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I was counting the days until this little gem arrived in my mailbox. Thus far I have been very impressed with 52teas blends that I have tried and with this being my first Oolong blend the bar was set pretty high. Once more, Frank did not disappoint. The Ti Kwan Yin base lends a wonderfully sweet, earthy, floral essence which is only enhanced but the tartness of the cranberries. The initial steep is excellent however I found this tea really shines in subsequent steeps. The flavors develop extra depth and intertwine to perfection! Even if you are not a fan of Oolong tea this is one is worth trying – unless I end up cleaning Frank out (… which I may very well do – yeah, I am THAT person)

This is another 52teas blend that took me by surprise. When I first received this blend I was hesitant as I was expecting the typical artificial raspberry flavoring you often get with tea blends – but I should have known Frank has higher standards than most. The dry leaves have a delicate creamy scent which simply brings out the nice fresh raspberry in this blend. The raspberry is a nice tart natural flavor which is supported nicely by both the black tea base and cream-like notes in the background. I am a straight tea drinker and was surprised how lovely this tea was hot but even more impressed with the flavor profile when it was at room temperature/cold. I am not typically one to try black teas cold or cool but due to a combined hectic day at the office and a desperate end of day caffeine fix I decided to down the half cup of cold tea on my desk – and I have to admit this is one tea best enjoyed cold.

For a black tea blend this is very tasty. Black tea is not my tea of choice mostly due to the caffeine content but this is worth the indulgence. In line with the name, the predominate flavor is a nice roasted almond flavor with the chocolate and coconut in the background. I did find lowering the steep time for a typical black tea did allow for a greater balance of flavors even when enjoyed straight. Overall, this makes a nice dessert tea without being overly artificial or sweet.

I have never been a fan of Pu’reh teas and this blend did not make me a convert. I was feeling adventurous and picked up a small sample size not realizing that it had actual dairy in it – my fault for not reading more carefully. Given that I am lactose intolerant I should have cut my losses there … but alas no, I decided to have a moment of poor judgement and went for it. In looking at the blend there didn’t appear to be THAT many pieces of chocolate BUT I was so very, very wrong. The result, a very odd tasting blend followed closely by hours of nausea. Even without getting sick (due to my own stupidity) this was not one of the better blends from DavidsTEA – Pu’erh or otherwise. The dry tea scent leaves much to be desired and the brew is a combination of a sickly sweet and an odd creamy flavor with a rather unpleasant aftertaste. I thought that this could just be my natural aversion to dairy but even my cat turned away from this one. Sorry, this is not a keeper in my books.

I am first to admit that I am a sucker for green teas but I find white tea can be hit or miss with me. So when I saw a blend of both green and white tea it certainly got my attention. The result of blending the white and green tea for a base cuts any possible bitter aftertaste from the white tea. Add to this the perfect amount of wonderful, tarty sweet apple flavor, and you get a perfect apple tea. This tea is not only amazing going down but the dried blend is so aromatic that I can’t help but smile each time I open the tin. :)

I have always had a place in my cupboard for the classic Earl Grey and was intrigued by not only a blend with the classic bergamot flavor but also having a white tea as a base. The result – a very delightful cup of tea! The delicate white tea really allows the rich bergamot flavor to come through which is cut nicely with the sweet and tart notes of the black currants. I enjoy this most in the morning with breakfast since it reminds me of toast with a nice jelly – but is fantastic anytime of day.

In a word – WOW! This has to be hands down the best tea blend I have tried from 52teas (or any other company for that matter) to date. I am very partial to both green and Chai tea which already makes this a winner for me. With this said, using Genmaicha as a base for what I can only rave as a perfect Chai blend is pure genius! The nutty roasted flavoring from the Genmaicha creates a creamy ‘milk-like’ note to this blend that gives it a Chai latte finish – without any milk or calories! If you are a fan of Chai or spice teas this is a definite MUST try! Well done, Frank, well done.

I have always been rather fond of Chamomile tea so I was a little skeptical of this blend at first. My fears were totally unfounded as combining Chamomile with lemon and a Honeybush base is delightful. The predominate flavor in this blend is lemon however if you watch your steep times you get to enjoy the delicate Chamomile and sweet finish that only Honeybush can provide. This is an excellent cup to unwind to at the end of a crazy day.

I am have to admit that I am more than a little obsessed with this tea. I am very fond of green teas in general but I have somewhat of an addiction to cinnamon. So combining green tea, cinnamon and kick of heat makes for an ultimate tea! Personally I found that I need to steep this one for 10 minutes – yes I know that sounds nuts but its a MUST otherwise you don’t get nearly enough of a cinnamon punch. With this said, the cinnamon is more of candied variety … hence the name Hot Lips.

This is a well balanced blend which really allows you to enjoy the strawberry and rhubarb combination. I drink all my teas straight and with the Honeybush base there is absolutely no need to add any sweetness as it is perfect as is. You definitely feel like you are drinking in a warm strawberry rhubarb pie … without the guilt!