Element Tea

Tea #26 from the ‘Here’s Hoping’ teabox.

Peach but no Oolong. It’s really strange. The peach flavor is nice, but then there’s nothing. None of the usual oolong flavors. I had no trouble finishing the cup, but it would have been a much nicer cup had the Oolong decided to make an appearance.

Tea #16 from the ‘Here’s Hoping’ teabox.

Backlogging this from last night.

This was my before bed tea. A very nice, relaxing herbal with lots of flavor. The strawberry was the dominate, but there was enough kiwi to keep it from becoming an all strawberry tea (not that that would be a bad thing). I added some sugar to help highlight the fruit and hide the hibiscus, and I ended up with a really pleasant cup.

I’m kicking myself for not knowing about Element Tea earlier because I would have loved to have ordered from them. I think I have liked every tea I have tried from them out of the teabox, and they have some of the best herbals ever. Many thanks to Tea Sipper for allowing me to try these great teas that I otherwise would have missed all together!

Tea #14 from the ’Here’s Hoping’ teabox.

Oh. Holy. Yum. This is delicious.

I normally stay away from banana flavored teas because I think that too often that they end up tasting like banana flavored Laughy Taffy. Thanks, but no thanks. This tea, however, isn’t a banana tea as much as it’s a tropical tea with banana as one of the flavors. The coconut keeps the banana in check, and the two blend with the black tea very well. There is a bit of an artificial flavor that comes out more as the tea cools, but if I ever have another cup of this I doubt it sits around long enough to cool.

Element Tea, please, please, please carry this again!

Tea #5 from the ’Here’s Hoping’ teabox.

I love lemon and ginger, so when my daughter asked me to make this for our afternoon tea I was happy to do so. The scent while steeping is mostly ginger, but when I poured the tea into cups the smell of lemon was really strong. It made our house smell so good!

The taste was much like the smell – lots of ginger up front with a sweet lemon burst towards the end of the sip. I really loved it, but my daughter thought it was just so-so. If some honey were added it would be the perfect sick day tea, and while I toyed with doing that I decided to add ice to the last cup. I let it get lukewarm and then added a bit of sugar and lots of ice. Heaven. This is an iced tea that’s meant to be drunk outside on a wide porch while rocking in a big white chair and chatting with the neighbors. It’s light and citrusy, but the ginger gives it just enough of an edge to keep it from being boring.

Another tea added to the shopping list. Yay for wonderful teaboxes!!!

Apparently I’m on a pear kick, in part because I got quite a few teas with it as a flavor from TeaEqualsBliss! This is from our swap rather than the TTB but they came together so I keep forgetting which tea came from where.

I love a good pear. That first juicy bite, the super firm and crisp flesh, the tart rindy taste from the peel. Pears are great, especially because consistency is a real issue with me when it comes to fresh fruit and I often find apples (other than Granny Smith and some reds like Honeycrisp) super mushy and revolting. Just looking at a golden delicious makes me shudder. But pears are where it is at, so perfectly firm!

Of course you can’t capture that sensation in a tea, but just the smell of this reminds me of a perfect autumn pear. The flavoring is spot-on, totally authentic and delicious. I drank this for the first time a few days ago when I had a friend over: he took a sip, looked at me amazed and said “it tastes like a pear!” He’s used to bagged teas so I suppose the transition to nice loose-leaf is initially a shock. Like holy cow, a flavored blend can be this good?!

I would rate this blend really highly if not for the base, which has come out a touch bitter both hot and even in a cold brew. A little more astringent and assertive than I’d like in a fruit blend, but now I know to just cut down on the leaves.

Sipdown, 177. Plus rose buds for this one!

I burned the heck out of my lip tonight while tasting dinner during cooking. A piece of molten hot spinach was stuck to the bottom of my spoon and latched itself onto my lower lip, and now I have a sizeable blister. So I had to wait until this one was fairly cool before tasting. Fortunately I somehow managed not to burn my mouth really.

This was pleasant, and even more so in the second cup after letting it steep for a looooong time, as the rose buds I put in came out more and added a sweetness that was lovely. I definitely need a verbena/lemongrass blend for evenings.

Mm, this is a nice blend. I know that I want to keep a lemongrass/lemon verbena blend around for evenings, and this has both! Also ginger, a plus for after too-rich dinners. The one part of this that I’m not sure about is the honeybush; it’s not rooibos, so that’s a plus, but it still has a kind of woody, medicinal flavor to it that I don’t think I need in my herbals. I mean, it’s not very strong in this blend, and this is still mostly lemon and ginger. A very pleasant tea for the evening, though.

Not a sipdown, oh well. I got this one in a swap with Tea Sipper, thanks!

