Akova Tea

Pulled from TTB 2022, shared by Skysamurai.

I don’t smell lemon here, only mint. After steeping, even that goes away and I’m left with a thin, somewhat sour rooibos. Maybe the sourness is supposed to be the lemon? Not sure, but I don’t think I can finish this one.

TTB

Steeped this up and added a little honey and oatmilk. It’s a pretty good chai mix. I do wish it was heavier on the pepper. I love the heat of pepper in chai. It either looses a little flavor when it cools or the honey somehow concentrated at the bottom because honey is all I taste now. I like this and I’d take another cup if it was offered, but it’s not something I need in my cupboard.

TeaTiff TTB #9

I was intrigued by the combination of caramel, vanilla, and pomegranate in this blend. However, the pomegranate really didn’t come through for me. I was a bit disappointed by that, but the tea itself is still quite good! The caramel and vanilla flavoring is sweet and natural rather than cloying or artificial and the base tea is hearty but not overbearing. This is definitely one I’d drink again!

Skysamurai’s TTB Thank you!
Actually, today I didn ot wanted to reach the TTB and drink other teas instead. But in the end I had only morning cup and this time it is family pot tea.

Tea #6
Red rooibos combined with lemon and peppermint sounds intriguing. However, when I have opened the pouch, I just saw small pieces of rooibos and peppermint. Nothing much else. Later, some other flecks appeared and I dare to say they were black. Are those promised lemon pieces?

But I have decided to brew it anyway, as I wrote, in a family pot. I was asked for caffeine-free tea as it was already the evening and noone wants to stay awake till midnight as tomorrow is Monday. I get it… although I am not that much sensitive to caffeine at all.

The flavour is pretty good, as I hope a good rooibos base is used. I remember one tea bag with same flavour, minus the lemon and it was so bad. That one was very woody and peppermint was musty and overall it felt very old and dusty.

This one wasn’t like that. The base is almost sweet, and peppermint is very refreshing and fresh. It is not pure menthol as some mints are. Sadly, I do not notice much of lemons. No sourness. No lemon peel note. There is some flavour, that could be from the lemon. But not sure what is it and overall, it is almost non-present. It is noticeable only if I am thinking about it.

So, sadly, it does not live up to its name, The name suggests more lemon… this is not lemon rooibos. At least it isn’t musty and dusty…

Skysamurai’s TTB
I just wanted to bring some TTB teas to work, and this is one of them. I didn’t had there much of flavoured black teas and this one sounded great.

TEA #2

As I said in preface, I brought this tea to work. I am after booster vaccine and this time I decided (as it was suggested by doctor) to change it. So, not a third Pfizer, but this time Moderna. Sadly, it hit me hard. Yesterday only sore arm, today I am all sore. Feeling sick. I had to leave work after three hours because feeling so bad. Now, at home, I feel a wee better.

But the tea I actually had at work, while having breakfast. I have noticed very robust base filled with caramel sweetness and decent vanilla notes! In flavour there were some fruitiness which can be mentioned pomergranate.

Honestly, it has remembered me Hunky Dory Breakfast I had actually yesterday at work! With extra fruitiness.

So, in the end I can tell, it is decent dessert tea, but nothing I will have again. Maaybe I like pure teas more. Thank you Skysamurai, though I am returning it to the TTB.

2021 Homemade Advent Calendar Swap – Day 1
From Skysamurai.

For our Advent swap this year, I received one of Skysamurai’s handmade tea wreaths! It’s made of dark twisty branches wrapped ‘round with thick red ribbon and, of course, bags stuffed with tea. So excited to open today’s candy apple red bag to see a strong black tea for Day 1! It’s a good way to start the month. :D

I love chai blends and spiced teas, especially because no two are really just alike. The mix of spices allows for all sorts of variations with some spices emphasized over others. My husband had a sip of this and immediately thought cinnamon, but it seems more nuanced to me. I’m not great at picking out all the flavors in a tea though, so I just went straight to the ingredients list. There’s ginger, cardamom, star anise, clove, black pepper, and fenugreek. Fenugreek! So interesting, I’m not sure I’ve ever had it? I still haven’t decided yet what the dominant flavor is here, but I suppose it doesn’t matter all that much as long as I’m enjoying it. And I’m enjoying it!

Who needs dessert? I’ve got mine right here. The smell reminds me of a creamy, luxurious creme brulee. I should probably drink it but I just want to sit here and smell this. My first sip was silky and had good flavor but my next few have been a little weak. For this tea, I think more leaf is necessary. A bit more steep time (I did around 2 -3 minutes though it calls for 3 – 5) With both of these the cuppa is better. The intensity of the caramel and vanilla is still quite a bit less than I expected but honestly, I don’t mind it. I really appreciate the fact that it doesn’t taste artificial as many dessert teas do. This would pair really well with some salted caramel chocolates. Also going to try this as a latte at some point.

Ah, the dreaded mint. I like mint. I grow mint. But I do not like mint in my tea, for it is all I taste. The aroma is mint for both the dry and wet. Though after a few minutes you can also smell the chamomile. The flavor is overwhelmed by mint with a hint of chamomile here and there. Chamomile is also in the after taste which is then taken over by a tingling of minty freshness.

Today is rainy. Dreary. Soggy. Perfect for more cups of tea. Especially a chai. But not just any chai. A nice spicy chai. The aroma just from opening the bag is wonderful. All of the proper chai spice smell with a pleasant nose tingle. The leaf is CTC, so it is tiny but this makes it so that the other flavors don’t overwhelm it. Steeps up quickly I only needed about 3-4 minutes to achieve a good flavor. Too much more than that and it becomes too bitter. Though if you are planning to turn this into a true India treat, Chaiwala, then steeping it a few more minutes isn’t a bad idea. The after taste is pleasantly sweet while still retaining a bit of zip.

I’m taking a leap out of my purist comfort zone to taste some cuppas by a new tea company. The smell immediately pulsates up your nose when you open the bag. The blueberry aroma is like a club playing EDM. Makes me wonder if we’ll ever see clubbing again… This wonderful smell prepares you for something amazing in the flavor. Which unfortunately isn’t there. It is tepid blueberry in flavor. To be honest, the flavor is very bland. Even the black leaf uninspiring. My suggestion would be to add real blueberries to the blend (freeze-dried if possible). Out of curiosity, I’ve also steeped it cold to see if that would reveal better flavors. At five minutes it is still bland but something seems to be trying to peek out. After 10 minutes there is a bit of cream and a bit more fruity. Which makes me wonder if this would be a good overnight iced tea.