358 Tasting Notes
This was my wake up cuppa this morning. I was super-sleepy and not too much in a hurry to wake up, so I didn’t want something with an overwhelming in-your-face kind of flavor. This was a good choice, and it’s been awhile since I’ve had it. I was pretty surprised that the chai flavor came through so nicely with the green tea. I love chai tea, so I enjoy the bold spiciness and was worried that the green tea wouldn’t carry that as well as a black tea. Not the best chai flavor ever, but part of that could be because it is a teabag. Overall a lighter, more wispy chai tea and it energized me just the right amount for the rest of my day.
This is one of those teas that gets pushed towards the back of my tea stash and as a result I don’t pick it too often. I think part of this is because I’m not a huge fan of The Spice and Tea Exchange. I LOVE going into their store and I love the little sample teas that they have, but more often than not I get home and steep those cute little samples and I find them lacking in some way, or often with an odd flavor. (Wondering is this could be because they are in a store with so many other prominent scents from the other spices, etc.?) Anyway, I wasn’t too picky this morning and just randomly chose a tea from my drawer and this was the lucky winner. I didn’t have much hope while steeping it, and even made a second container of my old standby tea to take along with me to school just in case I didn’t like this one. I’m happy to say that I was surprised! This isn’t a tea that is bursting with flavor or that has a lot of fun undertones that you want to keep sipping just to figure it out – it’s more of just an all-around pleasant tea. It may be one that I turn to a little more frequently after my unexpected experience with it this morning.
-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves and twigs with a few pieces of dried pears.
-Dry leaves smell faintly of fresh pears. Tea liquor aroma is of strong black tea with a hint of sweet caramel and fruit.
-Tea liquor is a clear medium golden brown color.
-Earthy and malty flavor with a subtle caramel finish. Very light pear aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Fair tea. Faint flavor of sweet pear and caramel with a light maltiness.
Preparation
The first time I had this tea was at a restaurant with Sunday brunch. This was my first tea from Mighty Leaf and I fell in love with it immediately! This tea has a strong, creamy, true vanilla flavor – no artificial fake taste. It’s nice and strong and makes for a perfect wake-me-up cup in the morning!
-Square silken tea pouch with medium size tea leaves and pieces of vanilla bean.
-Teabag smells of black tea and creamy vanilla. Tea liquor aroma is of sugary vanilla.
-Tea liquor is a thick dark brown color.
-Malty flavor with a true vanilla finish.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. Nice vanilla flavor that becomes creamy with the addition of milk and sweetener.
Preparation
I grabbed this tea this morning as I needed a quick, easy cup in between getting the day started, making breakfast and taking care of 4 hungry dogs and cats. This little teabag was stashed in my tea drawer and I believe I received it from a tea swap. The flavor is a little bland, but thats to be expected in my opinion from a low-cost tea bag. With that being said, my expectations while making this tea were lowered, and my end opinion is that it wasn’t too bad. I know there are much better cinnamon flavored teas out there, but for the price this one is acceptable. Add a little sweetener and it almost comes to life, with a faint trace of cinnamon spiciness!
-Standard teabag with a tag.
-Teabag smells lightly of sweet cinnamon. Tea liquor aroma is of spicy cinnamon and strong black tea.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy very dark brown color.
-Robust flavor with a spicy cinnamon finish. Lightly warming cinnamon aftertaste.
-Best with sweetener. Milk optional.
-Good tea. A strong black tea with a nice compliment of sweet and spicy cinnamon. Not too overwhelming.
Preparation
This tea has been my saving grace through the past two days of late-night studying. I’ve always been a big fan of this tea. There’s something unique about the spice in it that can revive you for that little bit extra that you need to get through the day. It’s the perfect combination of spicy and sweet!
-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves with large pieces of dried orange peel and cinnamon bark covered in a powdery cinnamon dust.
-Dry leaves smell strongly of spicy cinnamon with a hint of orange. Tea liquor aroma is of warm spicy cinnamon.
-Tea liquor is a cloudy medium golden brown color.
-Sweet citrusy and spicy cinnamon flavor and finish. Aftertaste is of warming spiciness.
-Best with milk and the smallest amount of sweetener.
-Excellent tea. A warmly sweet and spicy cup!
Preparation
I should send you a taste of the Market Spice…if you haven’t tried this before, made in Pike Place Market in Seattle, WA…black tea, pure cinnamon oil, citrus rinds and clove…
Oh the Market Spice sounds wonderful! Do you want to do a trade? I have a ton of teas (only a few of the ones that I actually have are listed here on Steepster). I can send you a list of what I have if you’re interested. :)
A friend gave me a sample of Harney’s cinnamon tea… Is this “spice” tea you reviewed possibly the same? I mean, do they make a regular and one with added spice? I was absolutely floored by how it he tea tasted so distinctly as it smelled. It is a delicious tea for sure.
They say cinnamon improves concentration. Good call to drink it during study time!
Hmm, I didn’t know that about cinnamon, Jacquelinem! Good to know!
I actually didn’t know that about cinnamon, but I did notice it with this tea, that’s actually why I went to look it up. Thanks!
