Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Green Tea 'Cherry Sencha'

Tea Information:
Tea: Cherry Sencha
Type: Green Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: Our Fair Trade Certified Cherry Sencha organic green tea pairs a blend of sencha-style green teas with the sweet-tart flavor of real cherries. The concentrated fruity aroma gives way to a subtly-tart cherry flavor that is in perfect balance with the green tea in the cup.   Like all of our flavored blends, this organic loose tea tea uses only the highest quality teas, essential oils and botanical ingredients, insuring an excellent cup every time!
Ingredients: organic Chinese and Indian green teas, organic rosehips, organic calendula petals, organic safflowers and natural cherry flavor

Steep Information:
Amount: 6 tsp
Water: 1000ml at 175°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 2 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: floral, sweet, fruity
Steeped Tea Smell: sweet, fruity, vegetal
Flavor: gritty. vegetal, slightly grassy, hints of fruit
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: grassy
Liquor: cloudy light yellow green

Not bad, very light on the cherry

Rating: 2/4 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.

Arbor Teas Company Loose Leaf Oolong Tea 'Organic Ti Kuan Yin'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Ti Kuan Yin
Type: Oolong Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here

Description: Ti Kuan Yin is the most famous of all organic oolong teas. This Fair Trade Certified organic Chinese tea is grown in the southern reaches of China's Fujian Province. The tightly-rolled dark green organic loose leaf tea leaves yield a pale golden, smooth-bodied infusion with a complex aroma having accents of sweet flowers, rich greens and forest floor. The taste of the thick, nectar-like liquor is lightly vegetal, with slight floral qualities and a rich butteriness. The characteristic "oolong glow" is quite prominent. As with our other Chinese oolongs, our Ti Kuan Yin may be infused multiple times, with each infusion revealing a new nuance of this tea's complex flavor.
Ingredients: organic Chinese oolong tea

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml at 195°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: vegetal
Steeped Tea Smell: lightly vegetal, sweet
Flavor: vegetal
Body: Light
Aftertaste: sweet
Liquor: translucent green-yellow
smooth but not silky. Good, but not exceptional.

Resteep:
500ml at 195°F for 3 minutes

still smooth and delicious

Rating: 3/4 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.

Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Pu-Erh Tea 'Organic Special Grade Pu Erh Tea'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Special Grade Pu Erh Tea
Type: Pu-Erh Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: Our organic and Fair Trade Certified Special Grade Pu-Erh Tea offers an excellent representation of superior-quality loose grade pu-erh teas manufactured using the Shu Cha or "cooked” method of production. It hails from the Jing Mai Mangjing region of China’s southwestern Yunnan province, made from the 1300-year-old tea trees found there – some of the world’s oldest living tea trees. The medium-sized, tightly-rolled leaves render a rich, dark brown infusion, with mellow earthiness and good body.
Sustainability is a cornerstone of Arbor Teas’ business philosophy. In addition to offering an exclusively organic selection of teas, they recently became the first tea company to offer their whole catalog in 100% backyard compostable packaging. They’ve also carbon-offset the entire supply chain of their products, from origin to the customer, making Arbor Teas the greenest option for Earth-conscious tea drinkers, and one of few tea companies recognized by Green America.
Ingredients: organic Chinese pu-erh tea

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml at 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 1 minute
Served: Hot
Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: earthy
Steeped Tea Smell: fall leaves, dirt
Flavor: earthy yet smooth
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: sweet
Liquor: translucent dark red-brown
Resteep:
500ml at 212°F for 1 minute 30 seconds
Exactly the same as the first steep

Resteep:
500ml at 212°F for 2 minutes
Exactly the same as the first steep

This tea could have kept going, but the work day was over

Rating: 3/4 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.

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.

Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles by Arbor Teas 2011

They're Back! I had some last year - Arbor Teas Tea-Infused Chocolate Truffles

I am eating them once a day, so far:
1: Pineapple Passion Dark chocolate, somewhat sweet center
2: Lapsang Souchong delicious smoky dark chocolate
3: Matcha bright green tea with a before and after milk chocolate sweet tinge

Note yet eaten: Jasmine
Earl Grey
Masala Chai

Purchase them here

Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Black Tea 'Earl Grey'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Earl Grey Black Tea
Type: Black Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company: Arbor Teas
Purchase: Here
Description: This organic, Fair Trade Certified version of the classic Earl Grey does not disappoint. It has a correct balance of flavoring which results in a piquant and refreshing true Earl Grey taste. Made fashionable by the Prime Minister of England Earl Grey (1830-1834), Earl Grey is traditionally a blend of Chinese and Indian teas flavored with the oil from the citrus bergamot fruit.

The legends of Earl Grey are numerous. One such tale tells how a British diplomat on a mission to China saved the life of a Chinese citizen, and as a gift of gratitude was given the recipe for this flavored tea. Upon his return to Britain, this diplomat presented the tea to the Prime Minister of the day, Earl Grey. Another story claims that it was the Prime Minister himself who was awarded the recipe.
Ingredients: organic black tea and natural bergamot flavor

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 oz boiling
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: a little over 2 minutes (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: strong bergamot
Steeped Tea Smell: strong bergamot
Flavor: black tea, smooth
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: slight astringency, bergamot
Liquor: translucent dark brown

OK, not anything amazingly unique. On the stronger side of bergamot flavoring for an earl grey, in my opinion.

Nice solid morning tea.

Rating: 3/4 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.

Arbor Teas Loose Leaf Green Tea 'Organic Genmaicha Extra Green Tea'

Tea Information:
Tea: Organic Genmaicha Extra Green Tea
Type: Green Tea
Packaging: Loose Leaf
Company:
Purchase: Here
Description: This organic Genmaicha Extra Green is an innovative blend of Genmaicha (pronounced GEN-my-cha) and Matcha (pronounced MA-cha). Called the best Japanese tea invention of the 20th century, this exceptional combination of Genmaicha's toasted aroma and Matcha's rich green character brings forth a pleasing and harmonious flavor that is bolder, sweeter and slightly more bitter than our traditional Genmaicha. Unlike many "Japanese" green teas available in the United States, this organic Genmaicha Extra Green is actually grown in Japan.
Ingredients: organic Japanese green tea and organic brown rice

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 12 oz boiled and then cooled for a minute
Tool: kati loose tea system (my Review here.)
Steep Time: a little over 1 minute (http://steep.it/)
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: nori, rice
Steeped Tea Smell: nori
Flavor: sushi, well nori and rice
Body: Medium
Aftertaste: a little bitter
Liquor: translucent honey yellow-green

I am not a big green tea drinker in general, but I found that I do love genmaichas. It may be because they remind me of the rice and nori in sushi. It is a nice soothing cup, not as good as the Teaflection Loose Leaf Green Tea 'Japanese Genmaicha Tea' but a close contender. This tea has more of the green tea flavor than rice flavor is why I favor the other one personally, if you wish for a higher green tea to rice mixture you'll prefer this one.

Rating: 3/4 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.