Honey Citrus Raspberry Green Tea from M&K’s Tea Company

HoneyCitrusRaspberryGreenTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy

Tea Description:

M&K’s own unique blend! We take Chinese green teas, blend them with three citrus fruits, licorice root roasted in honey, and actual raspberries! Not too fruity, not too simple, it’s a perfect blend of green tea and fruit. We use local honey from California beekeepers and local California orange peel.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

After having tried quite a few different teas from M&K’s Tea Company, I must admit that this one isn’t my favorite.  And I thought it would be one I like quite a bit because the name offers quite a bit of promise!  Citrus, Honey and Raspberry flavors in a Green Tea?  Yes, please!

But the execution is a little off for me and I can’t really pinpoint it yet, so maybe in the process of writing this review, I can figure it out.

To brew this tea, I measured 1 bamboo scoop of the loose leaf tea into the basket of my Kati Tumbler.  Then I added 12 ounces of 175°F water and let the tea steep for 2 minutes.

The green tea base is pleasant:  it’s a combination of two Chinese green teas:  gunpowder and Huangshan Maofeng.  Together they give the tea an enjoyable texture – soft and creamy – and a smooth, lightly buttery taste with hints of smoke and vegetation.

The citrus note is subtle to this and most discernible when the tea is slurped (this helps aerate the liquid on the palate and it “enlivens” the flavors for your palate).  I taste tart and tangy notes of citrus with a light sweetness of the honey.  I also get a hint of bitter from the citrus peel.

Then I pick up on the sweet notes of licorice.  Because the licorice root has been roasted in honey, the flavor of the licorice has been softened – I’m not getting that sharpness that I often get from licorice root.  I think that this works for this particular blend because if the licorice root hadn’t been softened somewhat, it might have taken over the blend and we’d have Licorice Citrus Raspberry Green Tea instead of Honey Citrus Raspberry Green Tea.

Instead the licorice just adds a hint of almost candy-like sweetness to the cup that I actually enjoy.  It might be my favorite thing about this particular blend

The raspberry is also quite subtle and I think that is what I’m thinking is off.  I feel like I’m tasting more hibiscus and raspberry leaf to accentuate the raspberry than I’m actually tasting raspberry and that’s unfortunate.

So, there you have it, I’ve pinpointed my issue with this tea:  I’d like the flavors of citrus and raspberry to be a little more prominent in the blend.  I do like that the green tea is a dominant flavor here and I like the little contrast that the licorice root adds, but I think that because this tea is called Honey Citrus Raspberry Green Tea that I’m wanting a little more focus on the citrus and berry notes.

It’s not a bad tea but it’s not as great as I thought it would be.  I’ve enjoyed many of M&K’s blends though, so I won’t hold this against them, because while it’s not my favorite tea that I’ve had from them, it’s tasty.  It’s good, just not as great as some of the other M&K’s experiences that I’ve had.

Bvumbwe Malawian White Tea from M&K’s Tea Company

Bvumbwe Malawian White TeaTea Information:

Leaf Type:  White

Where to Buy:  M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy

Tea Description:

Bvumbwe white tea is harvested in Africa in the country of Malawi! Similar to a Chinese Shou Mei white tea, Bvumbwe white tea offers something different than the usual White Peony (Bai Mudan) or Silver Needle Chinese white teas. With a lovely caramel note that lingers on the tongue, this Malawian tea offers tea drinkers (experienced and beginners alike) a different experience and will open the door to the world of Malawian tea!

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I was excited to try this Bvumbwe Malawian White Tea from M&K’s Tea Company.  I’ve tried many different white teas, but very few of those are from Africa.  In fact, I think I’ve only tried one other white tea from Africa so I was excited to have the opportunity to try another.

This is really nice.  The flavor is delicate – like I’d expect from a white tea.  It has a really pleasant, soft mouthfeel.  It has a flavor similar to what I might experience from a Chinese white tea – it’s a gentle flavor with notes of hay and a crisp, airy sort of flavor.  I’m also picking up on soft notes of fruit.  It has a very clean and refreshing sort of taste.  Soothing and mild.

As I continue to sip, I start to pick up on some flavors that I wouldn’t normally expect from a white tea:  a hint of caramel!  I don’t think that I’ve ever encountered a pure white tea with a caramel-y sweetness like I’m experiencing with this tea.

Then I notice gentle notes of warm, peppery spice.  Like white pepper and a hint of cinnamon.  It’s warm and a rustic sort of flavor.  For such a delicate taste, there is a whole lot of dimension to this cup!

A really lovely white tea – one I’d recommend to any tea drinker.  The complex flavors of this cup are something to be experienced!

Halpewatte Ceylon Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company

Halpewatte Ceylon Black TeaTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy

Tea Description:

The basis of Earl Grey tea! Ceylon tea is a sweet, brightly orange colored (once-brewed) black tea harvested in the lush hills of the island of Sri Lanka (formerly known as Ceylon). This is a fantastic introductory tea, a great tea for the black tea lover, and an extraordinary tea for blending purposes. Ceylon tea is just brisk enough to be uplifting, but light enough to not be bitter or off-putting. It truly is a remarkable black tea that belongs in every tea-lover’s collection.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

This Halpewatte Ceylon Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company is a really nice Ceylon.  It’s very much what I expect from a Ceylon tea – a mild, even-toned, medium-bodied black tea.

But what it doesn’t have that other Ceylon teas often do:  It’s not overly astringent nor am I picking up on any indication of bitterness.  This Ceylon has a really pleasant, smooth delivery.

To brew it, I used my Breville One Touch and measured 2 bamboo scoops into the basket.  Then I poured 500ml of water into the kettle of the tea maker and set the thermometer for 212°F (boiling!) and the steep time for 2 1/2 minutes.

