Neem Nectar

SIPDOWN!

So this one isn’t bad but it’s a little astringent. Thanks to kittenna, and Jillian technically for a try at this one. I could certainly see drinking this again but it’s not a must have in the cupboard. This was in tea bag form as well, so might be good for @ work.

I’d never heard of neem but figured everything is worth tasting at least once! :) It’s a strong and bold cup of tea, but not overly bitter. There are other blacks that i’d drink first but man in the morning this would be a kick to get going :)

Trying this one courtesy of TeaEqualsBliss – my SororiTEA Sister!

(And you should check out our blog if you haven’t yet… or even if you have, because we’re posting reviews daily!)

http://sororitea.wordpress.com

This one is kind of weird. I don’t necessarily mean that in a good or a bad way (mostly because I haven’t really decided yet)

I tried it first unsweetened (as I do with all teas) and this one definitely does better with a little sweetener as it is just a bit too bitter for my liking without it. I added a drizzle of agave nectar and that really improved the flavor for me. There is still some bitterness which doesn’t taste like a “tea” bitterness, so I am going to attribute it to the Neem – which is an herb with which I’m unfamiliar… so I don’t know how it really tastes except based upon this cuppa. It isn’t a foul bitterness or even unpleasant, but its there.

It also has a very pleasant aroma that I enjoy (both the dry leaf and the brewed liquor).

It is an enjoyable cup, a robust tea that invigorates. I’m glad I had the opportunity to try it.

This Loose Leaf Dry Leaf Smell is CLEAN and Crisp! The color is a reddish dark brown. It’s strong and bold and malty and I like it. It’s true black tea but with a black sweetness I can’t seem to shake. Yet another good stand-bye from Teatulia but there is just something about this one that I like a tad better. I have a feeling I will be going thru this pouch quickly!

I’m not really sure what neem is supposed to smell or taste like as I’ve never had it in anything before. It’s apparently something of an Eastern panacea, so perhaps it’ll cure all that ails me. ;)

The flavour comes across as being rather bitter, at least at first, but I got used to it as I drank my cuppa. I suppose it’s the neem that gives the tea a clean, fresh sort of taste; the bitterness is a bit much to get used to though, at least with nothing else added to the tea. Maybe I’ll do what LiberTeas did and add a bit of sweetener next time.

The neem gives this strong black tea a subtle sweetness. The flavor is hard to pinpoint but it reminds me of chocolate. From a distance it smells slightly fruity or cake-like. It has a cooling aftertaste too. I’m glad I went with a short infusion time, it seems like other people had some trouble with bitterness.

My friend sent this to me, she has a friend that sells it.

I had to look up neem, never heard of it. Apparently it is a miracle plant. Cures skin ailments, it’s a male contraceptive, it keeps your blood sugar stable and wards off diabetes, it can cure chicken pox by laying down on the leaves, it makes a mean curry, and you shouldn’t drink it if you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant. Man, that’s some crazy stuff! Now I wonder what my friend was trying to tell me when she sent this! haha!

So the bag (yes, bag. Forgive her, she doesn’t know. But it does also come loose leaf.) smells like when I walk into the big greenhouse in Golden Gate Park. Very floral, very lush. Not one particular flower, just a smell that is a mix of a lot of flowers, orchids, roses, tropical flowers.

Steeped, the liquid is dark dark, black tea. The scent is still there. In taste, the scent lends some to the flavor, but otherwise disappears. Which sounds disappointing at first, but really, I don’t know that I would like orchid tea. Orchids I love, they are beautiful, but don’t look like they would taste good.

I do like the mild flavor of this, the scent brings me back to my childhood always visiting that conservatory with my family and the rose garden outside. Good thing I’m not pregnant or trying to get pregnant. I have some neem nectar tea when I’m at work, so it’s a forgiving tea (I need that at work). I look forward to it every time!

My first tea from Teatulia, I can’t wait to try the rest!

Bold, but boring. Seems like a great company (organic, socially responsible, single-garden, cool packaging) but I never get excited about this tea. Perhaps I just need to add a sweetener..