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This is a good tea, but I really don’t like it very much. I know, that sounds like a contradiction. I admire the roasted, chestnut, smooth and sweet flavors in this tea — it has notes of honey and something else sweet that I can’t quite identify. But I really don’t want to spend a lot of time drinking this. I prefer flavors that are a bit more robust or in your face. That’s not to say this tea is weak or flavorless — far from it. It’s just that something in its flavor profile isn’t quite to my preference.

This tea has dark leaves (practically black) and reminds me quite a bit of Golden Moon Honey Orchid. So if you like that, I think you will like this.

I think all of the companies that carry black tea in “dragon pearl” form are getting it from the same place. This tastes, smells and looks the same as thepuriTea’s Red Dragon Pearl and the one from Teavana. It’s a strong black tea with notes of chocolate and a slightly roasted flavor, but not smoky. It’s rich and flavorful, fully leaded (in terms of caffeine), a bit malty, almost like an Assam. I like the ease of measuring (five “balls” per 8 oz of water @ 205 @ 4 min. = nice strong cuppa). Even better with a little sweetener, and makes a nice tea latte, if you’re into that.

I had a bad headache today, and a double-helping of this tea has helped tremendously.

I am skeptical of the much-touted detoxifying/cleansing attributes of this tea. I drink it because I think it tastes good. It’s overpriced, and I’ve noticed the quality of the white tea has gone down (Teavana used to put silver needle white tea in here; now it’s a less expensive variety), yet still, I have to keep this on hand. It’s the perfect tea for those moments when I really don’t know what I’m in the mood for. Black tea? Nah, too close to bedtime. Green? Sounds good, but I don’t feel like being super-vigilant about temp and steep time. Oolong? White? Both sound good, but I’d like a little extra flavor. I don’t want any artificial flavors, though — I just want to taste the flavor of tea, amplified. Bingo! It’s time for Body + Mind.

I generally dislike jasmine tea. This blend does have a lot of it. Open the bag, and the smell of jasmine tea nearly knocks you over. But somehow, in the cup, it works. The jasmine flavors are balanced by the oolong and white. The flavors all blend together to create a mellow, smooth, slightly fruity (without any fruit flavors or chewy bits added, unlike most of Teavana’s blends), softly floral, delicious blend. I have had this iced and it is just as good. The liquor is light amber, about the color of a glass of beer or ale. It’s not necessary to be precise with the steep time or temp, but I don’t advise letting this sit for more than 5 minutes.

You could probably create this blend yourself at home, and save the trouble of a trip to Teavana, but I like to buy it from them. It keeps me on my toes to have to run the Teavana Upsell Gauntlet (“you sure you don’t want a tin for that tea? an iron teapot? some rock sugar?”) and be amused by the so-called advice (“this will help slow down the aging process”) once in a while. I smile into their horrified faces as I request the tea in bags, even though they’ve warned me it will go “stale” in one week sans tin. Then I go home and drink Body + Mind and feel zenlike and calm.

(Caveat: The sample I received was labeled “Golden Yunnan” and advised steeping @ 200 for 5 minutes. I hope/assume it’s this tea).

Wow. What a smooth, full-bodied, flavorful cup this is. I brewed it for the full five minutes suggested, all the while worrying it might turn bitter, but such was not the case. No bitterness whatsoever. I did not get the tobacco notes — which is fine with me, because I’m not fond of tobacco or anything smoky — but I did sense honey, dark chocolate, caramel and a hint of fresh-baked bread. The mouth-feel is sort of thick and heavy, in a pleasant way, but there is no aftertaste. The liquor is golden-reddish-brown.

This is robust without being rough. Elegant, even. But not delicate. It’s bursting with smooth, addictive flavor. This is how black tea should taste. I’d love to have more of this.

The main problem with Starbucks’ Earl Grey Tea Latte is that, when allowed to brew for a few minutes (which is necessary if you want that Earl Grey flavor), it becomes bitter. You really do need to sweeten this one. I use more sweetener in this than I do in anything else. I don’t even want to tell you how many packets of stevia and Splenda I put in here, because you will laugh at me. But once it’s adequately sweetened, it’s a real treat, and you can definitely taste the lavender and bergamot. I get this on my way to work in the morning and I have it with a few of Starbucks’ mini vanilla bean scones. Dipping the scones in the tea is the way to go.

Overall, not what I’d call a high-quality tea experience, but it’s tasty and easy, and a great way to start the day at work.

This tea smells lovely, and brews up promising. The liquor is golden yellow. Upon sipping the tea, one is greeted with a very pleasing, sweet, fruity flavor. However, the aftertaste — sharp and artificial-tasting — is a deal-breaker for me. It leaves a lingering stickiness/taste in the back of my throat, and I have to use another tea to get rid of the taste.

I’m sorry Butiki Teas; I really wanted to love this but it was not to be.

This is definitely grape, all right. Make no mistake about that — the scent is strong in the bag, even before it is opened. Steeped, it produces a yellow liquor. A little bit of sweetener is needed. The oolong flavor is present, but is greatly overshadowed by the grape flavoring. This is grape not like biting into a grape, but like grape Kool-Aid or grape jelly. Not that that’s a bad thing. I have two young daughters with whom I sometimes have tea parties — this flavored tea would be perfect for a child. It would also be good iced on a hot day, or maybe even blended with a mild green or white tea. I might consider getting this just for the novelty of it.

I have had a tin of Sinharaja for several months, and today I just polished off the last of it. I’ve been fond of this tea for some time. It’s one of those black teas that brews up a bit astringent, but once you add a touch of sweetener, it’s delicious. Full-bodied and smooth, with a rich, almost molasses-like flavor. I’m getting some notes of pastry and vanilla as well. The color in the cup has a bit of a reddish tinge. It’s the perfect tea for morning or afternoon — a good all-around black tea, a polished alternative to English or Irish breakfast teas. I’m going to have to buy more the next time I place a Golden Moon order.

I tried this at a recent tea tasting at Chicago Tea Garden. Everyone there seemed to like it, and I was no exception. If you like your oolongs roast-y, with almost a charcoal flavor, this tea is for you. This tea holds up well for several steepings — I’m on my fourth, and it still tastes good. The charcoal flavor dissipates a bit with each steeping, but it still tastes like a roasted green oolong. Not sweet, but doesn’t need sweetener. A little bit grassy and lightly floral, not buttery. Just a great, full-flavored green oolong.