Cornelia Bean

This tea has a very interesting aroma. I can smell the bergamot distinctly, but its blended well with vanilla and caramel. The flavor matches its scent almost exact. This brew tastes of a smooth silky bergamot with a soft root finish. Its mixed in with caramel syrup and a faint citrus. This tea is nice and soft. I think its perfect for relaxing on a cold night, such as this.

Okay, the steeped leaves smell like camphor. It was not cool, hahah. the brew however is much better! Its a very earthy drink. It reminds me of old styled rosemary rolls. It has a sweet essence, with the sharp intake of rosemary. This flavor is then followed by a deep root flavor, which is slightly dusted. The undertones are of a calm citrus. I enjoy this drink, just not the steeping, hahah.

I was feeling a little jittery, so I decided to taper down on the caffeine. I picked this one based on its name. I opened the package and could smell only slight sweet tones which intrigued me. I don’t like flavored teas with overpowering artificial scents. Upon brewing, I wafted the air and could scent a chocolate atmosphere. This brew is incredibly rich and bold with flavors. The sip starts off with an almond brittle essence, then it follows with a sweet milk chocolate covering. The taste then finishes off with a peanut butter cinnamon flavor. I can taste undertones of twig and nutmeg. This is a delicious blend. I can definitely see myself drinking this in the future after dinner.

I already use Nilgiri as my everyday black, so I picked this one out to see if it was different. The leaves are small BoP, mine are usually a lot thicker and longer. The aroma was way better than the variety that I use. The stem rising from my cup smells of a cabin in the Yukon territory. I can hint at large maple trees, cinnamon and undertones of cured leather. The taste is somewhat different. It has a dominant sweet flavor. I can taste green pine and sugarcane. This is an interesting brew and very surprising. I always enjoy tea that makes me reconsider my expectations.

Good morning! I was feeling very sluggish this morning, so I needed a pick-me-up. This definitely did the job. I enjoy a reliable brew. I brewed western in my mug. I can also get behind a good Irish Breakfast and this is the one. The tea is strong, malty, woodsy and with just the right amount of sweet. This is perfect for a good morning jolt that tastes smooth and keeps me going. I love a good everyday black!

Before I head back out I needed something to “pick-me-up.” This blend had black in it, so I picked this one, hahah. While brewing, it reminded me of this soap bar my Grandmother sent me from London. I know that sounds bad but its not. This soap smelled amazing!! I brewed this “soapy” tea western and with small amounts. The initial flavor was very strong. I can taste orange peel, white grape and rose. This is a very flavorful tea but for me the orange peel is little overwhelming. If you enjoy flavored and sharp black tea then this is for you :)

I chose this solely based on its name. I love creative names with blends. I enjoy sipping my brew as I sit and imagine what inspired the creator. It has a lovely mix. I can spot small flowers and Sencha. I brewed western with a small amount. As soon as the water touched the leaves the aroma of peach exploded throughout my tea room. It reminded me of a fruitful peach smoothie. The flavor is very floral. The word perfume comes to my mind. I can distinctly taste peach and flower petals. The flavor then smooths out to a grassy and spring taste. Lastly you’re left with undertones of fruit and twigs. This brew leaves a sweet jolly rancher aftertaste. I enjoyed this tea but I don’t believe it is the one for me.

The name of this intrigued me. I love it when companies get inspired and creative and let their ideas flow. I had no idea what to expect with this brew. I believed it to be a robust rooibos with the almost coffee tobacco flavoring. Instead I was greeted with a silky smooth caramel treat. This blend has just the right amount of sweet and spice. I can hint at undertones of chai, allspice, and zest. I picture a golden strip in the desert with a cherry red mustang roaring down the road. I love this brew, and I usually don’t appreciate flavored tea. I will definitely add this to my stock in the future.

This brew is heavy. While looking at the dry leaves I can spot Yunnan Dian Hong and what I thought was Kenyan Estate black. It turns out its a pellet formed Assam. I brewed western at a very high temperature. The liquor is stunning crimson orange, which I love. I’ve been searching for this particular color so already the tea had me won. The taste is powerful and smooth. It has a very hearty depth and follows through with a silky finish. This is some strong stuff. It has a sweet coffee flavor. This would be perfect for an early morning pick-me up. Also, I couldn’t stop hearing Dark Horse by Katy Perry playing in my head while drinking this, hahah.

As soon as I spotted the word “bamboo” I was very intrigued. The dry leaves smell of a floral perfume. They’re a beautiful assortment. I can see red, blue, green, and small bamboo shavings. This is truly an interesting blend. I brewed western with a very small amount. The aroma was magnificent. It was a blossoming sencha! The flavor is smooth and rich in scents. I am drafted in Rose, Hibiscus, Vegetal, Jasmine and a sweet undertone of Spring. This is a tea of growth and I enjoyed it :D

Another tea with interesting ingredient! Bamboo. Not something I would have thought to flavor a tea with but it works. Makes me think of the HNL airport and their outside garden for some reason. It’s truly a unique taste. Grassy sencha with that interesting flavor that bamboo gives it. I think my favorite part is the after taste it leaves in your mouth.

