Happy New Year one and all! I hope the New Year has treated all of our dear readers well. What better way to start the New Year than with a tea that is completely out of my comfort zone. I thought this could be the year that I really try and expand my tea horizons with ginger.
Ginger and I have a love hate relationship. Until recently, I absolutely couldn’t handle anything with ginger in it. But I’ve found that I’ve started to really enjoy ginger and even ate candied ginger. . .and loved it. I’m wondering if my taste buds are starting to change. . .
Let’s Toast is a brilliant blend of yerba mate, ginger, orange extract, orange peel, holy tulsi trinity, and rose hips. This drink has it all and I couldn’t wait to try it.
Brewed up with freshly boiled water and allowed to steep for the recommend time on the package, this tea smelled like an herbal treat in a cup. There were definite citrus notes coming through.
And those some citrus notes came through in the very first sip. This tea is rich and deeply flavored with notes of citrus with a toasted texture and a hint of a spicy twist (from the ginger). A wonderful morning brew that gives you that kick you need to get going without the traditional tea flavors. What really makes this tea special is that herbal flavor you get towards the end of each sip providing you with warmth that stretches to your toes. This tea begs you to brew it up, wrap your hands around the mug, and just drink until those warm and cozy feelings kick in.
I’m sure you’ve already figured this out but I adored this tea. Just adored it and have found myself reaching for it so much that I’m almost out of it. I really love the change of pace this tea offers, plus with the ginger in it, this tea fuels my newly acquired love for all things ginger. Highly recommend this one if you are looking for something new to try for this new year. This one may even become a stable in my tea stash.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Yerba Mate Blend
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
This is a delicately toasted Yerba Mate is perfectly balanced with the Holy Tulsi Trinity (Holy Basil: Krishna, Rama & Vana), a powerfully beneficial and exotic mix. This blend has the depth of a black tea, yet it is very light and easy to drink. An intoxicating scent of orange with the subtle spice of freshly dried ginger root. It is a favorite at the Tea Hive!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Just Peachy from BlendBee. . . .
Every summer, my aunt shows up at my mom’s house with pallets upon pallets of fresh peaches “from Georgia”. (Mind you, we live in the upper Midwest.) At first, I just thought she meant that she was getting peaches from the grocery store that claimed to be Georgia peaches but no, these were real, bonafide, no-middlemen, straight-from-the-state peaches. Where she gets them, I have no idea– but I like to imagine it’s a sneaky, clandestine peach deal that goes down under the table, away from the prying eye she of Big Grocery. Either way, wherever they come from, they are hands-down the best peaches I eat every year. Fresh, juicy, mouth-wateringly sweet– these are the real deal.
And maybe it’s this peach experience that I have that informs every peach flavor I critique.
This tea, in the bag, smells herbal but juicy, a hint of that bright and fresh stone fruit flavor I’ve come to love. While the juicy peachy-ness doesn’t necessarily translate quite as mouthwateringly to the brewed cup, this tea’s interesting combination of honeybush, green tea and peach/cinnamon flavors makes it a delight to drink, hitting the perfect mark somewhere between sweet and herbaceous. Teas like this have become my favorite dessert after a heavy meal– mellow enough to settle my stomach while still hitting those sweet and treat-like notes. And though it’s not a perfect doppleganger for my favorite summer treat, it is indeed the perfect reminder in this bleak and snowy winter that in a few more months, fresh fruit will be on the way. . .
From Georgia. In the back of a truck. Straight to my aunt’s house. Mmm.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Tea Blend
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Honeybush and green tea infused with fresh peach is absolutely divine hot or iced. Sip and savor the delicate peach flavor with spices like ginger and peach. This blend will brighten any day!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
UNITEA from BlendBee. . . A World United In One Cup
BlendBee was a company I discovered this year and every blend just blows me away. The kindness, compassion, amazing quality, freshness of the teas and flavors makes BlendBee a company that really sticks out to me. This is one of those companies that once you discovered them, you just can’t get enough.
UNITEA came in last month’s subscription box from BlendBee. This blend is a mixture of Darjeeling, Honeybush, Yerba Mate, China Green Tea and English Breakfast. The description goes like this:
From South America to South Africa, India to China, with a touch of the Enlglish. Let’s all unite with one exquisite cup of tea. Spread love, joy and harmony. Cheers friends!
And Cheers friends is exactly right!
