Tea Goals for 2010

I'm back! After a much needed break in order to finish up my fall semester of college and spend time with family and friends over the holidays... I am back to updating this blog with reviews and other tid bits as often as I can. To keep me on track, I created a list of goals that I would like to achieve during the next year.

These are a list of my TeaGoals for 2010... in no particular order:

Learn more about and try Pu Erh - I have heard a lot about Pu Erh from other TeaFriends, but I haven't been able to purchase and try my first Pu Erh. I need to learn more about the process of how it is made, first, and then see which cake would be a proper introduction.

Learn more about teaware - I would like to dig deeper, beyond the ceramics and such, to discover the history of the types of teaware, their uses, their origins, etc.

Finish my tea MS Access file - I wanted to learn more about the processing of each tea, but the more teas I learned, the more I kept getting them mixed up. Thus, I created an MS Access file that documents how certain teas are processed according to the vendor who sells them. Plus, I have added details about the vendors in there, as well. However, this file is barely started. I hope to complete it and pass along the information to my fellow members of the ATB.

Stay updated - With work, school, and social life keeping me incredibly busy these past couple of months, I feel like I have almost lost touch with this blog and some of my on-line tea buddies. I am trying to come up with an efficient way to stay updated with tea blogs (including my own), organizations, forums, and news once school starts again in the spring (thankfully this is my last semester).

So, with that said, I hope you all have a safe and happy New Year! Bring on 2010!

Pearl Tea’s Sencha Review

Type: Green
Origin: Japan
Price: Free Sample (regular price - $22.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 167°F-185°F, steeped for 0.5 - 2 minutes
Overall Score: 4.8 out of 5

Sencha is a Japanese green tea. The dry leaves smell fresh and clean. They have a very nice sweet, grassy aroma. The leaves are small, skinny, and tightly rolled bits with light and dark green colors mixed throughout.

The aroma while the leaves are steeping is subtle and vegetal. It has a fresh scent, kind of like fresh cut grass. The liquor is a pretty yellowish-green color.





The taste is mellow, vegetal, and clean. It leaves the sweet, grassy aftertaste. I would not say that his tea is bitter, but it has a tiny bit of astringency that I noticed after about the 3rd sip. However, the pleasantly mild grassy taste is enough for me to keep drinking.

Ah, I love Sencha. It is kind of the “every day” green tea as far as comparing price to flavor. The flavor is always mild enough to enjoy, but not too subtle either. The astringency is low for being a green tea. Plus, the sweet, clean taste is almost indescribable.

Pearl Tea’s Earl Grey de la Crème Review

Type: Black
Origin: Not Specified
Price: Sample (regular price - $12.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-203°F, steeped for 0.5 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.0 out of 5

Earl Grey de la Crème is black tea blended with oil of Bergamot and vanilla. As soon as I opened the package I would smell the bergamot oil and vanilla. The aroma of those two ingredients was quite pungent. The black leaves are tiny, twisted, and dark in color. There seem to be some type of blue flower petals thrown into the blend. I think their only purpose is to add color to the normally dark mix of black tea leaves and not necessarily flavor.

The aroma while the leaves are steeping is filled with the citrusy bergamot. I can’t smell much of the vanilla at this point. The liquor is a dark orange color. The color of this tea is a similar color of some of the leaves outside at the moment.





The tea tastes like a typical Earl Grey except with a hint of creaminess at the end. With the bergamot and vanilla flavors, this brew is super sweet. The bergamot flavor is present but not overpowering like some Earl Grey’s I have had. I think the vanilla helps cut into that citrus-like flavor and mellows the tea out to make a sweet and creamy overall flavor.

I can’t taste the black tea side of things – it is pretty much all about the bergamot and vanilla. Because of that, there is no bitterness or astringency to this cup. Pearl Tea’s says to add cream or honey to this brew if you want… but I think that would be an overkill of sweetness. It definitely has a “dessert” kind of taste without any sweetener.

Mighty Leaf’s Tea To Go Mug

I. Am. Busy. I am a full time college student with a recently acquired part time job, so I am hardly ever home during the week days. Thus, I love it when I can take my tea with me to work and school. My current method of tea travel is to steep the leaves in a teapot, then transfer the tea into a lidded mug and head out the door. However, Mighty Leaf has something better.

