Holy murky waters, Batman! Seriously. Teas are normally translucent at the very least but this brews up unexpectedly opaque. My guess is the pollen is at play here. Well, here goes nothing…
Alright, so after my first sip, my thought was, for a tea that looks so dense, this tastes surprisingly thin. It smells like tea and pear and yet the taste is just slightly sweet/ slightly pear flavored water. No honey. Not much tea. Big sips, small sips, letting it sit on my tongue…maybe there is a touch of honey sweetness but I want MOAR!!! More pear. More honey. This sounds awesome but it is failing to deliver. Honestly, I don’t even know if I could identified the honey or pear if I had this in a blind taste test because it is very, very subtle.
If I am being honest, I think this may benefit from a different base. A green would be good actually since it is lighter which would allow for more of the light pear flavor to come through. Honey would also stand out more on a green base, though when I saw the base was black I hoped it would contribute additional honey notes that the flavoring could play off. Alas, it seems I am getting a whole lotta nothing.
Perhaps next time I will steep it stronger or maybe add something to coax out more flavor. However, steeped per the recommended time in 190F water, I am sad to say this fell short of my expectations.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description
Just like biting into a sweet, succulent pear, this tea is sure to please. Enjoy it hot or iced!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Honey Pear Tea by Nelson’s Tea
Following steeping recommendations, I steeped 1 tsp of this with about a cup of water at approximately 195-200 degrees F for 3 minutes.
My first thought was that this tea smells like bee pollen, although I don’t actually have all that much experience with bee pollen, lol. But when I looked up the ingredients I discovered that bee pollen is actually one of them so I guess I was right!
It steeps up a nice golden/amber color, but interestingly cloudy. Instead of a clear amber like many teas are, it had lots of tiny specks like golden dust floating around in the depths. (That would be from the bee pollen, I guess. It’s a great special effect.) The fragrance is probably also courtesy of the bee pollen, so if you know what that smells like, just imagine that. At any rate, it doesn’t smell much like black tea when steeped (or before steeping either).
The first taste is mostly of pollen-ish honey flavor. It’s got a hint of pear but not a lot of conventional “fruity” taste. It doesn’t taste overly sweet either; I mean, it’s a bit sweet but not as sweet as I expected from something honey-flavored. It also doesn’t have an overpowering black-tea flavor.
After trying it plain I added sugar, about a teaspoon, and now it’s way too sweet for my taste. It definitely tastes of honey rather than sugar though, which is interesting given that I just put a bunch of sugar in. So then I added some milk to balance it back out again and now I’m finally catching a hint of the “black tea” flavor; still, though, it mostly just tastes of warm honey-milk and a slight fruity depth from the pear (which is quite nice but not very conspicuous; you don’t really notice it unless you’re trying). It’s very warm and comforting and great for rainy afternoons.
So I’d say overall my impression of this tea is that it’s quite subtle (other than the cool dissolving-pollen bit). There’s a lot to appreciate if you’re willing to take your time with it. I’m thinking of steeping it up more strongly next time to see if I like it better that way or not.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black Tea
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description
Just like biting into a sweet, succulent pear, this tea is sure to please. Enjoy it hot or iced!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
I’m CooCoo for White Coco Choco Chai from Nelson’s Tea
When I’m trying to cut caffeine, but still want some chai spice, I often drink nutty rooibos chais or lemony herbal chais. Depending on the blend and my mood, these alternatives can be tasty, but sometimes I find myself wanting more. White Coco Choco Chai from Nelson’s Tea is the perfect solution.
This tea has a white tea base along with the usual suspects of chai spice: cinnamon, ginger, cardamom. But it also has the addition of allspice, black pepper, coconut and chocolate chips. There’s the same heat I know and love from black tea chais, the kick of ginger and pepper, but there’s also a creaminess from the coconut and chocolate that gives decadence and body where the black tea is absent. The white tea base is light on the caffeine and astringency, making for a spice-driven cup that’s okay to drink just about any time of day.
This tea is like an x-ray, just the white bones of a chai; spice, distilled. Even in the bag, it’s lovely to look at with big cardamom clusters, allspice pods, cinnamon bark, and the white curls of coconut shavings. The tea leaves seem so few in proportion! The smell of this blend in the bag and while brewing is strong and cozy, filling my kitchen with its spicy scent. This tea has all the comfort of a delicious baked good, livened up with the zing of allspice and pepper.
I got to taste just a few cups from a small tea sample, but I will definitely be stocking up on White Coco Choco Chai from Nelson’s Tea as soon as I can!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description:
Spicy chai blend in a warm and sweet white tea base with succulent chocolate and coconut. It’s dessert in a cup.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Peach Dream from Nelson’s Tea #VeganMoFo2016
Don’t you just LOVE colors that compliment each other? That is today’s Vegan MoFo prompt and since the Sororitea Sisters is doing-up Vegan MoFo TEA Style we decided to jump into the mix with Peach Dream from Nelson’s Tea. When you look at the dry mix of ingredients you will see olive green, khaki, cream, orange-yellow, and a few specs of darker brown because of the green rooibos, orange peel, marigold petals, and other flavors in this herbal blend.
Peach Dream from Nelson’s Tea infuses to a orange-light brown and smells incredible because of the peach. The flavor is peachy, sweet, creamy, and a bit like a sweeter nut – almost like cashew, perhaps! I completely agree with the use of green rooibos here and the peach is plump and pleasant and not overdone in the slightest. Peach Dream from Nelson’s Tea makes for easy sipping and is tasty hot or cold. If you try this iced – word to the wise – do a double dose of loose and steep for double the time! YUMMO!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green Rooibos
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description:
Ingredients: Green rooibos, orange peel, marigold petals, natural flavor
Brewing Instructions: To brew this tea, utilize 1-2 teaspoons of tea/8 oz of boiling water and should be steeped 5-6 minutes to unlock its full flavor and benefits. To make the iced version, double the amount of tea and brew the same way. When finished pour over ice.
*Note: 4 oz of tea equals 50-60 teaspoons or between 30 and 60 cups of tea.
Benefits:
- Anti-inflammatory Properties
- Protects the Nervous System and Brain from Free Radicals
- A bronchodilator, Aiding the Respiratory System and an Antispasmodic
- Antibacterial, Antiviral, and Antifungal
- Hypoallergenic and Utilized to Treat Various Skin Conditions
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Raspberries & Champagne from Nelson’s Tea
Raspberries & Champagne? Yes, please! How about Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea? Again…YES…PLEASE!
Even tho Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea only contains White Tea, Safflower, and flavoring they must be top notch ingredients because the delicate white tea is sweet, floral, and totally what I look for in a white tea and the Raspberries & Champagne Flavors are just that…Raspberries & Champagne. Plump, juicy-sweet raspberry and that tinge of zing you would look for in a Champagne.
Raspberries & Champagne Tea from Nelson’s Tea is a pure delight as a hot tea in your favorite teacup or a nice surprise as an iced tea on a hot day or with a meal. This is a wonderfully flavored white tea, indeed!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: White
Where to Buy: Nelson’s Tea
Description
Ingredients: White tea, safflower, natural flavors
Brewing Instructions: Brew 1-2 teaspoons of this blend/8 oz. of water at 175 degrees Fahrenheit, and allow to steep 4-5 minutes for full flavor and benefits. For iced tea simply double the amount of tea used during brewing and steep with the same amount and temperature of hot water, and when finished, simply pour over a cup of ice.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!