Lychee White Iced Tea
Blueberry White Iced Tea
Inko's White Tea
I've never tasted anything flavored with lychee and I've certainly never eaten a lychee, at least not knowingly. In fact, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't recognize this particular fruit if the sky suddenly opened up and started dumping them on my head.
Having said that, I'll go on to say that Inko's Lychee variety is pleasant enough, if rather low key. As far as what to compare this flavor to I have to confess to being a bit stumped. Definitely on the fruity side though. I'll go that far.
Inko's Blueberry worked a little better for me but that's most likely due to the fact that I'm keen on blueberry to start with. The best thing about this variety - and I also found this to be the case with Inko's Honeydew - is that it actually tastes like what it says on the bottle.
As I was drinking this one I could actually imagine someone squeezing the berries into the jar and then topping it off with a bit of white tea. While I suspect that's not how the actual production process works, it's a winner nonetheless.
Recommended on both counts.
See my previous Inko's reviews here, here, and here.
Showing posts with label Tea Reviews 2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tea Reviews 2. Show all posts
Monday, January 30, 2006
Sunday, January 22, 2006
Tea Review 49 - Numi's Collection - Assorted Melange
Numi's Collection - Assorted Melange
Numi Tea
I've tried a smattering of Numi's teas before, but as I was scanning the tea shelf at my local food emporium I decided to take a crack at their sampler. Actually I mostly had my eye on the Yunnan black, but I thought I might as well check out the others while I was at it.
This sampler contains two bags each of Numi's mostly organic full-leaf teas and teasans - their term for tisane or herbal tea. As nearly as I could tell, seven of these nine are organic.
Let's start by looking at the "real" teas. The Chinese Breakfast, a Yunnan black, did not disappoint. It had a nice robust flavor and was gone in no time at all. Temple of Heaven ,a gunpowder green, was a little bit of a disappointment though. It had a nice color, but seemed to me to be lacking some of the flavor I was expecting from a gunpowder.
Monkey King, a jasmine green was not bad. I'm not a huge fan of jasmine tea but I've grown to like it a little more over the years and this one was pleasant enough.
Then there was Smoky Tarry, a Lapsang Souchong black. Friends, I am just never going to like this stuff, no matter how hard I try - and I have tried. Really. But if the truth be told I didn't make it past the first sip. As a matter of fact, I barely made it past the smell. As I've mentioned before, if you've ever tasted Lebanon Bologna, you're probably going to find the whole Lapsang Souchong experience kind of weird.
Now, on to the teasans. I've reviewed Simply Mint, a Moroccan mint herbal, separately. Read that review here.
Fields of Gold is a lemongrass teasan that has a light pleasant taste. This one's good if you're looking for an herbal tea that's not fruity. Bushmen's Brew and Red Mellow Bush are Numi's version of the South African Honeybush and Rooibos teas and always come highly recommended. I tend to prefer the latter, even though they're rather similar tasting.
Which brings us to Dry Desert Lime. This one sounded great - in theory. I was ready to like it, but I didn't. It was just too frightfully tart, even when I mixed it with a bit of honey - something I hate to do to any tea or tisane - and even when I blended it with an equal measure of mint.
But Numi has gathered together a pretty good bunch of liquid refreshment here and it's a great way to get acquainted with some of their wares.
Numi Tea
I've tried a smattering of Numi's teas before, but as I was scanning the tea shelf at my local food emporium I decided to take a crack at their sampler. Actually I mostly had my eye on the Yunnan black, but I thought I might as well check out the others while I was at it.
This sampler contains two bags each of Numi's mostly organic full-leaf teas and teasans - their term for tisane or herbal tea. As nearly as I could tell, seven of these nine are organic.
Let's start by looking at the "real" teas. The Chinese Breakfast, a Yunnan black, did not disappoint. It had a nice robust flavor and was gone in no time at all. Temple of Heaven ,a gunpowder green, was a little bit of a disappointment though. It had a nice color, but seemed to me to be lacking some of the flavor I was expecting from a gunpowder.
Monkey King, a jasmine green was not bad. I'm not a huge fan of jasmine tea but I've grown to like it a little more over the years and this one was pleasant enough.
Then there was Smoky Tarry, a Lapsang Souchong black. Friends, I am just never going to like this stuff, no matter how hard I try - and I have tried. Really. But if the truth be told I didn't make it past the first sip. As a matter of fact, I barely made it past the smell. As I've mentioned before, if you've ever tasted Lebanon Bologna, you're probably going to find the whole Lapsang Souchong experience kind of weird.
Now, on to the teasans. I've reviewed Simply Mint, a Moroccan mint herbal, separately. Read that review here.
Fields of Gold is a lemongrass teasan that has a light pleasant taste. This one's good if you're looking for an herbal tea that's not fruity. Bushmen's Brew and Red Mellow Bush are Numi's version of the South African Honeybush and Rooibos teas and always come highly recommended. I tend to prefer the latter, even though they're rather similar tasting.
Which brings us to Dry Desert Lime. This one sounded great - in theory. I was ready to like it, but I didn't. It was just too frightfully tart, even when I mixed it with a bit of honey - something I hate to do to any tea or tisane - and even when I blended it with an equal measure of mint.
But Numi has gathered together a pretty good bunch of liquid refreshment here and it's a great way to get acquainted with some of their wares.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Tea Review 48 - Inko's Honeydew & Honeysuckle
Inko's White Tea Honeydew
Inko's White Tea Honeysuckle
Inko's White Tea
Honeydew flavored white tea is a flaky concept, but it's flaky enough that it sounded kind of appealing to me. And what do you know? It works.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this blend is that the honeydew tastes like actual honeydew, rather than some chemist's half-assed notion of what it should taste like. There's also ginger, citric acid and fructose crystals in the mix, but all I really tasted was the honeydew and the tea. Very nice.