They have come up with a brilliant way of brewing tea while on the go, without over-steeping the leaves. Their mug is a stainless steel body with a plastic lid that has very genius design. On this lid, there is a place to sip the tea, but there is also a slit on top of the “dome” part of the lid.

How this lid works is the tea drinker threads the tea bag tag through the slit and then submerges the tea bag in the hot water that they pour in the mug body as the lid is placed on the mug. The purpose of the slit and the “dome” is revealed when the steep time is up because then the tea drinker pulls on the tea bag string until the bag can go no further, thus pulling the tea bag into the “dome” and keeping the leaves out of the water. Tah-dah… no more over-steeping!

This method works best with Mighty Leaf tea bags (duh, those are what this mug is designed to work with) because of the cloth-type material of their tea bags. It was a little difficult to use with pyramid bags because the string is attached to the side of the pyramid and not the corner. I ended up just pinching the excess string in between the lid and body of the mug to hold the pyramid tea bag in place inside the “dome.” Tea bags that use staples do not work as well, because the staples will not go through the slit in the lid. Tea bags that use staples may work if you use the string pinching method above.

My only complaint is how prone this mug is to spillage. What I mean is that you have to make sure you keep this mug upright because the spout and the slit for the tea bag are always open – so be careful with the frantic juggling of keys, briefcase/purse, mug, etc. as you head out the door.

Although, even with the open-mouth design, this mug keeps the contents hot for several hours… but who can stand not drinking perfectly steeped tea for that long?

Special thanks to Mighty Leaf for sending me this awesome mug to review!

Visit Mighty Leaf’s website to get one for yourself!

Pearl Tea’s Counting Sheep Review

Type: Herbal
Origin: Egypt
Price: Sample (regular price - $16.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 194°F-203°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.3 out of 5

Counting Sheep is a blend of orange, chamomile, citrus peels, rose-hip peels, orange blossoms, lemon grass, nana-mint, and hibiscus. I will have to say that this is one of the prettiest blends I have tried yet. The mix of yellow and green chamomile, green lemon grass, yellow and orange citrus peels, and the beautiful rose-hip and hibiscus makes this blend an amazingly appealing. I just hope it tastes as good as it looks. I can smell the orange aroma immediately. Upon a closer inspection I can smell the floral scents of chamomile and hibiscus mixing with the citrus aromas.

I can smell the apple-like aroma of the chamomile as the blend is steeping. The citrus aromas float around in the background. I wasn’t exactly sure what color this was going to turn out, so the yellowish-green color was a nice, beautiful surprise.





The taste is very floral and fruity. I can taste the chamomile first. The aftertaste holds the orange and lemon flavors. The apple-like taste of the chamomile with the citrus flavors makes this a rather sweet and refreshing blend.

The blend is not bitter or astringent. The tea is very sweet on its own so I don’t think there is any reason to add sugar (plus, this blend is meant to relax you and sugar would only contradict that). I believe this tea would be nice to have in the evening while winding down – just as it is recommended. It is sweet enough to act like a no-calorie dessert and it is caffeine free so you can rest easy.

Pearl Tea’s Rooibos Lemon Creme Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $12.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 194°F-203°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 3.5 out of 5

Rooibos Lemon Crème is a mix of rooibos, lemongrass, and marigold petals. I smell the fruity rooibos right away, followed by the lemony flavors. The blend mostly consists of reddish-brown bits of rooibos. Strips of green lemongrass and marigold petals can be seen throughout the blend.

The freshly brewed tea smells of pungent rooibos with a hint of lemon in the background. The fruity aroma from the rooibos is what I smell if I get my nose anywhere near the cup. The liquor is a reddish-orange color.





The taste is sweet and more subtle than I thought it was going to be. I can taste the rooibos in the first sip and in the aftertaste, but the lemon is a little hard to find. I notice the lemon flavor if I actively search for it, but it is so subtle I may not have known it was in the blend unless I was told.

Overall the taste is sweet, fruity, and smooth. There is no bitterness or astringency. I found the taste very mild for being a rooibos. I think maybe a slightly longer steep time would pack a heartier punch and may bring out the flavor of the lemon some more – I can smell the lemon, but I just can’t taste it.

Pearl Tea’s Assam Review

Type: Black
Origin: India
Price: Sample (regular price - $12.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-203°F, steeped for 0.5 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.4 out of 5

Assam is a black tea from India. The tea smells fresh, woody, and smoky. However, I really have to hold the tea close to my nose to obtain the aroma. The leaves are small twisted pieces which are rather dark brown in color.

