Mad Pots of Tea

Dear Madame Potts mixed up some of my Personalitea without elderflower or stevia for me to try! So sweet! Thank you, Madame Potts!

I took a little extra effort that I don’t normally venture to do and took a picture of my tea and had youngest help me make it appear on here! LOL! Apparently you can’t do it from a mobile device, or if you can I haven’t figured out how! But it is so pretty, I wanted everyone to see it. If I were having a tea party, I would set this tea out in a pretty dish just Ike this for all the guests to see before steeping it. Pink rose petals, blue cornflowers, white flowers and coriander, all resting on that green base.

The good news is…it worked. I don’t know what was in the other tea that gave me heartburn, but this did not. I am thinking about trying the first one again to see if it happens consistently. I did like the flavor of the other tea, even the stevia. I like ginseng, I like licorice root though I don’t drink much with it because of blood pressure issues, and I liked the flavor of the tea that had stevia in it. Those are all flavors that some folks object to and group together but I like the flavor of all of them. The stevia just didn’t agree with me. And I see why it was in there, it really does add to the blend, but I guess I have to eschew stevia and if I want to sweeten this I will add honey, but I probably won’t sweeten it at all.

Thank you, Madame Potts, for going the extra mile! I may try to get my hands in some elderflower to see for sure if that or the stevia was the culprit!

Tune: Hall of Fame by The Script

First, I want to say that I love the concept behind Mad Pots of Tea. You fill out a form online about yourself, your likes, your dislikes, how people would describe you, places you would love to be. Based on your answers, a tea is designed just for you.

When I saw Stevia on this, I was unsure whether I wanted to drink it. I don’t sweeten my teas, and I absolutely despise artificial sweeteners. Stevia leaf is natural, though, so I was hoping to like this.

The tea is beautiful to look at. There are so many rose petals, violets, elderflowers, and tiny bits of dried strawberry – very colorful! We each ate a tiny piece of dried strawberry and it was so sweet and good.

The steeped tea smelled mostly of peaches and that was the foremost taste I got as well. My guest agreed. But there was an strong aftertaste to it like licorice root and my tongue burned a bit. My guest said at first that she liked the front of the sip but the aftertaste was bitter like artificial sweetener to her. I asked if it possibly tasted more like licorice, and she said YES! Like the aftertaste of licorice. And now for the second time, this tea has left me with a burning esophagus and stomach, something that happened with the first cup I tried but I didn’t log it because I wanted to be sure the tea was the culprit. And oh, OW! It is! I hope this stops soon!

I think I actually like the TASTE of stevia, because I like the way my throat feels after drinking sore throat teas with licorice root in them, I like ginseng oolong that has a similar flavor, and I kind of liked the aftertaste at first. But then the burning started again and hasn’t stopped.

I didn’t put stevia on the “Don’t” list for my ingredients because a.) It never occurred to me that it might be put in the tea blend, just as I didn’t specify “no black pepper, no codeine, no ampicillin.” Stevia just fell in that category of things I wouldn’t think of saying not to add because I didn’t dream it was an option, and b.) I have never had it so I didn’t know it would do this to me, and c.) I thought I did say that I don’t sweeten my teas, so it wouldn’t have crossed my mind that a sweetener of any kind would go in. I am not trying to be contentious or a smart butt! Just sayin’.

And I don’t know for sure it is the Stevia. There are other ingredients here that I have never had like elderflower. Does anyone have any experience with Stevia leaf and stevia extract? Is it the likely culprit?

The bottom line is that the taste isn’t bad, but the aftereffect is making this undrinkable for me. The great thing is that you can send your tea back if it isn’t to your liking and just pay a $5 shipping charge, although since one is also paying to ship it back, it is hardly worth the trouble to return it, so I am not sure what I will end up doing.

Overall, though, I think this is one of the coolest ideas! And it would be such a great gift for someone who loves tea or who is hard to buy for. A tea blend, inspired by and blended just for you? I love the idea!

I recently did something I’ve wanted to do since I joined Steepster – I got my PersonaliTea done! http://www.madpotsoftea.com/index.php/personalitea/

You answer a variety of questions, and Madam Potts does her magic. Three weeks later your PersonaliTea arrives at your door with a lovely card explaining the tea, where she drew her inspiration from in your questionnaire, and some brewing instructions.

My tea was beautiful! Flower petals and fruit galore! It smelled wonderful and unusual. I was surprised to see Savory as an ingredient! Once I brewed the tea, it made sense, though. It was the ingredient that gave the blend gravitas, and dare I say its unique personality! I was a little freaked out because yes, I love Rose and Violet, fig and spice, (i.e. the pretty and exotic) but I do have a deep core of seriousness running through me, and Madame totally got that! I’m so pleased! The allspice/cinnamon/fig/Darjeeling (I would say a second flush) synergy? Off the charts delicious. Like spiced apple figs soaked in port or maybe brandy. Like something your French grandmother might have a secret recipe for. The rooibos gives it depth but it doesn’t taste roiboos-y. And one more thing – the color! It’s this gorgeous golden not quite amber. I wish I had a glass tea cup for this one! (I think I need to invest in a glass tea cup for this one!)