Honeysuckle lacks the sweetener and ginger and has a very, very understated taste, kind of along the lines of Inko's mint blend, but even more low-key. My clunky palate could only pick out the faintest of floral undertones (or is that overtones?) but that's not a bad thing, mind you. Just don't go into this one expecting the typical bottled tea explosion of coarse flavors and cloying sweetness.
Highly recommended on both counts. I'm not generally too keen on sweetened teas but I'd have to give the nod to honeydew this time around.
Inko's White Tea Honeysuckle
Inko's White Tea
Honeydew flavored white tea is a flaky concept, but it's flaky enough that it sounded kind of appealing to me. And what do you know? It works.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about this blend is that the honeydew tastes like actual honeydew, rather than some chemist's half-assed notion of what it should taste like. There's also ginger, citric acid and fructose crystals in the mix, but all I really tasted was the honeydew and the tea. Very nice.
Honeysuckle lacks the sweetener and ginger and has a very, very understated taste, kind of along the lines of Inko's mint blend, but even more low-key. My clunky palate could only pick out the faintest of floral undertones (or is that overtones?) but that's not a bad thing, mind you. Just don't go into this one expecting the typical bottled tea explosion of coarse flavors and cloying sweetness.
Highly recommended on both counts. I'm not generally too keen on sweetened teas but I'd have to give the nod to honeydew this time around.
Friday, December 30, 2005
Tea Review 47 - Inko's Cherry Vanilla & Hint O' Mint
Cherry Vanilla
Hint O' Mint
Inko's White Tea
In the interests of full disclosure, I should point out that I'm not terribly keen on vanilla. And though I like cherries I'm also not that fond of cherry flavored stuff.
So it's probably a foregone conclusion that I wasn't going to be wild about Inko's Cherry Vanilla - and I wasn't. Every time I took a sip I couldn't help being reminded of cough syrup.
But, to be fair, I should point out that if you're coming to this variety without my particular set of biases you'll probably feel differently. Inko's products, in general, have a rather light taste compared to many other bottled teas and drinks. Cherry Vanilla is one of their sweetened blends, but the sweetness quotient is actually fairly tame.
As for Hint O' Mint, well that was a whole 'nuther ball of wax entirely. I liked this one quite a bit. I suspect that the fact that it's unsweetened has a lot to do with it. There's another one of my biases.
Hint O' Mint has a very delicate taste, something that's quite refreshing - and rare - for a bottled tea. There's really just the vaguest mint flavor mixed in with the equally light white tea component. According to the label there's also some ginger in there somewhere, but my coarse taste buds didn't pick up on any of it.
Good stuff, tea fans. I'd put Hint O' Mint near the top of the list of bottled teas that I've sampled to date.
Recommended.
Hint O' Mint
Inko's White Tea
In the interests of full disclosure, I should point out that I'm not terribly keen on vanilla. And though I like cherries I'm also not that fond of cherry flavored stuff.
So it's probably a foregone conclusion that I wasn't going to be wild about Inko's Cherry Vanilla - and I wasn't. Every time I took a sip I couldn't help being reminded of cough syrup.
But, to be fair, I should point out that if you're coming to this variety without my particular set of biases you'll probably feel differently. Inko's products, in general, have a rather light taste compared to many other bottled teas and drinks. Cherry Vanilla is one of their sweetened blends, but the sweetness quotient is actually fairly tame.
As for Hint O' Mint, well that was a whole 'nuther ball of wax entirely. I liked this one quite a bit. I suspect that the fact that it's unsweetened has a lot to do with it. There's another one of my biases.
Hint O' Mint has a very delicate taste, something that's quite refreshing - and rare - for a bottled tea. There's really just the vaguest mint flavor mixed in with the equally light white tea component. According to the label there's also some ginger in there somewhere, but my coarse taste buds didn't pick up on any of it.
Good stuff, tea fans. I'd put Hint O' Mint near the top of the list of bottled teas that I've sampled to date.
Recommended.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Tea Review 46 - Kombucha Wonder Drink Jasmine Niagra Grape
Kombucha Wonder Drink Jasmine Niagra Grape
Kombucha Wonder Drink
The last of the five Kombucha Wonder Drink flavors I've had a chance to try - Jasmine Niagra Grape - was probably the most offbeat blend, but, as with the others, it did not disappoint.
One of KWD's two newest flavors, Jasmine Niagra Grape contains kombucha made from organic jasmine tea, organic cane sugar and organic Niagra grape juice concentrate.
Of these ingredients it was the grape that stood out the most. I didn't really detect any jasmine tea flavor at all, but perhaps that's just a shortcoming of my tasting apparatus.
I'm not sure exactly what Niagra grape is all about but I will say that this KWD flavor is a nice blend of sweet and sour. It was also lower in fizz that most other KWD flavors - unless I just happened to run across a relatively flat bottle.
Another winner for Kombucha Wonder Drink. Like all of their blends, the worst thing about it is that there's only 8.5 ounces per bottle. When they come up with the handy two liter size I'll be in line.
Kombucha Wonder Drink
The last of the five Kombucha Wonder Drink flavors I've had a chance to try - Jasmine Niagra Grape - was probably the most offbeat blend, but, as with the others, it did not disappoint.
One of KWD's two newest flavors, Jasmine Niagra Grape contains kombucha made from organic jasmine tea, organic cane sugar and organic Niagra grape juice concentrate.
Of these ingredients it was the grape that stood out the most. I didn't really detect any jasmine tea flavor at all, but perhaps that's just a shortcoming of my tasting apparatus.
I'm not sure exactly what Niagra grape is all about but I will say that this KWD flavor is a nice blend of sweet and sour. It was also lower in fizz that most other KWD flavors - unless I just happened to run across a relatively flat bottle.
