2298 Tasting Notes
This was an interesting one from the tea box. I grabbed a few of the huge leaves and cold brewed them overnight, then drank it grandpa style. The flavor is light and sour, but in a pleasant way. I didn’t sweeten it (rare for me), and it was the perfect thing for my workout. Probably too light a flavor for me to seek out again, but it was pleasant. I’ve already passed the tea box along, but I kind of wish I’d grabbed a few more of the leaves, just for another cup or two.
Tried a bag from the tea box. It could always be improper steeping, but this one was really boring for me. I had it cold, and it sort of tasted like nothing? Maybe black tea with flavoring, but basically nothing. All the other reviews say the complete opposite thing, so it must be age/storage/user error. Oh well!
This tea smells absolutely amazing, exactly like root beer. The flavor is authentic too. The spearmint is so clear and delicious, and there’s almost a feeling of carbonation. I never really drank root beer, but I’m loving this tea version! It’s so refreshing – I grabbed the last servings from the tea box, and I’ll have to track down some more! It isn’t quite perfect – I feel like maybe some added vanilla or something could really make it great, but it’s quite good.
Mmm, I love rootbeer teas!
I don’t know that I have any experience with root beer teas AJRimmer and Mastress Alita but for very rare times I drink soda I do like root beer, so this must be something I didn’t realized existed in tea form and must now investigate! :D
Simpson & Vail has root beer rooibos that I’m definitely trying on my next order!
Unbranded loose leaf from the tea box labeled Peach Lemon Herbal. Luckily I don’t love it enough to buy, but it would still be nice to know the brand! It’s heavier on the lemon, which isn’t my preference. The flavors are light and decently authentic, but sort of weird for me. The resteep was even more lemony, which didn’t taste great. Not one of the better herbal teas I’ve had recently, but nice to try.
It’s fun trying teas local to various people in the tea box. This one is from Montana! This blend is simple, but delicious. It’s a lovely balance of chamomile, lavender, and cinnamon. They got the ratios just right! It’s so refreshing and delicious cold. I did a cold resteep, which was great as well. I’m really happy I came across this.
If this one wasn’t from Montana I would cry. Big Sky names just scream Montana to me and I personally love Missoula. I’ll have to give that one a try! Does it resemble Evening in Missoula?
Yeah, I lived in Montana back in the 90s, so I know what you mean! Evening in Missoula is mostly minty for me, whereas this one is more chamomile/lavender. I like them both a lot!
Tea box sample. The main flavor here is chocolate. It’s mild and pleasant. I don’t really notice any puerh flavor. The chocolate isn’t the richest or tastiest, but it’s nice with milk. I feel like I taste a few spices in there as well. Really, it all goes together pretty well and has a bit of depth I wasn’t expecting. The resteep was decent as well. Before this, I didn’t realize Numi made loose leaf.
This used to be one of my favorite tea bag type teas. It was more of a ‘pu erh lite’ but with a good, long steep it was most satisfying with milk. I just repurchased a box after being out of it for a few years and the ingredients have changed-and (to me) not for the better. Numi has added rooibos and honeybush and the tea base is about as much pu erh as I am a prima ballerina. I gave the latest box to a friend who will drink anything and won’t repurchase.
It’s a shame when companies change a recipe you’re fond of! I’ve had that happen a few times ):
“Puerh lite” sounds up my alley, as “puerh proper” has never been my cup of tea. “Rooibos-posing-as-puerh” sounds much less appealing.
Mastress Alita I am not a fan of pu erh at all. The original version of this tea brewed up with good body and taste. It had no fishiness, swamp or dirt taste. This rooibos crap tastes like liquid cardboard to me. Granted, I detest rooibos and honeybush, so consider that. More than anything, I am vexed with myself for not reading the ingredients before repurchasing. This used to be an old reliable, lazy cuppa, no thought stand by for me for many years.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a puerh that didn’t taste like swamp or dirt, so now I’m really sad I missed out, heh.
Numi used to have a mint basil puerh that I liked a lot. They stopped making it and I have come up with my own mint puerh concoction as a substitute. It’s soothing on the tummy.
Oh, Michelle-yes, I remember that one. Numi had several iterations of pu erh back in the day. I was living in the East Bay of CA then and used to buy them at Berkeley Bowl. Numi started as a small business in Oakland-a brother and sister venture. Later they branched out to a cafe space near the Oakland Embarcadero. I think they had a Cardamom Pu Erh as well as the Mint, the Chocolate, the Emperor’s and at least one other one which escapes me at the moment or else is one that I am just imagining. I do know they also sold pu erh in pressed, break apart rectangles, kind of like chocolate bars. I bought them a few times. They brewed up dark and strong, pleasant to drink but not really pu erh-ish, or any pu erh that I was used to.
From the tea box. This one really smells like a blueberry muffin! Oh boy, it comes pre-sweetened so I definitely regret the sugar I added to the cup. Otherwise, the flavor is great. The blueberry flavor is like the blueberries in muffins, and there’s a little something in there that tastes like cake too. I’m not sure how they do it, but it tastes really good! I added milk, which really helps it taste nice and desserty. This one might not be for everyone due to the stevia, but I like it a lot.
Another tea box tea. The ingredients say black tea, but it brews up super light. The flavor is really floral and chemically. It ends up too perfumey for me, but I’m sure it was better fresh. It’s slightly better cold, but the chemical taste is just bothering me. I didn’t end up finishing the cup.
Sample from the tea box. It’s a nice balance between light black tea and juicy apricot. I expected it to be a little richer and more flavorful, but really, I quite enjoyed this cup.
I remember ordering and relishing this years ago…it occurs to me that if I were able to reorder every tea that made me happy over the years, I’d need a barn for the selection!
I know what you mean! I almost never reorder teas in favor of trying new ones, but I probably should!
I had a sample of this many years ago and loved it, and never bought it. A recent review made me pick up a tin on my last trip to the Fresh Market!
Ooh, we’ve been chatting about a day trip to Arkansas which always includes a Fresh Market run. I’ll have to look.
Another tea from the tea box. Now this one is tart. I don’t taste any ginger at all (there wasn’t much in the dry leaf either). The flavor is 100% hibiscus. I don’t mind hibiscus mixed with other things, but plain like this, it isn’t for me. Super tart. I love the double lidded tin though.
I love hibiscus mixed with ginger! I was drinking some last night for a cold.
I hope it helped! I definitely prefer hibiscus in fruity mixes versus spiced mixes, but I’ll try almost anything!
Ooh…just the title made my tongue shrivel :) Don’t you love the absolutely polar reactions around here when someone mentions hibiscus?
I typically feel like an alien, since 99% of the people on my Following list loathe it, and I can steep plain hibiscus petals in water and be happy.
You just go ahead and love my share and be proud that you are made of stronger stuff than I am!
Separately and back to the original review, I do like the Tao of Tea tins as well…allows me to neglect some T of T oolong with a little less guilt!
Yeah, it’s occurred to me that some of the tins I use might not be the best, so I’ll probably slowly cycle them out as I come across better ones!
Hi AJ! Thanks for the review. That tea is usually brewed at full boil and left to cool, before drinking in the morning. Using more leaf also makes for a stronger flavor! Glad you enjoyed it. :)
Aha! If I come across this tea again, I’ll definitely try it that way!