The liquor is a nice copper color. The freshly brewed tea smells woody and smoky. Again, I have to put my nose to the cup to gather the aroma.





The taste is bold, brisk, and invigorating. It is slightly bitter and quite astringent – I start to feel my mouth becoming dry after only the second sip. Just like in the aroma, the taste is slightly smoky with woody characteristics, as well. In the aftertaste I also pick up a slight fruity-like taste along with the smoky flavor.

I brewed this tea closer to the 3 minute mark of their suggested steep time. Although, I normally brew my black teas around 4-5 minutes, this tea still has a nice bold flavor that would stand up well to milk and sugar – but who needs those?

Pearl Tea’s Dragon Well (Long Jing) Review

Type: Green
Origin: China
Price: Sample (regular price - $25.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 167°F-185°F, steeped for 0.5 - 2 minutes
Overall Score: 4.7 out of 5

Dragon Well (Long Jing) is a hand-pressed, roasted green tea from China. This particular tea smells slightly sweet and vegetal, but not too grassy. I can smell the wonderful roasted characteristics in this tea. The leaves are long, skinny, and flat. A mix of light and dark green color comes from a spoonful of the leaves.

The liquor is a light green color. The aroma of the brewed tea smells like roasted green vegetables. It is a nice clean, fresh smell.





The taste is more subtle than I imagined. The tea is mellow, sweet, buttery, and vegetal. The aftertaste holds the roasted, nutty flavor. The tea is not bitter, but a tiny bit astringent. This tea is rather refreshing. I love the sweet buttery taste up front followed by the nuttiness.

This is a tea that gets better as you drink it. Since the roasted flavor is in the aftertaste, once you sip the tea a second (third, fourth, etc.) time, you get a well rounded buttery, nutty flavor that is mighty tasty.

Pearl Tea’s “Chai Chai” Christy Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $15.50 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Pearl Teas
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 194°F-203°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes, added ¼ cup of milk
Overall Score: 3.2 out of 5

“Chai Chai” Christy is a blend of rooibos, ginger, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. I can smell the cloves and ginger immediately. I can faintly smell the rooibos, but I really have to look for that particular aroma. Overall this dry blend smells really spicy. I can see the tiny bits of the red rooibos along with pieces of ginger. The cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves seem to be ground up in this blend.

While the blend is steeping, the liquor is a yellowish-orange color. I can still smell the cloves and ginger up front. The fruity rooibos aroma hangs out in the background.





The taste is warm and slightly spicy. Once again, the cloves and ginger are the first things I notice. I can barely taste the rooibos in this blend. Most of the rooibos blends that I have come across say to steep for 5-7 minutes. This one suggested 2-3 minutes. I steeped the tea closer to 3 minutes, but I think that a longer steeping time might be a good thing for this tea because it might let the rooibos flavor have a chance to show its stuff a little more.

This blend was not that strong on its own and adding milk made it even weaker – creamier, but still very mellow. So, if you like chai, but don’t want to be knocked off your seat like some chai’s have a tendency to do, then this one might be the way to go.

Mighty Leaf’s Marrakesh Mint Green Tea (Iced) Review

Type: Green
Origin: China, Morocco
Price: Sample (regular price - $9.95 for 15 Pouches)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5

Marrakesh Mint Green Tea is a mix of Chinese green tea and peppermint. I can smell the cool peppermint instantly just as I begin to tear open the package. The leaves are tiny specks of green and white leaves.

After the tea is steeped and iced, I can smell the peppermint clearly. It is not as pungent as in the dry leaf state, though. The liquor is a yellowish-green color.

Wow, if this does not cool you off on a hot summer day, I’m not sure what will. Surprisingly, even with the overwhelming peppermint taste, I can still taste the green tea. The peppermint does its job of creating a cool, refreshing effect in my mouth. No bitterness, no astringency… just a cool flavor with a hint of sweetness.

I have never had peppermint iced before – I have had it hot, but never iced. I know when I had peppermint flavored hot tea it left my mouth feeling cool despite the hot beverage. The iced version is really nice, especially while drank during a miserably hot summer day. Actually, I’m more of a spearmint fan than a peppermint fan and I enjoyed this tea without ever once wishing it was spearmint.

