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Found this at the back of my tea cupboard, and am a bit worried it’s been there too long (even though it’s well packaged). Bought this at an amazing tea shoppe in Courtenay, BC, where I had many a discussion with the owners when I lived there about their yearly jaunts to Asia to find the perfect tea. This was one of their highest recommendations, and it’s still (by far) the most I’ve ever paid for tea.

I forgot when steeping that I needed double the amount of tea, so this one’s a bit weak. Still, it’s divine. Smells faintly of hay, jasmine, and a touch of sweetness I’m struggling to place. It’s light and airy yet fully flavored, and while I’ve been on a real flavored kick of late, I forgot what truly exquisite tea tastes like. This, along with their matcha, is what got me into tea initially, and I think I’ll be sipping this pot all day as I re-steep it over and over again.

… I remember getting four steeps out of this one way back when, and it just got better each time. I wonder how many I can get today?

I’m a bit embarrassed to say I love this tea. I found it about six years ago while house sitting in one of my favorite places in the world (Nelson, BC) and loved the town so much I named my son after it. However, I digress.

My favorite way to make this is when I’m feeling a bit stuffed up or foggy, and then letting it steep overnight. It’s an overly cinnamon-y tea, yet I absolutely love it oversteeped so that it gets thick and syrupy. Zero sweetener needed. I always have a box of this hiding somewhere.

Second steep, and I much prefer this one to the last. It’s bolder somehow, although still missing that punch-in-the-face flavor I love. Definitely a bite to this steep, even though the color is more light caramel to the first steep’s earthy brown. Zero sweetener this time around. Long finish on the ginger, as if to taunt me into drinking more… more… more!

Freebie #3 from Teavana after purchasing a Breville from them.

Pungent-smelling as I opened the bag, and I assumed there was some form of anise in it from the smell. Nopers, I’m wrong (yep, I checked). Can smell the nutmeg and cloves quite strongly, both steeped and dry. Very chai-like.

There’s a dry smoothness upon tasting, and while pleasant, it’s faint at first sip. I like a more “punch in yer face, I’m gonna smack you with awesomeness” kind of flavor. So, I added a bit of Truvia. Would do well with a bit of cream as well.

The ginger becomes more apparent as you wait… obviously, I’m a bit lacking in the patience department. Surprised that it’s an oolong. If I didn’t read the package, I’d think it was only herbal. Has a nice kick that’s making my nose run, which is always a good thing in my books. I’ll definitely finish this bag, however I’ll probably buy other chai-like oolongs instead in the future.

Ah, Tumeric Snap. If I’d known you were going to be discontinued, I would’ve bought a lot more of you a year ago. This is a favorite tea when sick, congested and/or stuffy. Think spicy, heated, warming with a touch of sweet. You’ve got to love ginger, fennel and turmeric however (as I do) to really appreciate this one. Maybe I’ll try and make a version of my own.

Freebie #2 from Teavana after purchasing a Breville earlier today.

Strong smelling dry, fruity, luscious. Smells similarly as it steeps. Unsweetened, this was unpalatable to me: soapy. I wondered if it was the Breville, as I normally love tea. I almost dumped it before adding some Truvia, and now it’s infinitely better. Still a soapy feel on my tongue, but now I can taste the fruit, although it’s still very tart and dry. I’ll drink it, however I doubt I’ll ever make this again.

Medicinal. That’s what it tastes like to me. Took me a bit to figure it out, what with having walked almost 10K today. Mint-berry medicine. I have another cup to drink, and may gasp dump it.

Splurged on a Breville tea maker today, and the lovely manager at my local Teavana gave me 200g of free tea with my purchase. Four different teas, this was the one that spoke to me the most, so it’s what I’m trying tonight.

First off, the Breville takes some getting used to, so I oversteeped this one. Not that I mind… usually a good rooibos tastes even better to me if I’m steeping it longer than I should. I was surprised as I measured it out how much fruit there is in this one, and how little actual tea. All large pieces? Interesting.

Dry, it smells very fruity like a tart raspberry punch. Zero mint smell that I could decipher.

Steeped, it smells less fruity. Less of everything, really. Maybe a more faint raspberry taste than anything. The mint is hard to place, although it’s definitely there, almost as a cooling action midway through and little else. I had to sweeten it to bring out some of fruitiness (I found it bland on it’s own), which may have dampened the mint? Dunno.

The smell is now wafting throughout the house though, so it does have a lovely odor. It’s just… sneaky, like my 5-year-old wearing his superhero costume.

I’ll try it again to see if I like it more with less steeping (or maybe cold?). At this point, I doubt I’ll ever buy it.

Okay, it’s grown on me a little bit. Like kristinajoie mentioned below, it’s very much like marzipan. The coconut comes through a bit later, however faintly, and the ginger is almost imperceptible – although it does linger longer than the other flavors. Will try with some coconut milk and more sweetener next time. Really torn on this one.

Smells strongly of almonds right as you open the tin, and just as much as it steeps. Ginger is very faint, which surprised me considering how high it is listed in the ingredients. Spiciness apparent on inhalation; it actually made my nose and lips tingle a bit.

Weird. All I taste is almonds. That’s it. It’s nice, however something completely different than what I was expecting – brisk, spicy, earthy, and “Kapha” fighting (so basically to increase energy). I’ll keep on sipping and see if it changes.