Another winner for Kombucha Wonder Drink. Like all of their blends, the worst thing about it is that there's only 8.5 ounces per bottle. When they come up with the handy two liter size I'll be in line.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Tea Review 45 - O-Cha.com Uji Green
Uji Green Tea (Sencha)
O-Cha.com
There is green tea, my friends, and then there is green tea. If you're looking for a brew that falls into the latter category then look no further than O-Cha.com's Uji Green.
From the moment you crack open the resealable foil bag you know this one is going to be a winner. I fell into the same pattern each time I brewed up a fresh bag. Open the package, stuff my nose into it and wallow in the amazing fragrance, pull out a teabag - "gourmet" teabag, that is, one that gives the tea leaves sufficient room to expand - breathe deeply, taking in more of that incredible aroma and then get down to business.
Go easy on this stuff, tea fans. Two minutes at a relatively cool temperature - even by green tea standards - is all it needs and each bag is good for numerous infusions.
And oh what infusions they are - the bright green color, the amazing aroma and the heavenly taste. Pardon me while I swoon.
And there's that little bit of green sediment that lingers until the last sip and then it's off to fire up the kettle again. What else are you gonna do?
Tea Guy certainly doesn't consider himself a tea expert, not by any stretch of the imagination. But I've tasted a heap of green teas now and I wouldn't hesitate to put Uji Green tea near the top of that heap.
Highly recommended.
O-Cha.com
There is green tea, my friends, and then there is green tea. If you're looking for a brew that falls into the latter category then look no further than O-Cha.com's Uji Green.
From the moment you crack open the resealable foil bag you know this one is going to be a winner. I fell into the same pattern each time I brewed up a fresh bag. Open the package, stuff my nose into it and wallow in the amazing fragrance, pull out a teabag - "gourmet" teabag, that is, one that gives the tea leaves sufficient room to expand - breathe deeply, taking in more of that incredible aroma and then get down to business.
Go easy on this stuff, tea fans. Two minutes at a relatively cool temperature - even by green tea standards - is all it needs and each bag is good for numerous infusions.
And oh what infusions they are - the bright green color, the amazing aroma and the heavenly taste. Pardon me while I swoon.
And there's that little bit of green sediment that lingers until the last sip and then it's off to fire up the kettle again. What else are you gonna do?
Tea Guy certainly doesn't consider himself a tea expert, not by any stretch of the imagination. But I've tasted a heap of green teas now and I wouldn't hesitate to put Uji Green tea near the top of that heap.
Highly recommended.
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Tea Review 44 - Bottled Peach Teas (X2)
White Peach White Tea
Inko's White Iced Tea
Peach Oo-La-Long
Honest Tea
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I've never met a bottled tea I liked, but it's close. The problem with bottled tea, at least for me, is the sweetener factor, that notion that a bottled beverage won't fly with the sugar-addled American public unless it's sweet.
White Peach White Tea is the first Inko's tea I've tried. The propaganda on the bottle trumpets the health benefits of white tea and features the slogan, "what white tea tastes like." Uhhh...
Anyway, the ingredients in this one are premium brewed white tea, fructose crystals (an especially vile "F" word, in my book), all-natural white peach extract and citric acid.
Inko's does get big points for appearance, with a nice crystal clear amber color. As for taste - not bad, but I just couldn't get past that fructose thing. Sorry, I really tried.
Honest Tea's Peach Oo-La-Long fares a little better in the taste department, though I'm considering giving them a demerit for the excessively cutesy poo name. I'd also knock off points for cloudiness, but granted that's not nearly as important a consideration as taste.
Peach etc. is an organic fomulation that - oddly enough - places organic Fair Trade Certified oolong and black tea fourth in the billing after purified water, organic sugar and organic peach puree. Also in the mix are organic brown rice syrup, natural peach flavor and that yummy old citric acid.
The presence of two sweeteners was somewhat alarming, but the sweetness factor here is actually quite understated or, as the blurb on the bottle would have it, it's "a tad sweet." Indeed. Overall, the taste wasn't so bad. On a stifling hot day I might just be able to knock off a bottle or two of this stuff.
Inko's White Iced Tea
Peach Oo-La-Long
Honest Tea
I wouldn't go so far as to say that I've never met a bottled tea I liked, but it's close. The problem with bottled tea, at least for me, is the sweetener factor, that notion that a bottled beverage won't fly with the sugar-addled American public unless it's sweet.
White Peach White Tea is the first Inko's tea I've tried. The propaganda on the bottle trumpets the health benefits of white tea and features the slogan, "what white tea tastes like." Uhhh...
Anyway, the ingredients in this one are premium brewed white tea, fructose crystals (an especially vile "F" word, in my book), all-natural white peach extract and citric acid.
Inko's does get big points for appearance, with a nice crystal clear amber color. As for taste - not bad, but I just couldn't get past that fructose thing. Sorry, I really tried.
Honest Tea's Peach Oo-La-Long fares a little better in the taste department, though I'm considering giving them a demerit for the excessively cutesy poo name. I'd also knock off points for cloudiness, but granted that's not nearly as important a consideration as taste.
Peach etc. is an organic fomulation that - oddly enough - places organic Fair Trade Certified oolong and black tea fourth in the billing after purified water, organic sugar and organic peach puree. Also in the mix are organic brown rice syrup, natural peach flavor and that yummy old citric acid.
The presence of two sweeteners was somewhat alarming, but the sweetness factor here is actually quite understated or, as the blurb on the bottle would have it, it's "a tad sweet." Indeed. Overall, the taste wasn't so bad. On a stifling hot day I might just be able to knock off a bottle or two of this stuff.
