Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Fruit/Herbal Tisane
Where to Buy: Rishi Tea
Product Description:
Luscious currants and delicious forest berries complement this fruity and balanced blend with a wonderful scarlet red infusion that refreshes and rejuvenates.
Taster’s Review:
As I’ve said on several occasions, I’m not a big fan of hibiscus. Generally speaking, it is too tart for my personal taste. But, I know that some people out there love the stuff (otherwise, the tea companies wouldn’t be selling it, right?) so when I decided to give this tisane a try, I did so on the premise that I would be fair and objective about the tisane and try not to let my own personal feelings get in the way.
But you know what? I’m actually enjoying this! I am surprised that I am actually enjoying it.
I steeped it for just five minutes. I find that steeping hibiscus-laden tisanes any longer results in a very thick, syrupy, tart cup. But, five minutes is just long enough to extract flavor and a little bit of body out of the hibiscus without going overboard on the tartness.
And while this IS a tart tisane, it isn’t too tart. I don’t pucker up when I take a sip, but I do feel that sourness hit the back of my tongue – and its ALMOST a pucker. I did add a dollop of honey and I am sure that helped to curb the tartness a bit, but it also did something else too; it added definition to the blueberry, currant and mango flavors.
I love that I can taste the sweetness of the mango, and the thickness from the hibiscus makes the mango flavor almost nectar-like! I can also taste the blueberry peeking through. It’s a very flavorful, fruity cup and it is one that I am sure kids will LOVE (and this is much better for them than soda pop, even with the honey!)
So, it just goes to show you, don’t let the name of a tea affect your decision to try it. If I had done that, I wouldn’t be drinking this tea right now, and I am liking it!
Plum Berry from Rishi Tea
Tea Type: White Tea
Where To Buy: Rishi Tea
Product Description:
A blend of white teas combined with succulent plum and wild forest berries. It’s juicy with a deep ruby colored infusion that’s tart, fruity and naturally refreshing.
Tasters Review:
If you have followed this blog for a while now you may have noticed I tend to make special notes about plums from time to time. They aren’t necessarily my favorite fruit but they are on my top fruits list! The reason I mention them here on SororiTEA Sisters is because I sometime find an ingredient that I am on the constant search for that perfect taste or flavor or aroma or feel IN a tea. Plum is one of those flavors! Each time I see a tea with Plum in it – I will most likely try it. With Plum – specifically – I am looking for a plumpiness to it even in my tea! So I am looking for a plump and juicy plum flavored tea. Not one that is artificial tasting or barely there. I guess my plum tastes are quite specific one could say.
I’m not going to tell you that Plum Berry is my favorite Plum tea because it isn’t. BUT…I am going to tell you what I do like about this tea and why it’s different and why I would have another cuppa!
The first thing that came to mind when I smelled this DRY and prior to infusing was KOOL AID! Once infused it does smell more like plum and maybe a hint of raspberry. I prefer the infused aroma better than the dry. It is pretty juicy smelling!
Thumbs up to Rishi for creativity! It’s quite plum and berry like and it’s juicy but you can also taste the white tea a little underneath. It might be a little too flavored for some white tea purists but I think it’s alright! If you are looking for a plum or berry fix and need something a little different – you might want to try this one!
Purple Bamboo from Rishi
Tea Type: Oolong
Where To Buy: Rishi
Product Description:
This tea is an experimental oolong from an organic-in-conversion farm from Fujian, China. It is harvested from a white tea bush varietal and processed similar to Taiwanese Bai Hao Oolong and Fuding Gong Mei White tea. The dry leaf shows a unique and colorful style with a silvery, white, dark green and tippy appearance. One serving of Purple Bamboo can be infused many times and offers deep, complex fruity flavors and floral aromas. The rich mouth feel and upfront and lingering aroma suggests Darjeeling Muscatel, Lilac, Gardenia, Pit Fruit, Grape and Hops.
Use a porcelain guywan, or a Ho-hin. Add 2-3 tablespoons per 5-6 ounces of water. Infuse with 185°F-190°F water. First infusion is 2-3 minutes, second infusion 2-3 minutes, 3rd thru 5th infusions should be 4-5 minutes. Depending on the amount of tea and the water temperature, you may infuse this tea many more times.
Tasters Review:
This one certainly intrigued me. And let me tell you…the curiosity didn’t end with my cup!
The dry smell of this before infusion was a floral yet earthy-sweet smell. The post infusion was more of a manly grape or maybe a drier wine type scent for description purposes. It’s very light brown in color.
The taste is woodsy yet fruity and floral! To describe the fruit like tastes I would probably say a combination of grape, apricot, maybe a hint of plum. It’s also floral like Lilac or even lily – if you can imagine that. And let’s not forget the woodsiness of the taste! Towards the end of the sip I get a surprisingly semi-chewy taste, too!
This tea is very memorable and made me think. I like that. And I like this tea a great deal!
Raspberry Green Tea from Rishi
Tea Type: Green Tea
Where To Buy: Rishi Tea
Product Description:
Raspberry Green, Organic Fair Trade Green Tea
Smooth, steamed green tea blended with tart hibiscus and succulent raspberries. This blend is sweet, jammy and rich with a character that lends itself to tasty hot or iced tea. Goes well with a squeeze of lemon or pomegranate juice.
Water: 180°F / Leaves: 1 tablespoon per 8 oz / Infusion Time: 3-4 minutes / Ingredients: Organic green tea, organic raspberry, organic Fair Trade Certified™ hibiscus and natural raspberry flavor. Origin: Rishi blend.
Tasters Review:
Rishi is introducing 12 new teas! I’m so happy to share my experiences with their BRAND NEW Raspberry Green Tea!
When I opened the package the Raspberry seemed to be of the dried fruit variety and a little sticky…which then seemed to make the green tea leaves sticky and/or seemed to give it a texture. The aroma was a wonderful raspberry. I think there are more Raspberry bits than actual green tea and ONE little Hibiscus sliver in the bit that I infused!
Some of you know my love/hate relationship with Hibiscus. Most Hibiscus attempts are a fail…mostly because the hibiscus is WAY over done (too much in the blend) or I find it unnecessary altogether. PLUS it’s too tarty and puckery for my liking most times. NOT this time around…the very little Rishi used of the Hibiscus seemed to assist the other flavors and worked very well with it. It didn’t interrupt the wonderful raspberry at all.
The taste of this tea is sweet and fruity and has the slightest tart to it – but like I said before…it’s very slight and actually makes sense! This infuses to a very light pinkish color. It has a nice juicy and mellow type taste with fruity highlights and I really REALLY like it and think it would be wonderful iced, too!
I’m very happy with this one and very honored to be able to try this so quickly after it’s release. Be sure to check out their other releases…you might just be surprised at what you find! AND please visit SororiTEA Sisters again soon…there are more Rishi Reviews on Tap!