Carytown Teas

I love the large pieces of peach in this blend. I definitely ate some after it was finished steeping. The flavor is strong and authentic, just like eating a juicy peach. The second steep tasted good as well. I’ve been impressed with the teas from Carytown so far. I wish I had bigger samples!

This tea smells so fresh and amazing. The flavor is like a sweet, yet sour orange. I’m glad that even though the blend includes hibiscus and rose hips, the orange is allowed to shine. I resteeped it to have a super delicious cold cup this morning, and wow. Definitely near the top of my list of orange teas. I wish I had more!

A warm homely tea, the perfect nightcap! The hearty South African, almost nutty flavors are soothing.

Rooibos is my go to tea for afternoons or rainy teas, it has hearty robust flavor.

Described as ‘hot chocolate for adults,’ this tea has a chocolatey/nutty twist that pleases my inner child. Not a tea I turn to often, but definitely a fun one to have.

A ‘just sweet enough’ black tea that’s light and floral while remaining strong. You can drink this plain, or add a touch of milk. No reason to add sugar. The rose is sweet enough on its own.

I haven’t been drinking flavored teas lately and decided to purchase this little treasure at Richmond’s number one tea shop (salon de thé), Carytown Teas, which is the primary supplier for several cafes and hotels in the city. Patricia’s Blend is the creation of the shop’s kind and talented owner, Patricia Guillouard Adams, a native of France.

“Sweet and spicy, like its namesake”, as the shop’s description of the tea states, is right on point. The almond’s nutty sweetness, suggestive of vanilla, blends perfectly with the orange and spice. The flavors meld beautifully in the fruity organic Ceylon black tea base. As with most French blends that I have had, nothing is overdone. It is superb – My favorite flavored blend bar none.

So, Patricia, mon amie, I raise my mug and salute you – À votre santé! Merci!

This tea is just okay. I have other teas that are more effective at inducing relaxation and sleep. I do like that this tea is organic and fairtrade, though. The taste is quite bland. Once I finish this bag I will not be buying another. The herbal blend is on-point but the herbs used are past their storage prime and are weak. Steeped 1 tbsp in a stainless steel teaball with boiling water for 10-15 minutes, drank plain.

Carytown Teas description of this tea : Organic Valerian Root -several studies in adults suggest that Valerian improves the quality of sleep and reduces the time to fall asleep (sleep latency). Ongoing nightly use may be more effective than single-dose use, with increasing effects over 4 weeks. Better effects have been found in poor sleepers. Organic Bulgarian Lemon Balm has effective sedative action and has been used for years in folk medicine to relaxation. Organic Green Rooibos has a soothing affect on the central nervous system. Organic Egyptian Chamomile contains a flavanoid called Chrysin which is the chemical attributed to its ability to relieve anxiety and promote sleep. Organic Fennel helps with a variety of sleep disorders, Organic Peppermint proves beneficial to reduce sleep deprivation, job stress, headache and fatigue that one feels on a regular basis, Organic St. John’s Wort promotes restful sleep and, unlike conventional medications, rather than interfere with dreaming, actually enhances it.

Had this one for awhile. I wouldn’t say it’s my go-to tummy tea, however I do find it to be a nice calming tea for my nervous system if I am stressed. The chamomile is the top note, followed by the sweetness of the licorice, then the mint and ginger. All ingredients are organic and fair trade. Steeped 10 mins with just boiled water.

This is one of my favorite teas. I have it with a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt and it is a perfect savory treat. I grew up having fires every night or two in our backyard, where friends would come over and we would all share our lives around the fire ( we even had extra “fire coats” for last minute drop in guests if they got chilly). The smokiness of this tea takes me back and reminds me of my family. It is like a warm hug. Of all of the Lapsang Souchongs I’ve tried, this is the best. I have many other Carytown Teas and find them to be of high quality. The fact that they are organic and fair trade are important to me as well. Everyone should give this tea a try!! I only dock 2 points because although the taste is strong, I could have it stronger.