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Tea Review 43 - Kombucha Wonder Drink Rooibos Red Peach
Kombucha Wonder Drink Rooibos Red Peach
Kombucha Wonder Drink
I was hanging around my humble tea house (tea apartment, actually) the other day, minding my own business, when who should arrive but a jolly portly old guy in a red suit bearing the two newest flavors from Kombucha Wonder Drink.
Okay, it was actually a brown suit and the guy wasn't particularly jolly or portly. He was actually rather young, now that you mention it, and isn't it a bitch trying to sign your name on that big clunky electronic clipboard thingy with that little fake pen?
But I was happy to take a crack at sampling the latest KWD flavors, no matter how they arrived, and the Rooibos Red Peach was certainly no disappointment. The ingredients in this one are kombucha from Rooibos, organic cane sugar and natural red peach essence.
I was expecting the kombucha to overpower the other flavors, especially when I caught a big whiff of that distinctive sour aroma while pouring the goods into a glass.
But the taste is actually rather mild and the Rooibos surprisingly prominent. As for the peach, I think it was there but maybe I was just succumbing to the power of suggestion.
Anyway, here's another winner from Kombucha Wonder Drink.
Recommended.
Kombucha Wonder Drink
I was hanging around my humble tea house (tea apartment, actually) the other day, minding my own business, when who should arrive but a jolly portly old guy in a red suit bearing the two newest flavors from Kombucha Wonder Drink.
Okay, it was actually a brown suit and the guy wasn't particularly jolly or portly. He was actually rather young, now that you mention it, and isn't it a bitch trying to sign your name on that big clunky electronic clipboard thingy with that little fake pen?
But I was happy to take a crack at sampling the latest KWD flavors, no matter how they arrived, and the Rooibos Red Peach was certainly no disappointment. The ingredients in this one are kombucha from Rooibos, organic cane sugar and natural red peach essence.
I was expecting the kombucha to overpower the other flavors, especially when I caught a big whiff of that distinctive sour aroma while pouring the goods into a glass.
But the taste is actually rather mild and the Rooibos surprisingly prominent. As for the peach, I think it was there but maybe I was just succumbing to the power of suggestion.
Anyway, here's another winner from Kombucha Wonder Drink.
Recommended.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Tea Review 42 - Adagio Oolong Symphony 18 & 40
Oolong Symphony 18
Oolong Symphony 40
Adagio Teas
Oolong tea can cover a wide range of territory, from varieties that resemble a green tea to those that are very close to black. There's no better way to illustrate this fact than by comparing two teas from Adagio - Oolong Symphony 18 and Oolong Symphony 40.
Oolong 18 features tightly rolled, large, greenish leaves that are reminiscent of a loose green tea. The recommended 180 degrees and five minutes steeping time produces a pale golden brew with a delicate fragrance that resembles a classic oolong, if there is such a thing. Oolong 18 is available in four sizes from a $4 sample to a pound that goes for $42 and also in teabags.
By contrast, the oolong 40 (according to Adagio, the number represents the percentage of fermentation the leaves are subjected to) is considerably darker, albeit with silver tips. It brews up to something almost like a black tea with faint fruity overtones that are not unlike a Darjeeling.
Oolong 40 is also available in four sizes, ranging from $4 to $39.
Oolong Symphony 40
Adagio Teas
Oolong tea can cover a wide range of territory, from varieties that resemble a green tea to those that are very close to black. There's no better way to illustrate this fact than by comparing two teas from Adagio - Oolong Symphony 18 and Oolong Symphony 40.
Oolong 18 features tightly rolled, large, greenish leaves that are reminiscent of a loose green tea. The recommended 180 degrees and five minutes steeping time produces a pale golden brew with a delicate fragrance that resembles a classic oolong, if there is such a thing. Oolong 18 is available in four sizes from a $4 sample to a pound that goes for $42 and also in teabags.
By contrast, the oolong 40 (according to Adagio, the number represents the percentage of fermentation the leaves are subjected to) is considerably darker, albeit with silver tips. It brews up to something almost like a black tea with faint fruity overtones that are not unlike a Darjeeling.
Oolong 40 is also available in four sizes, ranging from $4 to $39.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Tea Review 41 - China, Irish & English Breakfast
China Breakfast
Tempest Tea
Farnum Street Special Morning Tea
Emperor Norton English Breakfast
Alltea.com
For the life of me I can't fathom the practice of ruining fine black tea with milk/cream and/or sweeteners. Cheap black tea, maybe I can see, but then again I can't fathom why anyone would drink cheap tea. Better to drink none at all...I think.
Maybe if I were English or Irish and had been culturally indoctrinated into the practice of defiling fine English or Irish breakfast tea this way I'd feel differently. But I'm not and I don't.
I guess what I'm getting at is that even with the beefiest of Assams and breakfast blends I still prefer to see that deep brown hue and enjoy the eye-opening robust flavor untainted.
Now that I've finished offending millions of tea drinkers worldwide, let's get on with the review. Of the three breakfast varieties I've sampled recently Tempest Tea's curiously named China Breakfast was certainly no slouch. The one I tasted came packaged in a small "gourmet" type pyramid tea bag. It was very robust, but also quite smooth and not particularly malty. A very dark blend, perhaps the "China" was not so far off base since it kind of reminded me of some varieties of Keemun.
Of the two breakfast teas from Alltea.com, I preferred the Farnum Street Special Morning Tea, though it was a close call. An Irish Breakfast tea, it's a "blend of Assam and Ceylon estate teas."
The other, the Emperor Norton English Breakfast, boasts a "twist of Darjeeling" among its flavor makeup, which is exactly the quality I would unwittingly have attributed to the Farnum Street Special Morning. But hey, what do I know?
All in all, a good trio if you need to get those eyelids peeled open in the morning.