Mighty Leaf’s Organic African Nectar (Iced) Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $9.95 for 15 Pouches)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 5 - 7 minutes, let cool to room temperature then added ice
Overall Score: 4.3 out of 5

Organic African Nectar is a blend of rooibos mixed with organic hibiscus flowers and organic marigold flowers. A rush of fruity and floral aromas hit me as I open the package. I can pick out the fruity rooibos aroma while the hibiscus and marigold aromas blend together in the background. Overall the blend smells insanely sweet. Reds and yellows make up the color of the leaves for this blend.

After the tea is steeped and iced, I could easily smell the fruity rooibos. I could no longer pick up on the floral aromas, however. The liquor is a pretty yellowish-red color.



The taste is lively and fruity. It is quite sweet and refreshing, as well. I can taste the fruity rooibos while the hibiscus and marigold blend into the background. I can taste more of the floral flavors in the aftertaste than in the initial sip. Admittedly, I thought the rooibos might get overpowered with the floral flavors because of how pungent the flowers smelled before steeping. However, the taste is just the right balance of fruity and floral.

When iced this tea is still full of flavor. The fruity qualities in this tea make it rather sweet and refreshing. I believe there is no sugar or sweetener needed here. Even the pickiest sweet iced tea drinkers may not notice the lack of sugar.

Mighty Leaf’s Orange Dulce (Iced) Review

Type: Mix of Black and Green
Origin: China, Sri Lanka
Price: Sample (regular price - $9.95 for 15 Pouches)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 3 - 5 minutes, let cool to room temperature then added ice
Overall Score: 3.8 out of 5

Orange Dulce is Ceylon and China black and green teas mixed with jasmine flowers, citrus fruits, and vanilla flavors. I can smell the citrus and the vanilla as soon as I tear open the package. It has an overall sweet, floral aroma. The blend is mostly dark, small leaves with a few yellow and white jasmine flowers.

After the tea is steeped and iced, I can noticeably smell the vanilla while the citrus hangs out in the background. The liquor is a deep orange color.

The taste is quite sweet and refreshing. I taste the vanilla throughout and the citrus settles with the jasmine in the aftertaste. I don’t think this would need any sugar. The vanilla makes this blend extremely sweet on its own.

This tea is called Orange Dulce, but I taste the vanilla way more than the citrus. The tea was a refreshing treat overall. However, I wish I could have tasted more of the individual flavors like the citrus and jasmine instead of having to actively look for those flavors through the overwhelming vanilla.

Disclaimer

Admittedly, I really didn’t think I needed one of these, but I want to MAKE SURE all of those who come across this blog know exactly why it exists.

This is my personal blog in which I talk about my hobby of tea. This includes, but is not limited to, personal tea notes, thoughts, reviews, opinions, experiences, news, and events.

I do not claim to be a tea expert in any way, shape, or form. It was only in August of 2007 that I started to actively research and understand tea as a substance and as a culture. Thus, this blog was created to document my learning experience.

This blog was not created for the sole purpose of selling products. I advertise for Google Ads and certain affiliated companies, but I have no intention to use this blog as a means to push sales. By that I mean the Google Ads and affiliated links are there for my readers, but if I sell something that is fine and if I do not then that is fine, too. I personally do not care about the commission generated from any sales linked with the tea companies in which I am an affiliate.

Because of that, all of the reviews are written without bias. Most of the reviews come from free samples sent to me by tea companies. However, just because they are free does not sway me to post a review in their favor. I will provide my readers with only HONEST reviews. With that said, there may be times when I have negative feelings and opinions towards certain teas, vendors, companies, etc. But, these opinions are not intended to malign, defame, or injure any company, vendor, group, etc.

The photographs on this blog are personally taken by me unless noted in the actual blog post. Any or all personal photographs may not be used without my written permission.

I hold personal responsibility for the content of this blog except for the comments made by others on individual blog posts. I am not responsible, nor will I be held liable, for anything anyone says on my blog in the blog comments sections. Although, I hold the responsibility to delete any comments in which I feel misrepresents this blog.

There is one other point I would like to make concerning my tea reviews. I have my own parameters in which I brew certain types of tea. However, when I am doing a review I will brew that particular tea the way that the vendor tells the consumer to brew it. I do that because when a consumer buys that particular tea they are going to trust the knowledge of the tea vendor and brew it according to the instructions on the package or on the vendor’s website.

This disclaimer is subject to change at any time for any reason.

