Ceylon Emerald/Teakruthi – Skysamurai

Photo Credit: Teakruthi

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Put on music with erhu in it.

Deeply inhale. Exhale. Fruits. Strawberry. Peach. Do it again. Pineapple and mango.

Drink in a double-walled glass cup in order to fully enjoy the gorgeousness of this tea. Though don’t try to sip it grandpa style. The rose petals will try to choke you.

Tiny pink ninjas they are. This tea is better brewed cold. The fruity flavors come out better without the astringency taking over.

Personally, I wasn’t really a fan of it when it hot because I thought it was a bit too tannic, even with the fruity flavor.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Teakruthi

Description

Light, almost golden, yellow when perfectly brewed, this distinctive green tea begins its journey growing on the picturesque Radella Estate. Like only the finest Ceylon gems can do, this tea sparkles brilliantly, bewitching your taste buds with its flavour. To this unique, high grown green tea base we have added the makings of a tropical vacation. Tangy pineapple and tropical fruits including strawberry, mango, and peach compliment the Green tea base, teasing out its hidden flavours. Each sip is a moment of pure ecstasy, transporting you from your daily life to a world of the seaside relaxation that you truly deserve.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Hot Mama Jama/Bird and Blend Tea Co -variaTEA

Photo Credit: Bird and Blend Tea Co

The weather is quickly cooling down and though I am glad to see the humid days behind me, I am going to miss not having to walk a half hour in the freezing wind to get to/from campus. In light of this conflict over the weather, I went with a hot/spicy tea that also has a tropical vibe, Hot Mama Jama by Bird and Blend Tea Co.

This tea is a Chinese green tea blended with lemongrass, lime leaves and pieces (large pieces at that), chili seeds, hibiscus, rosehip, apple pieces, orange peel, passion fruit pieces, mango pieces, and flavoring. I steeped it for 3 mins in 175F water and I am drinking it plain.

The chili has a strong scent as I lift the mug to take a sip and though the flavor is definitely present in the cup, I wouldn’t say this tea is particularly spicy. Instead I get the flavor of chili upfront and a tiny bit of warmth in the back of my throat throughout the sip. That chili flavor melts into a (mostly tropical) fruity flavor that comes out exceptionally sweet in contrast. Sweet but not cloying. The lemongrass can be more prominent than I like at times but mostly there is just a bright citrus note thanks to the lime and orange. I also definitely get a lot of mango with some bursts of passion fruit here and there. The foundation flavor here keeping everything grounded and underlying the entire sip is the familiar hibiscus/rosehip flavor that is found in so many fruity teas/tisanes. Thankfully it is not strong here as it typically is.

This makes me think of a mango sprinkled with chili powder as the two flavors are both present and compliment each other just as well in tea form as they do when enjoying that treat. With that said, this isn’t necessarily the highest quality tea or the best tea but it is unique and tasty. It is the type of tea that I can enjoy every now and then because it is something different than my usual go-tos.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Bird and Blend Tea Co

Description

Turn up the chilli tea heat and join the tropical carnival with a cup of Hot Mama Jama chilli green tea. But be warned… this blazing remix of refreshing reggae limes and calypso chilli beats will have your taste buds dancing all night long.

Hot Mama Jama is well-loved by our fans in the Brighton Gospel Choir for its amazing abilities to soothe a sore throat. It is the ultimate sore throat tea and when you mix it up with lemon and honey, see sore throat tea recipe it is the best natural remedy for a sore throat that you can find!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Rose Moscato Green/Tielka Tea -CuppaGeek-

Sometimes when you receive tea mail, a tea instantly catches your eye.  That is exactly what happened when we recently received a lovely box of tea to review from Tielka Tea, an Australian tea company with one of the prettiest websites I’ve seen in a while.  Their tea blends are gorgeous and I couldn’t wait to steep this delight up.

First off, this tea is a green tea and with a name like Rose Moscato, I knew I was in for a treat!

Brewed up with water at 190F and allowed to steep for right around 3 minutes, this tea delivered on aroma and taste.  Beautiful rose notes fill the air long with that floral sweetness I’ve grown to really love and enjoy.  After having a long day, this blend exactly what I need to unwind and start to decompress.