Tempest Tea
Farnum Street Special Morning Tea
Emperor Norton English Breakfast
Alltea.com
For the life of me I can't fathom the practice of ruining fine black tea with milk/cream and/or sweeteners. Cheap black tea, maybe I can see, but then again I can't fathom why anyone would drink cheap tea. Better to drink none at all...I think.
Maybe if I were English or Irish and had been culturally indoctrinated into the practice of defiling fine English or Irish breakfast tea this way I'd feel differently. But I'm not and I don't.
I guess what I'm getting at is that even with the beefiest of Assams and breakfast blends I still prefer to see that deep brown hue and enjoy the eye-opening robust flavor untainted.
Now that I've finished offending millions of tea drinkers worldwide, let's get on with the review. Of the three breakfast varieties I've sampled recently Tempest Tea's curiously named China Breakfast was certainly no slouch. The one I tasted came packaged in a small "gourmet" type pyramid tea bag. It was very robust, but also quite smooth and not particularly malty. A very dark blend, perhaps the "China" was not so far off base since it kind of reminded me of some varieties of Keemun.
Of the two breakfast teas from Alltea.com, I preferred the Farnum Street Special Morning Tea, though it was a close call. An Irish Breakfast tea, it's a "blend of Assam and Ceylon estate teas."
The other, the Emperor Norton English Breakfast, boasts a "twist of Darjeeling" among its flavor makeup, which is exactly the quality I would unwittingly have attributed to the Farnum Street Special Morning. But hey, what do I know?
All in all, a good trio if you need to get those eyelids peeled open in the morning.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Tea Review 40 - Green Earth Chai & Cool and Collected
Green Earth Chai
Tempest Tea
Cool and Collected
The Spotted Leopard Teas
It's official. I don't like chai. Time and time again I've tried it, attempting to keep an open mind each time around, but the simple fact remains - I don't like chai. I think there's only one spice commonly used in chai that puts me off the stuff, but I haven't managed to isolate it yet.
My latest adventure in chai tasting was a green variety from Dallas-based tea merchant Tempest Tea. While I'm certain that it's quite a nice blend, as far as these things go, the fact remains - and stop me if I've mentioned this - I don't like chai.
I've sampled chais made with black tea, green tea and rooibos. I'm trying to work out which one I dislike the least, but have yet to come to a conclusion. And so it was that I approached Spotted Leopard's Cool and Collected with some trepidation. After all, it claims to be a blend of green tea, mint and spice - which leads one to the conclusion that it might be kind of chai-like.
But I actually liked this one. The mint provided just the right touch and the spice, whatever it is, is obviously not the dreaded Ingredient X found in most chai. Like most of the flavored teas I've tasted, this is not one I'd turn to on a regular basis, but it would be okay for a change of pace now and then.
Tempest Tea
Cool and Collected
The Spotted Leopard Teas
It's official. I don't like chai. Time and time again I've tried it, attempting to keep an open mind each time around, but the simple fact remains - I don't like chai. I think there's only one spice commonly used in chai that puts me off the stuff, but I haven't managed to isolate it yet.
My latest adventure in chai tasting was a green variety from Dallas-based tea merchant Tempest Tea. While I'm certain that it's quite a nice blend, as far as these things go, the fact remains - and stop me if I've mentioned this - I don't like chai.
I've sampled chais made with black tea, green tea and rooibos. I'm trying to work out which one I dislike the least, but have yet to come to a conclusion. And so it was that I approached Spotted Leopard's Cool and Collected with some trepidation. After all, it claims to be a blend of green tea, mint and spice - which leads one to the conclusion that it might be kind of chai-like.
But I actually liked this one. The mint provided just the right touch and the spice, whatever it is, is obviously not the dreaded Ingredient X found in most chai. Like most of the flavored teas I've tasted, this is not one I'd turn to on a regular basis, but it would be okay for a change of pace now and then.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Tea Review 39 - Numi Moroccan Mint
Moroccan Mint
Numi Tea
If you've run across Numi's line of organic teas and teasans (their word for tisane, what most of us typically refer to as herbal tea) you probably remember them for their aesthetically pleasing packaging, if nothing else. Credit goes to Reem Rahim for this. She is one half of the brother/sister team that founded Numi.
But Numi's tea is not half bad either, if Moroccan Mint is any indicator. Like all of their varieties it's organic, though the ingredients list gives no indication whether the mint component is peppermint or spearmint. My money is on the latter.
Traditional Medicinal's Organic Peppermint and a similar variety from Celestial Seasonings are among the better mint teas out there, in my oh so humble estimation. I'm not much of a fan of spearmint teas, but Moroccan Mint - if my guess is correct - is an exception to the rule. There's nothing quite so disappointing as a mint tea with no kick, but Moroccan Mint is sufficiently strong that you're unlikely to find any disappointed consumers, at least not in my neck of the woods.
Recommended.
Numi Tea
If you've run across Numi's line of organic teas and teasans (their word for tisane, what most of us typically refer to as herbal tea) you probably remember them for their aesthetically pleasing packaging, if nothing else. Credit goes to Reem Rahim for this. She is one half of the brother/sister team that founded Numi.
But Numi's tea is not half bad either, if Moroccan Mint is any indicator. Like all of their varieties it's organic, though the ingredients list gives no indication whether the mint component is peppermint or spearmint. My money is on the latter.
Traditional Medicinal's Organic Peppermint and a similar variety from Celestial Seasonings are among the better mint teas out there, in my oh so humble estimation. I'm not much of a fan of spearmint teas, but Moroccan Mint - if my guess is correct - is an exception to the rule. There's nothing quite so disappointing as a mint tea with no kick, but Moroccan Mint is sufficiently strong that you're unlikely to find any disappointed consumers, at least not in my neck of the woods.
