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Additional notes: Alright, I could drink this one every day. And I probably have never said that before for any tea. It’s my new favorite tea. If you thought S&V’s Apple Cinnamon Coffeecake was delicious, this one is even MORE delicious. I just got an e-mail today from S&V that a few of their caramel and apple teas are 15% off if anyone is interested: https://www.svtea.com/FEATURED-PRODUCTS/products/144/ Raising the rating from a 97.

Also, you know it’s autumn when five of the last ten of my tasting notes were for apple or pumpkin teas.

Additional notes: This one is sooo old and from a teabox but it is so delicious. The buttery green sencha could have steeped by itself. It didn’t need the apple. But it sure is delicious either way. The second steep is even better.

Edited to add: Anyone in the US interested in a Lupicia group order, especially around the time of the happy bags? I have been meaning to order from Lupicia for years, and they especially don’t have the resealable 50 gram pouches, so you almost have to split them in resealable pouches anyway.

Thanks so much for this one, Mastress Alita! Tealyra sometimes has a high turnover rate for teas….but this one is still available on their website. I’m just happy they keep a few of my favorites around. This one seems like a unique blend I haven’t seen being sold anywhere else. The ingredients: Pumpkin cubes, apple pieces, cinnamon pieces, ginger cubes, turmeric root, cinnamon rods, cloves, whole cardamom, pink pepper, natural flavoring. There was a HUGE pumpkin sliver that went into the infuser. The blend already gets points for that. I don’t think I’m a fan of turmeric and there was definitely a hit of turmeric at least at the top of the first steep. The turmeric must have floated to the top. Otherwise, the resulting flavor is a mix of the other ingredients to create a mild pumpkin pie flavor. Nothing in the blend is really standing out, it’s pretty equally represented. But I’m wishing for more flavor here. With that big pumpkin piece, I certainly expected more flavor. It’s one of those herbal blend situations where the weight of the ingredients (and the price) takes into consideration the amount of flavor that results. But maybe this one just needs two whole teaspoons to brew up a decent cup. Next time will be a sipdown!
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 10 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 7 minute steep

Thanks for the sale, M Mack! I’ve had this a few times and each time I have it, it seems I like it less and less. I’m not sure if it’s the blackberry leaves or splenda. And it probably isn’t getting any better with age with either of these ingredients. The first time I had it, maybe I didn’t even realize that there were blackberry leaves which I never seem to like in a tea. Are the blackberry leaves supposed to make it taste like mango? It doesn’t. And the black tea isn’t flavorful enough for me. It’s such a light brew. Maybe I shouldn’t have used water so hot that it made the blackberry leaves funny. By the end of the mug, I’m a bit nauseated.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons // just boiled // 3 minute steep

I wanted to try Tealyra’s Earl Grey because I feel like I haven’t found the perfect EG that is currently for sale. It’s like bergamot is just disappointing now, when a few years ago so many bergamot teas were delicious. For example, Zen had the BEST cream earl grey, but then their supplier changed to a very different EG. This EG seems exactly like that replaced EG, and I don’t mean the perfect delicious EG…. I mean the bad replacement. The bergamot is just not the bergamot I’m looking for. There should also be a cream flavor they mention in the description, but I’m just tasting the unappealing bergamot. At least the black tea is brisk enough for me. Maybe this Earl could be the perfect Earl for someone else, but it ain’t for me.
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 12 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep

Additional notes: Enjoying this one in the autumn is especially nice. Got to love the apple teas in the fall! I love that this one has a bit of a bite to it. Probably because the leaves are so small. But usually I’m finding the black teas aren’t as brisk as I want them to be. I love the apple and caramel flavor… which is still holding up pretty fresh for a tea that’s over a year old now.

This was a free sample from S&V which was super awesome because it was wavering in my cart for a while there. This blend is extremely unique. Such an odd blend of ingredients: Green Rooibos, currants, beetroot, organic cinnamon, sweet blackberry leaves, flavoring, organic lemongrass and malva flowers. But the resulting brew actually tastes as it should. A lovely flavor of blueberry cinnamon crumble with an aftertaste that just blooms… which I don’t think I’ve ever described a tea as blooming before. I feel like Violet Beauregarde chewing that gum. A teaspoon and a half for a mug really results in the perfect flavor that isn’t too sweet but has a really great balance of elements that should be here. Hints of cinnamon. Not sure how there is blueberry flavor… what I thought were tiny blueberries in the blend are actually currants. The beetroot gives the mug a rich red color (and it ain’t hibiscus so I’m happy!) I thought the lemongrass and blackberry leaves might make the flavor taste odd, but they don’t. And the blue flowers really seem to go with the blend. The second steep has a ridiculous amount of flavor. Where does that flavor even come from? I’m very impressed with S&V as usual!
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 15 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep

It seems like teas that were recently added aren’t showing up in the search? I added this one a couple days ago.

Thank you so much for the samples, Aprtea.com! This is intriguing… it’s a cube of oolong which I have never seen before. Look at that picture! Oolong shaped into a cube, kind of like pu-erh but even most pu-erh isn’t shaped into a small cube and then wrapped in paper (and then foil for the sample). The closest thing would be a pu-erh tuocha. The leaves in the cube are shades of the usual oolong green and even bits of red. I was also intrigued with this being called ‘orchid’ because my preferred oolongs are the floral type. I used half the cube for a full mug. The first steep is delicious. Very smooth and sweet and full. No astringency at all. I wouldn’t say it is the most floral tasting tea I’ve tried, it’s more buttery and sweet. The second steep was probably over steeped by me a tad bit but only made the flavor a bit more astringent, not overly so. The third steep was even fuller with the buttery sweetness. I wouldn’t say I ever really noticed orchid or any other type of flower, but this is certainly an oolong I wouldn’t mind drinking. I think maybe I should have used less than half the cube and maybe didn’t steep at temperatures this high to tastes more to my liking. I also think I could have steeped these leaves much more than three times. But a cube of oolong is certainly a novelty!
Steep #1 // half of a the cube for a full mug// rinse // 18 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #2 // 10 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep
Steep #3 // 15 minutes after boiling // 2 minute steep

Additional notes: Still loving this one, especially when early fall hits. Caramel. Apple. A deeper base than B&B’s usual Ceylon. It’s a B&B essential!

This blend was divine right upon opening the bag. The scent is SPOT ON apple cinnamon french toast! The flavor is as well! Liquified, exactly that. I also think I steeped this perfectly both times. Even the second steep had fantastic flavors (I thought it would be a bit more faded in flavor). The brewed black tea isn’t strong and actually has the color of maple syrup that would go on these lovely french toast slices. Not much else to say, as this one is spot on to the description. I taste the apple, cinnamon, hint of butter, syrup. This blend exceeded my expectations, which were already pretty high as this is a S&V tea. I adore this blend… and I’m a PANCAKES person, not a french toast person! This tea is better than french toast!
Steep #1 // 1 1/2 teaspoons for a full mug// 10 minutes after boiling // 3 minute steep
Steep #2 // just boiled // 4 minute steep