Trying to drink up as many teas in my cupboard as possible before my next Verdant order arrives and my family loses their shit…
This one is astonishingly good with milk. I mean, it’s not the best tea in the world, but I’m astonished at the fact that it’s good with milk. I like it so much better than I did with only sugar. Who knew? I’ve been slipping back into drinking tea with milk, which I feel like I shouldn’t do (considering how much tea I drink, I should really drink it in as healthy a way as possible), so I’ve been drinking more greens and fruity blacks. But this strategy almost backfires, because now I’m adding milk to tea I wouldn’t have before, just to see what happens.
Anyway. I can recall before this that this tasted like a sweet rooibos, but nothing special. Somehow, with the milk, the pineapples and strawberries are both distinguishable but don’t clash while the coconut takes a nice backseat and just adds this note of creaminess. Lovely. I almost want to buy more now. Almost.
(Also, I applied at Teavana, and the manager literally almost jumped up and down with excitement. So we’ll see how that goes. I don’t like the company, but I don’t like the company I currently work for either, and I like tea better than the stuff I’m selling now. Although I talked to one of my friends who works there, and he tipped me off that THEY DON’T HAVE A BATHROOM IN THE BACK. How the holy hell do you have a tea store with no bathroom? I almost regret applying now, I go like every 1.5-2 hours…where the hell is the closest bathroom? I must find out.)
I maintain that there’s no point in me getting a tea like this as I’d just pick out and eat all the jelly bellies. XD
Yeah, the spring collection is kinda pbbbttthh. At least that saves me money this semester…here’s hoping for some good ones in the summer!
Oh, but I hope that Earl of Lemon one gets released after all. It sounded like it had potential.
Rip off! Wah! Not what you expected! Hope the chocolate cake thing they have coming out is better!
The spring collection really was kind of a bust, wasn’t it. This one is so much like Swampwater, and not really anything special, Paradise Found is a hibiscus nightmare, and Strawberry Ginger tastes really odd. I thought Daydreamer was ok, but nothing grabbing, and everyone seems to like Pink Flamingo, but it’s just a re-release.
And Daniel, of course, the tea I was most looking forward to was the Earl of Lemon, so I’m hoping that one ends up being a winner!
Ahhh considering I really can’t do earls… I’m kinda more sad now haha :(
I so agree, between boring and odd teas, and the super expensive mulberry Gold Rush tea from March, I am disappointed with Davids!! I do hope they kick up their game in the summer.
Bonnie, I am dreaming of chocolate cake now…. mmmmm
I have high hopes for that chocolate cake one!
“Hibiscus nightmare” – RIGHT?! I can’t get over how many people seem to really like that one, at least on Facebook. I tried the sample in the store, and wanted to spit it on the floor. SO sour.
The worst part is that I think it would be fantastic if there was less/no hibiscus. There were some wonderful flavours going on in the cup I had, but they were so overwhelmed by hibiscus that I actually didn’t end up finishing the cup. And I am not typically a hibiscus-hater.
Yeah, me neither. I can handle some hibiscus if it sits in the background. (Which, while I think the Blood Orange was lacking a bit, I do have to say is something in its favour, it’s NOT overwhelmed by hibiscus. I was worried about that.)
But Paradise Found is like, well, they found it soaked in steeped hibiscus, so they probably should have left it where they found it.
Hahaha, I like your last comment!
With the blood orange pu’erh, I was more concerned about the licorice, which also appeared to be an unfounded worry. Wasn’t a big fan though (but perhaps I should have steeped it longer).
I think a company can lose track of what they grew their reputation and following on. Good quality and flavor, good service and consistancy. For Davids I’d say also a sense of fun too. Maybe trying to follow the seasons and changing so many tea’s all at once is not really what the customers are looking for. I for one don’t want 15 new Spring tea’s that all are pretty much in the same theme of citrus or fruity flavors. A few are ok but it’s almost overkill. An the Pu’erh? Why orange when you already have Chocolate Orange? Why not strawberry chocolate or a toffee pu’erh or some new type? Same with other catagories. Just an opinion. Like the idea of chocolate cake, Jelly beans ok…but drop some of the ones that are so close to each other.