Mighty Leaf’s Coco Chai Review

Type: Chai (Rooibos base)
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price - $8.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-205°F, steeped for 5 - 7 minutes
Overall Score: 4.6 out of 5

Coco Chai is a blend of rooibos, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, red peppercorns, and coconut. I can smell the fruity immediately followed by the sweet coconut. There is a spicy aroma in the background, but I can’t tell if it is from the ginger or the peppercorns. I can see slivers of coconut, cardamom, and whole peppercorns mixed in with the tiny red rooibos.

While steeping, the tea smells of fruity rooibos and sweet coconut. I can smell the ginger and cinnamon, as well. Those aromas put together give the tea a sweet but spicy smell. The liquor is a pretty orange or copper color.





Just like the aroma, the taste is an awesome blend of sweet and spicy. I taste the fruity rooibos first. Then the sweet coconut settles in the aftertaste. Finally, a couple of seconds later the ever so gentle amount of heat from the cinnamon and ginger creeps up in the aftertaste. The more I sip, the more of the battle between the sweet coconut and the spices becomes noticeable.

Bitterness and astringency is not an issue with this blend. The sweetness from the rooibos and coconut seem to take care of the bitterness while the spices have been kept to the right amount as to not become unpleasant in the mouth.

I would say go ahead and add some milk if you want (since that is how chai is traditional prepared). That would mellow out some of the spices and bring out the coconut even more. However, I think the flavors in this tea are exceptional on their own.

Earl Grey Creme Brulee

Lately, it has become a weekly thing for my boyfriend and his father to plan a “grilling out” menu for a Sunday dinner. They both are really passionate about food and preparing it… while my boyfriend’s mother and I are really passionate about eating it.

So, for last night’s dinner we had a whole roasted duck, penne carbonara with bacon, squash, and parmaggina-reggino, and clover leaf rolls… and, oh yeah, Earl Grey crème brulee for dessert.

It was the first time I have ever had crème brulee and one made with tea was a great introduction to the French dessert. They wouldn’t tell me what flavor it was (they wanted to surprise me) so when I took my first bite I thought “No way!” It was really tasty! It had a great texture with the smooth custard and the crunchy, sweet, caramelized sugar crust.

The level of Earl Grey flavor was nice. I could taste the sweet bergamot flavor more than the black tea, but that was ok because it was meant to be a sweet dessert.

Sorry for the lack of quality in the pictures. I had to take them with the camera on my phone.

Mighty Leaf’s Mango Green Decaf Review

Type: Green - Decaffinated
Origin: Nilgiri, India
Price: Sample (regular price - $8.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 3.8 out of 5

Mango Green Decaf is decaffeinated green tea with mango and calendula. When I open the package, the first thing I smell is the sweet, fruity mango… and that is about all I can smell from the dry leaves. The blend is tiny rolled and twisted green tea with big chunks of mango and pieces of calendula. The mix of dark green, yellow, and orange is pretty.

The freshly brewed tea smells of sweet and tart mango. There is a floral scent in the background, but I can’t figure out if it’s from the green tea or the calendula. The liquor is a pretty orange color.





The taste is fruity and tart. Mango is the main flavor I pick up in the first couple of sips. The tea was quite bitter… more so than I thought it would be. The bitterness may be more from the calendula (because the plant is described as having bitter qualities) and not necessarily the green tea.

The aftertaste is fruity and sweet, but also a little astringent. I still don’t taste the green tea anywhere, however. I would say this tea is medium bodied because of the punch from the tart mango.

It would be interesting to see what this tea would taste like iced. Mango is a refreshing flavor so I believe some ice cubes and a pinch of sugar would ease some of the tartness and make this tea a nice treat.

Mighty Leaf’s Yellow Flower Review

Type: Green
Origin: China
Price: Sample (regular price - $16.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.0 out of 5

Organic Yellow Flower is a Chinese green tea. The subtle aroma of the leaves is sweet, floral, and slightly grassy. The leaves are long, slender, rolled pieces that are dark green in color. The whole leaves are quite big and I noticed very little tea dust in the package.

The tea smells fresh, sweet, and grassy with some floral notes in the background. The liquor is a very light yellow color.





At first sip, the taste is light, sweet, and grassy. This is definitely a light bodied, mellow tea. After I swallow, the tea leaves a sweet, floral aftertaste that lingers for a while. It is not bitter or astringent at all… it is actually quite refreshing.

The tea is so light that sugar would kill it completely, but I don’t see a need for a sweetener (do I ever?) because the tea provides enough sweetness on its own.

