Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Tea Gschwendner
Tea Description:
Mouth-watering pineapple and succulent apricot bloom into a sweet reminder of the Islands. Mahalo.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
So this was a blind tasting; meaning I didn’t look up anything about this tea prior to trying it. However, I definitely had major expectations for pineapple – even though I didn’t see anything but somewhat non-descript candied fruit pieces in the dry leaf whenever you hear “Hawaii” in a teas name pineapple is pretty well always the ‘go to’ assumption, am I right? Also, this was a cold brew because it definitely smelled very fruity and tropical and those are definitely the kind of flavours that lend themselves well to drinking cold.
Pineapple actually is the first flavour I taste; a very tropical, sweet pineapple without a lot of natural tang to it. I’m a pineapple fiend, so of course I’m craving much more pineapple flavor though the level it’s at is pretty good given it’s the more dominant flavor. It’s accompanied by a secondary fruit flavour but I’m struggling to identify it. It’s definitely not as distinct as the pineapple is. Mango maybe? The flavor of the base is about even to the flavour of the fruit. Overall this is a relatively juicy and very summery, but other wise not overly complex or nuanced. I think I’d appreciate a few more ingredients to add some more layers to the flavour. Dare I say it, coconut would probably go well or something floral like rose.
Also, since finishing I’ve looked up the ingredients and the secondary fruit flavor was apricot – looking back in hindsight I really don’t think that it tasted anything like apricot and I’m definitely sticking with my impression that the fruit notes were much more similar to a, perhaps over ripe, mango.
Apart from not being terribly spot on with the apricot flavouring, this is a pretty solid blend!
Ginger Peach from theBeesTeas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black Tea & Rooibos
Where to Buy: theBeesTeas
Tea Description:
Black tea and peach red rooibos blended with ginger root, peach, and apricot. Ginger is known to help with stomach ailments, and act as a great digestive aid, It’s also great for helping to ward off illnesses such as colds, as it can aid the body in eliminating toxins in the body. This is a warming blend in the Winter as a hot tea, and a refreshing blend in the Summer as an iced tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
As much as I try to like teas that have red rooibos in them, that weird medicinal flavor just destroys teas for me. I really wish I liked them. There are some amazing sounding teas that sound so good and then I see that they have red rooibos in them and its all over for me. Green rooibos on the other hand is fantastic.
I steeped this one up in my One Touch Breville (212F-2 scoops-2 cups of water) and was excited to try this one hoping I could see past the red roobios. Unfortunately that isn’t the case.
The ginger and peach are the front flavors that you taste and smell when you first start to sip. But that after taste is that weird red rooibos flavor that I just can’t get past. I was really hoping that the peach, ginger, and apricot flavors would mask the red rooibos. Sadly. . no. The flavors that you taste are really good. This tea without the red rooibos blended in, I think, would be amazing and very good. There are no hints of articial-ness with this one and everything tastes fresh and tasty.
If you like red rooibos and a ginger style tea with a touch of fruit, I could see this being a winner for some. It just wasn’t the case for me. Can’t like ’em all.
Peach Apricot Iced Black Tea from Southern Boy Teas
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Southern Boy Teas
Tea Description:
Here’s our organic Iyerpadi black tea paired with the sweet, juicy flavors of peach and apricot. This is a great thirst-quencher and palate pleaser. Serve some of this to your guests and watch the double-takes you get out of this delicious iced tea.
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn about SBT’s subscriptions here.
Taster’s Review:
This Peach Apricot Iced Black Tea from Southern Boy Teas is a glassful of yummy, ice cold refreshment!
The flavor is spot-on! I’m not sure if it’s the way that the Iyerpadi single estate tea melds with the apricot and peach flavors or just the flavors themselves, but it tastes like someone pureed a peach and an apricot and strained it into a glass of black tea. The flavors are very true to the fruit!
The black tea is a smooth tasting tea – it’s strong enough to assert its flavor into the sip without being too aggressive. It doesn’t taste bitter or astringent. Just smooth and delicious.
Together with the authentic flavors of peach and apricot – this tea has a taste that’s sweet – the kind of sweetness that you experience when you take a bite of a sweet, juicy peach or a tree-ripened apricot. It doesn’t taste overly ‘sugary’ sweet and it doesn’t have a fake taste to it.
There are a lot of ready to drink iced teas on the market out there and peach seems to be a flavor that those RTD tea companies embrace – but they are all so loaded with sugar. This is so much better than anything I’ve tasted RTD!
