Posts Tagged ‘Organic Tea’
|
Category: Black
Tea Company: Hampstead Tea (website)
Ingredients: Fairtrade black tea
Vendor Suggested Preparation: Use one sachet or level teaspoon of tea leaves per person. Brew with freshly boiled water and infuse for up to three minutes
|

It has been a while since I’ve been able to sit down and relax long enough to review some teas. I appreciate all types of tea but the tea that I’m having today is really special. It’s a Darjeeling and it is beautiful. It appears to be a second flush, dark brown, thin leaves with a sprinkling of tips. The dry leaves smell like typical black tea only a bit more musky, reminds me of my grandfather hmm. This is the first time I’ve had tea from the Maikaibari Estate (Kurseong, Darjeeling in West Bengal ,India) and I get the feeling I’m going to be impressed with it.
Steeping it in boiling water for three minutes. It has settled to a light orange color with a sweet and still musky scent to it. It does appear to be a Summer flush, possibly a late Summer though… The tea tastes rich and full, a bit sweet, with a perfect muscatel after taste. The color has lightened after a few steeps but the flavor is still strong. It is spicey and warming, perhaps more of a winter tea, but I am still going to cold steep some for later.
Love teas from India, also love that this one is organic and Fairtrade certified. Can’t wait to try more teas from Hampstead, the quality in this tea and its packaging is outstanding.
Namaste.
You can purchase the Organic Fairtrade Darjeeling directly from the Hampstead Tea website.
|
Category: Green
Tea Company: SpecialTea Brew (website)
Ingredients: Organic Chinese Green Tea, Organic Peppermint Leaf
Vendor Suggested Preparation: not listed online
|
Dry smell is nice and minty.
A 4 minute brew time yields a light straw colored brew.
My first sip leaves me screaming, “where is the mint?”
This is blasphemy. The Moroccan mint police need to called! Someone stole the mint out of this blend!
The dry smell was to die for, the brewed up tea was a total failure.
I was greatly disappointed with this sample.
You can purchase the Moroccan Mint directly from the SpecialTea Brew website.
|
Category: White
Tea Company: Boston Tea Company (website)
Ingredients: White Tea
Vendor Suggested Preparation: not listed
|

This is a solid white tea. Just a nice solid white tea. The leaf smells lovely and fruity. Once brewed, the aroma of this tea is sweet and slightly grassy, It brews up to a golden liquor; a really pretty cup. The flavor is pleasantly hay-like, and very mellow, but the aromas don’t arrive on the tongue. There are no outstanding high notes, but nothing distracting either. It does have a base-line sweetness to it, and overall, it’s just really pleasant. I don’t know how typical or representative of a White Peony this tea is, but it’s good and would compliment a number of sweet treats or an afternoon sitting and reading.
You can purchase the Organic White Peony directly from the Boston Tea Company website.
|
Category: Green
Tea Company: Rishi Tea (website)
Ingredients: Organic green tea, organic raspberry, organic Fair Trade Certified hibiscus and natural raspberry flavor.
Vendor Suggested Preparation: Water: 180°F / Leaves: 1 tablespoon per 8 oz / Infusion Time: 3-4 minutes
|

Smell from the bag is sweet, ripe raspberries.
I followed the directions on the sample packet: empty entire contents of bag into 8 ounces of boiling water and steeped 5 minutes.
Ahh, isn’t that pretty? Pink tea with fruit notes. But where is the green tea? The raspberries seem to overpower the tea base.
This brew is tart and tangy. It makes me feel like I am drinking hot Kool Aid. I don’t understand how Rishi can call this green tea. I taste no tea at all.
I tried for a resteep and was forced to pour out the hot pink mess. All I could taste is hot water and even that was not very good.
This should have been tagged as an herbal tea, then I might have liked it better. But with the mention of green tea on the bag and then not being able to taste the green tea base, I am left to say that this tea is not very good.
You can purchase the Organic Fair Trade Raspberry directly from the Rishi Tea website.
|
Category: Herbal
Tea Company: Hampstead Tea (website)
Ingredients: lemon rind, lemongrass and Fairtrade root ginger
Vendor Suggested Preparation: The clear lively flavours of our herbal infusions are best brought out by brewing with freshly boiled, good quality water. Steep one sachet of tea per person for 3-5 minutes and enjoy.
|

The smell from the dry teabag is medicinal.
Brewed for 2 minutes, lifted out the tea bag, took a sip and immediately slipped the teabag back into my cup.
I left the teabag in my cup as I drank this herbal tea.
I could taste the ginger more predominately than the lemon peel. As I neared the bottom of my cup, my mouth was alive with ginger!
This tea would be nice drank at bedtime. It is soothing and calming, but not much on taste. This one fell flat for me. I liked it ok, but I would not choose this tea again.
You can purchase the Lemon Ginger directly from the Hampstead Tea website.