The name of this tea kind of jumped out at me, and then when I read the ingredients and smelled the dry leaves I knew I had to purchase a sample pack. It is a perfect black fruity tea. There is an overtone of lemony flavor that is refreshing, but an undertone of maltiness from the black tea that makes it a deep-flavored tea as well. I know this is one tea that I will be going back to again and again!
-Dry blend has small black tea leaves with small yellow petals.
-Dry leaves smell like raspberry and lemon. Tea liquor aroma is of sweet lemon.
-Tea liquor is a clear reddish brown color.
-Malty lemon flavor with a sweet fruity raspberry finish. Slight creamy vanilla aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Excellent tea. Refreshing flavor.
Preparation
Mmmm, that sounds interesting. Plus I loved the book (& movie) by that name.
Me too, it was one of the reasons that the tea caught my attention. This tea does its name well!
Oh, that is one of my favorite books from childhood! When I re-read it to my daughter, though, I was kind of shocked by how toward the end [ spoiler alert coming up ] it becomes ALL about Colin. It made me want to go back in time, become an editor, and edit the heck out of the ending. “Let’s have a little more closure with the whole MAIN character,” I’d gently but firmly suggest, pouring the author a cup of tea: a cup of fruity, black tea!
It’s been a while since I’ve ready that book, but I too remember thinking that as well about the ending. Haha, you should’ve been an editor, Serenity, and then we would have a perfectly conclusive ending indeed! :)
It’s all: Master Colin, Master Colin! What about MARY????
Hahaha, all this talk is making me want to read this again!
Seriously I want to write a fanfic alternate ending now! : D
Do it! I will be your biggest fan and ask for an autograph!
: D
I was a little hesitant about this one, until I smelled it. I enjoy pecan desserts (like pecan pie and sugar/cinnamon-coated pecans), but I don’t necessarily love pecans just by themselves. The name of this tea interested me at first, then I decided against it because I was afraid it would be too much like the true pecan nut flavor. Right before checking out I came back to this tea and opened the bag for a smell and I was hooked (on the aroma at least). I steeped a cup this morning for breakfast in case I didn’t like it and I could make something else instead. Luckily I was very pleased with it! It has more of a sweet-dessert like flavor (although faint, not too strong) as opposed to the strong purely nut flavor that I was hesitantly anticipating. There are little chips of maybe white chocolate? in the dry leaves that I think add to the sweet flavor of the tea. Maybe not one that I would reach for every day, but one that would be a pleasant treat every once in a while.
-Dry blend has large tea leaves with yellow petals, pieces of pecan and small white chocolate chips.
-Dry leaves smell like caramel and pecans. Tea liquor aroma is like pecan pie.
-Tea liquor is a clear dark brown color.
-Pecan nut flavor with a lightly sweet and nutty finish.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Good tea. Nice authentic pecan flavor.
Preparation
This is one of many teas that I picked out from Southern Season when I visited the store for the first time on Saturday. The dry leaves smell amazing, very strongly of vanilla and caramel. The tea liquor was a little bland at first, but once I added a little sweetener it became a wonderfully smooth tea with a nice, strong caramel finish. Perfect for a cold and rainy night!
-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves with caramel cubes and yellow petals.
-Dry leaves smells like caramel and vanilla. Tea liquor aroma is of creamy caramel.
-Tea liquor is a clear dark golden yellow color.
-Light caramel toffee flavor and finish. Smooth texture.
-Best with sweetener. Milk optional.
-Good tea. A simple, smooth and sweet cup. Flavor becomes richer as cup cools.
Preparation
The rating confuses me. Sounds like you liked it well enough.
I actually didn’t mean to rate it yet. Is there a way that I can just put in notes about a tea and leave it unrated until I’m ready to officially rate it? I thought I saw some people do this, but I couldn’t seem to figure it out late last night. :)
I just noticed last night that there is a little X to the left of the rating bar that will take a rating off.
Oh that’s good to know, thanks Nicole! :)
Oh, Josie, I hope you went to Night Gallery, too! Just down the hall! I hope to go soon!
I had never heard of Night Gallery until your comment and I just googled it. Oh my goodness, I want to go NOW! This tea note was actually from back in the Fall, so it’s been awhile since I’ve been to Southern Season too. Considering that next week is my spring break I may just have to make a trip to Chapel Hill! :)
-Small tea leaves with yellow petals and a clumpy white/brown sugary mixture.
-Dry leaves smell fruity and very sweet-spicy, like a tobacco. Tea liquor smells like sweet cream.
-Tea liquor is a medium orangey-brown color.
-Fresh pear flavor with a sweet, creamy finish.
-Best with sweetener.
-Good tea. Delicately flavored. Light taste of fresh pear. Milk overshadows flavors.
Preparation
-Silk pyramid teabag with good sized pieces of tea leaf.
-Teabag smells strongly of spicy cinnamon. Tea liquor smells malty with a subtle hint of cinnamon.
-Tea liquor is a bright reddish brown color.
-Bitter with a burnt cinnamon finish.
-Best with sweetener.
-Fair tea with malty flavor. Initial taste is almost bland. Strong, spicy cinnamon sensation after swallowing.