Mighty Leaf’s Organic Emerald Pearls Review

Type: Green
Origin: China
Price: Sample (regular price - $16.95 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Mighty Leaf
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 2 - 3 minutes
Overall Score: 4.2 out of 5

Organic Emerald Pearls is Chinese green tea. The aroma of the dry leaves is sweet, fresh, and grassy. The leaves are long, rolled, slightly twisted strands which are dark green in color.

The aroma of the tea is grassy and fresh. The liquor is a light yellow color.





The taste is sweet, fresh, and grassy. A sweet, floral aftertaste lingers for quite some time. I would say this tea is somewhere in between a light and medium bodied tea. It is not really mellow, but it is not bold either. The tea is not bitter, but it is a tad astringent… after just the first 2oz. cup my mouth started to feel a bit dry.

There isn’t much to say about this tea… it is straight and to the point with its sweet, grassy flavor. There is a tiny bit of astringency, but this tea has refreshing qualities, as well.

Imperial Tea Court Snacks

I bought a few more tasting cups recently… as you may have noticed in the past couple of reviews… from Imperial Tea Court. I loved their style and selection of cups so I bought a tasting and aroma set plus three different glass tasting cups.

While browsing their site, I stumbled upon their tea snacks. They say the snacks are supposed to complement the tea and not over power it. All of them looked really good so I thought… what the heck. As a result, here are my thoughts:



Imperial Spice Raisins: The first thing that surprised me with these raisins is that they crunched when I bit into them – they still have the seeds in. I think most of us are used to the raisins made from seedless grapes, but the seeds give these raisins a great texture. They taste is a lively combination of sweet and spicy. I taste the sweet raisin first, and then the heat from the spices starts to rise.

Roasted Almonds: What I like about these almonds is that they still have their shells on. The shells come off fairly easily to reveal the nut inside. I don’t normally like almonds, but I like these. They are a great complement to any tea. They taste lightly roasted with no salt so you get a hint of flavor, but it doesn’t take anything away from the tea.

Peanut Tea Cookies: These… are good! At first I thought it was going to be a rather hard cookie, but when I bit into it, it just crumbled into my mouth. It has a lot of peanut flavor and not too much salt or sugar (It tastes like the salt and sugar have been kept to a minimum). They vacuum pack their stuff when they ship it and the cookies stayed very fresh, soft, and moist.

Want some? Go here for more information about these snacks and more from Imperial Tea Court.

Adagio’s Rooibos Vanilla Chai Review

Type: Chai (rooibos base)
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 6-7 minutes
Overall Score: 4.0 out of 5

Rooibos Vanilla is rooibos blended with vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom. The first thing I smell is the cloves, followed by the fruity scent of the rooibos. In the background I can smell the vanilla and cinnamon. The blend is really colorful with the yellow cardamom, black and brown spices, and the red flecks of rooibos.

The liquor is a dark orange color. When I smell the freshly brewed tea, the cloves jump at me first and then I smell the fruity rooibos along with the sweet vanilla.





When I taste the tea, I get the spices on my tongue right away. The rooibos floats in the background and I can taste the sweet vanilla a lot more than I thought I would. I can still taste the spicy cloves, but they provide the perfect amount of kick instead of being too overpowering (Finally!).

Between the vanilla and the rooibos the tea tastes quite sweet. It’s not bitter or astringent at all. Add milk and/or sugar if you want, but I think this blend is fine on its own.

Adagio’s Bengal Green Chai Review

Type: Chai (green base)
Origin: China
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 170°F-180°F, steeped for 1-3 minutes
Overall Score: 2.8 out of 5

Bengal Green Chai is Chinese green tea with a blend of cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and cardamom… and the cloves are already burning the back of my nose and throat. After several attempts, the only thing I manage to smell from the dry leaves is the cloves. The blend is very colorful with the green tea leaves, yellow cardamom, and brown and black cinnamon and cloves.

The liquor is a yellowish green color. The first thing I smell from the freshly brewed tea is cloves (why am I not surprised?)… and that is pretty much it… and overall spicy aroma.





I taste the cloves first and it settles on the back of my tongue and throat. I can’t taste the green tea at all. It pretty much tastes like spicy water. This tea is described as sweet, but I don’t taste that at all. The tea is not bitter, but it is astringent – the heat from the cloves dries out my mouth.

