52Teas Loose Leaf Rooibos Tisane 'Melange Rooibos'

Tea Information:
Tea: Melange Rooibos
Type: Rooibos a.k.a. Red Tisane (Tea is technically only from the camellia sinensis plant)
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: 52Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: Geeking out a bit this week, with a tribute to one of my favorite novels.
Here’s our Melange Rooibos with caffeine-free African rooibos, cinnamon, sweet green cardamom and clove. The rooibos makes a great base for these spices, and the result is amazing hot or iced. While we can’t attest to this tea’s ability to help you navigate folded space, we think it will put a smile on your face.
PS If you have no idea what we’re talking about this week, you lose ten nerd points and must immediately find a copy and read this. (There will be a quiz.)
Ingredients: Rooibos, organic cinnamon, green cardamom, clove, organic flavors.

Steep Information:
Amount: 4 tsp
Water: 12oz at boiling
Tool: kati loose tea system 12oz
Steep Time: a little over 5 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: cinnamon, orange, wood
Steeped Tea Smell: cinnamon, pepper, orange
Flavor: cinnamon, woody, orange
Body: Full
Aftertaste: bark
Liquor: nearly opaque dark red-brown

This is delicious!

Rating: 4/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

I purchased this product. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Organic Thai Iced Tea'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Thai Iced Tea
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description:

Finally, Thai Iced Tea with NO artificial flavors or colors!

Thai Tea (also known as Thai Iced Tea) is a popular iced drink hailing from Thailand, commonly found in Thai restaurants across the US. Our Organic and Fair Trade Certified Thai Iced Tea is a traditional blend of strong black tea, vanilla bean, cardamom and anise. It can be enjoyed hot or cold with a twist of lime as a self drinker (without milk). Or it can be brewed to create a traditional, restaurant-style Thai Iced Tea when combined with ice, milk and sugar!

To recreate a restaurant-style Thai Iced Tea, we recommend steeping a double strength cup of tea. Then sweeten the hot brew with sugar, and serve over ice. Glasses of Thai Iced Tea are usually topped with dairy, such as sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, half and half, or coconut milk (this last one, of course, is not actually dairy). The final addition of dairy usually rests on top of the ice cubes creating a beautiful layered effect in the glass!

For illustrated step-by-step instructions, check out our guide How to Make Thai Iced Tea. Please note: our Thai Iced Tea will not turn orange when dairy is added, but will appear a natural light brown color.

NO artificial colors or flavors! Did you know that the deep orange color of Thai Iced Tea served in restaurants is usually attributed to artificial coloring? Well, no longer! We’ve developed an organic tea blend that includes no artificial colors or flavors. As a result, when dairy is added to this iced tea it will not turn orange, but a beautiful, natural light brown!

Ingredients: organic black tea, organic vanilla bean, organic cardamom, and organic anise seeds

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 8oz at 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: approximately 3 and a half minutes
Served: Cold

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: cardamom, spice
Steeped Tea Smell: bakey black tea
Additives: 2 tsp sugar, ice, 4 tbl sweetened condensed milk
Flavor: heavily spiced black tea
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet, astringent
Liquor: nearly opaque dark brown to a cloudy light brown

Delicious! Very much like the many thai teas I have had while dining out. I zipped through this sample in the hot weather and was sad to find I had no more *sniff*

I tried the next batch hot and cold, both were good
(4 tsp 500ml at 212°F - 3 minutes, 2 cups 1 tsp sugar each, 4 tbl milk each 2 hot and 2 cold)

I even did a resteep, and it worked out fine

Note: breville had lots of grit in cups / teapot - suggest using tsac method

Rating: 4/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing













I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

ZEALONG Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Zealong Black'

Tea Information:
Tea: Zealong Black
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: ZEALONG
Purchase: I got a pre-release pack

Steep Information:
Amount: 3 tsp
Water: 500ml at 195°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, light, toasty
Steeped Tea Smell: Floral, fresh vegetal, slightly roasty, sweet
Flavor: Sweet, toasty, smooth, almost silky
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet, toast
Liquor: translucent honey yellow brown

Lovely, light, sweet! In addition it have this beautiful sweet floral fragrance that I could not stop sniffing. It is not a morning wake you up cup of tea but a slightly floral sipping tea. It is delicate on the tongue, but with enough presence to make sure you know it's delicious.

