It’s day four! We are off and running as we count down the days until the big day arrives.
Today, I decided to feature something that I didn’t make, but it’s one of my favorite gifties that I ‘ve received in the past from a fellow mail-art artist. What’s a “mail-art” artist? Basically, a couple of years ago, I was actively involved in a few online groups that would send each other little pieces of art in the mail. It was fun and it was a great source of inspiration.
This piece was created by an artist named Kari McKnight-Holbrook. I love the texture of the piece. Every year, it gets a featured place on my mantle on its own tiny little easel. It’s just so festive and cute and fun.
Now it’s time for some tea fun!
Irish Breakfast Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
A bold blend of leafy black teas from India and China with some golden tips.
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
Reviewer’s Note: After writing this review, I found this tea on the website – I don’t know if it was an oversight on my part or if it wasn’t on the website at the time of writing the review. Anyway, it’s great that this tea is available now because it’s a good one!
I’m happy to have an Irish Breakfast Tea in my teacup – I love the bold, rich, malty flavor of an Irish Breakfast Tea!
And this Irish Breakfast from Teanzo has all that! It’s a bold tea with the strong, hefty character that I look for in a breakfast blend. It’s got a rich and satisfying mouthfeel and the sweet, malty notes that I like in my “first tea of the day.”
And it’s just what I needed this morning! Today has been one of those days when I found it difficult to shake the sleepy. I wanted to just stay in bed, curled up under the covers but I had things that I needed to do! This tea came to my rescue today.
The flavor is robust. It starts out sweet with notes of caramel mingling with the malty flavors. At about mid-sip, I pick up on a slight bitterness. It’s not a strong or unpleasant flavor, I think it offers a nice contrast to the sweetness at the start. The sip offers notes of fruit (I taste raisin and dried plum) and hints of floral. These floral notes are difficult to pinpoint, so I’ll describe it like this: imagine standing in a tea garden and off on a distant hill there are some flowers. When a gentle breeze sweeps through the area, hints of those flowers are picked up in the breeze and brought to where you are. Mere hints of what lies in the distance.
The finish reminds me a bit of freshly baked bread. Delicious and satisfying. There is a wee bit of astringency at the tail, but it’s more like a slight dryness, kind of like what you might experience after eating a piece of that previously mentioned freshly baked bread. There isn’t a lot of aftertaste to this, hints of distant flowers and a slight fruit note, as if it’s a continuation of what I experienced during the sip.
A truly rewarding cup of Irish Breakfast. Thank you, Teanzo 1856, for including this in the Advent Calendar
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 3 from Teanzo 1856
Day 3 of our Holiday Countdown with Teanzo!
Since it’s that time of year and I’m an artist (who really NEEDS to get back into the swing of creating – I need some inspiration!) I decided to start featuring different holiday-ish designs of things that I’ve created in the past as well as pieces that others have created for me on my Holiday Countdown posts.
Today, I went back through some of my old pictures of artwork that I’ve created and I came across this Holiday greeting card that I made a few years ago. I thought it was an appropriate way to kick off this “parade” of holiday artwork as featured on a tea blog – and it gives me an opportunity to offer all our readers a cup of holiday cheer!
We really are very grateful to our readers that keep us blogging!
So, why don’t we get into the tea for day three?
Safari Rooibos
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
This refreshing rooibos iced tea with hints of fruit, is a great caffeine free source of antioxidants and trace minerals.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
This is the first rooibos blend that I’m reviewing in this countdown. The small, needle-like rooibos leaves seem even smaller in this blend, as though they’ve been chopped to an even finer consistency. So, even though I haven’t been using the unbleached DIY loose leaf tea bags that were included in this Teanzo Advent Calendar box, I would strongly recommend using them for this tea (and perhaps any other rooibos blends should we come across more!)
I actually steeped this tea in my Kati Tumbler, but after steeping, I wished I had used one of those tea bags because the leaves are so fine that some of them fell through the very fine mesh sieve of the Kati Tumbler basket. To avoid “drinking” the leaves (nothing wrong with this, I just don’t like floaters in my tea), I strained the liquid again into another teacup after the tea was finished steeping. This action managed to eliminate the few leaves that made their way through the basket of my Kati. (Steeping parameters: 195°F for 10 minutes.)
And all that effort was worth it – because this is a really tasty blend. I’m usually somewhat ambivalent when it comes to rooibos blends (as many of my readers are already aware), but, I’m enjoying this. The rooibos has a honey-like sweetness and earthy, nutty flavors that are accented nicely with notes of citrus.
