Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Geeky Teas
Tea Description:
A new seasonal favorite is here in the form of a gingerbread tea! Natural gingerbread flavor is layered with cinnamon bark, ginger root and orange peels on a black tea base. Mmmmm… tasty!
“Eat me! I mean, drink me!” -Gingy
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
Who doesn’t love Gingy from Shrek? That lovable little character always makes me giggle. So it seems that Geeky Teas picked the perfect character to create a holiday tea around.
To be honest, I’m not the biggest ginger fan so I was a little worried about how I would feel about this tea, but I have to say, this tea is a delight! Brewed up like a black tea with water prepped at 212F and steeped for about 3 minutes, this tea is a sweet take on a gingerbread tea. The first note you get is the gingerbread flavor with a hint of cinnamon. The orange peel gives off a nice citrus twist. There is a sweetness in there that I can’t place at the moment.
Such a lovely tea and it has such a nice feel to it. Warm, cozy, soothing. . .this tea has it all! This tea really does remind you of a gingerbread cookie. I mean, can you ask for a better holiday tea?
Tulsi Orange Cranberry Ginger Organic Tea from Simpson and Vail
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Simpson & Vail
Tea Description:
This Tulsi tea blend is caffeine-free and combines herbs that have vitamins and anti-oxidants. This organic herbal blend of Tulsi, orange peel, hibiscus, rosehips and ginger root brews to a reddish amber cup with a mellow minty, fruity taste and light, sweet ginger notes. A well rounded brew that’s great for afternoon or evening enjoyment.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been on a herbal kick as of late and loving it. Herbals are something that I think you either love or hate depending on the ingredients. I know chamomile and hibiscus blends are sometimes referred to as vile, but I love them. About the only tea I don’t care for is red rooibos blends, but beyond that I’ll try anything.
Work has been nuts lately and I wanted something to be refreshing yet soothing so I grabbed my sample of this Tulsi blend from Simpson & Vail. I was crazy impressed with their Cozy Comfort blend that I tried the other day (tasted like monkey bread!) I had high expectations but once I took in the fragrance from the dry leaf mix, I had my hesitations. The ginger smelled like it was going to be strong.
Brewed this up in my Sei Sei Tumbler and allowed it to steep for about 5 minutes in boiling water. Poured the brew into my cuppa and sat down to go over what I needed to to for the day. As I took my first sip, I literally thought, nope, I will not be reviewing what I need to do today. I am going to sit right here with my feet propped up on my desk and enjoy my tea. And that is exactly what I did!
This tea hit the spot in so many ways. I wanted a soothing blend that touched the soul, so to speak. Once that would refresh and calm me but also be vibrant enough to deliver that kick I would need to keep going. This tea did all of that. No, I’m not going to say it will cure what will ail you, but in that moment of time, this tea delivered everything I needed.
What I loved the most was the citrus flavor that had a tart twist at the end of the sip with the ginger floating in and out. The ginger wasn’t overwhelming like I was worried about and actually became the flavor I was seeking each sip I took. Which is very surprising to me. I am not a huge ginger fan. This tea had such a cozy charming feel to it with the tart and sweet contrast that I found myself wanting more of this tea right after the cuppa was gone. I ended up drinking this tea for the remainder of the day, letting the flavors really give me that cozy feeling I was wanting with that kick I desperately needed.
Tea #2 that I have tried from Simpson & Vail and another tea I am adoring!
Yogi Berry from Yellowstone Tea Co
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Herbal
Where to Buy: Yellowstone Tea Co
Tea Description:
This Berry tea is great iced and full of antioxidants for flu season.
Learn more about this tea here.
Taster’s Review:
I have been neglecting my herbal teas as of late. I’m sorry herbals! I’ll try to keep you more in sight ;).
This tea is from Yellowstone Tea Co, an Etsy Store. I have tried a few of their teas in the past so when I saw this poor neglected fellow in my tea basket, I knew it was time to try him.
Into my tea pot the sample went along with 1 cup of water at 212F to steep for 5 minutes. The tea produced a gorgeous dark red liquid. So very pretty!
What is so nice with this herbal is the different and unique flavors that have been added in. There are apples, orange peel, elderberries, hibiscus, rosehips, carrot flavors, orange slices, lemongrass, beet powder, raspberry fruit powder, and freeze dried grapes. I can’t say that I’ve ever had a tea with carrots or beet powder. I was excited to see what these flavors would produce.
The first flavor that hits me is the tartness from the hibiscus but it is nicely contrasted with the lemon from the lemongrass and the sweet flavor from the grapes. The other lovely flavor is what I’m assuming is the beet powder. There is a really nice sweet yet I swear there are hints of an earthy flavor there, maybe I should describe it more like a tangy note. Last but not least are the orange peels. They are probably my favorite part. The citrus flavor that is added in really kicks this tea up a couple notches and really balances out the flavor.
This tea iced is even just amazing. So many flavors going on. Each sip is different from the next. An explosion of flavor with each taste.
Such a fun herbal to end my day with.