I am pretty amazed that Madam Potts was able to capture so many nuances of my personality in a tea! It’s definitely one that everyone might not like, a little strange and unexpected, a little old-fashioned and European, a little flowery.

I highly enjoyed my experience, and I look forward to many, many cups of this tea!

Backlog:

Thank you Azzrian for sending me some of her custom tea. This is tasty!

The words of description for this tea – Rainforest, Autumn, Rich spice scents, Costa Rica, Full-Bodied, Meditative Toasty, Aromatic, Fruity, Spicy, Exotic, Intense, Earth Tones – match this cuppa to a TEA!

A really delicious chai-like blend. Spicy … but nicely contrasted with notes of Sarsaparilla. I really like this tea a lot! When I re-order my personal blend (which I need to do soon!) I will have to inquire about getting some of this one too!

Keen herself sent me a bit of this tea that was made for her by Mad Pots of Tea. I’m unsure of all the ingredients that were included but did quickly add it to the database.

It tastes mostly herbally…I can certainly taste and smell the chamomile. I can also taste citrusy flavors that are probably my favorite part of this blend! It’s smooth, slightly juicy, and quite delightful!

My blend was inspired from my love for Costa Rica, Earthy notes, intense in your face flavors, and my clustered personality, as well as my love for heavy fruity flavors.
Madame Potts could not have done a better job with my confusing questionnaire I provided her!
My love for tea was founded on Chai, which I have honestly not found a chai I can fall in love with until now!
In addition I love fruity teas and she found just the right amount of fruit flavors to add so that it was not over shadowed by the intense chai flavors!
I recently went to the renaissance fair as I do every year. Some years I am a season ticket holder haha. This tea really hits the nail on the head for all things renaissance which I am IN LOVE with the renaissance!
See the full review on the 19th at 6pm EST on http://sororiteasisters.com/

I’ve been MIA again because of work and a mild (probably stress-related) puniness so I am somewhat behind in tasting and in tasting notes.

Madam Potts has scored again! This is really uncanny. For those who don’t know about www.madpotsoftea.com, [CORRECTED! So sorry!] if you go there and choose Personalitea, you can fill out a questionnaire that Madame will then consult and anaylze to blend a tea specifically for you.

I felt like my questionnaire responses were all over the place, but in the note I got back with my tea Madame said that she had focused on a favorite scent family (chypre) because it was one she hadn’t worked with extensively, and on my fondness for Santa Fe.

When I read the ingredients (see above) I thought, hmmm. They didn’t exactly proclaim “Santa Fe” to me. Then I prepared my first cup, and guess what? Santa Fe.

The chypre must be coming from the lavender and cornflower. I’m getting a little coolness that must be from the valerian and clover. The pecans may be the source of the slight smokiness. And then there’s the orange peel, carob, cinnamon, and ginger, none of which stand out sharply, but all of which seem to blend into something subtle and exotic like a mole sauce — the classic Mexican sauce based on unsweetened chocolate and cinnamon and chiles.

I’ve had two cups so far. Both times I boiled the water, steeped 5 minutes, and let it cool to almost-tepid before drinking most of it. (I wanted to try the second cup hot, but my boss came up to chat with me.) Using an Earl Grey as the base ties the flavors together in a way I would never have guessed it could.

This is mysterious and seriously addictive for me, and I’m planning to order more.

I wish I could show you a picture of it. I have resisted moving into the smart phone era and do not have a digital camera. The bright blue of the cornflower petals and the pale lavender buds really stand out against the black tea leaves. And then you see the little chunks of orange peel and pecans and carob.

You should try the questionnaire. I am amazed by and very happy with my blend.

The Purrfect Cup sent me some of this (THANKS!) and it was blended by Mad Pots of Tea for her business Collar City Teas! It has Assam, Lemon Verbena, Cinnamon, and Almonds in it.

The Assam makes a lovely base here. It’s slightly malty but full and even.

The Lemon Verbena is the 2nd flavor I’m tasting but paired with the Cinnamon it creates a flavor of it’s own! It’s really interesting! It’s herbal, but lemon, but cinnamon, but it tastes like ONE ingredient instead of two. The nuttiness of the almonds also contributes to the overall flavor.

This is something special! I’m loving the Assam Base and the three flavors are ideal with whatever ratio Mad Pots of Tea used! I wouldn’t change a thing! FAB!