First sip in, I have to say this tea is very simple but all of the flavors work- and work lovely. The green tea that is used in this blend is heavenly and I am a sucker for all things rose.  The tea itself has this romantic air about it and I’m thoroughly feeling indulged. I do have to note that there is a touch of tartness in the blend from the hibiscus and schisandra berries that adds this pop of tartness to counter act the sweetness from the rose petals and buttery richness of the green tea.

All in all, this tea captured this green tea lovin’ gal’s heart and I’m excited to dive into other teas from Tielka Tea and hope to make a purchase with them soon.


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type:  Green

Where to Buy:  Tielka Tea

Description

Wulu green tea, schisandra berries, hibiscus, and rose petals.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Strawberry Vanilla No. 961/Tin Roof Teas -Ashmanra-

I first tried this tea about seven years ago and I continue to pick it up now and then because it is really good to have on shelf. It is so easy to like and appeals to people who already love tea as well as people who are just starting on their tea journey. It pairs well with desserts and is lovely as a stand alone cup.

Although this came from Tin Roof Teas, I am 99.9% sure that it is sourced from Teageschwendner.

My excuse for buying this when I already have tons of tea is that my husband loves strawberry flavored teas, and he doesn’t like as many teas as I do, so I keep this on hand FOR HIM. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.

The green base is a blend from three countries – India, Japan, and China. I think Indian green must be excellent for aroma teas because I am pretty sure Harney and Sons uses a lot of it in their flavored greens. It is pretty mild and very smooth, and has just enough briskness to make this go really well with food. If tea is too mild, food flavors can overwhelm it so you taste pretty much nothing, like drinking a cup of hot water.

The strawberry flavor is fresh and the tiniest bit tart like a real strawberry. This is all smoothed over by the lovely hint of warm vanilla.

I like to steep this at 175F for three minutes and resteep right away, combining the two for an economical pot. It works really well.

Tin Roof Teas is in Raleigh, NC. They do ship and some of their teas are available on Amazon.
Their Moroccan Mint is blended in house and is my hands down favorite of the type. And their Tung Ting is mouthwateringly good. There is a 15% discount for your first order after signing up for their newsletter, so go wild!


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type: Green

Where to Buy: Tin Roof Teas

Description

Our Strawberry Vanilla is a captivating composition of sweet, succulent strawberries and creamy vanilla that is sure to bring your taste buds to life.

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

Bubblegum/The NecessiTeas – Ashmanra-

It is hot and humid and hasn’t been a very fun day. Harrumph. I looked to my samples stash to find something light to cheer me up. Bubblegum sounded perfect!

This is a green tea with long, lightweight leaves and my second teaspoonful had a REAL GUMBALL in it! Be sure you scoop enough leaf for this one or go by weight instead of spoonfuls, leaving the gumball off the scale!

The instructions says to use water “just under boiling” but I went with my usual green tea temp and used 175F water for three minutes. Of course when I retrieved the infuser basket from the pot, I had to check to see what happened to the gumball! The color and hard coating were gone and a smaller sticky globe was there. Perhaps hotter water would have melted it entirely.

I drank a cup of this hot, and it was good, fruity, but not really screaming GUMBALL at me. It was just a pleasantly fruity green tea with a very light sour or brisk edge barely there. I didn’t add anything to it.

I put the rest of the tea in the fridge to chill for supper. I think I like it even better this way. The edge I tasted when it was hot is gone, and I am left with a light, refreshing, fruity green tea. I have enough leaf left for one more pot, and I will go unsweetened iced tea all the way with the balance of it.

 


Want to Know More About This Tea?

Leaf Type: Green

Where to Buy: The NecessiTeas

Description

We all remember that sweet pink bubblegum flavor as a kid. Contests with your best friend to see who could blow the biggest bubble and then having it pop and stick to your entire face. Chewing it for hours until our jaws ached or falling asleep with it in our mouth which meant waking up with a big sticky mess in our hair! This blend takes me back to all those childhood memories and will be loved by adults and children of all ages. Feel free to steep the actual gum balls or pop one in your mouth and work on your bubble blowing skills while your tea is steeping!

Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!

*gifted in exchange for review*