Tea Reviews | It's All About The Leaf

Posts Tagged ‘Lemon Grass’

The name of this blend is really inviting, who doesn’t love lemon, ginger and snap? Really. The only concern I have with this one is whether or not the herbs will balance with the Chinese green tea. The dry blend is really pretty with the bright lemon grass contrasting with the dark green tea. The dominant scent is definitely the lemon myrtle, having trouble isolating the scent from the tea and the other herbs.

Ready to steep this tea but I’m a bit torn about how to steep it because it appears to be mostly herbal but it’s categorized as a green tea… Going with green tea method, guessing that steeping it any longer or with hotter water will ruin the green tea in it. So it’s brewing up at 175 degrees for two minutes.

The scent of the lemon myrtle didn’t mellow but that’s okay because I love lemon myrtle. It’s an almost clear brew, just slightly golden. Tastes wonderfully tangy with the spicy hint of ginger. The green tea is crisp and fresh with no bitterness.

You can purchase the Lemon Ginger Snap directly from the SpecialTea Brew website.

When I opened this golden package, I smelled the spice notes of the turmeric, citrus from lemon grass and the exotic warmth of ginger. The golden colour of turmeric is amazing, like a brilliant yellow autumn leaf. The texture of this tea consists of bits of ground ginger and shredded fibres of licorice and lemongrass. It all smells so clean and wonderful, not powdery. It is true that our eyes and nose must be entreated before we will eat or drink. In this case this all certified organic herbal tea works overtime!

I met the Rishi folks at the Toronto Coffee and Tea Show in September 2010 and they were interested to know about my review of their tea as it was a bit of a departure for them. Rishi Teas are well known for their excellence and are well-deserved award winners.

I went to the Rishi web site for instructions on how to steep this herbal tea. The sample was 6.2 grams, exactly 1 tablespoon, perfect for the recommended steep using 8 oz. boiling water and a 4-5 minutes wait. I realized that I would need a tea pot that would be able to sit on a heated source for at least 5 minutes to maximize the benefits. I chose my trusty glass teapot so I could see the colour and keep the liquor warm with a tea light. I poured off a golden brew and smelled the lively ginger and lemon grass notes. Rishi claims that ginger and turmeric are an ancient Ayurvedic formula for longevity, stamina and balanced circulation. Modern research confirms these benefits.

My first sip proved what I expected – the spicy fire of the ginger, the flavour of the lemon grass, the sweetness of licorice and the smooth fullness in the mouth from the turmeric. This tea is expertly blended with a fascinating balance between all flavours. Strain well and remember to swallow all the last bits of turmeric that settles in the bottom of the cup.

I would love to serve this healthy cocktail to accompany a meal with Indian food, as a digestive after a meal, as a health toddy for those with colds or flu, or as a tonic for those suffering from inflammatory issues such as arthritis or bursitis or sinus problems…

The cost of this herbal blend seems a bit high when using 1 tablespoon per 8 oz cup. However, this organic tea taken daily will surely stimulate the body’s energy and will provide healthy benefits if taken consistently. I do recommend this tea for that reason.

You can purchase the Turmeric Ginger directly from the Rishi Tea website.

Described as: “A profoundly flowery blend of select green teas, rare blossoms and aromatic lemon myrtle leaves”.

I was anxious to try this tea because I am a huge fan of lemon myrtle and it did not disappoint. It was difficult to wait the full three minutes for it to steep because the smell of the citrus and rose oils was so alluring. It brewed to a nice golden color, almost like liquid honey and tasted just as smooth. Lemon myrtle is sometimes overwhelming in a tea but this blend has just the right amount to perfectly compliment the taste of orange and the green tea. Couldn’t really pick out the lemon grass in the first steep but it came through in the second. A nice tangy aftertaste, refreshing and pleasant, with enough sweetness on it’s own. It went through three steeps perfectly and has earned a place at the front of my tea cabinet. Can’t wait to try this one iced…

You can purchase Rishi Tea Orange Blossom directly from their website.

Chamomile Citrus is a Mighty Leaf signature blend of rosehips, orange peel, Egyptian chamomile, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, nana mint, hibiscus flowers and various other flowers and flavors that are only identified as “citrus” and/or “natural” (it always makes me wonder when there is only a vague reference to ingredients). Mighty Leaf describes it as “a refreshing infusion perfected to curl up with and savor by the sip…”.

I find that people either love Chamomile Tea or they don’t like it at all. Personally, I love a good cup of Egyptian Chamomile. I love the subtle taste it has and how it smells softly of strawberry. Chamomile grew wild in the neighborhood that I lived in as a child and I can remember crushing the flowers between my fingers to release their scent; happy memories recalled are likely the reason that I find Chamomile so relaxing and enjoyable. I also like all things citrus so based on the name and description I was really looking forward to trying this tea.

I steeped it for 5 minutes and the resulting tea was a nice light gold color. I really wanted to like this tea but I have to say that I was disappointed. I found that the simplicity of Chamomile was overwhelmed by all of the fruits, herbs, flowers, and “flavors”. All of the citrus tones from the orange peel, lemongrass, lemon myrtle, and citrus flowers seemed to result in a too sweet combination – it almost tasted sugary to me. I guess that the rosehip, mint and hibiscus were meant to balance this sweetness but I just didn’t like the taste.

The sample that I tried was in a bag from Mighty Leaf that they call their “Tea Pouch”. It’s a very nice presentation which looks like a hand stitched square of semi-opaque silk that allows you to see the tea inside. The Chamomile Citrus is visually lovely with green, orange and red tones and unbrewed it smells just as good as it looks.

You can purchase Mightly Leaf Chamomile Citrus directly from their website.