Recommended.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Tea Review 38 - Tahitian Vanilla Winds & Out of Africa
Tahitian Vanilla Winds
Tempest Tea
Out of Africa
The Spotted Leopard Teas
Tea Guy is not averse to a bit of dark chocolate now and then and I'm fairly neutral when it comes to vanilla, but the notion of a tea flavored with either of these substances was not a concept that made me sit up and take notice.
But I went ahead and brewed a cup of Tempest's Tahitian Vanilla Winds anyway. It's described as an "organic Indian tea" and is obviously flavored with vanilla. The leaves are small and very dark and have a nice aroma, as does the finished brew. As for the taste - not bad at all, though the vanilla is very subtle.
Vanilla and black tea are also melded together in Spotted Leopard's Out of Africa blend, but the mixing doesn't stop there. Out of Africa also contain rooibos, chocolate and coconut.
Chocolate is the dominant aroma and flavor here, with just a hint of vanilla and coconut though, once again, the flavors were considerably more understated than the aromas.
What surprised me most of all was that I actually liked both of these teas. Admittedly I didn't like them so much that I'll be likely to choose them over straight up tea too often, but they are worth a try.
Tempest Tea
Out of Africa
The Spotted Leopard Teas
Tea Guy is not averse to a bit of dark chocolate now and then and I'm fairly neutral when it comes to vanilla, but the notion of a tea flavored with either of these substances was not a concept that made me sit up and take notice.
But I went ahead and brewed a cup of Tempest's Tahitian Vanilla Winds anyway. It's described as an "organic Indian tea" and is obviously flavored with vanilla. The leaves are small and very dark and have a nice aroma, as does the finished brew. As for the taste - not bad at all, though the vanilla is very subtle.
Vanilla and black tea are also melded together in Spotted Leopard's Out of Africa blend, but the mixing doesn't stop there. Out of Africa also contain rooibos, chocolate and coconut.
Chocolate is the dominant aroma and flavor here, with just a hint of vanilla and coconut though, once again, the flavors were considerably more understated than the aromas.
What surprised me most of all was that I actually liked both of these teas. Admittedly I didn't like them so much that I'll be likely to choose them over straight up tea too often, but they are worth a try.
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Tea Review 37 - Adagio Opus Pouchong
Opus Pouchong
Adagio Teas
When it comes to oolong tea my descriptive vocabulary - which is no great shakes in the first place - tends to break down. To paraphrase that age old cliché, I don't know about oolong, but I know what I like.
Opus Pouchong is a Formosa oolong, a reference to the island - now Taiwan, once Formosa - where it's grown. Oolong teas may run the gamut from lightly processed and resembling a green tea to heavily processed and much closer to a black tea. Pouchong refers to an oolong which falls into the former category.
Opus Pouchong has large green leaves that brew up to a light amber color in the cup and give off a nice delicate fragrance. As for the taste, well, here's where my vocabulary breaks down, but I can say that it's a very pleasant flavor, very smooth with almost none of the "bite" that tends to put me off of some oolongs.
Available, as always, in four sizes, from a $2 sample tin to a half pound size that goes for $28.
Recommended.
Contents: Sample tin
I paid: na
Adagio Teas
When it comes to oolong tea my descriptive vocabulary - which is no great shakes in the first place - tends to break down. To paraphrase that age old cliché, I don't know about oolong, but I know what I like.
Opus Pouchong is a Formosa oolong, a reference to the island - now Taiwan, once Formosa - where it's grown. Oolong teas may run the gamut from lightly processed and resembling a green tea to heavily processed and much closer to a black tea. Pouchong refers to an oolong which falls into the former category.
Opus Pouchong has large green leaves that brew up to a light amber color in the cup and give off a nice delicate fragrance. As for the taste, well, here's where my vocabulary breaks down, but I can say that it's a very pleasant flavor, very smooth with almost none of the "bite" that tends to put me off of some oolongs.
Available, as always, in four sizes, from a $2 sample tin to a half pound size that goes for $28.
Recommended.
Contents: Sample tin
I paid: na
Monday, October 24, 2005
Tea Review 36 - Battle of the Senchas
Kabusencha
Upton Tea Imports
Sencha Premier
Adagio Teas
I was coming to the end of a few samples of sencha not long ago so I thought I might as well line them up for a side by side taste test.
Upton's entry is their Kabusencha variety. I think it's actually called Spring Harvest Kabusencha - the only Kabusencha listed at their Web site - but since I threw out the package I can't be sure. Anyway, it's one of a number of senchas they offer from countries of origin that include Japan, China and Vietnam. Adagio's Sencha Premier is the pricier of their sencha offerings - the other one is called Sencha Encore. Premier is a first flush from the Shizuoka region of Japan.
Both teas have a very strong and satisfying aroma before brewing and dark green leaves that are thin and flat. The Adagio brewed up to a nice golden color and was clear in the cup. The Upton was noticeably greener and just a bit cloudy.
As for taste, Adagio had more of a grassy flavor, while the Upton had just a hint of brininess or fishiness - not actually as bad as it sounds. Actually, seaweed might be a better point of reference. The Upton also tasted greener than the Adagio, if that makes any sense.
I'd recommend both and neither one any more than the other. They were surprisingly different - perhaps not like apples vs. oranges but more like different varieties of apple.
Sencha Premier is available in four sizes from a sampler ($5) to one pound ($62). Kabusencha comes in a 12 gram sampler ($5) and a 100 gram caddy ($28).
Upton Tea Imports
Sencha Premier
Adagio Teas
I was coming to the end of a few samples of sencha not long ago so I thought I might as well line them up for a side by side taste test.
Upton's entry is their Kabusencha variety. I think it's actually called Spring Harvest Kabusencha - the only Kabusencha listed at their Web site - but since I threw out the package I can't be sure. Anyway, it's one of a number of senchas they offer from countries of origin that include Japan, China and Vietnam. Adagio's Sencha Premier is the pricier of their sencha offerings - the other one is called Sencha Encore. Premier is a first flush from the Shizuoka region of Japan.
