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Free sample from Kusmi! yay!

First off, I don’t love Earl Grey. Never did. But this has a floral taste that kind of overpowers the actual taste of tea, so the Earl Grey is more of a sideshow than the main event. It also leaves a sort of floral aftertaste, which is a little weird. Like eating flowers. But they were certainly spot-on with the name of this one.

Also, I’ve never seen one of Kusmi’s tea bags, but I love them. They’re little fabric bags, kind of like cheesecloth, which allows the tea to expand without getting crushed. So it’s almost like using loose leaves, but without having to clean up afterward. Bonus!

wooo this stuff is strong!

I’ll be fair, though. We know I’m not in love with black tea, so my rating may seem a bit harsh. The first time I tried it, it was steeped at [the minimum of] two minutes. This time I accidentally let it go a little longer (four minutes) and I actually like it better. This can’t be right.

I don’t really find it bitter, and once it cools a bit it doesn’t taste as strong and potent. So yeah, it tastes like a standard black tea to me. But it’s one I can actually drink and not wince at the taste.

You just can’t go wrong with peppermint. And that’s all this is. Straight peppermint leaves, nothing added to it. It’s recommended that you crush them up before steeping, which is part of the fun.

This stuff is great for those cold, windy days (note: today) or when feeling a bit under the weather (note: today). And you don’t get any funky taste by oversteeping, since they recommend such a long steep time anyway. Everyone needs a minty tea like this in his stash.

I’m kind of a sucker for detox stuff. Especially after holidays/weekends/late-night dinners. I keep this at work in case I feel gross in the morning after any/all of those instances.

It kind of grows on you. I couldn’t place the smell for the longest time (rooibos, apparently, but somewhat familiar…), until I went back to my alma mater for homecoming. Apparently, my campus has a slight smell of rooibos. Figure that one out. I actually stepped outside and said, “It smells like that tea!”

It’s a bit potent, but I like the taste of it. Not crazy dark, but not subtle, either. Apparently I enjoy rooibos. Who knew. As for a detox, it’s all right. Not a serious detox, certainly, but it makes me feel a little less gross come lunch time.

I’ve apparently been slacking off in my tea reviews. But with the cooler weather upon us, anticipate seeing me pop up more often than usual.

Anyway! This sampler was open and I apparently forgot to log it last time. Since I love both white tea and melon, it’s kind of obvious I would love this, too. A little honeydew-like (or maybe that’s because honeydew is my favorite and I want it to be there. heh). It’s really light, which makes me a happy little tea drinker, and the flavor is subtle. Another win from Golden Moon!

Reviewing this again because my dislike runs higher the more I drink it.

I really only drink it when I’m lazy and can’t be bothered measuring out loose tea. It’s the only bagged variety in my drawer at work. But I find myself literally gagging by the time I reach the cup’s end. The smell is nice & vanilla-y, and I still have that small bit of hope when opening the canister. But actual drinkability? Getting worse for me.

Ordinarily I wouldn’t invest in something indicated as “spicy,” but since it came in my sampler pack I decided to be bold and try it out.

I actually rather like this. The spice is a “cinnamon and cloves” kind of spicy, not an “Indian cuisine” kind of spicy. (Hey. I always expect the worst.) I don’t taste the chocolate too much, but it’s real subtle in the scent and aftertaste. And the leaves. The leaves are a bit sweeter-smelling than the tea itself.

It’s black tea with a little spicy kick. I approve. Another win from Kusmi!

Received this as a surprise gift from teaplz the other day. YAY.

The water was probably too hot in preparation, because I was too busy looking up how long to steep this for and forgot I had the kettle on. Whoops.

Regardless… this stuff is pretty awesome. It’s smooth and light, and it’s taking a lot of willpower not to gulp it all down at once. There’s something in there that I can’t quite place—not exactly floral, but something nature-y. After three cups, you’d think I could get it (though let’s be honest here—I’m probably using that as an excuse to drink yet another cup of tea). It’s both comforting and delicious.

Though if I don’t stop drinking tea now, I’ll never be able to fall asleep tonight.

This tea confuses me. As I waited for it to steep, I stuck my nose in the leaves [again] to inhale the wonderfully vanilla scent. It’s subtle, but it’s there. And I will pick up on any hint of vanilla, anywhere. It’s a pretty awesome flavor.

First couple sips I deemed it “tasty.” The vanilla is still a bit subtle, but it’s enough to drown out any of the black tea aftertaste I’m bound to experience. Even the black tea itself isn’t so bad. [Side note: as I’m sitting here with my cup by the keyboard, the vanilla scent still infuses the air. Better than any scented candle, that’s for sure.]

Despite all that, once it cooled down from burn-your-tongue temperature, it was… all right. I don’t hate it, but I’m not standing in line to buy more. But I’ll probably make it again at some point for scent alone.

I’m basing this review more on what I expected than the actual taste. The taste itself is pretty standard. It’s black tea, with a subtle sweetness to it. Not too bitter, which I like.

However, where’s the actual honey pear? I guess it tastes pear-like, but that’s only because what it claimed to be. If you blindfolded me and had me guess what it was, I would have no idea. I was expecting something sweet (come on, it’s both honey and pears), but it was a little bland in that department.

Stuck some in the fridge for later; maybe it’ll be redeemed in the cold version.