It’s not an overly flavored blend. I’m not tasting more citrus flavor than I’m tasting rooibos. There is a good balance between both of these elements. Usually, I’m all for it when the flavors are strong enough to conceal the flavors of the rooibos because as I said, rooibos is generally not my favorite taste, but, the flavors work well here. It’s enjoyable and it’s a nice, cozy drink for these cold, winter-y days.
I liked this served straight, but I think I like this one even better with a dollop of honey to bring out those natural honeyed flavors of the rooibos base. It’s soothing and comforting while it quenches my thirst.
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 2 from Teanzo 1856
Day 2 of the countdown! Have you finished your holiday shopping yet? Have you started? I’ve started, but it always seems that we’re waiting until the last possible minute to finish up.
I can’t help but think that these charming, bright red boxes of tea delights from Teanzo would make a great gift, possibly as a hostess gift for a holiday party. Even as a holiday present, even though the “Advent Calendar” part would no longer be of use, it would still be fun to have a different tea every day for 24 days!
I know I’m enjoying it!
After my review of the tea from Day 1, I received an email from Teanzo and they told me that they used “glue dots” to secure the teas into the boxes for a more attractive presentation. If you’ll recall, I mentioned in that review that the glue used was a very strong glue and maybe a bit too strong. I appreciate this input from Teanzo, and I do agree that the presentation of the packages that have been adhered into place is much more attractive than it would be to receive the sampler pouches shuffling loose in the box. I like the way the package has been positioned! So maybe the glue is but a small annoyance so that I can enjoy a beautifully arranged box of delicious teas!
I certainly do appreciate that Teanzo is so responsive! That they’ve taken the time to respond to this means a lot to me as a consumer. I like it when a tea company makes my concerns – their concerns!
I was very happy to see which tea was going to be featured today, because it’s another favorite of mine! So the tea for Day 2 of the countdown – there are only 23 days left until Christmas! – is:
Jasmine
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Immerse yourself if the intoxicating aroma of jasmine with our organic loose leaf Jasmine green tea. This green tea is not to be missed and is a crowd pleasing green tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Jasmine is one of my favorite tea “flavors” – so long as it’s not a “flavored” jasmine and is instead a properly “scented” jasmine. This tastes to me as though it has been properly scented. What does that mean, exactly? Well, to this taster, it means that the jasmine tastes clear and distinct without tasting overly floral, perfume-ish or soap-y.
And that’s what I’m getting from this Jasmine tea from the Teanzo collection. The jasmine is a well-defined note without tasting of soap or like something you should be “wearing” instead of drinking.
To brew this Jasmine, I grabbed my Kati tumbler and poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the infuser basket of the tumbler. Then I heated water to 175°F and poured 12 ounces of the heated water into the tumbler and allowed it to steep for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, the brewed tea is a golden amber color and the aroma is sweet and floral.
The flavor is a nice balance between the exotic jasmine flower and the sweet, buttery green tea. The green tea is smooth. There is no bitterness and very little astringency.
Typically, when it comes to Jasmine teas, I prefer the base to either be a white tea or a green tea pearl-type of tea. This Jasmine is neither – but I really like it. It’s one of the nicer Jasmine teas I’ve tasted in recent weeks. And do take the time to resteep the leaves! This one offers a couple of additional steeps with no significant loss in flavor.
24 Days of Tea Holiday Countdown – Day 1 from Teanzo 1856
Every year since we’ve been doing this SororiTea Sisters thing, I’ve done a Holiday countdown/Advent calendar of tea. For the previous four years, I’ve done a 12 Teas of Christmas, but this year, I’ve decided to do things a little different. This year, I’m going to double down on the 12 Teas of Christmas and go for a full Advent Calender of 24 Days of Tea!
The company I’ll be featuring for the countdown this year is Teanzo 1856! I’m so excited! The teas arrived in a bright red gift box with a festive label on the top featuring Teanzo’s cute elephant logo. Inside the box were 12 coppery colored, small sample packets, each with a numbered label on the front. They are glued – rather securely, really, I think they need a glue less tacky for this job – to a strip of card-stock. On the back of each packet is the name of the tea and the list of ingredients. Inside is the good stuff: a sample portion of each tea – just enough for my Kati Tumbler! Also included is a package of DIY loose leaf tea bags so that you can brew these right in your favorite mug.
Because the packets are securely attached to the card-stock strip, it isn’t easily revealed which tea will be enjoyed the next day (so it’s a little bit of a surprise until you remove the sampler from the box), which helps keep those that are inclined to “cheat” at bay a little bit. A persistent “cheater” would be able to find out easily what future days have in store, of course, it’s not that difficult and it’s not like some of the other countdown boxes that I’ve had in the past where I either would need to open the pouch to find out what tea is inside, or scratch off a “scratcher” (like the lotto cards) to find out what tea is inside.
