The TeaBook

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Whoah, Nelly! The aroma of the tea bag after tearing open the overwrap was so much more potent and boozy than expected. Almost like uncorking a particularly strong bottle of limoncello. Steeped up, however, it was very nice. Definitely lost that strong edge while still having quite a bright and distinct lemon note with a hint of more woody yet sweet ginseng in the finish.

Plus, of course, we love an homage to RBG.

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I mean, how could I resist grabbing a sample of this while in Vegas for the World Tea Expo?? It’s not the first “Bohemian Raspberry” tea I’ve come across and I doubt it will be the last, but the concept of a Freddie Mercury inspired raspberry blend doesn’t get any less amusing every time I find a new one…

I expected this to be really tart/juicy with probably a lot of hibiscus leading the profile, but despite still having a sweet, fresh raspberry flavour and some top note tartness I found the blend was actually more herbal leaning with distinct notes of the rooibos and an overall soothing kind of quality. It very loosely reminded me of Celestial Seasoning’s Raspberry Zinger, but I do think I preferred this tea.

It was really fun – I’m happy to have tried it!

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Met the owner of this company at WTE while grabbing some non-alcoholic tea cocktail samples from the tea bar, and he was kind enough to let me grab some sachet samples from this big binder with all the different blends they carry! Everything is essentially a tea pun inspired by mostly historical figures – I was very intrigued, of course, by the political blends but also the various musician and artist inspired teas. I very much regret not grabbing a sachet of Vincent Van Goji Berry because i haven’t been able to get that pun out of my head since reading it!

This was a little different than I would have expected for a tea with “berry” built into the naming scheme – I was picturing more of a mixed berry profile with, like, blueberry or strawberry. However, it was delicious – and definitely a strong first flavour impression for this company. Kind of like a spiced pomegranate blend. Deep and jammy with all those rich red fruit notes, but also with a generous hit of sweet cinnamon (like a mulling spice) and some zesty orange notes weaved in there too!

I know, in our conversation, the owner expressed that they were looking into doing some Canadian inspired teas for their line up. I will definitely be keeping an eye out because, honestly, this company is just fun and I really love the overall vibe. Plus, at least based on this cuppa, the tea seems pretty solid too!

From a previous TTB! The tulsi and hibiscus together aren’t very delicious, but not terrible. It’s just sort of herbaceous and tart. It was fine cold.

A tea I have received from Amy, from swap elsewhere than Steepster.

Well, this one was dismal. I have been expecting bold base with strong and warming spices in this cold afternoon. We had two days of heavy rains (but it seems with minor damages only) and from 35°C we had only 21°C today.

This tea is almost without the black tea base. It’s last in the ingredients list and I guess why. There is almost none in 1.8 g (0.06 oz) tea bag. And the spices are very muted. The base instead of tea is rather lemongrass and peppermint making somehow common herbal note. I could not recognize them in the cup.

Shame, shame, shame.

The Tea Book was at one of the tea festivals I went to in the last few years… I don’t remember which. I picked up this bag from them at their booth.

This is a pretty solid English breakfast. I steeped it for 3 minutes with boiling water and drank it straight. The malt flavor is pretty strong, and it’s a little astringent. There’s a slight sweet note, and a little molasses flavor right at the end of the sip.

A tea bag from Derk. Well, I think itwill be only US political tea bag I will have in my collection. Thank you, I bet others will envy me.

And it is 9.22 pm now. Which means, of course, a caffeine-free “tea”. Moreover I am still somehow hyped from energy drink I had to buy in a vending machine – in a work.

Peach and mint? Plus rooibos? Combo. Weird combo. We will see. I think I let it steep for 5+ minutes. Dunno exact time. Makes golden-bronze-copper colour.

Eh, okay. The smell is bit funky. Peach, but artificial, mint reminds me bit bubblegum, all together with woody scents.

Maybe I am bit sad that my (Swiss) friend is in Ecuador now? I feel like somebody betrayed me. Another friend (that one I was on his place while kids were in my home) is in Italy now. And I am just working every day. And then? I will spend it all on University. Okay, something I can take away, but I will need it later to pay it. Ahhhh! I need week off on holidays (and I know I just returned yesterday from one). But somewhere alone probably. Just enjoying the life. I was thinking about Austria. Gonna find out if it will work.

♫♫
I ask why, but in my mind
I find I can’t rely on myself
♫♫
Tea itself is, actually quite okay. Not great. It reminds me really a bubblegum. Minty taste with sweet taste of artificial peaches. I did not liked it as much as I expected.

Chocolate pairing: Fig Lindt chocolate. How delicious – Fabiana, this was one of greatest you gave me.

Way too tired to write a decent review. Whirlwind of a week. Bought a truck which was a big deal. I didn’t have a 4-wheeled vehicle for over 8 years. That’s crazy looking back. I relied on my bicycle, public transit and my motorcycle for so long. Then a real job landed in my lap, which I’ve been working for the past several days. I had an interview for another real job which I should find out about tomorrow. I also started powerlifting again this past week and am forcing myself to do cardio. breathe

All three of my housemates love this tea. I make a pot o’ tisane most nights per week for the house and they request this once or twice every week which means I’m quickly running low on stock. Housemate #3 says he loves the peach flavor of this tea because it doesn’t taste artificial. Housemate #2, who normally adds honey to her teas, says this is flavorful and sweet enough that she doesn’t add a spoonful. Housemate #1 says the tea is moderately minty. Tonight was the first time I had this and I’m exhausted so I don’t have an opinion as of yet. Probably fits my preference reference scale somewhere in the 70s to 80.

Sampler Saturday! Thank you, derk! I received this tea from derk while I was having a hard few months, and really appreciated the laugh… especially since it all started from me making a comment on one of those many “wellness” blends about where the “peachy impeachment” teas were, and then Todd actually finding that one existed, hahaha. Which just proves, there really is a tea out there for everything. Now the real question… does it work? I’m betting it works about as well as every other over-promoted “wellness” tea, heh…

Steeped up a pot using both of my teabags in my doubin, and it certainly smells very peachy! It is actually a surprisingly nice blend, for something that is selling off the gag. It isn’t the sort of peach flavor that is on par with Lupicia or 52Teas, but it doesn’t taste oddly artificial or have any of the strange metallic notes I sometimes get with flavorings. It actually tastes slightly floral to me, giving me an odd peach blossom association; perhaps its from the honey sweetness in the rooibos base which is reading more as a floral/honeysuckle sort of flavor to me in this tea. I do taste the tulsi, and it’s bringing in mostly mint and pepper notes. Mostly I’m getting a sweet floral peach flavor, and it’s a quite relaxing cuppa.

Thanks again, derk!

For some reason, I was craving this tea again today. I originally reviewed it two years ago.

Still a solid herbal. I really like how the minty tulsi works with the peach flavoring. Pairs well with fried rice and reading a news blog.

Thanks, derk! Even though she told me there was an envelope on its way to me, and even though we had discussed this tea’s existence, I was pleasantly surprised to receive it.

The smell of the bag and the brewed tea is quite peachy. The taste is peach too, with a subtle mint note that’s a bit peppery. The flavors go well together.

For a political pun of a tea (which I enjoyed), this is quite a tasty tea. Thanks. I may have to buy more as gifts.