Milk may mellow out the harsh spices, but that may also mask any chance of tasting the green tea (and good luck with THAT by the way). Adagio makes some good green tea. I happen to be a fan of their Sencha and Gykuro… but I am starting to think that chai just isn’t their thing.

Adagio’s Thai Chai Review

Type: Chai (black base)
Origin: Ceylon
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-210°F, steeped for 4-5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.9 out of 5

Thai Chai is Ceylon black tea with a blend of cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, coconut, and lemongrass. I did not spot one clove in the blend… and based on my last reviews on Adagio’s chai’s, I’m really ok with that. The first thing I smell is the ginger and cinnamon. Next, is the sweet and tangy lemon grass followed by the coconut. There are other spicy aromas in the background, as well. The blend is really colorful – the tiny black tea leaves almost get hidden by the slivers of lemon grass and pieces of coconut, cardamom, and cinnamon.

The liquor is a light orange color. While the tea is brewing, I smell the cinnamon and ginger first then the sweet coconut in the background. The overall aroma has a pleasant sweet and spicy mixture – one aroma doesn’t dominate the other.

When I sip the tea, I get the spicy flavors first, but the aftertaste is the sweet coconut and lemon grass. The slightly spicy ginger dances in and out of the sweet flavors. The tea is not bitter, but a little astringent. I feared an overbearing spicy cinnamon taste, but I was pleasantly surprised.

Adagio suggests adding milk or sugar, but I think this blend is fine on its own. It is hearty and full of flavor so it may be a nice “wake me up” breakfast tea. However, milk would mellow out the harshness of the spices and make it creamy and smooth.

Adagio’s Spiced Apple Chai Review

Type: Chai (black base)
Origin: Ceylon
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-210°F, steeped for 4-5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.4 out of 5

Spiced Apple Chai is black tea with apple chunks and Adagio’s own Masala spices blend. Pungent spicy and fruity aromas hit me when I open the can. The sweet apple followed by the cinnamon and clove aromas can be identified. Big chunks of apple can be seen along with the tiny black tea leaves, cloves, and cardamom.

The liquor is a light orange color. The main thing I smell is the cloves from the freshly made tea followed by the fruity aroma of the apple. Cinnamon is close behind, but I have to fight through the cloves to find them.





I taste the spicy cloves first, but the sweet apple is right there with it. The apple flavor lingers on the tip of my tongue while the cloves settle in the back of my throat. The brew is not bitter, but the cloves attack the back of my mouth and leave it dry.

Milk and/or sugar may be able to mellow out the flavors and bring out the sweet apple flavor. I think this would be a great tea on its own if about half of the cloves were taken out of the recipe for the blend.

Adagio’s Chocolate Chai Review

Type: Chai (black base)
Origin: Ceylon
Price: Sample (regular price – $6.30 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-210°F, steeped for 4-5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.3 out of 5

Chocolate Chai is a blend of chocolate flavored Ceylon tea with cardamom, ginger, cloves, and cinnamon. This blend smells sweet and spicy at the same time. The cloves rush at me, but I can also smell the ginger and the sweet chocolate. The blend kind of reminds me of Halloween colors with the yellow, orange, and blacks swirling together.

The liquor is a beautiful amber color. I smell the ginger and cloves aromas easily. I also pick up on the faint sweet chocolate smell. However, I am not sure if I would have believed it to be chocolate if I didn’t already know that there was chocolate in this blend.





When I taste the tea, the ginger and cloves are front and center. They are very harsh on my tongue and the cloves are beginning to burn my throat. There is a slight bit of sweetness which I am guessing is the chocolate, but it doesn’t really taste like chocolate. The slightly bitter black tea settles in the after taste. Between the astringent black tea and the heat from the cloves it gives it a rather unpleasant mouth feel.

In adagio’s description they suggest adding milk to “make it extra rich.” I did not add milk, because it was only a suggestion, but I am assuming it would definitely mellow out some of the harsh flavors in this blend.

Adagio’s Masala Chai Review

Type: Chai (black base)
Origin: Ceylon
Price: Sample (regular price – $7 for 4oz.)
Vendor: Adagio
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 200°F-210°F, steeped for 4-5 minutes
Overall Score: 3.2 out of 5

Masala Chai is a blend of Ceylon black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, and spices. The first thing I smell is the cloves… well, that is pretty much the only thing I can smell. Even when I try to look for the other aromas, all I get are cloves burning the back of my throat and nose. The blend is mostly dark with bits of yellow cardamom throughout. The actual black tea leaves are tiny compared to all the other ingredients.

