I have a stack of Friday Afternoon Tea blends to try thanks to the generosity of the Sisters! I tried Rue The Day first and really enjoyed the anise in that one. Today I thought I would try this blend with bergamot for breakfast.
First of all, this is a blend of black tea and white. It is said to be “inspired by Pegasus” but I have always pictured Pegasus as all white! And Derpy Hooves appears to be a My Little Pony character, but I know nothing about that fandom so perhaps the mix of these tea types comes from there.
When two teas with really different parameters of steeping are brought together in one blend, it is difficult to know what to do, so I followed the company suggestion…which was a really surprising one to me. I would have made this at 185F in deference to the white tea but they recommend 175F and I behaved and did so.
But the problem I had with this tea is not due to the mix of black and white teas or the difficulty of getting the best notes from each type in the blend. The problem for me is the bergamot. I like the smell of bergamot, and I like blends with bergamot as long as the base is not a super lemony Ceylon.
But this bergamot smells strange. The flavor is somewhat better than the aroma, especially while I was eating, but honestly I couldn’t handle the aroma without food to cover up that smell. And although it says it contains cream flavor, I didn’t pick up cream at all.
I am glad of the opportunity to try it, and some bergamot lovers out there might dig it, but this one is not for me!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Friday Afternoon Tea
Description
Enjoy this creamy black and white tea with delicate pops of floral citrus to keep you steady on those flightier days!
Ingredients: Black tea, white tea, marigold petal, bergamot oil, natural vegan cream flavoring
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Melonade/DAVIDs Tea
The weather is warmer which means more and more reaching for summery blends. That means a lot of fruity blends become more appealing and I start picking up lemonade for a super refreshing beverage, tea lemonades.
Tea lemonades are actually how I got my sister to drink tea. Technically, I suppose it was the staff at DAVIDsTEA who got her to drink tea by giving her a sample of their Frozen Raspberry blend, iced and mixed with some lemonade. She liked it so much, she actually purchased the tea and it is one of two blends she keeps stocked. Personally, I am not the biggest fan of that tea so instead I reached for this one, Melonade, to go with my lemonade craving.
I was not sure what to expect from this green tea with apple, melon , carrot, roasted chicory root, sweet blackberry leaves, apple pomace, lemon peel, beetroot, passion fruit granules , marigold blossoms, citric acid, and natural and artificial flavouring. I was a little hesitant mostly because I usually don’t like chicory or blackberry leaves. With that said, I am happy to report that as a tea lemonade, this is really quite nice.
This tea lemonade can only be described as juicy. It is like sweet, fresh melon just overflowing with juice. I have actually had a lemon drop melon before which is a melon version of lemon drop candies and this tea lemonade reminds me so much of that – sweet melon, kept from being too sweet by slightly tart lemon. It really is refreshing and just Summer in a cup. Yum!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: DAVIDs Tea
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
White Ginger Pear/Tea Forte
I can’t believe I am enjoying a ginger tea to the point that I am happily resteeping! I NEED ginger for digestive issues but I have never enjoyed it, especially when there is enough of it to actually do you some good. It is hot, it is spicy, and I am a plain vanilla kind of gal.
One thing I do hold dear is licorice root. I know a lot of people don’t care for it, but I love the sweetness and body it gives to a blend and I prefer it to stevia…and that’s an understatement.
I have the loose leaf version of this tea and the website warns that the pyramid version may have slightly different ingredients so keep that in my mind if you decide to try it.
The aroma is GINGER, first, foremost, front and center. Since it is the first ingredient listed I assume it constitutes more of the blend. The first sip is soft and sweet, and the more you drink, the more the ginger builds.
Pear is a delicate flavor to me even when eating a fresh pear right out of hand, so pear with ginger is no contest. Ginger is definitely going to dominate. The nice thing is that you get little fruity flavors peeking now and again, adding another dimension to the tea. The white tea base is a nice little boost of antioxidants.
The tin lists all of the ingredients as being organic, so another bonus! Finally, a ginger winner for me! This is one I would definitely restock and consider it a treat to drink when feeling under the weather, or just a cup to enjoy.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Tea Forte
Description
Delicate white tea leaves plus a hint of pear and spicy ginger.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Cherry Bakewell/Bird & Blend Tea Co
This Cherry Bakewell tea by Bird and Blend Co. has been sitting in my stash since January and I keep looking past it and grabbing other options. I am not sure why but this isn’t a flavor that makes me stop in my tracks to brew it. However, when I saw it posted on Instagram with the caption “This is dessert in a cup without being too sweet or artificial tasting”, it definitely piqued my interest. Now I don’t actually know what a cherry bakewell tart is but dessert in a cup sounds good to me.
The tea, which is made of Chinese white tea, almond, cranberries, hibiscus, rosehip, apple, currants, blackcurrant, and red and blue cornflowers, brews up a shade of pink that makes me worry that the hibiscus and rosehips might be in charge.
Though there is a that typical tartness from the hibiscus and rosehips, that is not the main flavor component but rather a topnote. The strongest flavor in my opinion is the almond. The almond and the white tea which makes for a nutty/buttery combo that does help create the idea of a tart shell. That tart shell transitions into a red fruit quality from the cranberries and currants, not a distinctly cherry flavor but alright nonetheless. However, that hibby/rosehip tartness then pops at the back of your throat and really takes you out of the the whole idea of a tart.
It definitely pushes towards dessert but it is not overly sweet or fake tasting. So, in that sense, the instagram posted that inspired me to take this out of the drawer was definitely correct. However, I just wish there was less tart and more cherry. Personally, I could also do with a little more sweetness since the blending of the tart shell and filling can be slightly one-note at times.
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Bird & Blend Tea Co.
Description
Bakewell Tart is the classic tea time treat with juicy cherries and sweet almond. This luxury white tea blend is bursting with the same fruit juices and hints of sweet almond nuts, making it the perfect afternoon tea choice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberry Almond Coffee/A Quarter To Tea. . .
I think that of all the new teas I have in my “to review” box, I was most excited about this one. I am not a coffee drinker but I was so excited about the white tea, the raspberry, and the almond, that I was willing to compromise on that last flavor note of its title!
I need not have have worried, though. There is really no coffee flavor in this. The roasty flavor is coming from houjicha, a Japanese green tea that is roasted in ceramic vessels until the leaves change from green to brown or reddish brown, taking out any grassy or sour taste and replacing it with a dark, roasty goodness that is lower in caffeine than the starting product.
The first aroma when I sniff the dry leaves is ALMOND, and it is such a boozy scent that I felt it was full-on amaretto. Next is the fruit, then finally the very lightest hint of roasted leaves that makes up the coffee-like component here.
In the cup, again almond dominates, which is okay by me because I love the stuff. It is mixed with the sweet and summery raspberry flavor, and at first I think there is no coffee flavor or even roasted flavor at all. The more I drink and the longer I drink, the houjicha flavor builds and lingers, mixing beautifully with the sweet and boozy almond flavor.
I even tried this one cold and unsweetened, and guess what? It is still awesome, and I think if you are after the coffee (or houjicha) flavor, you will love it as an iced tea because I feel that the houjicha comes forward just a bit more than when it is served hot.
Another winner in my book from A Quarter To Tea!
Want to Know More About This Tea?
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: A Quarter To Tea
Description
This tea is sold out but click below to learn more about this blend and others!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!