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Strange VariaTEA TTB #19

I had no idea what this blend was supposed to taste like when I grabbed it from the box, but I could see and smell the coconut, so I went for it! Turns out this tea has not one but two of my favorite flavors: coconut and caramel both! It’s super smooth and buttery and rich and I’m quite enjoying it.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #18

This sounded like a refreshing choice for another unseasonably hot fall day…and it was! I tried a couple of sips hot and then poured the rest over ice, which was definitely the way to go for this one. (I’ll bet a cold brew would be really nice too.) I definitely taste the lemongrass along with the lime and maybe just a hint of blueberry. The base tea is also imparting a nice grassy note that adds some complexity to the flavor, but thankfully no bitterness or astringency. I’m a fan!

Strange VariaTEA TTB #17

I was getting a nice hazelnut flavor from my first few sips, followed by a strong stevia aftertaste. As it cooled down, though, the stevia took over and it honestly just tasted likely slightly nutty sweetened water. This is a pass for me.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #16

I don’t think I’ve ever had a smoky chai blend before…and now I’m questioning why not, because this is delicious! Everything is perfectly balanced: not too spicy; not too smoky. I drank it straight but I’m super curious to try it as a latte and see if that’s still good or if the smoke gets lost in the milk. This one may be staying with me. :)

Strange VariaTEA TTB #15

How can you resist a tea with a name like this? Sadly, this tea does NOT put me in a sunny mood. :( Though it’s labeled a black tea, the base is primarily rooibos. And honestly? That’s ALL I taste. I can see from the ingredients list that there’s a lot more going on here, but whether due to the age of the sample or my brewing preparation, or just my own sensitivity to rooibos, all I’m picking up on is that woody, medicinal rooibos flavor that I despise. Hopefully someone else will enjoy this one more than I did!

Strange VariaTEA TTB #14

I learned my lesson from the last Earl Grey I sampled in this box and tried this one without milk first! Straight, I was getting quite a bit of hibiscus, which sort of reads as cranberry, I guess? With milk, the tartness faded into the background and the bergamot popped more, giving me more traditional Earl Grey vibes. But I love traditional Earl Grey, so I’m not mad about it!

Strange VariaTEA TTB #13

Pumpkin and blueberry are two flavors I’ve never seen together in one tea before, but it is a clever Cinderella reference! I was curious enough to overcome my rooibos aversion and give it a try…but ultimately was underwhelmed. I honestly don’t taste any pumpkin in this blend. It’s just a blueberry rooibos; perfectly drinkable, but nothing special.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #12

It’s over 80 degrees Fahrenheit here, which is crazy hot for October in Wisconsin! So after trying just a sip of this one hot, I let it cool down a bit and poured the rest of it over ice. Both hot and iced, I found it…fine. Despite being a CTC, the black tea base is fairly smooth and not bitter or astringent. And the strawberry flavor (what little there is of it) seems nice and natural rather than an artificial strawberry candy flavor. But honestly, I had to concentrate pretty hard to taste it at all! It mostly came across as a pleasant but generic black tea with just a ghost of strawberry. Totally drinkable, but not something I’d bother to try again.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #11

Though I don’t always end up loving the execution, Dessert by Deb’s blends always sound delicious to me. So I had to give this one a try when I saw it in the box! Sadly, I didn’t taste berries, cream, or shortcake in this one. It was mostly coconut and hibiscus on a mild green tea base. I love coconut, but I loathe hibiscus…so overall, not a fan of this one.

Strange VariaTEA TTB #10

I love a good coconut oolong, so I couldn’t resist giving this one a go! There’s actually a lot more than coconut going on here, though: it has cocoa nibs and vanilla bean and possibly some other vanilla/cream flavoring? The overall affect is a sweet, smooth, buttery blend with a slightly generic “dessert” flavor. It’s pleasant, but not nearly as coconutty as I was hoping, based on the name!