Resteep:
500ml at 195°F for 3min

Just as good, slightly less smooth mouthfeel

Third steep was too weak at 4 minutes

I thoroughly enjoy this black! I don't love it as much as the oolong

Rating: 4/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing







I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Teavivre Loose Leaf White Tea 'White Peony (Bai MuDan)

Tea Information:
Tea: White Peony (Bai MuDan) Tea
Type: White Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Teavivre
Purchase: Here
Description: White Peony Tea, or Bai Mudan Tea as it is called in China, is a slightly oxidised white tea, produced with the same minimal processing as Silver Needle white tea. The difference between the two is that Silver Needles is only made from the unopened new tea buds, while White Peony also includes one or two freshly opened leaves. When dry, this tea's leaves and buds are an olive-green color, covered in with a down-like covering of fine white hairs.

TeaVivre's White Peony tea is premium quality tea produced by a gold medal winning plantation in Fujian.

This year, good growing conditions mean that our White Peony has an excellent clean pekoe scented fragrance and taste. When it is brewed it will have a pale orange-yellow color, with a very subtle flavour, without any bitterness or astringent taste, characteristic of the best quality White Peony tea.
Origin: Mt. Taimu area, near the city of Fuding, in Fujian province, on the south eastern Chinese coast.

Steep Information:
Amount: 5.4g
Water:750ml at 185°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, sweet, vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, floral, lightly delicate vegetal
Flavor: smooth, silky, sweet
Body: Light
Aftertaste: floral, vegetal
Liquor: translucent light yellow-green

Resteep:
750ml at 195°F for 3 min
weaker flavor and smell

Resteep:
750ml at 195°F for 4 min
weaker flavor and smell, no longer silky smooth mouthfeel

Steep Information:
Amount: 4.8g
Water:750ml at 185°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, sweet, vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, floral, lightly delicate vegetal
Flavor: smooth, silky, sweet
Body: Light
Aftertaste: floral, vegetal
Liquor: translucent light yellow-green


Delicious, smooth, silky, wonderful cup of tea for just sipping and enjoying. 2 minutes was better than 3.

Rating: 4/4 leaves

Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing

Packaging:




5.4g



4.8g



I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Teavivre Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Bailin Gongfu Black Tea'

Tea Information:
Tea: Bailin Gongfu Black Tea
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Teavivre
Purchase: Here
Ingredients: Pure tea buds and new leaves
Origin: Fuding, Fujian, China

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 ounces hot tap water
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: sweet, roasty, delicious
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, roasty, delicious
Flavor: sweet bakey
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: toasty
Liquor: translucent dark brown

Delicious, from the smell you knew it would be a smooth toasty black. It has its own sweetness, and just enough toast to be soothing but not an astringent black.

Resteep: 2 minutes, 12 ounces hot tap water
Lighter body, but still delicious

This tea puts up with poor preparation (at work) and has been a once a week treat on my first day of work. The smooth mouthfeel and gentle toasted sweetness wake you up gently and not with the vicious shake sometimes given by an assam.

Solid performer, I have been drinking this at work and it has been hard to mess up, and consistently delicious without being jarring. This is not a kick you awake tea but a tea to perk you up with friendly soothing sips.

Rating: 4/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing








I received this product for free in return for writing a review.
All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.

Chicago Tea Garden Loose Leaf Oolong Tea 'High Grade Ben Shan Oolong'

Tea Information:
Tea: High Grade Ben Shan Oolong
Type: Oolong Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Chicago Tea Garden
Purchase: Here
Description:
Etymology: “Ben Shan” translates to “Source Mountain”
Other Names: Benshan

Origin: China, Fujian Province, Anxi County

Harvest: Spring 2010

Taste: Roasted and floral, with a lasting nutty after-taste.

Behind the Leaf: Ben Shan is one of the famous Anxi County oolongs from China. The name “Ben Shan” is the cultivar of camellia sinensis used to make this oolong.


Steep Information:
Amount: 1 tsp
Water: boiling
Tool: Bee House teapot
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal, nutty
Steeped Tea Smell: buttery, sweet
Flavor: vegetal, nutty
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: astringent
Liquor: translucent honey yellow

Re-Steep Information:
Water: boiling
Tool: Bee House teapot
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, roasty, nutty
Flavor: roasty, nutty
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: nutty, astringent
Liquor: translucent honey yellow

Came as a gift with an order from Chicago tea garden.

I could have steeped this more, but after 4 cups of tea it was time for bed.

I really love this oolong, not as much as the new zealand oolong but it's this nice nutty roasty, but not too dark, tea.

If you enjoy a little roast to your tea I highly recommend you try this!

Rating: 4/4 leaves


Leaf system:
1=Bleh! not again if it were free
2=Acceptable, if it were free or there were limited other tea options
3=I might purchase this tea from time to time, or select it while out
4=A staple in our cupboard from now on, I will purchase and keep purchasing









I received this product for free in return for writing a review. All my reviews are as unbiased as possible, whether I buy or receive free product. I accept no other compensation other than free product.