Both teas have a very strong and satisfying aroma before brewing and dark green leaves that are thin and flat. The Adagio brewed up to a nice golden color and was clear in the cup. The Upton was noticeably greener and just a bit cloudy.
As for taste, Adagio had more of a grassy flavor, while the Upton had just a hint of brininess or fishiness - not actually as bad as it sounds. Actually, seaweed might be a better point of reference. The Upton also tasted greener than the Adagio, if that makes any sense.
I'd recommend both and neither one any more than the other. They were surprisingly different - perhaps not like apples vs. oranges but more like different varieties of apple.
Sencha Premier is available in four sizes from a sampler ($5) to one pound ($62). Kabusencha comes in a 12 gram sampler ($5) and a 100 gram caddy ($28).
Sunday, October 23, 2005
Tea Review 35 - Four Faces of Rooibos
Redbush Chai Tea
Yogi Tea
Red Chai at Night
Mango Rooibos
Ginger Roibos
Tempest Tea
Feeling a little twitchy? Indulging in too much of the old Camellia sinensis? Maybe it's time to take a break and try out some caffeine free Rooibos, one of a few herbal beverages that can stand in - sort of - for real tea.
I've had a bunch of Rooibos come my way lately. I reviewed several a while back and recently I rounded up the rest and had a tasting session.
First, the chais - which is kind of a tricky thing actually. I keep giving chai another chance, but to be honest, I really don't like it much.
So with that caveat, on to the Rooibos chais. First up, Redbush Chai, from Yogi Tea. This one comes in a tea bag and uses all organic ingredients, including cardamom, cinnamon bark, ginger root, clove bud and stevia leaf.
At the same time I brewed a loose leaf Rooibos chai from Tempest Tea called Red Chai at Night (clever). This one brewed to a darker color than the Yogi and with a fuller taste, though not as spicy. I could smell a little more cinnamon and could taste some of the Rooibos that was overpowered in the Yogi variety. Not bad for a chai.
Also up from Tempest was Rooibos Mango. This one is good, but the mango aroma and flavors are very subtle, at least to my leaden palate. Tempest's Ginger Rooibos was considerably less subtle, with a nice ginger bite complementing the Rooibos rather nicely. It no match for the king of all ginger teas - Traditional Medicinals' Ginger Aid - but it's quite good.
Yogi Tea
Red Chai at Night
Mango Rooibos
Ginger Roibos
Tempest Tea
Feeling a little twitchy? Indulging in too much of the old Camellia sinensis? Maybe it's time to take a break and try out some caffeine free Rooibos, one of a few herbal beverages that can stand in - sort of - for real tea.
I've had a bunch of Rooibos come my way lately. I reviewed several a while back and recently I rounded up the rest and had a tasting session.
First, the chais - which is kind of a tricky thing actually. I keep giving chai another chance, but to be honest, I really don't like it much.
So with that caveat, on to the Rooibos chais. First up, Redbush Chai, from Yogi Tea. This one comes in a tea bag and uses all organic ingredients, including cardamom, cinnamon bark, ginger root, clove bud and stevia leaf.
At the same time I brewed a loose leaf Rooibos chai from Tempest Tea called Red Chai at Night (clever). This one brewed to a darker color than the Yogi and with a fuller taste, though not as spicy. I could smell a little more cinnamon and could taste some of the Rooibos that was overpowered in the Yogi variety. Not bad for a chai.
Also up from Tempest was Rooibos Mango. This one is good, but the mango aroma and flavors are very subtle, at least to my leaden palate. Tempest's Ginger Rooibos was considerably less subtle, with a nice ginger bite complementing the Rooibos rather nicely. It no match for the king of all ginger teas - Traditional Medicinals' Ginger Aid - but it's quite good.
Friday, October 21, 2005
Tea Review 34 - Ghoom Darjeeling
Ghoom Darjeeling
alltea.com
Ghoom Darjeeling is a thing of wonder. Let me get that out of the way right at the outset. Not long after receiving my shipment, I brewed a cup to drink with breakfast. I couldn't resist taking a quick sip immediately after brewing it, even though it was still hot enough to incinerate my eyeballs. Based on that sip, I was ready to be disappointed.
After a few moments the Ghoom had settled down a bit and cooled off to where it was drinkable. I took another sip and at this point I did something I almost never do. I made an involuntary exclamation expressing my immense satisfaction. Yep, just squeaked right out of me.
Since then I've been hitting the Ghoom rather hard and each time I do I'm almost overcome by an impulse to click up my heels, grab an umbrella and caper around the room, bellowing show tunes at the top of my lungs. Which kind of worries me, because I'm not really a bellowing show tunes kind of guy. But I guess a really kick-ass Darjeeling will do that to you.
Varieties like this are a reminder of why we drink fine teas, friends. So go to the phones. Operators are standing by.
alltea.com
Ghoom Darjeeling is a thing of wonder. Let me get that out of the way right at the outset. Not long after receiving my shipment, I brewed a cup to drink with breakfast. I couldn't resist taking a quick sip immediately after brewing it, even though it was still hot enough to incinerate my eyeballs. Based on that sip, I was ready to be disappointed.
After a few moments the Ghoom had settled down a bit and cooled off to where it was drinkable. I took another sip and at this point I did something I almost never do. I made an involuntary exclamation expressing my immense satisfaction. Yep, just squeaked right out of me.
Since then I've been hitting the Ghoom rather hard and each time I do I'm almost overcome by an impulse to click up my heels, grab an umbrella and caper around the room, bellowing show tunes at the top of my lungs. Which kind of worries me, because I'm not really a bellowing show tunes kind of guy. But I guess a really kick-ass Darjeeling will do that to you.