I wasn’t sure what I would get when I filled in my PersonaliTEA profile, but I am incredibly happy with the results, this tea is delicious, caffeine free and I have been happily drinking it day & night. I really love floral, fruit and spicy flavors and this tea manages to have all of them at once. It’s so cleverly blended, the holy basil and chamomile come to the fore, but only just, the rose blends beautifully with the apple and apricot, there’s a citrus undertone and everything works so well with the spicy back end of the ginger and black pepper. I just love it!

with a bit of milk, 195F, 3 min, 2 tsp, 500ml -floral mostly

Steep Information:
Amount: 2 tsp
Water: 500ml 212°F
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL
Steep Time: 3 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: lavender, bergamot
Steeped Tea Smell: lavender, bergamot, floral
Flavor: floral, bergamot, black tea
Body: Full
Aftertaste: bergamot
Liquor: translucent light brown, amber

Too much lavender for me, but i like how the chrysanthemum plays into the earl grey.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/12/mad-pots-of-tea-loose-leaf-black-tea.html

A really lovely way to relax after a long day. Here is my full-length review: http://www.teareviewblog.com/?p=15565

Absolutely lovely!

The jasmine and lavender are the strongest components in this blend, but they don’t really compete… rather, they seem to work together harmoniously to create one of the most beautiful flavors that ever graced a teacup!

The green tea tastes lightly sweet with very little (meaning, barely any at all) vegetative flavor. Just smooth, sweet deliciousness.

I don’t like this one better than my own blend by Madam Potts – because, well, that one was for me – but, this one comes in pretty close. I do love this!

Hot, this is a wonderful tea which has 2 of my favorite flavors – Lavender and Jasmine, which somehow take turns being in the forefront of taste. A delicate tea, but well flavored. Cold, it is equally a star, with the lavender having first place and the jasmine sweetening it. All around good stuff

Tried iced; it was juicy and then warmed by the cardamom and cinnamon
not a cool you down iced tea but a very interesting iced tea

Steep Information:
Amount: 4 tsp
Water: 750ml 212°
Tool: Breville One-Touch Tea Maker BTM800XL (Black, custom)
Steep Time: a little over 4 minutes
Served: Hot

Tasting Notes:
Dry Leaf Smell: a root beer tropical floral explosion! I can’t put my finger on the smells, but I enjoy sniffing it
Steeped Tea Smell: warm, spicy, fruity
Flavor: warm, spicy, fruity, smooth
Body: Full
Aftertaste: cirtusy sweet and cinnamon
Liquor: Dark opaque orange-brown

I saw LiberTEAS talking about ordering a PersonaliTEA, so I ordered one too.

It arrived in a box decorated with cute teacup stamps. Inside the box was red tissuepaper wrapping up a bag of tea and a card. The card talked about creating my blend, and what the inspiration from my survey was. Everything was done up very adorably, I love when packages seem wrapped in care.

I wonder if the coloring was done just for me, or if they’re all red.

I think this would do well prepared as a latte.

It has less of the WAKE UP than I was hoping for and the name implied, this is more like a brunch cup of delicious warm and comforting.

Images: http://amazonv.blogspot.com/2010/06/mad-pots-of-tea-loose-leaf-blend-tea.html

My 2nd cuppa the day! It was nice. More floral than I remember but still lovely. YUM.

SIPDOWN #1 for today!

Floral yet sweet today. I’m almost out of this…

I was admiring LiberTEAs Tea that was made just for her – she was AWESOME as usual – and sent me some to try!

This is so neat to look at – it’s so colorful! A Lot of thought went into this custom blend for Anne!!!

There is going to be a lot to say about it too!!

Smell: Floral, Earthy, I can also pick up on a “seed” type sent…sunflower or pumpkin-esque. A tad citrus even. I can pick out the Rootbeer scent that LiberTEAs mentioned in her review, too!

It’s a texture-y brown in color. Post infusion all smells still apply and now I can sniff a little bit of the carob, too.

It’s surprisingly sweet on the tongue. The Sarsaparilla really gives it that Umph. The Black and Oolong play together nice and all the additional ingredients seem to be best of friends. Everything in this works out really well with eachother! The first sip is a tad peppery but then turns sweeter. The end of the sip into the after taste is more of the Rootbeer feel.

This blend is really neat. I’m so glad I to try it. A lot went into it – ingredients AND thought. What a lovely tea experience!

This is really nice. I love the lavender in this cup, it not only offers such a pleasing scent but the flavor of the lavender is strong as it intermingles with the bergamot. I like the combination of flavors here very much.

I just wrote a review about this one for the Tea Review Blog – it should publish soon!

I purchased this as a sample at the same time that I submitted my personaliTEA profile for my own customized blend by Mad Pots of Tea. This is a blend that was created for Steph, who is the Tea Guru of The Tea Review Blog.

I really like the combination of Earl Grey and licorice root. Very unique and unexpected kind of taste. The lavender is also prominent in the blend (a big plus in my opinion). One down side for me is the addition of stevia to this blend. I am not a big fan of stevia, and I personally think that this blend would be so much better without it.

But, then, this blend wasn’t created for me. I do like it, but I so prefer my custom blend from Mad Pots of Tea!!!