Today is the 4th day of our countdown for the 52Teas 12 Teas of Christmas promotion. With the winter weather we are currently experiencing, I was excited to brew up a pot of this tea to share. But first we have to find out what tea we have today.
So scratch off today’s sticker and see what today’s tea is!
Coconut Flan Genmaicha
This is reblend from earlier in the year. I have to say that this wasn’t a favorite tea of mine when this first came out so I”m curious to see what the reblend is going to bring. So far each of the re blends have been spot on spectacular.
Brewed this tea up with the parameters provided and in no time I was greeted with a yellow-green brew to enjoy. Poured myself a cuppa and sat down to write this review. Took my first sip and. . .
Notes of creamy lush coconut roll over my palate with a roasted toasted finish and a buttery rich feel. Each sip definitely provides a very decadent coconut flavor, so if you are a coconut fan, this tea has your name all over it!
I find that I’m liking this tea better than the original blend, but its not one of my favorites but that being said. . . 52Teas doesn’t create a bad tea. Just off of the heels of a few of the other blends, like Cranberry Soda Green Rooibos ( I completely devoured this one), this one just isn’t hit the mark for me.
I’m going to try this as a cold brew to see if the flavors pop more for me. I have a feeling this method will really make the this blend pop!
Here is the official description of this tea and the Mad Musings behind it. I write my reviews before reading the official tea description.
Coconut Flan Genmaicha!
Tea Description: As I mentioned above, I was happy to see this tea win a spot into our Christmas box this year. It’s always a joyful experience to see that one of my tea creations is so well received. It’s even more exciting when the tea that’s been so well received is one of my favorite teas because that means I get to drink more of it too!
My original description of this tea went like this:
For this Cinco de Mayo, I went with a favorite dessert inspiration: Flan! I love the stuff. But I wanted something MORE than just a caramelized custard – I wanted to go coconuts! Coconut Flan! (Seriously, how yum does that sound?)
For the base, I tossed around several ideas before I settled on my organic Matcha infused Genmaicha. I thought that the Matcha together with the toasted rice would lend a really nice nutty flavor to the cup – which I felt would complement the coconut as well as that hint of caramel that Flan is famous for and the Matcha would lend a creaminess to the cup to accentuate the custard.
This is totally yum! Matcha Infused Matcha blended with huge coconut flakes and the flavors of Flan. A perfect way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo!
And really, I didn’t stray from the original recipe, except that I added some vanilla bean because you can never go wrong with a little more vanilla in a flan, am I right? So other than the vanilla bean, I kept true to the recipe because this is one that I was happy with when I first crafted it, so I stuck with my recipe. I hope you all enjoy it as much as you did the first time it was offered!
organic ingredients: green teas, toasted and popped rice, unsweetened coconut flakes, vanilla bean and natural flavors.
I don’t know that I really need to add additional tasting notes this time around since I did already write out a whole blog post about this tea once already. However, I do taste test each and every tea that I blend – each and every time I blend it. I put a great deal of time and energy into every tea blend I craft (including reblends and in many cases, especially reblends!) and it’s important to me that each tea tastes great when it’s sent out to my customers. I want to feel confident when I package up your orders, I want the confidence that each tea I send you is the best possible product. I don’t just blend teas and put them into pouches and slap a label on the pouch. I care too much about tea – I love tea too much to do that. I spend a lot of time taste testing the samples sent to me by vendors to ensure that the teas I use as bases are of exceptional quality. I hunt down organic ingredients to use whenever I can find them. I blend the teas and then allow ample time to cure before I taste test the tea and then if it’s not right – if I’m not satisfied – then I tweak the blend a little bit until I am happy with the product. I do all of these things before I package up the teas into pouches and put the label on it. A lot goes into each and every pouch of tea that I produce.
I’m not saying all of this to boast. I’m stating it to explain why it is that I take the time to write out these blog posts for every tea. I put forth this effort to give each tea the time it deserves in a taste test so that when I go to package it up, I’m confident of the product.
So here it is – this tea before me is one of my favorite creations from earlier this year – Coconut Flan Genmaicha. I created it for the week of Cinco De Mayo. Oh, who am I kidding. Cinco De Mayo was just a great excuse for me to create a coconut flan blend! Ha! I love flan and I love coconut and what better way to celebrate both these flavors than with a Genmaicha tea? My organic Matcha infused Genmaicha base was a perfect choice for the flavors of coconut and flan because the genmaicha offers a naturally sweet, toasty flavor that enhanced the notes of caramel to the custard. The creaminess of the Matcha brought out the creamy custard notes and the silky flavor of the coconut.
And that’s exactly what I’m tasting right now as I sip on this. Sweet, warm caramel and smooth, vanilla-y custard beneath a forward note of silken coconut. Delicious!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Description
This tea is no longer available but these teas are!
