Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
Before steeping this tea, I tried to smell something “lemony” in the tea. I couldn’t smell anything at all. No green tea, no lemon notes … nothing. I was a little worried that I’d have a flavorless tea here.
But, after steeping (175°F water for 2 minutes), the lemon emerges! Now, I’m smelling … well, what I’m smelling is reminiscent of lemon Pledge. Not something that I really want to drink, but, fortunately, I don’t think this tastes like lemon Pledge. At least, this isn’t what I’d imagine lemon Pledge to taste like. I’ve only used lemon Pledge to dust and polish my furniture, I haven’t consumed it internally.
It’s actually quite a pleasant aroma.
And the flavor is quite pleasant as well. The lemon notes are strong but do not overpower the sweet, lightly grassy green tea notes. The lemon is tart and tastes like lemon. It doesn’t taste like an artificial lemon flavor. It doesn’t taste like an overly sweetened version of lemon. It tastes like I squeezed a slice of lemon over my teacup. It’s a bright and energetic lemon note.
I preferred this particular tea hot. As it cools, some of the flavors wane a bit too much to my liking, I like that sunny, uplifting lemon note that I experience when this tea is hot.
Guava Flavored Green Tea from Tea of Life
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
I have tried quite a few Tea of Life teas at this point and I’ve enjoyed some better than others. All of the teas that I’ve tried have been either bagged teas or teas in sachets, and I’ve made mention of my dislike of tea bags/tea sachets. However, even though these teas have been bagged or in sachets, there have been several teas that have impressed me.
I don’t know if I’d call this Guava flavored Green Tea “impressive” but I like that the guava flavoring is strong and focused. It tastes like guava: sweet and juicy. And I like that I can also taste the green tea in this tea. It has a lightly grassy, slightly buttery taste that marries well with the guava notes.
The reason why I said I was unsure if I’d say that this was impressive is that I find that the guava flavoring might be a tad TOO strong. While I can taste the green tea notes (and the green tea flavors do develop as I continue to sip), I think that the guava obscures some of the green tea flavors. Not so much that I simply can’t taste the green tea, but I think I’d like the green tea notes to be a bit more prominent than they are.
Other than that, I find this tea to be enjoyable. It is sweet and fruity and it makes a fantastic iced tea.
Rooibos Ginger Peach Tisane from Tea of Life
Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Tisane Description:
Pronounced “roy-boss” and means “red bush” in Afrkaans, studies have shown this tea is comparable to green tea in the amounts of EGCG it contains. Rooibos is totally pure and natural. It contains no colorants or preservatives.
And Rooibos tastes divine! It is less bitter than most teas.
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
I’m making more of an effort to drink more tisanes in the evening. Until recently, I would continue drinking Camellia Sinensis teas well into the evening, up to just a couple of hours before I go to bed. And I’ve come to realize that it does affect my ability to fall asleep. So, when it starts getting close to bedtime, I’ve been turning to caffeine free drinks like rooibos and honeybush, and on the nights when I know I need to catch some zzz … I even have a chamomile tea. I’ve noticed a difference with my sleeping patterns now that I’m drinking more tisane later in the evening.
Tonight, I wanted something soothing on my tummy, so I reached for this Rooibos Ginger Peach from Tea of Life. I like that it’s sweet from the peach notes and the honeyed, nutty flavors of the rooibos, but there’s just enough of a zesty kick from the ginger to give the cup some contrasting flavor.
The ginger isn’t an overpowering flavor. It starts out rather subtle. The first couple of sips, I could barely taste the ginger. But as I continued to sip, the ginger flavor began to develop, and now there is a gentle heat at the back of the palate. I feel the warmth of the ginger but it’s not too hot.
And the sweetness of the peach curbs the zing of the ginger. Ginger and peach are a classic flavor combination and they really complement each other well in this tisane.
The rooibos is sweet, slightly earthy and nutty but I like that the drink doesn’t taste too strongly of rooibos, which is not my favorite flavor. The natural honey-like sweetness melds quite nicely with the peach and ginger notes.
Overall, a pleasant cup to enjoy later in the day.
Whole Leaf Green Tea with Essence of Citrus and Pomegranate from Eden Grove
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Amazon Trading
Ingredients:
Green tea with natural citrus & pomegranate flavors.
Learn more about Amazon Trading here.
Taster’s Review:
When I read the name of this tea, I was pretty sure I’d enjoy it – I like citrus flavors in tea and I like pomegranate teas, so I felt pretty confident that this tea would be one I liked.
And it’s alright. I’m getting a fair amount of both flavor profiles, I can taste the bright and tangy notes of citrus fruit and I can taste the sweet-tart notes of pomegranate.
The green tea is a smooth, buttery green tea. The citrus notes are present throughout the sip, and I find that the citrus flavors are especially nice in this cup. It’s a very lilting sort of taste that lingers into the aftertaste. The pomegranate is a little softer in taste and seems strongest right toward the tail of the sip. I like that little burst of flavor that I get from the pomegranate.
Overall, it’s an enjoyable cup.
Ayurvedic Stimulating Tea from Tea of Life
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Learn more about Tea of Life and Amazon Teas here.
About Tea of Life Ayurvedic Collection:
The word “Ayurveda” is derived from two words – “Ayus” meaning life and “Veda” meaning ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’. So the literal meaning of the word Ayurveda is ‘The Science of Life.’
Life or Ayus, according to Ayurveda, is a combination of senses, mind, body and soul. So Ayurveda does not just limit itself to the body or physical symptoms, but also provides comprehensive knowledge about spiritual, mental and emotional health.
The traditional healing system of Ayurveda is based on a theory of balance between the body (physical), the soul (spiritual) and the mind (psychological).
Ingredients:
Black Tea with cinnamon, Nutmeg, Coriander, Ginger & Rose flavors.
Taster’s Review:
I categorized this Ayurveda Stimulating Tea from Tea of Life as a “chai” because even though it doesn’t have all the “usual” spices of a masala chai blend, it has several of them.
That said, this doesn’t taste like the “usual” chai that I’m used to drinking. It’s not quite as spicy as a typical chai. I taste more black tea than I do spices. That’s not a bad thing – I’m just saying that it’s a different tasting “chai.”
The black tea is smooth and nicely round. Even though it’s a finely chopped CTC (in a tea bag, no less), it has a pleasing flavor. It’s full and robust and energizing.
The spices add a nice depth to the flavor. The coriander is the strongest flavor that I notice in this blend, but I can also taste the cinnamon and nutmeg, and even a hint of kick from the ginger. The ingredient list suggests a rose flavor too, but I’m having a hard time detecting it. When I slurp the cup, I can pick up on whispers of rose notes but it’s very faint.
Overall, this is alright. Not my favorite chai blend, but I do like how the coriander comes through. And it does deliver what it promises: it’s a stimulating cup of tea!