My first 100! This tea has a gorgeous, light, elegant floral aroma and a beautiful oolong body with hints of some delicious pumpkin-pie spices. So this is what tea can be! I managed to get three wonderful steeps out of 1 tsp and the fourth and fifth were nice as well.

Love Rooibos! Great Taste without the caffeine lows

I have tried this twice now, once gong fu and once Western. I preferred it Western I think.
This is either a much lighter Yunnan than I am accustomed to or I underleafed. I did steep for 5 minutes when I did it Western and it was still tasty, as I would expect.

I still have some to experiment with, thanks for a very generous sample from TeaTotaler! It is quite a nice, balanced cup.

Except for Margaret’s Hope second flush Darjeeling , Chamraj Estate Nilgiri and Kenilworth Ceylon, I have long considered myself a dyed in the wool drinker of Chinese tea. I had relegated Assam teas to use for medicinal purposes. You know, like when you’ve only had a couple of hours sleep and need a good jolt of caffeine to re establish your vital signs.

My new found curiosity for Assam tea was awakened recently after reading an article online about the central role of Assam in East Frisian tea culture. So, brimming with anticipation, I trotted myself over to Carytown Teas, a true jewel in the crown of Richmond’s tea scene, and purchased their Organic Assam. And today – Holy low barometric pressure, Batman! What a day to reacquaint myself with this tea. Lots of storms – heavy rain, wind, roaring thunder and lightning. Ideal weather for a brilliant Assam such as this! I’d almost swear that the stormy North Sea was right around the corner from my house today!

This tea is rich. Malty, of course, along with smooth caramel notes and pastry. Quite a bit of yummy pastry actually. There was a mild fruitiness in the aroma and flavor that for the world reminded me of cherry Danish. There was some very mild bitterness, but it actually complimented the unexpected fruitiness of this tea. With the addition of milk and a little sugar, I believe that I had a perfect Assam experience. Oh, and it definitely obliterated my fatigue!

Now, my next project is to attempt to drink it in true East Frisian fashion, or at least as close as this Virginia boy can reproduce it, by blending it with a little bit of Darjeeling and/or Ceylon. I’ll need some rock sugar candy and some heavy cream too. That’s for another day though, but I do believe that this beautiful Assam will be perfect for it.

Bottom line – Carytown Tea’s Organic Assam is a beautiful, richly flavored and sturdy Assam that is a joy to drink!

Now, another cup to enjoy the stormy day.

Nice, grassy/earthy flavor. It’s got a little smokiness, but very mildly so. I like it better than the tuo cha.

This Yunnan is a rich, full bodied tea with cocoa, honey, sweet potato and raisin sweetness. The chocolate jumps right out at you. You don’t have to search for it. This tea is a prime example of why I love Chinese teas so much. Bamboo Temple is the perfect autumn cup and would do justice to a fine Thanksgiving Day dinner served with or after dessert.

Do yourself a favor and worship at The Temple. You’ll be thankful you did!

In the familiar old desert island scenario, Margaret’s Hope Estate Second Flush Darjeeling would, without a doubt, be my one tea of choice. To take it further, I believe that tea lovers who have lived a good life, upon arrival in heaven, are handed a cup of this ethereal elixir by St. Peter at the pearly gates. This Darjeeling is most exquisitely luscious – Hauntingly floral with a pronounced sweet muscatel flavor. Honey, fruit and nut flavors add to the pleasant and soft complexity with a mild astringency at the end that I find quite enjoyable. This is my perfect tea.

So, I bought a couple ounces of this because I really liked the tuo cha I tried from Upton, and this didn’t require shipping, etc. It’s not bad, but the flavor is very mild compared to that one. I’ll drink through the rest of what I have, but I’ll be looking for another tuo cha (or just ordering some from Upton) in the future.