I like lemon and ginger, so I have high hopes for this one. And it totally delivers! This could be my perfect sick-tea… I often want lemon and ginger when not feeling well, and this is great. Sweet, lemony, gingery without being “hot” or too spicy. I think I could steep it longer and still be very happy, or possibly happier, with even more gingery lemon flavor. This is the kind of herbal tisane I can get behind,

Additional notes: Sample sipdown! If I had known how good this one was, I would have ordered it so long ago. It has aged surprisingly well. I guess I liked this cup better than the last after reading the tasting notes for the last time. It’s a tasty flavor, so I’m uping the rating.

Element seemed to have been back in business for a while but I sent them an e-mail weeks ago asking what was going on and never got a reply. I had no idea they started again, so I wish they would have sent an e-mail to past customers that they were open again. Maybe no one knew and they closed again! I was very happy with the teas they carried.

I got this as a sample with my Element order a while back. It’s older now and it wasn’t in a very airtight package to begin with. My two teaspoon sample just looked like regular green tea. No hibiscus was supposed to be here at least but there were rosehips mentioned. Nothing in the ingredients about pomegranate, but raspberry! I’d rather have the raspberry. The taste is not as fresh as it might have been some months back. (Though my nose is a bit stuffy right now.) I am getting some raspberry hints! The green tea isn’t very good but maybe I steeped it too long (four minutes).

I needed some black tea this morning! I’m realizing I don’t have many strong, deep flavored black teas in my stash. Zentealife.com’s Phoenix Pearls are an example, but I can’t drink those everyday… I’ll feel spoiled! But those have the flavor profile I’m talking about. Something like the Della Terra black teas have a great base for the awesome DT flavors, but not enough kick that will wake me up. The leaves here are medium sized, dark and dusty. The brew color is deep and dark. I haven’t had many “English breakfasts” so I’m not sure what to compare this to. The flavor is a bit sweet, punchy, spikey, tougher. I love the fragrance. As it cools, there is something marshmallowy about it. But that may be because I was sipping it with some sweet potato pie.. but that didn’t have any marshmallow on it! The next cup will be my last so consider this an advanced sipdown!

Tea Sipper sent this to me a while back and I temporarily misplaced it apparently! Oops!

I am just finishing a cup of this and it was a little puckery but it was the strawberry and kiwi that were puckery and not overly hibiscusy puckery if you know what I mean. It’s ok warm but think it would be better iced. Not too shabby!

Thanks Azzrian

Oddly I can taste each one of these ingredients!
Hibiscus blossoms, raisins, candied papaya, lemongrass, rose hip peels, orange peels, lemon peels, candied pineapple bits, Candied Mango

I’m not really sure that I love this but I am sure it’s much better iced than hot and I’m drinking it hot now. The lemon is nice and the other tropical fruits are ok the hibiscus – serves a purpose – in this case – which is RARE that I ever say that,I suppose – it IS puckery and plump and tart and citrusy regardless.

Thank you Dhart1214 for this big tea sample!

Just opening the foil bag and inhaling the dry aroma of this tea was enough to tempt me this morning. Dry tea doesn’t impress me 90% of the time. I ‘LOVE’ the aroma of wet leaves! I can sit, letting my tea get cold while sniffing away at a bunch of stewed leaves, yes indeed.
Scents that do arouse interest are jasmine and osthmanthus. Add some peach and citrus…well…I’m all in, waiting for the steep to finish so that I can sip the heavenly ambrosiac nectar.

After I emerged from the scent cloud, I was ready to taste the soft peach colored tea.

The flavor was like a jasmine silver needle white tea with a blush of peach flavor and more predominate tangerine citrus taste just below the jasmine. I thought it was cleaver not to make the tea too peachy and predictable. The tangerine kept the tea bright.

I was going to serve some of this to granddaughter Schey but she won’t drink it. No peach for her ever.
She picked peaches for a week with her mom and sisters in Fresno one Summer as a part of Gleanings (where you pick fruit for Food Banks). She picked so many peaches in the hot sun that it makes her sick to look at peaches. (that and the bugs did it!)
My first job in High School was at a Dunkin Donut shop and I still don’t care for donuts so I understand!

I like this tea though. Pretty good and refreshing. Wish I had it earlier in the season though. It would make a good Spring/Summer tea. (I don’t see it listed on their site any longer.)

Ancient Alphabet challenge – I

YUM – the flavor is really holding up here. A tasty cup of chai. Quite a few cups left to enjoy as well. I like that the ingredients say vanilla though I’m not sure I can actually SEE any vanilla… it’s a good one either way! Brisk and plenty of spice. I think the rating should be higher than 80, at the rate this is holding up…

I made the mistake of not realizing this had actual black tea in the blend instead of just the usual chai spices… because I steeped it late at night. Hopefully I can get some sleep tonight! The black tea isn’t the typical “leaves” which is why I guess it is called indian black tea. It looks like little stones or small chunks rather than leaves. My two ounce bag has mostly black tea — not much spice! But somehow the flavor is spicy. Not too spicy, but pretty good. I actually wonder where all the flavor came from. There is also a nice slight vanilla flavor. The steep color is a gorgeous dark reddish brown.

