Tension Tamer

Another old school one for me. (and yes it was the box art that conned me into this one).
But it is a good tea, and as I recall quite lemoney to me.
And despite this being something that tastes of highschool nostalgia to me, I am
actually pining for a cup at the moment….b/c if I thought that time frame of my life
was tension-filled. Well, lets just say it needs mega taming now.

I recently discovered this tea and it’s one of my favorites at the moment. Definitely has a unique combination of flavors, but it’s soothing and I’m a big fan.

Tension Tamer is a favorite for my mother and me, and in my opinion, it is one of the best herb teas available from Celestial Seasonings. While bagged teas are never quite as good as the full leaf alternative, they are more widely available.

I have experimented quite a bit with this tea. It is good as a hot tea, as well as iced. I have also brewed iced tea mixing this with the Republic of Tea’s Mint Fields Herb Tea. It makes an excellent summer tea: light and refreshing!

Ginger is overpowering in this tea, at least I think it is ginger… so ginger haters beware! I didn’t notice it provide any help to cope with stress, it’s just isn’t potent enough for that.

This is a great herbal tea, and I really like it, although I admit that it does taste somewhat “medicinal”. I do like how the minty taste dances in my mouth for several seconds after each swallow, but ultimately fades to a more subdued flavor. The inclusion of B-vitamins is an added bonus!

I’m not a huge fan of herbals, or Celestial Seasonings really, but I actually quite liked this one! It was a nice cup for the evening, though I can’t say it was particularly relaxing as the name suggests.

One more review today, this one is real time. The three I submitted earlier were backlogs and I’m hoping to hit a few more of those tomorrow. It’s unlike me to have more than one review in queue.

I snag some terrible stuff from my aunt’s bagged tea drawer. This is my First and Last Time with Tension Tamer. For one, it’s lemongrass/lemonflavor dominant, eugh. Two, that cloying licorice root sweetness hangs out in the back of the mouth forever. Three, I’m not a fan of many combinations of non-spicy ginger, lemon, mint and/or cinnamon. The mint and catnip are cooling, yes. The hops, I think they round out the flavor and might contribute to some relaxation. I’ve had eleuthero before but can’t recall its taste. Can’t pick out the tilia flowers at all. Aftertaste is tangy and lemon cleaner.

Did I mention the dry bag smells like an herbaceous mustybutt?

Throwback Thursday! Since clearing out space in the cupboard where I’m currently storing my bagged teas is one of my primary goals, especially since many of these are on the older side, this is a good one to revisit. It has remained for a long time one of the few grocery store bagged teas I’ve continued to like.

My box has not reached its expiration date yet (11/2019), but this just… isn’t holding up how I remember. I don’t know if it is age despite not being expired, or if my tastes (particularly when it comes to bagged teas) have just changed too much, because something about it just tastes too… overly dusty and processed to me. Like, if I could have this same tea without it being crushed to a pulp I’d love it. Because there is still something at its core I find soothing, and I enjoy the flavor, it just feels a bit… weak, and doesn’t have that fresh or natural note I guess I like in an herbal like this.

The aroma has a very herbaceous quality to it, with minty and citrus notes. The flavor is a bit dry and herby, a bit like hay and dry grass, followed by mint and a strong lemon flavor. The citrus provides a little tanginess, but it is quickly followed by a subtle sweetness of licorice root; it is not a strong or potent flavor, just enough to provide a touch of balance to the dry herby flavors in the cup. I really do have a soft spot for this tea and think it is a great blend, and would really love a “fresh” and “full leaf” take on it. I’m happy to settle for this since it’s all I can get. I think it’s really just the somewhat “dusty” mouthfeel I sometimes get, and the weak flavor even when I “overleaf” by using lots of teabags that are my main issues. Lowering the rating slightly due to these issues, though willing to raise it again later if a new batch proves more promising. Perhaps if I finish off this box and get a new one, some of the magic will come back?

One of my more favorite teas from Celestial Seasonings. I find their teas to be very hit and miss so I never know which I will like until I try them.

With this tea I usually add a piece of licorice root (just 1-2 smaller pieces) to add a bit more flavor to this subtle tea. I find myself reaching for this tea in the evening a few hours before bed.

I have been having some stress and anxiety issues lately. I was at the grocery store just looking at teas, and found this. The flavors sounded great, except for the licorice, but I thought I would give it a try. I think its tastes absolutely amazing. After the first cup, I felt very calm and focused, and slept very well. The next day, I was pretty calm, relaxed, and focused all day. I did feel the effects wearing off near the end of the day, but I was nowhere back to how I used to feel. I will be drinking a cup every night. I highly recommend it!