The liquor is a pretty orange color. The aroma of the tea smells like cloves more than anything, but I think the cinnamon and ginger has finally had a chance to show off their stuff. I can also faintly smell the smokiness of the black tea.





The taste, overall, is not that pleasant. I can taste the cloves then the ginger, but then I get distracted by the cloves burning my throat. In the aftertaste, I can taste the slight bitterness of the black tea on the back of my tongue. Unless you are a big time clove lover, I suggest adding milk to smooth out some of the harsh flavors.

Wow, there are WAY too many cloves in the blend compared to all the other ingredients. Cloves are very strong, especially while they are whole, and in this blend they are easily masking the aromas and flavors of the other ingredients. I really don’t like adding milk or sugar to tea, but in this case I might have to in order to drink the tea because the cloves are too much heat for my taste.

Family Photo

I recently moved ALL of my tea ware out into the barely used family room of my mom’s place. I had kept all of my tea-stuff scattered around my bedroom because I spend most of my time in there. But, that was difficult because I know people who have bigger bathrooms in their house than my bedroom (it’s really freaking small) so it was very hard to find places to put my teapots, cups, tea, etc.

Also, I had to use the other half of my already cluttered computer desk to brew tea, so that made the whole tea-making experience more difficult than relaxing. Alas, this new set up in the family room is SOOO much nicer! I have everything I need within easy reach.



What’s more, I do my tea reviews in that family room because of the awesome light that comes in the window… and with the setup I had before I had to run back and forth between the family room and my bedroom several times to get the tea ware that I wanted to use for the review. It was a major hassle.

So, with all of my tea ware together, I decided to take a “family photo.” With this new set up in place, I can’t wait to start reviewing tea again! I have come down with a head cold and can’t taste anything properly so I’ve stopped the reviews until I get over this cold. I should be back to ‘normal’ in about a week or so.

Teas Etc’s Mango Nut Review

Type: Rooibos
Origin: South Africa
Price: Sample (regular price – $7.95 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Teas Etc
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 180°F-190°F, steeped for 4-6 minutes
Overall Score: 4.5 out of 5

Mango Nut is a combination of mango, macadamia, and coconut. The first thing I smell is a double dose of fruity aromas from the mango followed by the rooibos. I also smell some faint nuttiness in the background. The blend is a mix of the reddish brown rooibos and twisted slice of yellow mango.

It may be just me, but I think the aroma of the tea reminds me of an alcoholic drink like the fuzzy navel or something along that line. It has that pungent citrus smell. The liquor is a beautiful caramel or orange color.





The taste is fruity – between the mango and the rooibos. I taste the mango slightly more than the rooibos. At first, I wasn’t sure if both fruity flavors would fight for attention (because rooibos likes to do whatever it can to be front and center).

However, I think the rooibos complements the mango and gives it that citrusy-but-not-too-citrusy flavor. Some nutty flavors can be noted in the aftertaste. It is not bitter or astringent. It is rather refreshing. I think this would be even better on ice.

Teas Etc’s Bai Hao Silver Needle Review

Type: White
Origin: Fujian, China
Price: Sample (regular price – $22.95 for 3oz.)
Vendor: Teas Etc
Brewing Method: Per Instructed - 1 teaspoon of leaves, 1 cup of filtered water, heated to 180°F-190°F, steeped for 3 -6 minutes
Overall Score: 3.7 out of 5

Bai Hao Silver Needle is an organic Chinese white tea. A fresh and sweet aroma comes from the dry leaves. There is a little grassiness in the aroma, but overall the leaves smell very fresh like recently cut grass… that clean smell. These leaves are long, hairy, buds that are light green in color.

The aroma is subtle, but when I finally find it, it smells grassy and dew-like. The liquor is an exceptionally light yellow color.





The taste is subtle and mellow. It has a nice, sweet, grassy flavor. It is not bitter, but it does dry my mouth out after the first 2oz cup. The flavor is really delicate, but the reward is how sweet it is. However, it is more astringent than I care for.

The vendor describes this tea as “smooth,” but I am not sure where they taste that. The taste of this tea is so light that it’s hard to find and by the time it’s found it’s too astringent to fully enjoy. This is my opinion after steeping it for 2 minutes. Maybe an extra 30 seconds to 1 minute might help that.