Tea Reviews | It's All About The Leaf

Posts Tagged ‘Palate’

I was told to cut out caffeine for a bit so I went to Teafrog looking for some rooibos decaf amusement and they came through for me with three tisane recommendations. Grabbed them all because I’m self indulgent that way (tea is my only real vise, I swear).

Sitting here looking at the Kalahari Flavored Rooibos and smiling. Teafrog teas are always so pretty (pretty in a gender neutral, men who drink tea are hot, kind of way). The rooibos is a nice red color, looks really fresh, need to ask but it looks like super grade. Don’t have to read the ingredient list to see what’s in this blend. Blue cornflowers mixed with lemongrass and rooibos. The leaves smell almost chocolaty, maybe vanilla, but with something else going on. Really can’t work out what to compare the scent to, mystery blend here.

Steeped it for 6 minutes in boiling water and now I’m waiting for the dark amber tisane to cool. The scent hit me right away but I still can’t make out what it is or whether or not I like it. Still kind of chocolaty but with a grassy hint that’s overwhelming it. Okay weird taste, wonder if the cornflower is throwing my palate off. Tossed.

Brewed some more, steeped it for less time (4 minutes) and the ‘grassy’ taste is gone but I’m still not liking this blend. Quality ingredients that I’ve grown to expect from this tea company so I guess it’s down to personal taste…

You can purchase the Kalahari Flavoured Rooibos Tea directly from the TeaFrog 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.