Alpine Punch

Another coconuty composition from DavidsTea, Alpine Punch also has a somewhat unexpected saltiness to it. Looking at the ingredients, I am not at all sure why this should have a salty aftertaste. Perhaps the almonds were salted? Don’t know. There is a bit of a punch (as in pow) to this brew, as it contains some black pepper. Overall, though, it’s a well-blended spicy rooibos.

I like this mainly because the rooibos flavor itself is completely masked by the coconut, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and cardamom. I can’t say that I really taste the rose blossoms.

When drinking this tea, I taste coconut and rooibos. The pepper sneaks through at the end of the sip. I can’t quite put my finger on why but I don’t think I am much of a fan. I will try this again to be sure but I just don’t think it is for me. However, thank you Aimee Popovacki for this sample!

This was a sample that came with my David’s Tea order – yay for free samples!

So when I smelled the dry leaf all I could think was that it reminded me of Cha Yen Thai from Teavana. And that smelled like some cherry almond hand lotion (not a bad thing- it’s just what it reminded me of). So I sort of get amaretto, too.

Steeped, the smell is much the same- this seriously is still Cha Yen Thai all over again. Looking at the ingredients between the two, the only thing that’s really different is apple versus pineapple. So…that’s probably why I think they’re similar! This one does have a fruit punch sort of note when I drink it plain, which I don’t remember in Teavana’s blend. Actually, the sip kind of alternates between fruit punch and amaretto. I don’t really think the flavors go together, though, so I’m going to add milk to see if that gets rid of the fruit punch and brings out the amaretto.

Yeah, the milk helped. It’s pure almond/creamy goodness now. With some background spice that the apple overruled before. It’s definitely good for this time of year, and I can see why it’s so popular, but I’m glad I just got the sample size. It doesn’t stay cold long enough here for me to enjoy 50 grams of this!

2nd steep: Okay, this has more apple/cinnamon notes to it! I am going to bump it up a few points because it’s a completely different tea from the first time around!

I like the smell of this one. It could be a little toned down but overall pretty good.

This isn’t bad. There’s a trend I’m finding with rooibos, in that I’m tasting what seems like alcohol. Not really loving that. Perhaps I’m steeping it too long? Or not long enough? I steep on the short end of what’s recommended on the package (usually 4 mins). Hmm.

However, the “alcohol” taste is not too apparent here (much worse in Creme Brulee) so I can manage and enjoy this one. Also reminiscent of a not so in-your-face Amaretto from DavidsTea.

This one is awesome.

The smell of dry leaves remind me, like everyone said, of AMARETTO!
You got the sour cherry and the creamy almond smell blended together.

Once steeped… Damn it, i’m in love. The cherry here is a little weaker on the smell which is great and… THE taste, of Amaretto. I can’t feel that woodsy feeling of rooibos and it’s really pleasant in this blend, because it would not be appropriate here.

The cinnamon and black pepper gives it some spicy notes, it’s what makes this blend be a little wintery, hahaha. For me amaretto is especially for summer time, like the one i’ve spent with my girlfriend with awesome friends playing music in front of a fire camp.

Anyway, now it’s winter and I do enjoy it so much with a little nap in front of the fireplace with my lover with some tea… Or some wine hahaha :)

Have a good winter everyone, sincerely!

Rough morning, Imagining this is a glass of straight amaretto lol

An odd thing happened to me the other day. My girlfriend (after numerous obvious hints) came home with a tin of Alpine Punch for my drinking pleasure. I rip the tin from her hands, pop the top, and breathe in the wonderful scent of… blue Mr. freeze? No, wait, that can’t be right. Let’s sniff it again – still blue Mr. Freeze! And then, I made a tea a bit later in the day, and it tasted like (you guessed it) blue Mr. Freeze! I felt like I was in elementary school again.

I find it odd how something that smelled and tasted 100% like Amaretto almond goodness now tastes and smells like those delectable iced treats. And yet, in both cases, still an awesomely delicious tea! Maybe one day I’ll open the tea and it’ll smell like rooibos, apple, cinnamon and ginger? Nah, I know, that’s completely far-fetched…

Went to brew this just now, and whatever the artificial flavor is in this tea literally knocked me off my feet. It smells wrong to me. Really, really wrong.

I’ve put it away for later, perhaps as a gift for someone else (even though it’s only 20g), unless someone can convince me it tastes infinitely better than it smells.

I got this in a swap with Aimee – thank you!!

Unknown to Aimee, I have tried this tea before and found it not to my liking. I found it a little bland. I don’t taste the spices in this one. I get mostly coconut flavouring. The smell is a little off as well.

I don’t dislike it so much that I can’t finish the cup. I drank the last of my sample.

Short review because I am exhausted, but I just HAD to post about this tea before bed.

I am not a straight rooibos fan, which is ironic considering I married a South African and when we’re around his family they basically breathe rooibos day-and-night. Me, can’t stand it straight, too sweet, not enough “ooumph” that real tea has. Maybe one has to be weaned on it from infanthood to truly appreciate it? Or maybe, as my in-laws always point out, the rooibos here in Canada just isn’t the same as the rooibos back home. Hmmm, okay then?

Wow, this post is getting waaaay longer than I intended! Alright, onto this tea! I can really add nothing new, merely reiterate what has already been stated. This tea is rooibos wrapped in an enigma enshrouded in amaretto-y goodness. I like my rooibos highly flavoured (ie: Cinnamon Chai Rooibos and Coco Chai Rooibos), with the rooibos barely detectable, but adding it’s signature sweetness, body, and red colour to the brew. This tea is a wonderfully flavoured rooibos, you can steep it for AGES and it never goes bitter or strong. Now let’s hope they make it permanent!