Totally agree with you as to the pu’erh, Bonnie – would have loved to have seen a different flavour with it! I think some of the new teas they came out with were good ideas, but not executed as well as they could have been.
I gotta say, I’ve turned into a serious hibby doubter lately. There are teas where I don’t mind it… but for the most part, I could really do without!
and Bonnie, thank goodness someone finally said it… I have been thinking that for so long now. This same old same old business is so old. Like their Jolly Jellybean? it’s a gimmicky version of their green and fruity!
And the dual citrus pu’erhs? ugh, you are so right…
I’d really love to see a kahlua black one day. mmmmm.
Oh and I saw the ingredients list for the Chocolate cake tea today. It too has “artificial flavouring” :(
@Indigobloom: They all seem to have artificial flavouring :( It does make me a bit sad, and then I switch to straight teas which have wonderful, natural flavours and wonder why companies can’t just make all-natural, flavouringless blends! I think Verdant might me doing that, although on a limited scale, but I wish the major companies did it more often.
That said… it’s not going to stop me drinking them! (Which is probably where the problem lies, right?)
I took a tour of a very large tea company once which was an eye opener. When a company is really big they sometimes have to spray on flavorings and tea is stacked in barrels. I saw one gigantic room just for MINT tea. Quality is a goal that is harder to attain when you’re that big. Then the other day I was in another well known chain and was told that they blended oolongs from many sources because they needed to buy in such big quantities that single sourceing wasn’t an option. So, when a company such as Verdant runs out of tea on it’s website… it’s because they don’t bend on quality and they buy from specific farmers. We have to wait for more to be produced or another quality resource to be aquired. There is a relationship with the tea from farm to consumer. I buy both kinds of tea but prefer the quality ones. My 2 cents worth. (I chose Verdant as an example because they are in North America and not Asia which makes their task harder…yet they are attempting a noble standard)
Kristaleyn: I know right?! if straight teas can be so fragrant and yummy, why mess with it? that said I have found flavoured teas that I love- Just not so much lately for some reason.
Bonnie: I’ve heard the same… about sprays and such. What a shame…
Personally, I’d rather wait for the good stuff than settle for less :)
One day I’ll order from Verdant!
I’ve ordered from Verdant recently! Very excited, because I’ve heard so much about them. I just hope our postal service doesn’t lose the dang package.
Oh nice, I can’t wait to read those reviews!! My fingers are crossed for your package, Canada Post is not the most reliable!
Their new website overhaul is awesome! I have 3 more of their teas to review.
ahhhh if only I didn’t have what feels like a million samples in my cupboard as it is. If I could justify another purchase… you can bet this is where I’d go :)
Canada Post is not the most reliable!
I know. :( My 52teas package that I ordered a month ago arrived something like a week late and looking like it had been kicked across a parking lot! I don’t blame Frank at all for that, I KNOW it was CP! And according to what I’ve read, our area is the absolute worst for mail carriers “losing” packages.
What I am impressed with at Verdant is that I had trouble when they were changing the website and the payment screen wasn’t working…they kept in touch with me by email (the Big Guy did!) and when the website issue was resolved made sure that I had extra’s in my order. That was over and beyond. I now feel that if I had any problems this company cares and would address them!
I’ve heard that about 52Teas before though. I wonder if there is a story behind that… like maybe 52 somehow pushed the wrong CP buttons? Or maybe there is a tea-aholic at the sorting bay haha
Your poor tea, was it in okay condition inside the package??
Bonnie: that is excellent customer service indeed!
I’m awaiting a replacement package from Tealish, to be shipped out tomorrow. Their packaging spoiled my tea, it went rancid on me :/
We’ll see how that goes…
Oooo ick erg rats!
LOL indeed!!
