Tisane Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tisane Description:
Sweet enticing chocolate swimming in a deep velvety base of organic rooibos and refreshing mint leaves. The perfect answer to a dessert tea. The finish is smooth, complimented by a touch of vanilla.
Learn more about this tisane here.
Taster’s Review:
Hmmm … not bad. Not my favorite rooibos blend, and not my favorite tea from Art of Tea, but this Velvet Tea Rooibos Blend makes an enjoyable cuppa. My biggest complaint with it at this point is the name, because while I can see the “Velvet” part of the tisane, at the top of the page on the Art of Tea website, on the index tab thingy, this tea is called “Red Velvet Tea.” I can even *understand* why it would be called that since it’s a rooibos blend (which is also known as “red tea”) and the chocolate-y notes are kind of velvet-y, however, the name “Red Velvet” conjures up too many thoughts of red velvet cupcakes, and this does not taste like red velvet cupcakes.
But that doesn’t mean that it’s not tasty.
It is chocolate-y (although the chocoholic in me does want more chocolate), and there is a nice minty note to this. The mint is cool and crisp and it gives the overall cup a delicious taste that is reminiscent to an after dinner mint. A nice dessert tisane.
I can also taste the apple in this, and it adds a little bit of sweetness to the cup without messing up the balance between chocolate and mint. The rooibos flavor is not very distinct, but that’s just fine with me. I taste vague “nutty” tones to the cup but I find that these seem to enhance the chocolate nicely, giving the cup some depth.
It’s a nice cup, tasty for later in the evening when you want something sweet to curb those cravings, and this won’t ruin your diet. (Yeah, I hate that word too.) It’s good, and I’d drink it again.
Peach Oolong Tea from The Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: The Art of Tea
Tea Description:
Delightful and refreshing, this wonderfully distinctive tea exhibits a rich Autumnal flavor of ripened peaches with lingering hints of oak and a long honey finish.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
I’ve tried a few different peach flavored Oolong teas, and I’ve always felt that peach seems the natural fruit flavoring for an Oolong, since there are natural peach-like tones to a darker leaf Oolong anyway.
This Peach Oolong Tea from The Art of Tea is an enjoyable tea, although I do find myself in agreement with my SororiTea Sister, Azzrian, when she states that the peach flavoring seems a bit too subtle for her. It is rather subtle, especially for a tea that has natural peach notes to it. I expected a stronger peachy flavor with this tea.
However, I do like the flavor of it. The Art of Tea does not give details as to what kind of Oolong leaf this is, but if I had to guess, I’d say it’s either a Wuyi Oolong or a Se Chung Oolong (or possibly an Oriental Beauty?). This guess is based upon the earthy and woody notes that I taste, as well as the subtle hint of smoke to the background. And I do enjoy the deep flavor of this Oolong and how well it pairs with the Peach flavoring. But, like Azzrian, I guess I was just wanting a little more peach here.
Not a bad tea, not at all … in fact, I found myself enjoying it. However, I do confess that I’m just a wee bit disappointed because I was hoping for more peach.
Butterscotch Tea from Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tea Description:
One of the world’s most beloved confections has found its way into your teacup. Embrace the buttery warmth of this golden hued white tea infusion as it dances on your palette and illuminates your soul.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This Butterscotch Tea from Art of Tea is tasty … but, I’m not getting a whole lot of butterscotch taste from it … so I’m finding myself a wee bit disappointed.
The white tea is delicious, and the warm cinnamon and hint of peppery taste is quite pleasant. Although Art of Tea does not mention what kind of organic white tea is used as the base here, I noticed as I decanted it, it smelled very much like a Bai Mu Dan, and the flavor is like a Bai Mu Dan too … so if I had to guess, I’d say this is a Bai Mu Dan (or White Peony) … possibly with a touch of Shou Mei in there, because the flavor is a bit more intense than some White Peony teas that I’ve encountered. It is earthy and slightly vegetative, with crisp notes of hay … reminding me of the taste of the air that surrounds a haystack.
The cinnamon and pepper notes are more like “suggestions” of flavor than strong tastes. The white tea is definitely the strongest flavor of this cup. I like the way the earthy notes of the cinnamon come forward in this cup … it is as though the earthiness of the white tea has enhanced the sometimes elusive earthy notes of the cinnamon, and here it is quite enjoyable.
But … as I mentioned in the first paragraph … the butterscotch is woefully absent here. I don’t taste much of anything that tastes like butterscotch to me. The only time I think I might taste butterscotch is when I try to really focus on what I’m tasting … and I think this is more of a case of my mind telling me that I am tasting butterscotch than my palate telling me that I am.
