M&K's Tea Company

Tea 9/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

I put half of the sample in 10 oz of 185 degree F water for 3 min. The liqueur of the tea is a dark yellowy orange, kind of like weakly brewed black tea, which isn’t a surprise since this is a roasted tea. The taste of the tea is roasted and smoky- more so than gunpowder but less than Hojicha. Overall it’s pretty good, but just like Hojicha, this one will be used up by my husband.

Tea 8/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

This was the freebie that they threw in for no additional cost. To be honest though I was skeptical of this tea from the beginning. I don’t drink fruity green teas nor sweetended green teas and this one claims to have honey in it. I steeped half the sample in 10 oz of 175 degree F water for 2 min. When I pulled the basket out of my cup I was surprised to see it had turned pinkish red. I didn’t realize this tea had hibiscus in it.

I took a sip when the tea was hot and there was a roasted flavour of green tea followed by hibiscus tartness. Doesn’t really work as a hot tea in my opinion- the green tea is masked by the other flavours. I let it cool off in the fridge and took a sip but ironically I don’t really likem it as an iced tea either -it’s not fruity enough (plus I don’t like caffiene in my iced teas).

The rest of this sample well get thrown in my next pitcher of iced tea just to use it up, but it’s not a repurchase for me.

Tea 7/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

I steeped half of this sample in 10 oz of 175 degree water for 3min. I have another Hojicha tea so I knew what to expect. The taste of the tea is roasted and smokey, but not overpowering since I brewed it weak.

Overall it’s pretty nice but I still feel like it’s a bit too strong for my taste (and stomach). My husband loves this tea so he’ll get all the Hojicha, but unfortuanetly its not a repurchase for me. If I want a smokeier tea I think I’ll buy gunpowder.

Tea 6/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

The dry leaf of this is small and looks broken, yet the leaves are all uniform size and there is no dust. It actually looks very much like some Chinese jasmine teas (like silk dragon jasmine from DAVIDs) which makes me wonder if this is the base of those teas? Apparently this tea is very common yet I have to hear about it lol. I guess the more I learn about tea the more I realize how much I have yet to learn.

I steeped half of the sample in 10 oz of 175 degree water for 2 min, which is me following the instructions on the package. I was reluctant not to use even cooler water though because I find the silk dragon jasmine tea benefits from 160 degree F water in my opinion. Either way, the liquor is a darker colour than most samples I have been having lately- it’s a golden hue reminiscent of a very weakly brewed black tea.

When tasting the tea, it indeed does remind me of silk dragon jasmine tea (without the jasmine, of course). It’s mildly astringent (next time I will use a lower temperature) and bolder than other green teas with a hint of roasted flavour. Overall it’s a nice, inexpensive, basic green tea. This is the kind of tea I make in my timolino as I’m getting for work and something I don’t feel bad about “guzzling mindlessly” since there’s not really any super subtle flavours.

With that being said, I may repurchase as a travel mug/ work tea.

Tea 5/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

This may be a repurchase for me in the future!

Tea 4/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

This tea look a lot like the Yellow Mountain green tea I got from this company. The leaves are skinny and bright and look a tippy. I brewed up half of the sample in 12 oz of 175 degree F water for 2 min. The result is a stronger tea than the Yellow Mountain, but still very light. I steeped the leaves 2 times in total. In both tasting the dominant flavour is vegetal, but in the first steeping I noticed a faint hint of butter and in the second steeping near the end (when the tea was cooled off) it was a little sweet.

Overall the tea was very nice; reminded me of Japanese Sencha. A possible repurchase, but to be honest I need to find a tea I truly ADORE to re-order from this company. Nothing against them whatsoever (I actually think they are a great company: good products, awesome packaging, good deals, etc) it’s just the shipping cost is $10+ because they are in Florida and I’m in Northwestern Ontario, and I need to be able to justify that extra cost.

So far let me start by saying that I love this tea company and they have wonderful customer service and I’ve never been disappointed with any of their teas. I’ve been trying to go through my cabinet of teas I currently have and review them and this is tea #5 so far. Bear with me please; I try to due reviews as much as I can, but of course life gets in the way sometimes. Anyways, I decided to whip out my gaiwan and use that for this oolong. On the first steeping, the apple notes were very prominent and it had a certain sweetness to it. The second steeping, I tasted more vegetal notes with the apple a bit more subtle. On the third steeping, the vegetal taste came out way more, but I was still sweet with a hint of the apple. Overall, this tea had many surprises with a few steeping and held flavour really well. It was very balanced and enjoyable to my palate :3

Tea 3/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

I just got a Britta filter for the first time. I’ve been reading up on tea and one thing I haven’t been doing right is the fact I’ve been using tap water (I live in the city and it’s definitely treated with chlorine and other chemicals). I tasted the water before and after using my filter and it made a huge difference!

Tea 1/11 of the tea I got from M&K’s etsy shop. I got a green tea sampler pack (10 teas) + they threw in one sample which was also a green tea :). Each of the samples I got were enough for 2-3 “servings” of tea.

When I opened up the little baggy I noticed there was only 1-2 little pieces of rice for this genmaicha. I will give the company benefit of the doubt that this was caused by this tea being a small sample. Also, about half of the green tea leaves were very finely broken- not whole. Kind of disappointing, but again, maybe it’s because this is a sample.

