50 Tasting Notes
It’s alright. Not among the better chai blends of the world, or even among the better Celestial Seasonings blends. The coconut and tea flavors are there, just kind of weak. Being caffeine-free is a nice touch, too. The one thing this tea really has going for it is mouthfeel. It’s very creamy on the palate. I usually pair it with an evening dessert—right now it’s complimenting a carrot-coconut cupcake rather nicely. I’m sure I’ll finish the box, but I doubt I’ll buy it again.
This was my father’s tea of choice when I was growing up. Now that I work a nine-to-five myself, I can see the appeal. A very bright and surprisingly complex blend, definitely one of Celestial Seasoning’s better offerings. Definitely a relaxing cup to enjoy after work.
I got this in a three-piece set as a graduation present, and this rapidly became my favorite of the three. And of course, now that I’ve brewed the very last tea bag, it was the one I had finished first.
I hadn’t really thought too critically about this tea up until now other than “YUM!” But now that I’m on my final bag (sniff sniff), it’s time to wrap things up with a real tasting. I raised an eyebrow reading the other reviews. “Strawberry jam? What the? I never noticed any-(takes a sip)-Oh, there it is!”
Lucky, the flavor notes of strawberries, vanilla, bergamot, and black tea marry into something excellent. I enjoy an earl grey now and then, but sometimes it can be just a little… “earl-grey-y.” This tea does not have that problem. It is earl grey’s much tastier cousin who studied abroad in Paris and came back delicious.
It’s been great, Paris. I’m going to keep your tin around to remind me of you. Maybe keep some pebbles or art supplies in it. But most likely I’ll be seeing you again real soon.
I first tried a cup of this at my brother’s house while I was puppy sitting. That was on Friday. On Tuesday, I went to Adagio and got a bag of my own. So yes, I like this tea. A lot!
The scent is lovely, both dry and steeped. I know the chestnut flavor is probably artificial instead of natural, but as long as it doesn’t smack me over the head with artificiality I’m just fine with that. The flavor is good, a rich strong black tea tempered with an earthy nuttiness and something that reminds me a little bit of raw cocoa. It’s incredibly full-bodied, which I love. Even the color is a beautiful chestnut brown.
This is probably my new favorite Adagio blend. I will be keeping it as a standby in my cupboard. And apparently I’m not the only one who thinks so, because it’s the only “seasonal” tea that Adagio is keeping in stock in March.
Sharp, bitter, and thoroughly decent. I wasn’t able to pick out any fancy caramel, malt, or cherry flavors through the astringency, but maybe others have more luck. I don’t find that milk or sugar make a lot of difference in the drinking experience, so I’ll take it with or without.
It’s a step below a good English or Irish Breakfast, that’s for sure. But it’s drinkable. I keep a box at work with me because it’s one that I don’t mind sharing.
This is probably the most mediocre herbal tea I could possibly imagine. Celestial Seasonings? Check. Chamomile? Check. Artificial fruit flavor? Check.
The flavor is primarily that typical Celestial Seasonings chamomile dust, although the apple and honey so show up just a touch at the end of a sip. This is not an exceptional tea. This is not even a good tea.
And yet, I am typing this as I finish the last bag from a box I bought less than a month ago. I cannot honestly recommend this tea to anyone as something to seek out, but if you have a box around and enjoy chamomile, you will probably finish it the same way I did. It’s the kind of tea you can break out every night after work without even the thought of rationing it out. Will I buy it again? Probably not. I do like Celestial Seasonings Chamomile, but the other blends just do more for me. But, like I said, I drank an entire box in just a few weeks, so there is obviously something about it that works, even if it only manages to be dully “okay.”
This tea tastes like nostalgia to me. I’ve been drinking it since I was a little girl. Of course, we all know it isn’t really a “tea,” but let’s not hold that against it. Sleepytime accomplishes exactly what it promises. If I need a little help chilling out before bed, a cup of this does wonders. It doesn’t hurt that it tastes pretty good, too. Strong chamomile up front, with the spearmint finishing up each sip in a nice cooling kind of way. A lot of people like it with honey. I can go with or without, depending on how I’m feeling. Which, after a mug of this liquid herbal comfort, is always chill, chill, chill.
I’ve never had a genmaicha that I didn’t like. This one is thoroughly decent and drinkable. The green tea is pretty standard bagged quality, so it probably won’t knock the socks off of seasoned tea drinkers. It’s greatly improved by the brown rice, though, so the drink as a lovely toasted earthiness—kind of like popcorn. Sometimes that hits the spot better than anything else!
Price is definitely another factor this has going for it. I got a box for around 2 bucks, so it’s affordable to drink every day if I wanted. And actually… sometimes I do. :)
I was so anxious about brewing this tea. I don’t brew loose leaf white tea very often. If you get the water too hot it’ll scorch the leaves, but of course you don’t want a bunch of leaves floating in lukewarm water. The Joy’s Teaspoon website recommended a 2-3 minute brewing time, but I’ve usually read that white tea needs a longer than average steeping time, so I let it go for around 8.
I’ll never really know whether I butchered it, because I found it very enjoyable. It gets better as it cools. A bit of sweet grape with some very lovely floral notes on a white tea base. Smooth, light, and lovely to sip. I’m very curious as to how this would taste iced, even though I almost always prefer hot tea.
I will also add that the dry leaves smell like candied grapes (not artificial grape flavor, but like real grapes covered in sugar). I’m glad that the super sweetness of the smell wasn’t in the taste, but I have to admit that I enjoyed sniffing it.
Oh, I love this tea. Love, love, love. As much as I love complex and fascinating teas with 25 or so different ingredients, there is so much to be said for simplicity. Blue Sky is a delicious tea that needs only three ingredients to be wonderful.
And oh, how they combine! The sencha is a good grassy flavor mellowed out with a light sweetness from the mallow and roses. It’s floral without being perfumey. It tastes bright and delicate and it brews to a lovely pale yellow. It always makes me think of spring! And in the middle of a Chicago winter, I need spring.
If you can’t tell, this is one of my favorite teas. I drink it whenever I need something to make me feel happy or calm. Definitely recommended to anyone who likes flavored sencha and herbal teas.