An interesting name for a tea. I do like unique names though because it makes you think about more then tasting notes, aroma and color. For instance with this tea I imagine a masquerade with a lady who has a butterfly mask. She’s slipped out onto the back terrace to sip on this tea.

Sencha? It looks and tastes like it. I really enjoy that the peach flavor doesn’t get covered up by the peach flavor like it does with many peach teas. Though it is still quite strong with this one. (And suddenly I’ve jumped into Star Wars) haha

The lavender in this tea has made me sleepy. I should really go workout but thanks to the smooth taste and soothing aroma of this tea I just want to fall asleep. But I can’t. There is a lil one that would eat plants if I did. But seriously. They did this one right. If you want a more intense lavender flavor just steep it a lil longer. But not too long or it will get bitter.

Really on a roll now…. yet another tea that I oversteeped. _ I blame my contacts. Something is weird so I am going in today. My first sip wasn’t that great but my second one was nomnom. Creamy, grassy goodness. Some slight vegetal notes, oo now here comes the floral and the orchid too. Lovely. My favorite part of this tea though is the smell of the wet leaves. Reminds me of the smell when you walk off the plane into the terminal in Lihue…

Lovely. There is something truly addicting about this tea. So smooth. Some say it has a mineral flavor and it does but I don’t like thinking about that because I feel like I focus more on that then the buttery flavor. Though the mineral flavor does really seem to come out the longer this one is steeped.

Hidden Gems TTB #19

Wow, such a unique flavor combination for tea! This is something I would never have purchased for myself, but I’m so glad I got a chance to try it out. (Thanks for putting such a great box together, Anlina!) Both the orange and rosemary flavorings are strong and pretty much drown out the base (which is fine by me, because I’m not a big fan of red rooibos). I mostly get a nice smooth orange flavor as I’m sipping, but the rosemary comes in strong at the end of the sip and leaves a lingering savory aftertaste. Surprisingly, the combination works quite well!

Hidden Gems TTB #17

Mmm, this is such a nice fruity tisane! The pear is the strongest flavor and it’s wonderfully juicy and natural. Alongside that, I’m tasting some other fruits…watermelon, maybe? And a hint of pineapple? Whatever it is, they blend together beautifully. The rose is in the background, mostly coming out in the aftertaste. (And since I don’t like overly floral teas, that’s okay by me!) This was a sweet taste of summer in the middle of winter and I would definitely consider purchasing some to try iced when warm weather actually arrives!

Hidden Gems TTB #15

Wow, this is the most thick, creamy oolong I have ever encountered! The floral flavor was a bit overpowering for my tastes, but I’m still glad I tried this just to experience the unique mouth feel.

Another sample from Anlina. :) It’s interesting to experience a tea without knowing what’s in it. I smelled this one and thought, “oooh, lemon!”. And then after it steeped, I smelled it again and thought “no… mixed citrus maybe? bergamot? lemon danish?”. Then my curiosity overcame me and I looked it up on steepster. Mango and bergamot, huh? Well, now that you mention it, I can definitely smell the mango. And interestingly, I don’t really smell the flowers, but I can taste them. This is a neat blend, lots of different flavours somehow coming together and making something yummy.

Hidden Gems TTB #12

This is one of those wonderful oolongs with HUGE leaves that you can just keep on re-steeping all day long. The flavor is fantastic too…rich and nutty with silky smooth mouth feel and a lingering creamy aftertaste. Absolutely delicious!

Hidden Gems TTB #11

Wow, this stuff is potent! Super strong and malty with a dense, “chewy” sort of flavor. I followed my standard parameters for black tea (3-minute steep at 205F) but I’m thinking a shorter steep time would benefit this particular tea, as it came out slightly bitter and quite astringent.

Hidden Gems TTB #8

Although I’ve tried quite a few English Breakfast teas, this is only my second Irish Breakfast blend. The first one was from Great British Tea Store and it had a delicious caramel flavor that I couldn’t get enough of. This one is nice…robust and malty and takes milk well…but not outstanding.

Hidden Gems TTB #7

Ooo, this is lovely! I didn’t realize it was a green tea and probably over-steeped it, but it came out delicious anyway. I would never have thought of putting apricot flavor and chai spices together, but it works so well…warm and sweet with just a little bit of spicy kick. This got my day off to a great start!

Hidden Gems TTB #3

I tend to stay away from red rooibos, because it often has a woody flavor that I don’t enjoy. But this one smelled so delicious, I just had to give it a try! And I’m glad I did. This stuff is non-alcoholic almond amaretto: rich and sweet with a strong (but not too overpowering) almond flavor. Thank you to Analina for sharing all of these wonderful Cornelia Bean teas…I’ve discovered lots of true hidden gems thanks to you!