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CHERRIES!!! yup, it smells just like them. Tart, fragrant cherries.
I tried making the first bit with hot water and it was nice, but I don’t have a sifter so there were some clumps. sighs Yet another purchase I need to make!
The taste… well it’s a bit more medicinal than I had hoped, edging on that syrupy cough drop taste, but not too much so I don’t mind really. You need to whisk quite a bit, but I am getting used to the action now.
Sugar helps! I added only a touch, and it really made a difference. I felt that it brought out a tart side that was hiding before, and maybe even a little bitterness. Odd that sugar would bring that out.
Oh, and the warming sensation I felt was unexpected, but pleasant. Like brandy… not harsh. Soothing and lasting.
Then later on I took my packet down to the Second Cup on the main floor of our office building and had them make me up a Cherry Matcha Latte. It was nice, but something in there was burnt (and clumpy… not the matcha’s fault! the staff there aren’t familiar with it so I need to try this myself at home) Oh well, I still enjoyed my cuppa greatly.
Next time… I’m hoping it will work with Almond milk, because I would so love to have my matcha’s that way. Mmmmm. I don’t think I’ll try it again with all cow milk, it drowned out the matcha-ness a little too much for me. Perhaps with only a milk top-up it’d work better.
Overall, I don’t like this as much as I had hoped to, or as much as other people seem to like the Red Leaf teas. Bah, I just need to experiment! fun fun :)
Well… Happy Victoria Day everyone!! :D
(This is a backlog by the way, I added this on Friday but the system went buggy on me for a bit)
Edit: I love this one, and WILL rebuy after I’ve tried all the other flavours! ha.
You can find it here: http://www.redleaftea.com/matcha-tea/cherry-matcha.html
Going to buy caramel next. Can’t wait!

Big thanks to Azzrian for this sample!!
It’s tasty. Not exactly berry-like, but it goes down smooth and has a general fruity quality to it. Perhaps the raspberry would emerge as it got cold… if I ever let it get cold that is! Fruity green teas, I don’t crave them often but when I do, nothing else will suffice!
I’ve been spring cleaning today, and finally dug up the half of my tea collection that was packed away while we had visitors eons ago, and then wasn’t able to reach until today.
Then after that… Things were so hectic that the place got messy and we had no time to tidy up. It feels SO good to have finally get some of that done. Oh there is plenty more, but we now have some breathing room. Whew!
Anyhow, I really enjoyed this. It was a much needed break from our Big Purge. Thanks again Azzrian :)

I had so hoped to fall in love with this company! but so far, none of the blends I’ve tried are outstanding. Sure, it’s only been four so far and none have been terrible, but neither have they have rocked my world… and that makes me worry about the remaining samples.
This chai is much the same. Perhaps it was the suggestion of Kristaleyn’s earlier review of the ayurvedic chai, but this tastes very similar.
Dry, the leaves smelled of vinegar and spice. Steeped, there is that same cleansing sortof feel to it. Slippery, even with milk and a touch of sugar.
It’s a little rounder than the ayurvedic, and there is a slight cocoa note at the base of the sip, right in the middle and aftertaste.
Also, after having most of the cup my mouth feels refreshed like it does after I’ve eaten something minty.
Also(again!), it’s very light. I pulled out the basket right before it got bitter and yet I find myself wishing the flavour was thicker, or deeper.
If I had to choose between the Ayurvedic and this one, I think I like this better but not by much! However I have only a sample of this one, and a small bag of the other. Oh well!

Wow, intense on the almond much?!
This is definitely a dessert tea. I got through three steeps and only on the last one did I taste any real “tea”. That said, it was pretty tasty. The second steep was actually a bit creamy as well, which I liked.
Overall, it’s like but not love.

So… with summer coming up and me trying iced teas, I bought a bodum from Teaopia. $20!! sadly, I can’t find a pic online, probably because it was on clearance.
Anyhow, this is the tea I christened it with!
The strawberry is definitely muted compared to the hot version, but a little more tart where I do find it. Oddly though, I do like it!!
In fact, I’d consider buying more of this just for that purpose. Only it’s one of those cases where I don’t die-hard love it so will think about it, and then not buy any, you know what I mean?
btw, extra points for not having to add sugar. It was great on it’s own! Upping the rating a few points.

Soon as I saw this, I thought… I wonder how it compares to Queen Catherine!!
And you know, it’s not bad but the Queen will always reign in my book.
This is bold and malty and seems to have something a little extra, similar to the queen but only as good as a fair imitation. Well, it IS great for a black. Only two real steeps though. The third one fell far short of decent.
Will write more on this one later! So tired… I just got home from seeing West Side Story. It was fun, but now this girl needs some zzzs!!!

Mmmmmmmmm so good!
Mild, and pretty astringent… but tasty. Thanks again to Kiosque for the sample option!
I added milk and far too much sugar for my liking to get the flavour out, but finally I have a chocolate tea!! wahoooo!!! It’s very smooth and silky chocolate, and really does remind me of “Belgium Chocolate”. Oh yes!
I don’t think I’ll buy more because of the astringency, unless brewing it at a lower temp works for rooibos as well? or if I can find a way to pump up the cocoa note. Either way, I’m very pleased to have tried this!

Hmmmm. I like this.
The blueberry isn’t quite blueberry though. More… blueberry anise. Not in a bad way, unless you hate licorice. I’m not a huge fan but only when it overpowers the tea like hibby tends to.
And the white tea is nice to. Mild but not eaten up by the berry-ness… in fact it’s a really nice balance. The second infusion was all anise though.
I think I’ll try the next cup of this iced. You know me, not an iced tea girl but I want to be so I’m pushing for it :)
Thanks to The Kiosque for letting me grab a sample!!

MY ORDER FROM KIOSQUE CAME TODAY!!!!!
My first ever online tea purchase. (if you don’t count the David’s order I made eons ago for some teas no longer offered in store that is)
This order, I was lucky, they let me order in all sample sizes… as there are so many I haven’t tried that I wasn’t ready to make a commitment and I can try so much more this way. Thank you The Kiosque for being so awesome! :)
Ahem. Okay the tea.
Well… if you /like/ astringency, this one’s your gal. I mean tea!
Whew, is it ever sour!! like an apple, without the apple taste… like the tartness you get in a sweeter apple, not the sour apples. It’s a wild sort of astringency, deeper than most and rounder than in an Indian black tea.
There is a chocolate note there to, but it’s very much overpowered by the astringency.
Adding agave didn’t seem to bring the chocolate out much. Next time, I’ll lower the temp to see if that helps.
Milk did mellow it out quite a bit. Also, I did get three good steeps out of it, and a very nice tea high!! Other reviews of this tea from another vendor compare it to Pine, but I don’t see that here. It’s a little biting, so perhaps that is what they are getting at with “pine”? and burgundy… yeah I can see that, maybe. Not that I know what burgundy tastes like. but I understand the comparison to alcohol. The sharpness of the astringency and all.

Thanks for the sample Kristaleyn!
What an interesting chai. I quite like it. The first cup anyhow. The second one… well it was missing something, though I’m not sure what.
The green and chai spices mixed well together, into a surprisingly warming mix. I assumed that it would be on the lighter side. Not that I mind!
There is a mild apricot like taste, so mild that I can barely taste it.
Pretty good overall! Only… I wouldn’t want this every day. Just once in awhile.