Right off the bat while this tea is steeping you get that familiar English Breakfast aroma wafting through the air. A smell that I haven’t encountered for some time and its definitely giving me love, joy, and harmony.
The flavors mingle together nicely to provide a wonderful cuppa this morning for sure. The notes that really stand out are the Darjeeling and English Breakfast ones. I can pick up the Honeybush as well but I’m not really getting the green tea or yerba mate. But that’s ok. I know they are working silently in the background to complete this gorgeous flavor that is really helping my morning along.
Such a wonderfully robust strong tea that really makes you want to drink it all morning long while checking off projects around the house or even at work. At least that’s what I’m doing now. This tea has a lot going on but everything really works well and jives.
This tea by itself is outstanding but I wanted something a bit more (after I had about 4 cups of it) , so I added in a bit of ginger and peppermint and wow, this tea has taken on a life of its own. Such a well balanced and thought out tea and now it looks like a tea that would be a great one to experiment your blending your own tea blends with.
I’m so happy this one showed up last month. Now I’m wondering what would happen if you threw in a touch of marshmallow root and some orange peel. . . . this could be something fantastic in the making. . .(hint hint BlendBee!!)
If you are looking for that last minute present for that tea drinker on your list, check out BlendBee. I know they will enjoy their blends as much as I do!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
From South America to South Africa, India to China and a touch of the English. Let’s all unite with one exquisite cup of tea. This unique blend is crafted with the worlds best teas for you to truly savor. Spread love, share joy and harmony. Cheers friends!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Hidden Meadow from BlendBee. . .A Custom for Me Treat!
A couple weeks ago, I reached out to Jamah at BlendBee and asked her if she could create a flavored green tea for me. I knew that part of her business was based on customizing tea, but I wasn’t sure if she had all the components I was asking for. So we chatted for a bit and about a week later, Hidden Meadow was born.
Hidden Meadow is a marvelous blend of vanilla, green tea, spearmint, and marshmallow root. I was wanting a tea that was a bit different than the other minty teas I had and thought this would be a good starting point. (I’m thinking we tackle a creamy orange dreamsicle tea but I haven’t chatted with her yet about this one.)
Brewed up this tea has such an inviting aroma that I literally huddle over the tea pot while the tea is steeping. I just adore the smell of the vanilla, marshmallow root, and spearmint combination. This is one tea that I allow to cool for a few moments. From my experience with this blend, allowing the tea to cool really helps bring together all of the flavors.
This tea is bright, vibrant, soothing and invigorating. All of the flavors are well balanced and not one overpowers the other. The vanilla is rich and creamy while the spearmint gives the tea a bit of pep. There is a specific taste that I adore that marshmallow root adds to a blend and I can tell its there but I really can’t describe it.
Hidden Meadows is a tea that I will need to have on hand at all times. I just adore it and its one that I’ve found myself reaching for again and again and again. I’ve even drank nothing but this tea for a few days and still can’t get enough of it!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Breathe deep & fall in love…A simple yet intoxicating blend of green tea, marshmallow root and fresh spearmint delicately infused with warm vanilla. This is a creamy, minty & dreamy green tea blend for you to savor.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Sir Rhuberry Oolongbottom from BlendBee
Have you ever met a person with whom you clicked swiftly and intimately? Where you had a conversation and then realized “WE ARE BEST FRIENDS NOW.” You spend a lot of time with them — so much time that, if it weren’t your NEW BESTIE, you’d get sick of them. But you know that they love you too.
This is my relationship with oolong tea right now. Black tea is my time-honored long-term life partner, but oolong is a fresh buddy who wants to go art supply shopping with me.
This oolong is no exception. The dry blend smells like berries, but when it starts to steep, you pick up that rhubarb bite. Ah! Strawberry rhubarb pie! With caffeine! Just what I needed! HOW DID THEY KNOW?
The sweetness is completed by a hibiscus and rubarb sharp note. The oolong flavor itself takes a backseat, but it’s comfortable back there. It’s taking a nap on the drive.
As the tea cools, the tartness goes to the forefront. If you’re not a fan of tart teas, this might not be for you, but I definitely think strawberry & hibiscus fans should give it a shot.
This tea might just go art supply shopping with you.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Oolong
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
Juicy and refreshing, this blend has just a hint of sweetness and is rounded out with bold red fruit flavors. You will long for Sir Rhuberry Oolongbottom.
