77 Tasting Notes

93

This was the new Mother’s Day tea offered early (week of April 11, 2022) by 52Teas. I was attracted by both the tasty name, and my sister’s birthday, so I looked closer. The description was absolutely inviting. Creator Anne wrote: “I created this tea for my mom who requested more spiced tea—could I make a tea that tasted like peach preserves with spices in it like her gramma used to make for her when she was young?” I was hooked. I got visions of sitting at a table with a checked tablecloth, maybe on an enclosed back porch on a summer’s morning with a light breeze wafting in through the screen, while a beloved grandma made a special tea just for her and her granddaughter to share.
Okay, so I’m over-romanticizing. But that’s what the description alone did for me. I had to order it.
The result was just as good as the description. “Not too spicy: just warm and cozy. Sweet, juicy and delicious!” I was only able to get the 12 gram sample packets, but that was okay. Now that I know I like this tea, I will definitely go for the 36 gram package next time!
This is the perfect summer tea!

Flavors: Peach, Spicy, Summer

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 4 min, 0 sec 12 g 36 OZ / 1064 ML
52Teas

I just found this note. Thank you for the lovely words. My mom told me about when she was young – that her grandmother would brew a cup of black tea and sweeten it with peach preserves (they didn’t use sugar) and used her spices to flavor the tea. I loved the story – I guess I was kind of romanticizing it too, but it seemed like a sweet memory of my mother’s and I didn’t really hear a lot of stories about my mom’s youth so I really enjoyed hearing about it. I’m glad you enjoyed the tea too.

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78

Apparently I’m a lone voice in the wilderness here, but I liked this tea. Normally I find most pre-made chai blends not entirely to my liking. But I found this one a well-balanced delight. It does seem to have an essence of pumpkin about it, as another reviewer here noted. It has a nice initial warmth, and the cool aftertaste of licorice, with a nice shunting between the different spices in between. I particularly enjoyed it with a bit of honey. I liked using a bag or two of this when blending a pot of mixed chai blends. I do hope TAZO brings it back this fall so I can enjoy it again! ((ALSO: Please note that the list of flavors under “What flavors and scents do you notice?” was automatically ALPHABETIZED, which is NOT as I originally ordered the flavors. I had put them in order as I tasted them: Pumpkin-Spicy-Cinnamon-Anise. The alphabetized list makes it seem as if anise is the strongest note to me. It was LAST.))

Flavors: Anise, Cinnamon, Pumpkin, Spicy

Preparation
190 °F / 87 °C 5 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML

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64

I bought this tea on the basis of it coming from the only American tea plantation: Oliver Pluff & Company, in Charleston, South Carolina. I was intrigued by their slogan “A leaf from America’s tea heritage”. I would like to know how they determined this to be like the tea drunk in Colonial America. Whence came the recipe(s) for curing the tea to produce this flavor? I don’t know, but here are my impressions, from my first two cups, today:

It seems a bit weak. I used three teaspoons, had the water to the suggested 195 degrees, and steeped it 4-1/2 minutes. I’m glad it’s not too strong, as it’s not bitter. There’s a subtle smokiness, much lighter than the Lapsang Souchongs I’ve experienced. It’s an all right cup of tea, but not as distinctive as I would have liked, considering its presumed heritage of “America’s” tea. Perhaps it’s simply that American soil is not the right place to grow tea. I shall try to use a bit more the next time I try it.

Flavors: Autumn Leaf Pile, Fireplace, Smoke, Smooth, Tannic

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 4 min, 30 sec 3 tsp 30 OZ / 887 ML

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55

I have mixed feelings about this tea. While I enjoyed the bright, deep cranberry color and flavor of this tea, I didn’t like the stevia. I don’t care how ‘natural’ stevia leaf may be, I just don’t like that flavor—it’s artificial-tasting to me. Its taste represents artificial sweetener to me, and I can’t get past that. And I enjoy hibiscus-heavy teas. My favorite is Celestial Seasonings’ classic, original Red Zinger. That’s the tea that made me fall in love with hibiscus tea in the first place.
I ended up mixing a teabag of this into different combination teas I brewed. I can only recommend RoT Natural Hibiscus with reservations. If you would ordinarily add stevia or other artificial sweetener to your tea, then you’ll probably like this. If you like to add some extra color and flavor when you improvise a mixed tea blend, this works well. But it isn’t among my favorites.

Flavors: Artificial, Berries, Cranberry, Hay, Hibiscus

Preparation
195 °F / 90 °C 5 min, 30 sec 5 tsp 45 OZ / 1330 ML

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74

Moringa Oleifera is a plant native to the foothills of the Himalayas in northwestern India. This is one of The Repubic of Tea “Super Herb” teas. Research is still being done on the properties of Moringa, but it may be efficacious in maintaining healthy blood pressure and blood sugar levels.
BECAUSE I COULDN’T FIND TWO OF THE THREE SPECIFIC INGREDIENTS IN THE PRE-SET LIST (AND COULDN’T ENTER THE MISSING TWO, BEZ IT KEPT REJECTING THE TWOUNOFFICIALONES, SO THEY WOULD NOT APPEAR), I AM LISTING THE THREE INGREDIENTS HERE: Organic Moringa Leaves, Organic Rooibos Leaves, Organic Mango Flavor.

This was a pleasant, light tea. I steeped it for the recommended 7 minutes, to make sure I got the full flavor. Predominantly grassy, lightly sweet, with that hint of mango, I liked it. I would try it again, but until there’s more research on its properties, I’m not sure how it will interact with whatever medicines I take.

Flavors: Green, Mango, Straw, Sweet, Warm Grass

Preparation
200 °F / 93 °C 7 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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86

This is light and delightful. While the lemon and green tea flavors are well balanced, I’d say the lemon is a little more pronounced.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 5 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML

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72

A simple, plain tea in the best possible sense. It tastes pure, basic and honest, just what one wants.

Flavors: Grass

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 4 min, 0 sec 1 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML

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72

I like this tea, and am sorry to have come to the end of this tin. I did indeed find it a “merry and bright herb tea”, as per The Republic of Tea’s label. First of all, I am a hibiscus tea lover, so those of you who are not, can leave now. (You’re out there in vocal droves. This doesn’t concern you, haters—this review is for those of us who love it.)
This tea has a nice depth to its flavor. The natural bitterness of cranberries has been nicely alleviated by the sweetness in the hibiscus and spices. I made this cup without sugar or honey, so I could taste it honestly by itself. It’s got a nice, clean flavor, very strong and direct, yet mellow.
I like to blend a bag or two of this with other herbal teas, particularly those with orange and/or spices. It is perfect for the holiday season in both taste and its nice bright red color.

Flavors: Cranberry, Hibiscus, Perfume, Spicy

Preparation
Boiling 5 min, 0 sec 3 tsp 20 OZ / 591 ML

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62

This is a fine, lemony tea. I’m not familiar with the taste of ginseng, so while I might be tasting it, I’m not aware of it. It’s got a nice, clean taste.

Flavors: Honey, Lemon

Preparation
7 min, 0 sec 2 tsp 18 OZ / 532 ML

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Seems to me there’s a thin line between true discernment and pretentious twaddle. I’ll write what teas work for me, why I like them or not. I’m not the connoisseur some folks here are, but I think you will get a fair assessment of whatever tea I write about.

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