A tasty yet disappointing cup. I wish I could taste the butterscotch I was promised in the name of this tea … but, I still finished the cup, because I enjoyed the white tea, cinnamon and peppery flavors.
Organic Silver Needle from Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tea Description:
Organic Silver needle is the most sought after white tea and is only harvested for a few days each year in the northern district of Fujian, China. This magnificent tea has a light golden flush with a unique savory aroma and a woodsy body. The finish is pleasant with a lingering, yet balanced sweetness.
Water Temperature: 175-185 F degrees
Caffeine Content: Medium
Steep Time: 1-3 minutes
Suggested Serving Size: 1 Tbsp/8oz
Ingredients: Organic, Fair Trade Chinese White Tea
Origin: Fujian, China
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Organic Silver Needle from Art of Tea surprised me! I am not a huge fan of white teas. Well I suppose a more accurate statement would be that there are few white teas I have found that really wow me. I have found a few though! This white tea sort of wow’d me, it more so surprised me, confused me a little, and has made me want to drink a lot more of it to really understand it. Why all the confusion you may ask? Well to begin with the dry leaf is stunning, white, downey, soft, cuddly, lol yes, cuddly. It makes me wish I could buy enough to just pour all over my bed and lay upon it at night. Its so dreamy! But that is not what got me. What “got” me, is that the initial aroma of this tea is of cucumber! And that is exactly what it tastes like to me as well. Fresh, watery, cucumber! Yet, wait for it, its not watery at all! Its rather quite creamy! Creamy, fresh, mouthwatering cucumber!
It is also quite sweet on the palate. A warm natural sweetness that does not so much coat the mouth with a cloying sappy sugar but one that is sweet and creamy like a condensed milk. So what we have here, is a sweet, creamy, cucumber, tea. Strange I think. Usually I get a totally different flavor profile from Silver Needle!
I had this before bedtime, and I could not stop thinking about it as I fell asleep. I woke up this morning to my spent leaves, as I had several steepings, and just wanted to wake up enough to make another cup, have another session with this perplexing tea. I am not sure quite yet how I feel about it exactly. I need to overcome my pre-conceived notions of what this was “supposed” to taste like and just enjoy it for its unusual and wonderful nature unto itself. On the other hand I am craving it like crazy! A huge thank you to my Steepster friend for sending me this tea! My views may be changing on white teas, I may need to explore them with more abandon!
I am not going to say this is my all time favorite white tea, as it is so unusual, but it is one that I would like to have in my stash! I can’t wait to try this cold brewed although I don’t know if I would appreciate a milky, creamy, cucumber tea, cold. Yet I have plenty to play with so I will give it a try. Cucumber to me says summer, yet creamy and milky are more reserved for cooler months. Maybe I am just too narrow minded. Its just such an unusual flavor profile to me.
Time to make that other cup I was talking about … discovery ongoing….
Peach Oolong from Art of Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: Art of Tea
Tea Description:
Delightful and refreshing, this wonderfully distinctive tea exhibits a rich Autumnal flavor of ripened peaches with lingering hints of oak and a long honey finish.
Water Temperature: 185 – 206 F degrees
Caffeine Content: Medium
Steep Time: 3-5 minutes
Suggested Serving Size: 1 Tbsp/8oz
Ingredients: Organic Oolong Tea, Organic Rosehips, Organic Marigolds, Natural Flavors
Origin: Art of Tea Blend
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I was happy to receive this tea from a tea swap partner recently. I love peach flavored teas and I love oolong! I also recently placed my first order with Art of Tea so I was excited to sample their teas before my order arrives.
I have to say that I am not getting much peach in this cup. Granted it is a naturally flavored tea and organic which I love, and like in many organic and naturally flavored teas the flavor is going to be a bit lighter, so I anticipated this. However, it still seems to be a little too much on the light side for my liking. If I had not been aware that this was supposed to be peach flavored it would have been difficult for me to determine what if any flavor was in it.
I attempted to liven up the flavor of the peach by adding german rock sugar but unfortunately that only made my tea sweet.
In all honesty – the oolong base itself was not all that outstanding. Not a bad base, nothing unsavory about it, just not that strong or bold.
In all fairness, desperate to figure out if I was simply missing the boat on this tea, I searched up other’s reviews on it. What I discovered is that most others felt as I did about this tea, while there are a few who loved how subtle the peach notes were. So for some, this tea is splendrous so if you are one who really likes a tea with subtle, gentle flavors, this may be the perfect peach for you!
It is indeed a gentle tea. Still I am looking forward to my order from Art of Tea, the flavors I have coming sound scrumptious! This just simply is not MY cup of tea.