While the element of surprise is a fun thing, it isn’t the most important thing about these calendars. For me, I like the idea of having a different tea every day. I like counting down to the holiday with tea. Mostly because – and this may come as no big surprise to you – I like tea.
So without further ado, I will announce the first day of the countdown – there are 24 days until the big day – today’s tea is:
Winter Earl Grey
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Teanzo 1856
Tea Description:
Our Winter Earl Grey Tea is sure to please with this creamy twist on a classic Earl Grey. The vanilla tones down the citrus flavors and is a perfect way to warm up this season.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So my first thought is: Teanzo knows how to kick off a countdown right! Earl Grey baby! This Winter Earl Grey Tea is – essentially – an Earl Grey Creme tea. I’ve had some really good Earl Grey Creme teas and I’ve had some less than memorable ones … and I’ve had some that aren’t even worth mentioning. This Winter Earl Grey Tea is a really good Earl Grey Creme!
My first indication that this is a good Earl Grey Creme? When I opened the pouch I could smell a strong bergamot aroma. STRONG! I like that. I like that while I could smell the creamy vanilla tones, the bergamot stood out – loud and clear! This is an Earl Grey first, a creamy Earl Grey second.
And what can I say? I’m a happy tea drinker at this moment. There are few teas out there that elicit as much joy from me as a good Earl Grey tea and/or a variation of the classic Earl Grey (like an Earl Grey Creme).
To brew this: well, as I said above, these little sampler pouches holds just the PERFECT amount for my Kati Tumbler. This Advent Calender does include 24 unbleached loose leaf tea bags (and the amount in the sampler pouch is also just the right amount for these tea bags, should you decide to use them instead of the Kati Tumbler), but I prefer my tumbler.
I poured the contents of the sampler pouch into the basket of my tumbler and then added boiling water to the tumbler and let it steep for 3 minutes. Earl Grey Creme (or Winter Earl Grey!) perfection!
I’m overjoyed that this tastes as good as it smells. The bergamot has a clear and well-defined profile in this cup. The creme does not overpower the Earl Grey. The sharper notes of the bergamot are softened by the notes of vanilla. The creamy vanilla adds a sweetness to contrast with the tangy bergamot. It’s a nice contrast: sweet, creamy (almost fluffy!) vanilla together with the sharp, vibrant notes of bergamot.
And let’s not forget about the black tea base because without it … we wouldn’t be drinking tea, now would we? The black tea is not overwhelmed by the presence of the bergamot and vanilla. Conversely, the black tea is not an overly assertive flavor in the cup. Instead, it offers a smooth and rich backdrop of flavor and allows the sweet vanilla and citrus-y bergamot do their thing in the foreground. It’s not a bitter tea nor is it what I’d call astringent.
Overall, a really LOVELY tea, this Winter Earl Grey. It’s a fantastic way to kick off this countdown to Christmas Day!
On the Tenth Day of Christmas, Southern Boy Teas Edition!
Wow … it’s day 10. This countdown is rapidly winding down! Getting close to the 12th day of Christmas!
Grape Iced Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Learn more about Southern Boy Teas here.
Taster’s Review:
Of the different teas that Southern Boy Teas recently introduced, I think that this was the one I was least excited to try. I’m not real crazy about grape flavored things – I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned that at least once on this blog! I love grapes, especially the seedless “holiday grapes” that are available this time of year in Whole Foods. But, I don’t really care for grape flavored things. I really dislike grape soda, I’m not crazy about grape flavored candies or grape ice pops. I don’t even really care for grape juice.
So, I guess it goes without saying that the idea of a grape flavored tea isn’t all that exciting to me. But I have tried a few grape flavored teas in the past few years and I’ve enjoyed those that I’ve tried. So … there is a glimmer of hope for this tea!
The aroma of the dry leaf is that of grape flavored candies, reminiscent of the grape flavored sugar powder that you might find in the pixie sticks. Or perhaps grape flavored jolly ranchers. Neither of which are very appealing to me.
But this tea doesn’t taste as bad as I thought it would, or as bad as I worked myself up to think it would be. It’s sweet, and it tastes like sweet grape. But, I think that the addition of the black tea helps even out the flavor so that I don’t just taste grape candy. I think that this tastes a bit like what a black iced tea might taste like if it were sweetened with the aforementioned grape flavored pixie stick powdered candy.
Not bad … certainly something I’ll enjoy drinking. But, I don’t think it would be something that I’d add to my must order again list, you know? I like it, but I don’t love it.