Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Sands of Thyme
Product Description:
www.sandsofthyme.artfire.com
Ingredients: black tea, sunflower blossoms, flavor, mallow blossoms
Tasters Review:
I’m always looking for something OTHER than run-of-the-mill Earl Grey and this one fits the bill. Sure, it’s floral, but that is the draw with this one! It’s strong but creamy. The Bergamot isn’t the focus here it’s very much in the background and contributes a little more than a hint of it in the overall taste of the tea. The stereotypical Earl Grey taste is a bit more subtle that most and the floral notes have stepped up to bat for this one.
This is a nice departure from your stereotypical Earl and I like it!
Snow Flake Tea from Sands of Thyme
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Sands of Thyme
Product Description:
Ingredients: black tea -Ceylon, -South India, -China, coconut rasps, flavor, almond flakes
Tasters Review:
I’ve said it before and I will say it again…I HATE WINTER. I don’t like being cold. I guess that is another reason I love tea…it’s a nice warm-up! I live in the snow belt and we’ve gotten slammed with snow this week so I thought it was only fitting to post a review about Snow Flake Tea from Sands of Thyme. Now THIS is a Snow Flake I like!
The Coconut and Almond gives this a neat flavor! I’ve had a few Snow Flake Blends from other companies before but this one has a mixed drink type taste to it that I am really enjoying! It also seems to leave a cookie-like aftertaste…this is a treat!
Another winner from Sands of Thyme!
Dark Chocolate Orange from Sands of Thyme
Tea Type: Black Tea
Where To Buy: Sands of Thyme
Product Description:
Ingredients: black tea Assam, cocoa bits, orange bits, natural flavor, cardamom, pink pepper
Tasters Review:
I’m always up to try Orange Chocolate ANYTHING!! I’m originally from the Buffalo, NY, area and Orange Chocolate is HUGE in Buffalo! When I moved from that area several years ago many people I spoke to regarding my love of orange chocolate had never even heard of it before! I was AMAZED at this fact! I still am today! So…if you have never tried orange chocolate before PLEASE do – at least once in your life!
Anyhow…When I received an assortment of teas from Sands of Thyme I HAD to try this one first!
This smells much like Orange Chocolate right out of the package. Once infused add spices to that aroma and that is what you have here! It’s medium brown in color – post infusion.
This tastes like Orange Chocolate and cardamom. It’s a really good taste. It’s not heavy on the dark chocolate aspect but that won’t interrupt me from enjoying this tasty cup of tea! Ahhhhh!
Chai Indienne from Sands of Thyme
Tea Type: Chai (Black Tea Base)
Where To Buy:
Sands of Thyme
and/or
Sands of Thyme
(Yup! Check out BOTH Shops!)
Product Description:
Ingredients: black tea, cinnamon, ginger bits, cardamom, cloves, flavoring, black pepper, rose blossom leaves, vanilla bits, safflowers
Tasters Review:
I have been seeing SANDS OF THYME mentioned online by a few fellow tea freaks lately so when we were able to try some of the Sands of Thyme Teas I was more than happy!
I LOVE their shop name on Etsy! I just have to point that out!
So far one of my favorites is their Chai Indienne.
It’s light on aroma but not on taste! The spices are JUST RIGHT for me! The cinnamon is a little bit stronger than the ginger. The cardamom and cloves are in there too – as well as the black pepper. I appreciate these specific ingredients not being too strong. I can taste floral notes as well! The rose petals are a nice touch. The vanilla is noticeable in the middle of the sip and more-so as it cools. I applaud the vanilla in this case – it helps with the other spicy spices and really added to the mix of flavors!
This is a good chai, indeed!
Winter Chocolate Rooibos from Sands of Thyme
Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Rooibos
Where to Buy: Sands of Thyme on Etsy
Company Description:
Ingredients: rooibos, cocoa bits, ginger bits, cinnamon, roasted chicory root, barley malt, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, flavor, black pepper
Taster’s Review:
This tisane has a very interesting flavor. When I ordered it, I had expected it to be a spicy/sweet kind of taste, but, I don’t know that I would classify it as either spicy or sweet. I would call it savory.
But I consider this a nice surprise as my expectations were based entirely on the name of the tea and list of ingredients – not a lot to go on.
The rooibos offers a mellow woodsy/nutty tone to the cup that is further accentuated by the spices. The malt adds a certain richness to it, and the chicory adds a savory bitterness to the cup. The combination of these ingredients plus the spices give the tisane a very well-rounded flavor that I don’t usually experience with rooibos tisanes.
As I said, the spices themselves – the cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and black pepper – don’t create a very spicy blend – it is spiced, certainly. It just isn’t spicy as the spices are very much in harmony with one another. That being said, there is a hint of peppery tingle that hits the tongue in the finish that I find rather enchanting and keeps me sipping.
If I were to change anything about this blend, it would be the level of chocolate flavor. It is not nearly as chocolate-y as I would like it to be. That being said, the chocolate flavor does develop a bit as the tisane cools slightly, but it is still more savory spice than it is chocolate.
This is the first of several teas I’ve ordered from Sands of Thyme, and it is a pleasant one. Maybe not my favorite rooibos blend, but one that I certainly enjoyed and am glad I tried. It is one that I’d recommend to those who enjoy a savory, full-flavored tisane.
