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From the Caffeine-Free/Decaf Traveling Tea Box.

I was excited to try this one because Republic of Tea’s more favorable blends, and blackberry and sage combination intrigued me. A delicious fruity tea – the blackberry does so well in both the aroma and the taste of the liquor. (It does come off as artificial, but I was fine with this). The malty black tea base is subtle but comes through enough. It’s paired well with the blackberry. I don’t I think that I could taste any sage, though.

From the Caffeine-free/Decaf Traveling Box.

Mmmmm smells so much like a hot chocolate milkshake. It does taste like it too, but only if it’s freshly hot. I think it’s difficult for teas to combine with chocolate, but with this one it’s alright.

I was tempted to pick out and eat the caocao nibs.

From the Caffeine-free/Decaf Traveling Box.

A nice dessert tea. The dry leaf smells like a pastry and looks pretty with the coconut bits. The coconut flavor stands out more when the tea is steeped, but I can’t taste any cheesecake. The texture is a little creamy.

From the Caffeine-Free/Decaf Traveling Tea Box.

I was excited to try this one. I’ve never had buckwheat tea before! There isn’t much to say other than it tasted like buckwheat… It’s also slightly sweet. And the liquor is a lovely gold. Overall, this a cozy tea.

I drank it while watching the first Hobbit film, and now, I think, each time I’ll watch it in the future, I’ll get the taste of buckwheat in my mouth.

From the Caffeine-Free/Decaf Traveling Tea Box.

This has a nice aroma – the scent of vanilla is always pleasurable. As for the flavor, the vanilla wasn’t as strong as I expected, but it is well-balanced with the rooibos.

From the Caffeine-Free/Decaf Traveling Tea Box.

A nice lemon-y rooibos. The dry leaf is wonderfully colorful and pretty. I put a little more water than I intended, but that shouldn’t have prevented the tea from not tasting peppery or spicy. That was a bit disappointing.

From the Caffeine-Free/Decaf Traveling Tea Box.

An OK rooibos blend. Its flavor is too tart – the hibiscus overshadows the cranberry and orange. I can taste the rooibos in the background. This would probably be better off cold-brewed.

Inexperienced oolong drinker – especially Taiwanese roasted oolong – here. This one is startlingly complex in that the flavor and scent varies more than I assumed, but if I were a more experienced tea drinker, I’m sure I’d be able to sense more than I did. This review is based on the first cup I brewed.

The aroma of the dry leaf is seaweed and ocean, like gyokuro, one of my favorite kinds of teas, so I took pleasure in sniffing the leaves. Meanwhile, the aroma of the wet leaf smells of grilled brussel sprouts (wish I could put that in “flavors”), or some other bitter vegetable. The liquor is light gold; creamy; and light-bodied, yet flavorful; and has an intensely floral and woody aftertaste.

Thank you, Geoff and Max, for this wonderful sample!

The aroma of the dry leaf is pleasantly floral and also smells creamier after being steeped. The liquor, a pale yellow, is full-bodied and rich with a peachy flavor that reminds me of eating freshly peaches in the summer. In this regard, it is evocative of sunshine with a “just right” intensity. The liquor’s texture is clear but becomes just a little creamy after sitting in the mouth for a few seconds. This tea has a tart aftertaste; the peach lingers for in a minute in the mouth.

A full-bodied and flavorful tea with a lovely golden liquor, which is smooth and slightly creamy. It fills one’s mouth with chocolatey and caramel notes, and is evocative a sweeter Chinese black tea. The rolled leaves smell of earth, and, after they’re steeped, of malt.

Today is cold and overcast and rainy. This is the kind of tea that gives one hugs and helps one get through days like these.

Thank you, Tea At Sea, for this sample!