnamon comes forth, surrounding the smell of rooibos, bringing forth an almost marshmallow smell. At this point I am feeling relaxed, I almost want to just sit and continue smelling this tea, simply because it is so pleasant.

Snapping myself out of the daze, I prepare the tea. Boiling water for 5 minutes as instructed. As the water gently begins to embrace the tea leaves, the lovely scent of vanilla begins to dance up from my cup to greet me. That same marshmallowy-vanilla scent with cinnamon spice undertones is now fully steaming from the light creamy liquid resting in front of me.

I raise the mug to my lips and take a sip. Vanilla, sweetness, light cinnamon, and mint. The vanilla flavour is the first to hit, though not quite as strong as strong as the scent it gives off, which is somewhat underwhelming, though that could simply be personal preference. There are some light cinnamon undertones at the sides of my tongue and a sweetness that is left behind on my lips. After this has passed I feel a light almost minty aftertaste on my tongue, which I assume to be the rooibos as that has been a singature of my experience with it.

Now my mug is empty, still wafting that lovely vanilla scent, I am fully relaxed. My throat feels a little dry, which I have been told is common with lower grade teas, and my lips and tongue are coated in a pleasant, sweet aftertaste.

This tea spins an image into my imagition of a younger, gentle female. She is very kind and loyal. She looks out for those who are close to her. Whoever chooses to love her she will love back consistently for as long as she is able. She tends to avoid excitement, preferring to settle down with a nice book. She grew up in a wealthy family so she does tend to spend more money than the average individual, in some ways making her more of a “gold digger” as she likely will only be introduced to those of a higher social standing.

Summary(tl;dr):
This tea is kind of pricey for the product that you get. It is a nice relaxation tea that produces many lovely aromas. As with most Tazo brand teas, this tea seems to be designed with Starbucks signature drinks in mind rather than straight consumption. Sweetening this tea will really accentuate the vanilla flavour and make for a more creamy style drink if that is what you are interested. I would recommend this tea to those who are interested in recreating Starbucks style drinks at home to save some change.

Last time that I went to starbucks, I was pleasantly surprised with the Tazo tea that I had (Passion). It was fantastic and gave me a go-to drink when I’m not feeling all of the whip cream and such that I need to add to my coffee to be able to drink it. So I went back last night with some friends, and with high hopes ordered this tea…
It was however a disappointment. The smell was nice, vanilla and mildly spicy almost?, but the taste was not quite what I was expecting. I also didn’t really enjoy it. I did taste the vanilla but it was almost the background flavour to some weird fruity tones. Probably not the best description, but it just wasn’t my cuppa…

This should be named “apple rooibos” and not vanilla. I brewed for 10 minutes, and it still seems a bit weak to me. The rooibos taste itself is barely there, the vanilla is pretty good, and the apple is almost overpowering. And I don’t really taste the tea when it’s in my mouth (almost like drinking water), but after I’ve swallowed, there it is. I’ll try brewing at 5 minutes to see if that makes it better, but as of right now, I’m not too horribly impressed.

A little unsatisfactory. I was just walking around browsing westwood, and then I decided I was craving some tea – as per usual. I usually go to Coffee Bean, but I decided why not go to the good old Starbuckaroo. I’m a sucker for anything Vanilla, love vanilla tea, so when I saw that they made a “vanilla Rooibos” latte, I decided to be a little fiesty and order it. I don’t know if it was because I didn’t hear my name being called the first 5 times and the latte was a bit cold, but it was a bit unsatisfactory. I didn’t like the fruity undertones that much….meh. Perhaps I should try it without the latte part, just hot water and a good ol TEA BAG

Backlogging from San Fran again!

TMI ahead? Maybe if you’re ridiculously easily offended. I use the word toilet….

Let me tell you, I did a ton of walking down there. I mean everywhere. All the time. Public toilets? No. So how am I supposed to go to the bathroom?! Starbucks. Everywhere.

Go in. Buy a tea. Use the toilet.

I didn’t mind it! I first got it as a latte, but I enjoyed the flavor enough to get it straight. Of course this only led to more trips to the bathroom, and more Starbucks stops for tea. It’s a vicious cycle.

Hmmmm, there was a trend to my End of the School Year Thank-you presents, a box of this tea, some extra Starbucks cards and a few DAVIDsTEA cards… Since the giftcards have to wait I raced home and ripped this tin open to steep.

I instantly love the way these little pouches smell and am releived that the Chamomile is not prominent… but we shall see after steeping. I am sure this one will taste devine iced and I will do just that tomorrow.

Hmmm, It has a heavy milky taste and that is it, I am a little put off… the licorice kicks me pretty hard as an after taste and that is about it… Not my favourite at first steep, maybe iced with a hit of agave syrup would save this tea taste wise?

We shall see, we shall see…

- sigh – This should have been called “Licorice Rooibos”! There is no vanilla! and it has cooled for a while now!

Second steep, I could smell more honey or that “sweet rooibos smell” but it was still heavily licorice… lets see if there is a successful third steeping…

The description made me purchase a cup of this from Starbucks. It smelled like apple and spice and I was expecting something delicious! The tea left an unpleasant tickling sensation on the back of my tongue. I’m not sure if it was the effect of the spice, but I did not like it. The tea lacked any sort of vanilla flavor and didn’t really taste too much like apple either. The spice was almost too peppery (reminiscent of Yogi Tea’s disgusting peppery character) to enjoy. Had to dump this one.

This is a rooibos that I will actually drink alone (usually I’ll blend rooibos with another tea). Very smooth tasting to me; I actually need to go get a tin for my desk!

I got a cup of this at Starbucks today. I’m not going to give this one a rating as I think that there was way too much water for the teabag. It was weak and tasted apple-y.

Had a Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte at Starbucks. It was ok. Next time I will ask them to leave out the sugar syrup that they usually add, because it created a sludgy texture and off flavor at the bottom of the cup. Overall this is ok but I wouldn’t go out of my way for it. I prefer the green tea latte actually – the kind made with some sort of matcha-esque concentrate. I go to Starbucks so rarely that I figured I’d try something new.