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Another from Sips By. I believe this is my first Kenyan black tea. From what I can smell over the lemon myrtle, it reminds me of a fresh Ceylon. Very nice.

I’m broke right now and have had to resort to using sugar in my tea instead of stevia. I hate it. It ruins the mouthfeel and leaves a gross, tangy aftertaste. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying this.

The lemon myrtle is very powerful. It almost completely mutes the black tea base. I like a tea with a lot of herbs, though, so I don’t mind too much. The lemon flavor I’m getting is definitely not actual citrus. It’s more like lemongrass. Sweet, clean, and uplifting. Soothing in a way. Kind of reminds me of Lemonheads candy. Or the lemon balm my grandmother bought by accident when she meant to get catnip.

So, if you’re looking for a southern sweet tea with lemon experience, this ain’t it. But if you like lemongrass, you’ve found a winner.

Another pick from my Sips By box. I have loved this subscription so much. Sure, it’s not enough tea to get me through a month, but I love the variety.

First of all, I’m impressed by the sleek black packaging. I love the sort of turn-of-the-century style. Very cool, looks good on my kitchen counter.

As far as Ceylons go, this one is sort of different. It’s very smooth and the leaves are gorgeous. Long, elegant, and in great shape. Very low tannins with a nice woodsy note. The fruit flavor isn’t overwhelming or artificial. It’s on the milder side, very natural. It sort of compares to Harney & Sons’ version. It tastes more like dried mango than mango juice.

Anyway, I’m going to have to check this company out. I’d like to see what else they have to offer.

This is back in my stash! I took advantage of a sale and Harney & Sons’ free shipping. Paid like $7 for 4 ounces of this and a sample of Vanilla Comoro for blending. Awesome.

I keep opening the tin to smell it. So wonderful.

I got this in my Sips By box and was thrilled, as it’s been on my wishlist here for like 5 years. I just never got around to trying it.

And it’s exactly what I was afraid of. Another reputable tea company trying to create Thai Tea naturally. The spices just never come out recognizable. All I can taste in this is very loud cardamom and maybe a tiny bit of vanilla. It’s unfortunately nothing like what you would get in a Thai restaurant.

Also, I want to mention that this tea is super granulated and fine, so your spoon is going to get a dense, hefty amount. I know this is to keep it from being watered down too much by the milk, but it’s still something to consider during preparation.

This might be the third time I’ve had this in my stash. I don’t know why I’ve never reviewed it. I guess I’ve only had it during times I’ve been inactive here.

Anyway, the fact that I bought it a third time should say a lot. There’s just something about it. It’s lightly spiced, but smooth with sweet vanilla and apple. There is an actual cake note, too. But my mind never translates it as “cake”. No, this tea tastes exactly like Apple Jacks to me. In the best way. I love Apple Jacks, and if I can get that flavor in a zero calorie, caffeinated form, I’m going to!

Another one from Sips By. I don’t have a lot to say about this… Besides the fact that it is INTENSELY YELLOW and stained my steel mesh infuser a weird goldish color. It brews up almost opaque and leaves a hefty little cloud of powder on the bottom of my tumbler.

Turmeric takes the lead as far as flavors go. Then ginger and some sort of citrus-like note. It is somewhat spicy, and medicinal-tasting to me. Probably would be nice to sip if you were sick with a cold, though. Especially with a little honey.

Also, thumbs down for no caffeine. I just… am so much less likely to drink a caffeine free tea. I need that boost!

Oh. Oh no. I’ve stumbled upon a new favorite.

There are several teas from my Sips By boxes that I should be reviewing, but yesterday was a very hard day for me, so I went straight for a comfort tea this morning. Tiramisu is my absolute favorite dessert, after all.

The dry leaf itself is interesting. Big white tea leaves and lots of brown hojicha stems. The aroma promises notes of creamy chocolate and brandy. As far as the flavor goes, this tastes like a fancier, classier Three Musketeers bar. Chocolate, vanilla, and nougat. Nougat above all else. The hojicha adds a sort of roasty base that keeps the other flavors from being overwhelming, while the white tea adds almost oolong-like notes. This is so complex and interesting for a dessert tea! It’s rich and the creaminess really lingers in your mouth. Yet it isn’t heavy in any way. It’s pleasantly light, making it a treat over ice.

I should probably go with a lower steeping temperature for this next time. And there certainly will be a next time. I used my whole sample in one day, so…

Good lord. I can’t drink this by itself.

It’s like sipping buttercream frosting, with a STRONG emphasis on the butter. Almost sickeningly decadent. Even when blended 1:3 with other teas, this takes center stage. It’s potent.

Normally, I am all about super rich dessert teas. But this is rich to the point that it’s a little gross. I’d avoid this one.

This came in my Sips By box this month. It’s my first pure cacao tea! I’ve had it as an ingredient in chais and things, but never on its own. I’m seriously craving sweets right now, so I hope this will taste the way I imagine.

The smell as I open the pouch is just like a fudgy brownie. A mouthwatering aroma. I wasn’t expecting it to be so enticing. However, the appearance is the opposite. The thin brown flakes remind me of fish food. Hmm.

As it steeped, the flakes sank to the bottom of my infuser. The water changed to a cloudy dark tan and I wondered if I added too much “leaf”. Steeped, the aroma is sharper and warmer. Like the way it smells when you take a chocolate cake out of the oven. I thought of going ahead and adding milk like other reviewers did, but I wanted to try it without first.

The flavor is not exactly what I expected, but it’s lovely. A little bit toasty, a little bit woodsy, and then rich chocolate. Lingering, satisfying chocolate, especially on the exhale. I just wish the flavor was a little more intense. I think if I were to buy a pouch of this, I would use even more than I did this time. It would be so fun to experiment with. Glad I got a chance to try this.

I got this tea in my very first Sips by box. For those of you not familiar, Sips by is a relatively new tea subscription service that matches you with 4 teas to try every month. So far, I love it! I was excited about all 4 picks they sent.

Now. I don’t drink a lot of instant teas. I’m definitely a loose leaf kind of girl. But this had attractive packaging and the price on the website suggested it was higher quality. As I poured it into my cup, I found that it looked just like ground cinnamon. It smelled fruity and realistic, kind of like how a peach smells before you bite into it.

It dissolved super easily. I used all 4 packs they gave me in a 24 ounce tumbler. After ice and some stirring, it came out to a kinda scary black coffee color. However, the flavor is surprisingly mild. Ginger is the main thing I taste, with a kind of disappointingly dull peach flavor. Hmm. It’s like a fruity, uncarbonated ginger ale. There is no ginger burn at all.

While I’m not really impressed, I should note that there is no grit left over on the bottom. Also, this packs quite the caffeine punch. I am having trouble sitting still, that’s for sure.