Yes, it was fine, actually. His little bags are packed so tight, it’s like they didn’t have room to get crushed, lol. Although maybe he should invest in some rolls of bubble-wrap if CP hates him so much!
My sister was PISSED when she saw the bag it arrived in. I mean, despite the fact that she’s deeply disdainful of my “tea boner” (DEFINITELY not my words!), she was angry on my behalf. The carrier jammed the bag in the mailbox too, and she shouted, “THAT’S NOT HOW YOU TREAT A PACKAGE!” (Good thing the carrier was long gone by then, or I’m sure no tea would ever be delivered to me again!) I assured her that even if some leaves had gotten broken, I do enough dumb things to break the leaves myself. I’m just grateful they got here at all! Ha.
How on earth is mail delivered? I have either a box option but if an item is too big they put it in a large locked mailbox and put the key to it in my mailbox. For other carriers they hand deliver or put it on my covered patio and leave a note on my door. Works this way almost everywhere except at my daughter’s ranch…it’s inside the garage by the kitchen door for deliveries. I don’t get why you’re having so many issues?
Heh, Frank… are you listening?? lol
I like your sister!! I love her ‘tude! Mmmm I’m dreaming of 52teas Pancake Breakfast now.
Not that I am defending CP here at all but please remember that teas coming to Canada have to go through customs also. That is a different group of people and when I worked at a small postal outlet you would not believe the condition that some packages made it to us in. And then to get s### on by the customers because of the condition of the package and the customs charges does not feel great. I am not saying it isn’t CP but the USPS has to handle the package and Customs so maybe it isn’t your carrier’s fault.
On the reverse…what I get from Canada has been fine!
Cattibrie: oh I so agree with you there! they even have the power to open up packages just to see… I can’t imagine the chaos they stir up in the tea world!
Bonnie: really?? so unfair lol
True, it could be on the US side, or Customs…but the postal service local to my city is truly shit, and we’ve had lots of trouble with our carrier before, so it’s not unlikely that he didn’t treat the package well. Obviously, it wasn’t Customs or the USPS that rammed a package into the mailbox to make it fit! LOL. I’d be inclined to blame our carrier first simply because he’s earned that suspicion, if you see what I mean.
@Indigobloom: More than once I’ve received packages that had clearly been opened and taped back up with “Homeland Security” stamped on them. I’m probably on some FBI watch list now. ;D
Wow you have my kind of luck! In September I drove across the border into Canada from Washington State and there were no other cars but only me and what do they do? I had to go into the big whatever it’s called border control building and show all my papers and answer a bunch of questions about why I was going to Vancouver to the Mall! Uh…I’m 63 with a Passport and just finished a cruise that had been to Canada so what’s the problem A? No one but me in the building…so maybe they were bored? Homeland Security is spending money on old ladies and tea! We should be afraid!
Daniel, I just made a Verdant order and received it successfully, undamaged (and I’m in Canada)! Hoping the 52teas order I plan to make before the end of the week makes it here successfully, as do the other 3 packages currently en route to me. The only beef I have with the postal service around here is that numerous times, they have left packages on my front step – and I live on the corner of a busy, student-ridden intersection! The least they could do would be to leave it on the back step.
Jillian: I’d be scared to receive packages stamped with ‘Homeland Security’! Yikes!
I see what you mean. Well either way… you have the tea :)
Kristaleyn: lucky girl!! I so badly want to order from there lives vicariously through others
Jillian: I agree, that is FREAKY!!! yikes!
Hi My tea was also jellybeanless lol i contacted customer service and they sent me 50g free plus 3 free samples! send them an e-mail, they will make it right!
tempting! but I wouldn’t feel right about that… since I only had a 12g sample. Still, I thought there would atleast be little jelly bits. Oh well :)
I think 52 tea’s should use that as their next tea name Little Jelly Bits or maybe the Homeland Security for the Man Tea’s!
ahhhh Bonnie you cracka me uppa! :P
homeland security.. oh I love it! you should pitch it to Frank