Varieties like this are a reminder of why we drink fine teas, friends. So go to the phones. Operators are standing by.
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Tea Review 33 - Tempest White Snow & Apricot
Organic White Snow with Apricots
Tempest Tea
To make a good fruit tea that strikes just the right balance of fruit and tea is a tricky business, but when it's done right it's a thing of wonder.
Kind of like Tempest's White Snow with Apricots, which also gets a bonus point for the evocative name. A blend of an organic Chinese white tea with organic apricot pieces, this one hits the nail right on the head, if you'll forgive my descent into tepid cliché.
The fruit overtones are just about right, giving the blend a very smooth taste and a noticeable flavor of apricots that doesn't go too far and become overpowering. This is a very smooth and mellow tea with hardly a trace of bitterness.
Available in three sizes, from one ounce ($5.40) to one pound ($36). The sample I tried was in a pyramid bag that allows the tea leaves more room to brew, thus releasing more flavor. If I'm reading their Web site right, Tempest offers nine flavors of tea in this type of bag.
Tempest Tea
To make a good fruit tea that strikes just the right balance of fruit and tea is a tricky business, but when it's done right it's a thing of wonder.
Kind of like Tempest's White Snow with Apricots, which also gets a bonus point for the evocative name. A blend of an organic Chinese white tea with organic apricot pieces, this one hits the nail right on the head, if you'll forgive my descent into tepid cliché.
The fruit overtones are just about right, giving the blend a very smooth taste and a noticeable flavor of apricots that doesn't go too far and become overpowering. This is a very smooth and mellow tea with hardly a trace of bitterness.
Available in three sizes, from one ounce ($5.40) to one pound ($36). The sample I tried was in a pyramid bag that allows the tea leaves more room to brew, thus releasing more flavor. If I'm reading their Web site right, Tempest offers nine flavors of tea in this type of bag.
Wednesday, October 19, 2005
Tea Review 32 - Adagio Pi Lo Chun
Pi Lo Chun Green Tea
Adagio Teas
I've had the good fortune to try a number of very nice green teas lately, several of which came from Adagio Teas. And while Pi Lo Chun didn't top Adagio's Dragonwell Requiem (that would be quite a feat), it did surpass every other green I've sampled recently.
Another tea from China's Fujian province, Pi Lo Chun (Green Snail Spring) takes its name from the shape of its leaves. It is only picked in late March and early April and is processed by hand. It has a great fragrance dry and brews up to a nice pale amber color with a delicate fragrance and flavor that had me rushing back until the tin was empty.
Available in four sizes, from a sampler ($4) to one pound ($27).
Recommended.
Contents: Sample tin
I paid: na
Adagio Teas
I've had the good fortune to try a number of very nice green teas lately, several of which came from Adagio Teas. And while Pi Lo Chun didn't top Adagio's Dragonwell Requiem (that would be quite a feat), it did surpass every other green I've sampled recently.
Another tea from China's Fujian province, Pi Lo Chun (Green Snail Spring) takes its name from the shape of its leaves. It is only picked in late March and early April and is processed by hand. It has a great fragrance dry and brews up to a nice pale amber color with a delicate fragrance and flavor that had me rushing back until the tin was empty.
Available in four sizes, from a sampler ($4) to one pound ($27).
Recommended.
Contents: Sample tin
I paid: na
Monday, October 17, 2005
Tea Review 31 - Ticolino Mint, Raspberry, Chamomile
Ticolino
Chamomile
Mint Medley
Red Raspberry,
Serengeti Tea Company
Say what you want about Thomas Sullivan and that little gimmick he came up with about a hundred years ago - the tea bag - but don't say that it didn't make tea drinking more convenient.
A century or so later Serengeti Tea Company is trying to go Sullivan one step better with their Ticolino tea infusers. These are small foil straws filled with tea that have tiny holes in one end to allow the hot water to pass through.
The company makes the infusers in three herbal flavors and three tea varieties and were kind enough to send a sample of each. I tried out the herbal flavors first, starting with Mint Medley.
Serengeti recommends brewing their tea for 90 seconds. I wasn't seeing much color at that point so I let it go for twice as long and then some. Even then the flavor was on the weak side, but since I like a mint tea that's strong enough to make my toes curl and my ears flutter that may just be a matter of preference.
Chamomile also came out a little bit weak side but, once again, that may just be me. Red Raspberry brewed up quite a bit stronger and produced a nice bright red color in the cup.
As far as convenience goes, Ticolino tea infusers rank right up there. They are certainly easier to work with and less messy than a tea bag. As far as taste is concerned, the three herbal flavors were a bit too polite for my likes.
Chamomile
Mint Medley
Red Raspberry,
Serengeti Tea Company
Say what you want about Thomas Sullivan and that little gimmick he came up with about a hundred years ago - the tea bag - but don't say that it didn't make tea drinking more convenient.
A century or so later Serengeti Tea Company is trying to go Sullivan one step better with their Ticolino tea infusers. These are small foil straws filled with tea that have tiny holes in one end to allow the hot water to pass through.
The company makes the infusers in three herbal flavors and three tea varieties and were kind enough to send a sample of each. I tried out the herbal flavors first, starting with Mint Medley.
Serengeti recommends brewing their tea for 90 seconds. I wasn't seeing much color at that point so I let it go for twice as long and then some. Even then the flavor was on the weak side, but since I like a mint tea that's strong enough to make my toes curl and my ears flutter that may just be a matter of preference.
Chamomile also came out a little bit weak side but, once again, that may just be me. Red Raspberry brewed up quite a bit stronger and produced a nice bright red color in the cup.
As far as convenience goes, Ticolino tea infusers rank right up there. They are certainly easier to work with and less messy than a tea bag. As far as taste is concerned, the three herbal flavors were a bit too polite for my likes.
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