Tea Reviews | It's All About The Leaf

Posts Tagged ‘drink tea’

From Adagio Teas Bengal Green Chai is an eastern fusion blend of green tea from China and a traditional mix of chai spices from India. It is described by Adagio as ” Our smooth China green tea with a chakra warming spice combination. Its natural sweetness and fiery kick will bring you back to center, no matter how polarized you’ve become. OOMMMMM OOMMMMM”

The loose tea presents very well, long leaves of green pekoe tea, lots of cloves, big chunks of cardamom pods, cinnamon bark, ginger root and orange peel; once brewed it makes a cup of tea that is a nice amber color. The aroma of the tea is rich and spicy and stays with the tea even after it is brewed.

I found the flavor of the cloves to be the most pronounced, almost a little too strong, but the ginger, cinnamon and cardamom worked nicely together as an underlying flavor. Overall, I liked the tea but I think that the mildness of the green pekoe was overpowered by the spices. I often add milk and sugar to a traditional black chai blend but I found that this tea isn’t robust enough to hold up to the addition of milk and sugar without losing too much of it’s color and taste.

I followed Adagio’s suggested brewing instructions of two heaping teaspoons per 6 oz cup – 3 min at about 180 degrees. This actually seemed like a lot of tea required to make a cup but I guess it has to do with the loose mix of big leaves and spice pieces – the more tea you use the more likely it is to get a consistent proportion of cloves, ginger, cinnamon and cardamom.

You can purchase Adagio Bengal Green Chai directly from their website.

I’ve decided over the last little while I really have to expand my tastes for white teas. I’ve never been a huge fan of herbal teas, most of them upsetting my stomach slightly, but the whites tend to be different. Not as strong, or medicinal, more soothing and refreshing, this one delivers.

First let me say that I love Tea Forte. There is something about the packaging that truly appeals to me, like little presents wrapped in silk. The triangular shape tea bags are unlike any other tea on the market that I am aware of. Could be that the shape maximizes the brewing process or it’s simply a marketing genius, either way, I like it. At the top of the triangle is a little wired leaf that allows you to neatly hang the tea bag on the side of your mug, eliminating the need for a spoon.

I brewed this particular bag 3 times, each time at 180 degrees for approx. 4 minutes. It has a wonderful aroma. The sweetness of pear with a slight undertone of ginger. It was perfect timing for a tasting of this flavor as I had a little upset tummy from thanksgiving festivities and ginger has soothing properties. Surprisingly the first cup was very sweet, far too sweet for my liking. I add nothing to my white teas, preferring to savor the full flavor. It wasn’t until the 3rd brewing did I really begin to enjoy this one, the sweetness drastically abating. This would make an excellent iced tea on a hot summer day, and once we are back in summer months, I will give that a try. I think the reason I gave this particular tea 3 chances is simply because Tea Forte is a favorite of mine, but I have to say, this isn’t a tea that will have space on my shelf. I’ve given it a 6.5/10.

You can purchase Tea forte white ginger pear directly from their website.

I do believe I have just found it!! I didn’t think it could be done, I was skeptical at best, but I went in with an open mind and I have been rewarded. Yes I am talking tea. I drink a lot of it and all different types. Some gourmet, other’s my daughter and I refer lovingly to as ‘crap tea’. That’s the stuff you pick up at drive through to warm your hands and thaw your toes in a hurry.

Teas with a fruit essence has never really been my thing, white tea’s I have tried, but usually go back to an old standard black, Earl Grey Special from Tea Frog being my first choice.

In becoming a reviewer of tea, I have been able to open my world and palate to a whole other experience.

First let me say I love the packaging, well not the packaging per se, but more the design of the tea bag itself. I know, it doesn’t REALLY matter, but to me I notice stuff like this. The bag looks as if it’s been hand stitched in a perfect little pillow form. The stitching extending long enough to easily dunk and retrieve the bag, but the best part of it has to be the little label on the end of the string. A little label attached to the bag with all the necessary information on brewing time, type of tea and their website with phone number. It’s a small thing, but it made an impact on me.

The best part about this tea is I truly enjoyed each cup, and I brewed the same bag 5 times, the final brewing I left it in the cup to extract the last hint of flavor. There was a very subtle hint of the fruit, melons and peaches, enough to be made aware of the flavor, not overwhelmed by it. I couldn’t detect any bitter aftertaste. As per my usual I drank it without any additions to it and savored each sip. I could imagine drinking it over ice with a splash of lemon & sugar on a hot day, or in my to-go travel mug on my way to the toboggan hill this winter. I have to give this one a strong 8.5/10 and unless you detest the aroma of peach, I am confident you would enjoy this light addition to your tea drinking choices.

You can purchase Mighty Leaf White Orchard directly from their website.

I love the look of this tea with it’s definite bits of floral, lilac and orange peel. The pale greens and yellows accented by hints of mauve and black. This is a tea I consider a standard in my tea cupboard and one I reach for often when a standard black just isn’t what I am looking for. Steeped for 3 minutes at 180, this has a mild, subtle fragrance, with definite citrus tone, orange and lemons. It’s a loose tea, so a tablespoon in your infuser is perfect. I often use the same leaves to brew 3 – 4 times with the same citrus undertones; they simply get lighter with each additional brewing.

The flavor is soft, comforting, with the whisper of citrus aftertaste and none of the chalkiness you can sometimes encounter. There are many reasons I drink tea, and since I’m Canadian, often it’s for warmth. This is a perfect warming up choice, which I think deserves a strong 8 / 10.

You can purchase Rishi Tea Citron Oolong directly from their website.

I truly enjoy this cup of Tea, from the moment you open the container you can smell the warm aroma of superior loose leaf tea. Black teas are one of my favourites and this one certainly fits the bill. The cup of tea smells and tastes delicious, plenty of black tea mixed with a handful of real chocolate chips. I prefer this one with milk and sugar, this type of tea I can drink in the morning, but I really look forward to settling at night with the Chocolate and Cream Tea from TeaFrog. I honestly can say I have never smelled a better tea, fused the perfect amount of time, never becomes too strong or to tart. The body is very smooth and creamy and it looks very dreamy in the tea cup. A hint of light brown, added bonus is the real chocolate chips. I am not a fan of weak tea and prefer full bodied rich loose leaf teas, if you are looking for a different blend from your regular breakfast or Earl Grey this one from Tea Frog will pleasantly surprise you. I love to challenge my taste buds with variety of teas and seem to always come back to my faithful Chocolate and Cream Tea.

This tea should be rated a strong 8/10, full bodied, plentiful and rich in colour. I sure hit, especially with the Christmas season approaching this tea would make a great Christmas gift in a tea basket.

You can purchase TeaFrog Chocolate and Cream Flavoured Black directly from their website.