Annapurna Amber Oolong Tea from Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Oolong Where to Buy: Nepali Tea Traders
Tea Description:
A stunning Himalayan massif, Annapurna is Sanskrit for “Goddess of the Harvests.” One leaf and a bud, plus a mature leaf are plucked. The tea is oxidized slowly, in cold air, then double fired. An exceptional Darjeeling-sytle oolong, Annapurna Oolong is infused with apricot and muscat grape flavors. Its liquor is full bodied, revealing a beautiful red-amber hue distinctive to our teas. Subtle notes of malt and caramel linger in the finish.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
My heart goes out to the people of Nepal. The recent earthquakes in that timeless, beautiful country is astronomically devastating. I can’t imagine what I would do if it was safer to sleep on the sidewalk than in my own home. I have always been entranced with the Himalayas and every single tea that I have had from that region is flawless. This Annapurna Amber oolong is no exception.
I tend to steer clear of darker oolongs, at once point I even avoided them like the plague. This one is more along the lines of Darjeeling when it comes to taste. None of that burnt ash taste in my mouth. I had to double check may gaiwan, I thought I was drinking a high quality dian hong! I get the same mouthfeel on this tea as I do for that classic Chinese red. Notes of brown sugar coat the tongue and insanely delicious notes of sweet potato fries and cocoa follow around each sip. The aroma of apricots and roasted peaches waft up into my nose as I steep the tea. This true amber liquid is quite exquisite, I am surprised at how deep and clear it is. An excellent and unexpected darker oolong that I would recommend to any Darjeeling or even Chinese red lover!
On a side note, I saw this company’s tea at my local Whole Foods! I can now buy this tea as well as a selection of sachets in the same trip as my late-night ice cream runs! I like that grocery stores near me are really upping their tea game. I didn’t know that this was a local company until I found a small selection of their teas on the shelf. Sweet!
Editor Note: To assist with the efforts to restore Nepal in the aftermath of the earthquakes, Nepali Tea Traders recently launched their Nepali Tea Restoration Fund. Here are more details:
Many of you have inquired about what can be done to help. As you likely know, funds are needed for this urgent and critical relief effort, and for massive rebuilding. We have been touched by the expressed support and concerns, and in response, we have decided to launch the Nepali Tea Restoration Fund. In order to seed this fund, Nepali Tea Traders will donate the greater of (1) all profits for the remainder of the year and (2) 20 percent of sales. We hope that you will join us by contributing to rebuilding this beautiful country for these wonderful and gracious people.
Apricot Meadow Herbal Tea from Plum Deluxe Tea
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Tea Description:
One of the best parts of a monthly tea experience is to try unique blends; this month, see what happens when unexpected ingredients come together. Apricot + lemongrass? Who knew! Spicy, sweet, yet gentle.
Lemongrass is a very interesting herb – it really transforms flavor when it is paired with other flavors. It’s a lot of fun to experiment with – you can actually make it into a tea all on its own, but we think this combination is perfect excuse to slow down and laze on a sunny spring day. You’ve earned it!
Learn more about this tea here.
Learn more about Plum Deluxe’s subscription plan here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been wanting to do a tea subscription for a very long time but with not really digging red rooibos I was always leery of committing. Plus with some of the subscription plans you get a lot of tea and I am really the only one that drinks it in my house, so I wasn’t sure if my cupboard could handle the overflow. But I finally took a chance and decided I would check one out. I emailed a few companies with a few questions and Andy from Plum Deluxe was the first one to reply. I have asked him so many questions at this point, I bet he thinks I’m crazy.
I received my first package and it is adorable. Along with my 1 oz of the tea of the month, I also received a sample of another of their blends and a cute little reusable bag with the companies logo on it. I love tea mail days. I dug in right away.
The dry leaves definitely smell like a fresh apricot. Threw 2 tsps into my Breville, set it up to 212F and steep for 5 minutes.
This really is a beautifully and well done herbal tea. I highly recommend it. The sweetness is there and you can really taste the apricot. The honeybush really provides a great sweet addition. There is almost a spicy tang to it as well. But its gentle and warming. The package says its great iced so I tried the herbal that way as well. Same steeping parameters but added some ice. Wow. I can see this as being a great summer tea. The apricot and honey flavors are really pronounced maybe even more so than when I enjoyed this hot. I might have to hold off one drinking anymore and save it for later in the summer months. I’m excited to see what next month’s tea will be.
