1013 Tasting Notes
Great British Tea Store seems to have figured out how to do flavored rooibos teas well. This has a nice fresh, natural lemon flavor without the offensive woody taste I tend to associate with red rooibos. And despite the name, it’s not too tart, just nice and fresh!
Flavors: Lemon, Lemongrass
Preparation
Another sample from carol who! This one was okay, but not great. I definitely taste the blueberry, but nothing that even remotely reminded me of cheesecake. And the rooibos base was very woody.
Flavors: Blueberry, Rooibos, Wood
Preparation
Thanks to carol who for the sample! Up to this point, all of the Yerba Mate I’ve had has been roasted. This is green and mixed with green tea, which gives it a completely different flavor! It’s surprisingly fresh-tasting for an almond tea and I think I’m getting a bit of a fruity flavor as well…maybe cherry? An interesting, complex tea blend.
Flavors: Almond, Cherry, Fruity, Green, Sweet
Preparation
Although I enjoy straight black tea, especially with meals, I’m not very good at identifying the different flavors and scents of various types and blends. Hoping that as I continue to try different teas, my palette will become more refined!
This particular black tea is different from any of the others I’ve tried so far from Great British Tea Store. Instead of the rich, malty flavor I’m used to, it has more of a sharp, assertive taste. It’s also quite astringent. With a splash of milk I did enjoy it, but I don’t think this is one I would re-purchase.
Flavors: Astringent
Preparation
When I was growing up, my best friend had a mulberry tree in her backyard. I have such happy memories of summer days of picking those tart, juicy berries until our fingers and mouths were stained purple with juice! So I had high hopes that this tea would capture that flavor. To my disappointment, this sample didn’t taste like mulberries at all. To me, it had more of a floral scent and flavor with a slightly sour aftertaste. Not something I would drink again.
Flavors: Floral, Sour
Preparation
YUM!!! Thanks so much to carol who for sending me a sample of this…it is DELICIOUS! The dry leaf smells like chocolate-covered raspberries. It steeps up to a rich, dark brew and has a fantastic rich, full-bodied flavor. To me, the chocolate is most prominent, but I also taste the raspberry and just a hint of nuttiness. Sweet and flavorful and the perfect high-caffeine pick-me-up!
Flavors: Almond, Chocolate, Raspberry
Preparation
I’m not going to rate this, because I lost track of time and over-steeped it. But I will say that I didn’t smell or taste even a hint of butterscotch in this sample. It just tasted like a mediocre, fairly bitter black tea.
Flavors: Bitter
Preparation
Teavana’s fruity teas tend to be a bit hit and miss for me, but this one is definitely a hit! It has a delightful fruity aroma and a delicious, naturally sweet flavor. To me, the pineapple note is stronger than the berry flavors, but it’s a great combination.
Flavors: Berry, Pineapple, Rose
Preparation
This was the one that started it all…the very first loose leaf tea I ever tried! And although I’ve sampled many others since, it remains a staple in my collection. It has a delightfully sweet, smooth vanilla flavor with a nice bit of depth to it. And since it’s caffeine-free, it makes the perfect comforting bedtime blend. One of my favorites!
Flavors: Vanilla
Preparation
This tea is a pleasantly smooth oolong with a silky mouth feel and just a hint of mild peach flavor. I wish the peach were a bit stronger, but I’m really enjoying this one overall!
Flavors: Peach, Smooth