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Okay! So, I pulled this one out of the sample box and read the ingredients. Hibiscus. Rats. My last experience with Hibiscus in a tea was not a positive one, but as I didn’t have to pay for the tea bag, I gave it a shot. It’s not bad, but I wasn’t all that impressed either. Being a Darjeeling helped it just enough to make it drinkable, but I HAD to add milk. Even then, the Hibiscus insisted upon being the main attraction, and made every effort to overpower the Darjeeling with its icky over-sweetness. I suppose if I was somewhere craving tea and this was all there was to choose from, I’d be a big girl and deal, but I won’t be seeking this tea out any time soon. In fact, I think the only reason I’ve rated this one so high is out of respect for the Darjeeling. Sorry Numi. No winner this time.

Another pick from the sample pack. This one was nice, but it didn’t seem all that different from other regular Green Teas that I’ve had, which was somewhat disappointing to me, considering the name. I expected something called “Gunpowder Green Tea” to be a bit more… explosive. No, not literally. I like my eyebrows where they are. Let’s just say, I anticipated more of a bite, rather than a lack thereof. All in all, it’s a good tea. Just not as exciting as I expected.

I don’t usually choose decafe teas, but since this was what the multi-pack offered, this is what I chose. All I can say is, WOW! I like Green teas, but I’ve never tasted one with this much zing! Even without the caffeine, I found this to be a refreshing and invigorating tea! As usual, just a bit of sugar to sweeten (though, perhaps I should look into this “Truvia” stuff). The ginger is very apparent in this tea, which is where I suspect I’m getting that delightful kick from. And The undertones of the lemongrass add a certain I don’t know what, but it’s a good thing. I will certainly have to look for this one in the grocery. This is another illustration as to why I love sample packages of tea. Absolute win!

Up date (1/18/2011): So I looked into that Truvia stuff. It’s rubbish. I’m donating it to the teachers lounge at the elementary school my mother works at. Hope they can enjoy it.

Back to the sample pack! This one is pretty tasty as well. I’ve had Green teas with Jasmine in the past, but it’s been far too long to make a comparison. All I can say is, I rather liked it. Just some sugar to sweeten it, and away I went.

I once again dipped into the sample box, and this is the green tea I chose at random. I don’t think this is anything I might have chosen on my own, which is why I LOVE those sampler boxes! As soon as I poured the water over the bag I thought, ‘Yup, that’s rice.’ Strange, but not in a bad way. But I steeped it for the maximum recommended time (as is my way), sweetened it with sugar, and took a sip. The verdict? Rather tasty! I quite like this tea! And for something that I probably never would have paid to taste, I may very well be adding a box of this interesting tea to my collection!

Very nice. Another from the sample pack from my Hunny’s father. I tried it without milk at first, as I usually drink Chinese tea sans dairy. However, in this case, I wasn’t impressed. I added a splash of milk, and things got a whole lot better! I found it to be similar to my Scottish Breakfast Tea (weird), but certainly not exactly the same. I didn’t even think of it at the time, but in hind sight, I make that connection… Hm… Whatever. It’s a nice tea.

I’m a big Earl Grey fan, and this is no exception. One of the better ones I’ve tried, actually. And it’s all thanks to my Hunny’s father for sending me a Numi sample pack of tea for the holiday! More free tea. Sweet!

At any rate, I prepped this cuppa the same way I do any other Earl Grey. Sweetened with sugar and a splash of milk. Very nice.

The first thing I think of when I pull this tea bag out of the wrapper is pomanders, which is certainly not a bad thing. Because it is a black tea with the many spices, which remind me both of Chai and Earl Grey teas, I felt the need to add milk as well as the usual sugar sweetener. This tea is rather good. Of course, I managed to get my hands on some because we’ve had a few bags wrapped up in a Ziploc (with a few other kinds of tea) in the cupboard for a few years now. I’ll be anxious to see the difference between these older tea bags and a fresh box, as I do plan on purchasing some when my supply of free, aged Constant Comment tea bags runs out. (And because it’s free, I don’t care how “aged” it might be. It’s still good.)

Up date (1/17/2011): So I picked up a fresh box aver the weekend, as I had finished off our “aged” bags of Constant Comment. Wow! The citrus flavor was even more apparent, and that wonderful clove aroma was even stronger! Fantastic!

This one, like the Green Chai, confused me a bit. The spices are reminiscent of a Chai tea, but I have never added milk to a White tea before. The brewing suggestions on the back don’t even hint at how it would be best. It just tells you how long to steep the tea for. So I tried it with just sugar at first, which I did like. It was very spicy indeed! However, about half way through the cup, I decided it was too strong, and said “what the heck,” and added some milk. This was a good call! The milk took the spiciness and toned it right down to a nice, sweet, creamy flavor with just enough bite. No longer overwhelmingly spicy, I enjoyed the rest of the cup even more! It kind of made me think of the Ultra Spice Chai by Twinings (my favorite!), but lighter. I may have to keep my eye out for this one!

Side note: This tea bag was acquired for free from the cafe at my college when I was charged for the bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich I ordered, and then it was discovered that they had no bacon, which meant I had been over charged for an egg and cheese sandwich instead. So, 60c overcharge for a sandwich = free tea bag with my meal. WIN!

Not bad at all! Quite nice, actually! I’m always wary about teas with vanilla in them, because they always smell a bit off to me while brewing. But the flavor is nice, not too strong. Just a nice, mild sweetness. I may have to invest in some of this at some point (Huzzah for free samples accompanying the catalog!), but I’m not sure I want a whole 30 tea bags. It is very seasonal, and I’m afraid it would loose it’s quality if I only have a few cups a year.