Calling All Coconut Lovers!! Coconut Breeze from Harlow Tea Co
I find coconut is one of those polarizing flavors. People either love it or hate it. I am on the love it side of things but overtime I learned that there isn’t just one sort of coconut when it comes to tea. Coconut can be sweet and creamy but it can also be reminiscent of body lotion. Personally, I am a lover of coconut in dessert teas though I am wary as it can also go rancid much quicker than other ingredients. Though, when done right, it can be SO RIGHT!
With that in mind, I was both excited and anxious to try this tea. Unlike the coconut blends I tend to reach for, this is a more Island-vibe sort of creation with the addition of lemongrass, orange peel and the floral rose all on a bed of green tea. I worried that that might result in the weird lotion-type coconut flavor/mouth-feel since islands and lotion (or the sun protection variety) just go together. My worries were not eased by the thickness of the steeped tea. The liquid moved as one solid unit in the cup, looking like it had an almost gelatin-like consistency.
My first sip eased my troubles as there was no lotion to be found, and even though it looked thick, this tea is smooth and mellow in texture. However, what I didn’t expect is that not only was the coconut not lotiony but it wasn’t even all that present in the flavor. It is being drowned out by the lemongrass and just a hint of a vegetal green base. I believe the only thing it is contributing to is the texture of the brew as there is a silkiness akin to creamier blends that I would attribute to the coconut.
It’s a pleasant enough tea and more sunshine and brightness than the delectable dessert I hope for when I see coconut in a blend. So, this one maybe isn’t for me but I can see others enjoying it a great deal. If you want something more reminiscent of an island life to escape the dreary winter months, this might be a tea to reach for.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Green Tea
Where to Buy: Harlow Tea Co
Description
This green tea is light and perfect for a breezy summer day. If that breezy summer day is nonexistent this tea will take you back to those days with refreshing coconut and citrus flavors.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Coconut from BlendBee- Calling All Coconut Lovers!!
I’m a fan of coconut any time of year. Whether it’s the hottest days of summer or the dark, snowy depths of winter I find myself in a better mood when I can taste a bit of the tropics. Throw in some lemon – another favorite of mine – and I’m a happy girl. BlendBee took both flavors and mixed them with a delicate white to create White Coconut. Just thinking about the mix of flavors made me want to do a happy dance.
The dry leaves are lovely to look at. There is a mix of tea leaves, coconut flakes, lemon peel, and lemon balm. The smell of the tea is coconut and sweetness. Smelling this made me smile because, honestly, this tea smells like candy.
As I said, I am a fan of both coconut and lemon, so I was looking forward to what this tea had to offer. While I found the scent of the tea delicious and charming I didn’t find the tea itself as impressive. I was thrown off by the sweetness of the stevia leaf while still searching for the combination of coconut and lemon I could smell but not taste. As the tea cooled I noticed more of the coconut flavor, and what I could taste was good. I just wanted a little more. The lemony flavors from the lemon balm and lemon peel eluded me altogether.
I can’t say this is a go-to tea for me, but I can see how tea lovers looking for a flavored tea with softer notes could appreciate it. It also has a good amount of sweetness without added sugar. It might be just the thing satiate a sweet tooth before it gets out of control. So, if you’re looking for a sweet, lightly flavored white tea and you’re a coconut lover then this might be the tea for you!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: BlendBee
Description
White Tea is by far one of the finest teas in the world. Paired with Coconut, Lemon Peel, Lemon Balm and Stevia leaf, it is a dream. Sit back, relax and linger with this beautiful mix.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Coconut Joy Tea from The Tea Can Company
I like Coconut. I like Joy. So why not a cup of Coconut Joy from The Tea Can Company? Sure…why not!? This Coconut Joy Tea from The Tea Can Company contains Ceylon Black Tea, Coconut Flakes, and Coconut Flavoring! Let me tell you…it’s a whole lotta coconut!
So…in a NUTshell…if you like coconut you just might enjoy this flavored black tea! I know I did! The Black Tea base was fairly strong but seemed to grab the flavors around it quite nicely, too! The coconut flavors were eye-opening and made my taste buds sweat. Yes, folks, it was nearly a DROOL. Together these flavors gave off more of a deep dark chocolate type taste with REAL coconut flavor connections. Not the alcohol flavor kind of coconut.
It DOES sort of remind me of the Almond Joy/Mounds I suppose. It’s been ions since I had one but it’s reminiscent of the tasty treat. I really like the deep, dark, rich, coconut and dark chocolate flavors. This is pretty special. I would add this to my secret stash! YUM!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Flavored Black Tea
Where to Buy: The Tea Can Company
Description
This delectable blend of heavenly Coconut and distinctive Ceylon Black Tea will remind you of the classic candy bar – minus the calories.
Ingredients: Ceylon Black Tea, Coconut Flakes and Coconut Flavoring, Contains Caffeine
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
