294 Tasting Notes
Samples Only TTB
I think I should have steeped this a little longer, because it’s a little watered down tasting when Iced. I get fruity, but I couldn’t tell you what kind of fruit it is. Not bad, but it’s hard to judge because it became to watered down when iced.
Preparation
SamplesOnly TTB
I just had to try this one next after trying the last two orange teas. This one tastes like black tea with a hint of candied orange peels, probably candied because I added sugar. Either way tastes like the peel more than the fruit. Drinkable, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to have it again. Had it iced.
Preparation
Samples Only TTB
This smells exactly like Orange Gatorade Drink Mix. My mom bought a big tub of it when we all caught a stomach bug when I was younger, and it lasted so long that the florida humidity crept in and turned the whole thing clumpy. I didn’t like it as a drink, but I used to either sprinkle it on my cut apples, or make a thick paste out of it first, and then spread it on apples.
This doesn’t taste like orange Gatorade mix (thankfully), but I wouldn’t exactly say it tastes like blood oranges, or oranges in general. Its quite tart, even iced and sweetened, and citrusy, but more of a nondescript citrus not necessarily orange. All that aside, I quite like it, its a good kind of sour, something I can see myself reaching for.
Flavors: Citrus, Sour, Tart
Preparation
I’m glad I included that one. I thought it was much more flavorful than the Harney & Sons that was in the box originally so I thought I needed to include Adagio’s offering for contrast. :) We have a pound of it anyway. It’s good stuff to make a pitcher of to drink cold. :)
I know, when I saw your tasting note on the H&S and that you had included this one I knew I had to compare them. (:
I included the German Chamomile and Egyptian Chamomiles for the same reason. Comparison. I know which one I prefer.
I ended up comparing those two too. Taste like celery to me haha
Samples Only TTB
Maybe I understeeped this one because it’s pretty weak tasting. I iced it (of course), and it tastes sort of like one of those flavored waters, cold and refreshing but not packing a punch in the flavor department. It’s not bad, its just not was I was expecting based on the strong smell.
Preparation
Samples Only TTB
I’m starting to think it safe to say I’m just about the only person in the world who doesn’t hate hibiscus and rose hips. Probably because I usually sweeten all my teas anyway, and I usually ice my fruity teas.
This was an instant where I really don’t think the tartness belongs. Even sweetened and iced, the tartness was distracting from the berry almond taste. If it was toned down a tad and just berry, it would be fitting, especially if there was lemon added, because then it would taste sort of like a berry lemonade. Or if again the tart was toned down and the amaretto was sweeter, then I can see this being like a tea version of an amaretto sour, but as is it just doesn’t please me. Added extra sugar helps a tad, and maybe a shorter steep time will cut back on the tartness as well.
Preparation
I sweeten my teas too but that stuff was just too tart for me. BUT IT SMELLS LIKE JERGENS LOTION I SWEAR XD
To me it smells like almond extract, aka cherry. I swear almond extract always smells like cherry to me, it’s the darnest thing.
Well that’s the thing. Jergens original formula is Cherry Almond flavor haha. :)
Samples Only TTB
I’m actually on my second box of Numi Broccoli and Cilantro savory tea, so I could already tell that I was probably going to like this. Fennel seed always reminds me of pizza or Italian sausage. As is, I’m not a fan of this. But the same goes of my beloved broccoli and cilantro. But with a healthy dosage of salt, this is amazing. I love love love soup. To the point that a lot of times I order just soup when I got out to eat. And this is like drinking a nice flavorful broth. What I really love about these teas, is if they’re a bagged broth and not a tea, then they’re so versatile. They taste a million times better than those cubed bouillon things, they also don’t have added salt which is perfect for those watching their sodium or who think most of those broth mixes are too salty, and they’re much easier to make than having to cook and strain your own broth.
You can also use them in recipes. Throw one in the pasta water while it cooks, use the broth instead of water for lentils, or in place of any recipe that calls for broth for a different twist.
I actually enjoyed this one so much, I’m going to order some from amazon the next time I order more of my broccoli and cilantro (which is going to be soon since I’m adding some to the TTB)
Flavors: Broth, Fennel
Preparation
Samples Only TTB
I’m not much one for straight black teas usually, but the leaves were just so pretty that I decided to try this out. On top of being a black tea, the notes of tobacco mentioned scared me. I don’t smoke, so the idea made me think it would be like taking a sip of your soda, just to find out some jerk used it as an ash tray (true story, I was 10).
Thankfully it’s not like that at all. It’s hard for me to discribe the taste, hard pressed I would say sort of earthy, but also kind of sweet. I found this to be less intense than some straight blacks I’ve tried. I added a touch of sweetener and this is pretty darn good.
Resteeped, I like this even more. The sweet notes come out more, and the almost smokeishness is more subtle.
Very glad I got to try this because its something I would have never bought on my own, but I surprising quite liked it.
Preparation
Samples Only TTB
Caffeine doesn’t effect me. I can have a high caffeine tea, or even an energy drink right before bed and not notice any difference in how long it takes me to sleep. But, I still will usually have an herbal right before bed, because, it feels right. I had this iced last night after date night. I might have over sweetened it a tad, but since I’m a sweet fiend, it worked out for the better. I wouldn’t exactly say mango if you asked me what fruit it was, but it was still enjoyable. Sweet and fruity and mellow.
Preparation
So on the way back to my dads from the cruise I discovered that there’s a Teavana in the mall right next to his house. I’ve never been to a Teavana, or any tea shops for that matter. Knowing all the Teavana horror stories, I decided on this tea before going in, and when I got there I made a bee line right to the register, told the lady “2 oz of Raspberry Riot Lemon Mate and that’s it”. I was in and out in 5 minutes with no trying to sell me anything else or anything. I’d call that a success.
So this morning, before digging into the Samples Only TTB I tried this out iced. Holy yum is it good. Both the dry and wet tea smell super fruity and enticing, and with a touch of sugar it really does remind me of raspberry lemonade. I’m not really getting any mate taste, but I’m ok with that. I don’t think I can imagine this hot. With the hibiscus and the rose hips and raspberry and lemon, I imagine it would be super duper tart. But iced and sweetened its super refreshing and yummy. I also managed to resteep this and produce a pretty decent second cup.
Preparation
Backlog
So it was graduation weekend here in my neck of the woods, so I had to go home for the weekend in order to go to my cousins graduation, my sisters graduation, and my sisters graduation party. Let me just say if I never go to another graduation again, it’ll be too soon. Graduations are so boring, haha.
So I made up a huge pitcher of this iced to drink throughout my sisters party, and wow oh wow! It’s like the most interesting lemonaide in the world and a nice green tea had a beautiful beautiful baby. Not only is it lemony and green (I always use vegetal to describe that typical delightful green tea taste, but I feel like vegetal might not be the right name, idk), but its got this nice creaminess that really reminds me of a dessert. So good, I drank the whole thing way to fast. It’s so good iced, I’m bumping the score 5 points.
I had the same experience with that one. It was a tea. But not much else to be said about it haha.
Glad I’m not the only one! I thought that maybe I had had too many fruity teas in a row and that it was interfering because it was just there, nothing really remarkable about it, haha.
Yeah. Guanabana. I remember when my sis and I sipped this one. We looked up at each other and agreed mutually, “Well… this is a tea.” haha :)