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An exquisite rooibos offering, and now my go to evening cup of rooibos.

4-5 minutes, just shy of boiling brings out a robust amber color characteristic of rooibos, but with a plus – the mouth watering delicious scent of red fruits enveloping your palate.

Recommended for any rooibos drinker or for those who like a zap of pizzazz in their cup. Also I will note that Le Palais des Thes does a great job at packing the very freshest looking teas I’ve seen in some time!

A subtle yet enjoyable green tea that does not offend the sensitive palate. The dry leaves are a pale green with streaks of off white running through them, like a forest in the mist. The leaves are pressed flat and rather unique in appearance, almost as though they were chipped off of a larger unity. The scent of the leaves is light and unassuming, and the brewed nose is just the right amount of sweet and nutty. There is a very mild earth tone as well. This is what I’d consider a neutral tea, it should not offend those who shy away from earth or nutty notes, and is sweet enough to provide a good flavor for those who demand it.

This tea has the familiar scent of an earl grey, layered onto what can be described as a handsome marriage vanilla and other citrus flavors. In contrast to some of the other reviews it was the alluring scent of the dry leaves that piqued my interest in this tea. And of course, the mystique of the blend – shrouded in secrecy wakes the imagination and leaves one comfortable in thought over the superposition of possible ingredients, just enough uncertainty to bring forth contemplation of Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle, the HUP. This tea should take one on a journey, and pleasant one at that.

Just received the new 2012 batch this week and it is sublime.

This is tea for the purist. An absolutely delicious aroma, classic assam color, perhaps slightly on the darker side. The taste provides just enough sweetness, just enough honey notes, and there is very little astringency. This is quite simply how I like my tea – unaided by external forces, so no sugar, no milk (or in my case almond or coconut milk). It is full of body yet smooth and soothing that you just want to keep it in your mouth and savor it just a while longer.

This is what a cup of black tea should taste like. Next up is the full leaf assam, and I’ll provide a comparison in that tasting note.

I purchased this on a quest for a daily yet versatile cup of black.

The aroma of the dry leaves is somewhat smokier than I had expected, yet the more I inhaled I sensed a bit of sweetness as well. The aroma is about as full bodied as the tea, and complex enough to make you consider exactly what’s going on there.

The cup brews fairly dark and like the dry leaves has a somewhat smoky scent. Oddly enough, I don’t really taste the smokiness, which came as a surprise. Instead I sipped a round, rather full bodied cup of black in which the assam and keemun flavors battled one another for dominance.

It’s a solid tea, enjoyable at that. Better after a meal than on its own.

This tea has been in the cupboard for a few months and I finally got around to brewing a cup while riding out the storm in NYC watching weather coverage. What I can say about this tea – It’s not bad.

There is a bit of an odd battle between the fruit component and the herb component which I initially didn’t mind but the more sips I took the less I enjoyed the rivalry. However this is a rare tea in that the green component can be isolated on the pallet from the black, or at least I was able to perceive such. I think this is because, for whatever reason the overall boldness of the tisane components is lower than one would expect (but yet still present enough).

There is a lot going on here, and it’s, well, not bad.

Another stunning offering from Spices and Tease. This white blend has a robust citrus bent to it, creating near immunity to bitterness. The aroma of the dry tea is mesmerizing (they tell me some customers use it as potpourri!). The leaves appear slightly darker than some typical whites, and with the fruit the tea brews a delicate sunny color that is just as pleasant to smell as the dry leaves.

I tend to enjoy this tea with dessert or at night time as part of a routine to reduce stress and ‘meditate’ awake, as it were. The flavors are citrus, but reflecting upon your sip you can make out hints of rose and marigold, that add a nice touch so as not to overpower the tea with strong citrus flavors. The result is a very solid white blend that Spices and Tease has perfected.

Absolutely Stupendous. From a French company that has planted a flag in New York City comes a majestic blend of black, sencha, and citrus that is a fully satisfying beverage experience. One only need to enjoy grapefruit, citrus, or bergamot flavors to relish this tea. The blend looks deliciously fresh, so much so one is almost tempted to eat it instead. This is an incredibly versatile tea, excellent hot and even better iced. No review or description I could write does this blend justice, it is a full on favorite in the blended category and I will not be without some backup of this tea in my cupboard(s).

The appearance is gorgeous, as can be seen in the image. Tiny pieces of grapefruit and papaya swim in black and green teas and among the safflower. The brewed color resembles a lighter black tea but the aroma is unmistakable and attentively inviting. The taste is just right. They really nailed this one. So if one has a proclivity towards citrus flavors this is sure to take up space in your lineup.

While the namesake bears the iconic Assam, the tea itself stands apart in body and flavor from traditional Assam teas. The flavor is mild in comparison but savory and elegant at the same time. The dominant note is honey, and without doubt even the most indiscriminate tea sipper would notice this unmistakeable sweetness on the tongue. The leaves are robust and have a pleasant appearance typical of many tippy tea and an aroma that strongly suggests a comforting sweetness. The brew is less intense than most assam offerings so don’t expect a jolt from this cup. Instead it is a smooth and more subtle experience and I find myself coming back to this cup almost as much as my go to Top Chingwo Congou. As with other high quality teas this is an expensive delicacy, and that facet may not appeal to the bulk of consumers. Nonetheless this is a stellar tippy tea.