This is a sample from Anny Oxidant & the Tea Bullie. Thanks for the generous sample!

This reminds me of a moroccan mint except they used a white tea instead of a gunpowder. Maybe not all moroccan mints use gunpowder but that’s been the base for it on those that I’ve tried. The mint is very subtle here though. This is probably a good thing since white teas are a bit coy. The white tea has met all my expectations as far as taste. Pretty well done tea for using a more subtle ingredient with two powerhouses. I dearly love mint but it’s rather pushy most of the time.

Thanks for the chance to try it Anny Oxidant & the Tea Bullie.

Azzrian sent me a whole slew of this! Thanks so much!!!!

This is yummy! It’s Orange and Rooibos for sure but a little lacking on the creamy creamiscle aspect. It’s darn tasty regardless!

Thanks Muppetlove

I must be in a Lemony Mood Today! I know that each food craving ‘means’ something. I’ll have to google what Lemon means :)

Anyhow…
This smells like a creamier lemon-ginger type liquid. The color is light yellow-brown with a pinch of orange to it.

The taste is pretty good! I can taste the ginger a little bit more than the lemon. Thankfully the ginger isn’t too over the top! It’s a little sweet and it makes my mouth water. There are touches of creaminess to it…not a dairy-cream flavor but a velvety-texture-type in a matter of speaking.

This is a goodie!

First and foremost – Thanks MuppetLove

Many of you know I HATE BANANAS! BUT…I really wanted to put myself to the test and I thought this was the perfect way! I’m facing one of my food fears! LOL – The last two (plus) weeks have been overly trying for me and I really AM trying to keep a smile on my face! I figured by making fun of myself during this flavor experience might be a good way to start.

I have to admit – because of my hatred of ‘nanners’ – I found the Banana Aroma foul. Now…don’t get me wrong…it DOES smell like Bananas – and for those who LIKE Bananas – you probably LOVE this aroma. Because one of the MANY things I can’t stand about Bananas is the aroma…that is WHY I found this aroma foul!

I’m trying to put my personal ‘nana’ feelings aside. I see there is coconut in here, too! Perhaps that will be what I will try and focus on as I plug my nose and sip.

First sip.

Really not that bad!

Not overly Banana…YET.

I can taste the coconut, so that is a PLUS.

The black tea base is somewhat muted…but that’s ok.

The more I sip the more I am THANKING the coconut! I really wouldn’t change the flavor of this! The coconut makes the Banana do-able (for me).

I have noticed with Banana Flavored teas – the banana seems to pop out more as it cools so I am (almost) trying to chug this so that doesn’t happen!

At first I wasn’t going to rate this – because I am not the person to ask to judge Banana Flavored things, but, this wasn’t bad! Actually, it was pretty good…just keep in mind if you are a Banana Fan you might find it even more palatable!

MuppetLove sent me some of this! Thanks so much!!! I received a random note from someone who doesn’t post reviews or anything why I don’t bold my thank-you’s like everyone else does. Well, no real reason…I guess I was just lazy! LOL – So…I will REALLY try to do that from now on :)

Everyone has an English Breakfast…or nearly everyone :) Here are my quick findings on this one…

There is a very slight hint of bakey aroma to this one post infusion. The flavor on the tongue is SUPER Strong and I like that. Of course, I usually add MORE loose leaf at a less infusion length for many of my black teas because I want it stronger…so…this is WAY strong :) YAY!

It leaves a little bit of a funky aftertaste – but nothing I can’t handle.

Muppetlove! Thanks!

After the week I have had – I sure could use a Mojito! LOL

It certainly smells similar to one!

Sweet, lime, perfumy, floral, lemon, mixed-drink-esque…to the nose

On the tongue…lovely lemon and lime…not puckery but slightly sweet. It’s RUMMY. It’s like Rum, Lime, and salt on the top of the glass…so strange how it tastes like that but it does! It’s very unique, very true to the name, and darn tasty! WOW!

Thanks Muppetlove

Based on Muppetlove and Azzrian’s comments I thought about under infusing because I didn’t want the ingredients to taste fake but then wondered if this would be BAD because then I would be able to taste the oolong.

Here goes…2 mins…

It does smell nice, regardless.

I can taste slightly roasted oolong flavors and very subtle peachy flavors.

It’s not bad but I do agree with both of them that it isn’t stellar, either.
Perhaps this would SHINE, iced???

Additional notes: Waiting ten minutes to steep for 3-4 minutes still results in a hint of bitterness. Maybe it’s just the leaves. Maybe I should be rinsing before steeping. I like the other flavors though… but it doesn’t taste quite the same as it once did. This is really just a note-to-self for future steepings. Lowering the rating for this one (92), since I’ve had about a billion awesome oolongs since this one. Sorry everyone!