The tea brews up coppery and has a pleasant fragrance.  I pick up on light floral notes in the aroma.  Nice.

The flavor, as I said, is smooth.  It’s brisk and invigorating without being aggressive.  Notes of flower in the distance and a touch of citrus at the finish.  It’s really quite enjoyable and much of what I’d expect from a Ceylon.

It’s flavorful – it tastes like tea.  It tastes like a good black tea.  It’s the kind of tea that I think every tea drinker can appreciate.

I personally prefer this tea straight up.  I think that it would take the addition of honey or sugar well, if you like to add those to your tea.  It would probably even take the addition of milk or cream well, although I think that this tea could be easily overwhelmed so add it with a light hand.

Delightful hot, really nice iced too.  Add a thin slice of lemon or a sprig of mint and enjoy!

Classic English Breakfast Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company

ClassicEnglishBreakfastTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy

Tea Description:

It’s classic! It’s English (actually it’s Indian and Sri Lankan)! It’s…breakfast! Nevermind. We’ll cut to the chase. It’s a nice cup of malty black tea from the Bargara and Kandoli Assam estates of India and the Kenilworth estate of Sri Lanka (Ceylon). Great with milk, good with sugar, best in the morning. This blend is part of the Original 20 M&K’s Blends.

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

I’ve enjoyed quite a few of M&K’s Tea Company’s blends now so I was really eager to try this Classic English Breakfast Black Tea to see how well they crafted a traditional favorite.  And I’m really glad that I had this opportunity to try it, because this is quite nice.

To brew:  I put 1 bamboo scoop of tea into the basket of my Kati Tumbler and then poured in 12 ounces of boiling water.  I set the timer for 2 1/2 minutes and let time take care of the rest.

This is a robust blend.  I like that it focuses more on the Assam than the Ceylon, which gives it more of a rugged, hefty flavor.  It’s strong and edgy, but without being bitter or too astringent.  Had I steeped this for longer, though, I think that I would have had a bitter cup.  Take care not to oversteep this blend!

The flavor is bold with notes of malt and there is a fruity, wine-like quality to this as well.  There are two single estate Assam teas in this blend and I suspect one is more malty while the other is a more ‘wine-like’ Assam.  It’s a nice balance between the two qualities.  The Ceylon adds a certain ‘evenness’ to the flavor.  It’s a rich, flavorful cup that would take the additions of milk and honey well – which is what most people look for in a breakfast blend.

Personally, I don’t usually add milk or honey to my teas, so my cup has that rugged edge to it that I like in the morning.  It’s the kind of tea that I’d want if I need a good shake awake.  It’s the kind of tea that will get you going.

Really nice!

Red Hot Cinnamon Spice Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company

RedHotCinnamonSpiceTea Information:

Leaf Type:  Black

Where to Buy:  M&K’s Tea Company on Etsy

Tea Description:

A sweet cinnamon confection with just enough spice to pack a punch, but not enough to send you to the emergency room. We threw four different types of cinnamon bark into this thing, just so you know we mean business. Assam black tea for a a little maltiness coupled with Keemun black tea for a little smokiness, and, well, you have yourself some Red Hot Cinnamon Spice!

Learn more about this tea here.

Taster’s Review:

After reading the ingredient list of this Red Hot Cinnamon Spice Black Tea from M&K’s Tea Company, I was excited to try it.  Yeah, it has hibiscus in it and as you know, I’m not a fan of hibiscus, but what impressed me is that the base of this black tea is a blend of Assam and Keemun!  With most of the Red Hot type of black teas that I’ve tried in the past, the tea company uses Ceylon.  I like that M&K’s is adventurous enough to try something different!

I brewed this in my Kati Tumbler.  I put a heaping scoop of the loose leaf tea in the basket of the tumbler and poured in 12 ounces of boiling water.  I let it steep for 3 minutes.

I’m enjoying this.  This isn’t exactly what I think of when I think “Red Hot Cinnamon” – there are quite a few teas out there that taste like liquefied red hot cinnamon candies.  This isn’t like that.

Oh, sure, it’s got a strong, spicy, cinnamon-y kick to it.  But it tastes like pure, real cinnamon, not like the candy.  And I like that.  Sure, I enjoy those spicy-sweet confectionery-type teas too, but it goes back to what I said in the first paragraph, I like that M&K’s is adventurous to try something different.  They’re celebrating the true, spicy flavor of cinnamon here rather than going the candy-like route.

The black tea is strong!  The Assam adds a bold, malty flavor and the Keemun adds just a hint of smoke to the cup that accentuates the cinnamon in a pleasing way.  The black tea is robust, earthy and has a moderate astringency.

The hibiscus actually works quite well in this blend, I think that the tartness of the herb helps to offer contrast to the spicy cinnamon.  It isn’t a heavy hibiscus flavor, in fact, I really have to focus to actually taste the hibiscus.  There’s just enough in there to offset some of the spice but not so much that I taste an obvious hibiscus note.

Mostly, what I taste here is cinnamon.  Not surprising, right?  I like that I am tasting true cinnamon flavor.  This doesn’t have an artificial or candy flavor.  It tastes like the kind of cinnamon I might grab off my pantry shelf and sprinkle in my oatmeal.  (I do combine two different time of cassia for my cinnamon blend … this tea blend uses four types of cinnamon, they got me beat!)  The clove gives a background warmth to the cup and complements the cinnamon, and I like that the clove isn’t too aggressive here.  I like that this tea is a celebration of cinnamon!

A really tasty blend, I’m glad I had this opportunity to try it!