I steeped half of the sample in 12oz of 175 degree F water for 2 min. I put the tea in a bag (or paper filter, whichever you want to call it) because a large portion of the leaves were finely broken and I didn’t want them getting in my tea. When I taste the tea I taste mostly a mineral taste with a light hint of popped rice. Much different from the genmaicha I’ve had at DAVID’s- their’s tasted like popcorn!

Overall it’s an alright green tea, but disappointing as genmaicha. But once again, I’m giving the company the benefit of the doubt and assuming I’m not getting that popped rice taste simply because I have a small sample. Not sure if I would buy this again- I may just get the genmaicha from DAVID’s if I want some again.

Again, the product description is very accurate. It is malty with a seaweed, vegetal like taste reminiscent of some oolongs. It is pretty similar to their Keemum, but more minty and herbal. I am certainly glad I tried it.

The description of this tea on the website is accurate. No astringency, smooth, mildly roasted and fruity with a cocoa background. I like this one, and it would have probably been better if I added a few more tea leaves to really get the full flavor. Otherwise, it’s a black tea.

It tastes and smells like crab, and very musty. Pu-Erh is again one of those more particular teas, and I would maybe recommend this to a Pu-Erh lover, but be warned, it’s very overwhelming. I enjoyed it, but I would not drink it again.

Maybe I brewed this wrong, but I followed the instructions and I was kinda disappointed with this one. I did not taste the caramel notes it describes at all: it tasted like a roasted white tea. Yes, it had a fuller body, but it was like a less flavorful version of the Yunnan White Moonlight. It’s not bad, but not that great.

It does what it says, and WARNING: THIS HERBAL TEA IS VERY SPICY. I got it more for medicinal reasons like stress relief and personal ritual, though it can definitely be used more as a culinary marinade. The scent and taste are also definitely as described on the website, like menthol. If you know what sage smells and tastes like, though, that’s what this literally is. If you like it you like it, you don’t, you don’t.

One of the teas that I enjoyed more from M&K’s. I gotta be honest, the smell and taste is very sweet, and very unusual. It almost reminded me of crab, or the cream cheese from a wonton. But really, it’s a highly buttery green tea with a magnolia partner. I thoroughly enjoyed this one for how sweet and buttery it was, but it may be very off putting to a lot of people. They would be overwhelmed and quite possibly disgusted. But, if they get over that initial reaction, or they like cream cheese wantons, and buttery and creamy things, this tea will satisfy that need and linger on the tongue. It is similar to jasmine green tea, which again, that one is a tea that people love or despise, but more sweet and less floral. I’d recommend it and again, people would either really like it or hate it.

You are drinking fire when you are drinking this tea. The amount of salt with the crisp, spicy yet fruity Phoenix oolong replicates that. My grandmother and mother liked it, I was not a huge fan. I made sure to get as much of the salt rinsed as directed, but still dominated the cup. It’s good, but for a very particular palette.

It’s a standard, roasted dark rock oolong. Definitely has a stone flower taste and smell, slight bit of rose though it takes some perception to get it. Still pretty good, and a pretty clean brew.

The description on the website is accurate: something between being a black tea and green tea. That’s what oolong essentially boils down to, but this one tastes exactly like that. I liked this tea-it’s straightforward and simple, which is what I enjoyed about it. Some people might be bored with this one because of its basic profile, while others might like it for not being too fancy. I’m glad I sampled this one. It’s a solid tea.

I got a free sample of this with my first order, and by far one of my favorites from M&K’s. It definitely tastes like a Gunpowder Green tea, but with a smoother, less astringent body of the oolong. It’s also not quite as smoky which is refreshing. It also makes me feel good when I drink it, alert and ready to focus on anything, be it an intensive workout or a slow meditation.

I’m honestly biased in rating this, and I recommend a try for this one. What you get is a better tasting gunpowder tea with a little bit of a buttery, floral scent and taste. Some people might be bored with it because of how close it is to the green tea version, while others may prefer it like I did because of its oolong body. If you want to be adventurous, get this tea.

The name of it, Sicilian Vanilla, immediately begged the question to me of what makes it Sicilian. The ingredient list provided a clue: a blend of black teas, helichrysum flowers, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, fiori di Sicilia essential oil blend – aha! What is this?

How cool is this – it’s both a tea and a learning experience! I looked it up and found that fiori di Sicilia is a flavoring that contains vanilla, citrus and floral flavors. It is used most often in panettone. What an interesting thing to add to a vanilla tea! Dry, I couldn’t smell much other than the base. It was a good sign though, since many times flavored teas have flavoring added to cover up an inadequate base. I could smell the black tea and it smelled great, so I was encouraged.
Keep reading: https://tealover.net/2015/07/mks-tea-sicilian-vanilla/

I adore cinnamon, and I was not a fan. Most hot cinnamon spice teas and similar are like red hots, both spicy and sweet. This was not sweet really, and actually was a bit bitter despite being brewed below boiling and only for a normal few minute steep. With so much better out there, while not undrinkable, I can’t really recommend it.

This was my first White Pu-erh, and I officially like this type of Pu-Erh. This tea is very mellow, but potent with caffeine. It also is easy to re-steep yielding up to 4 cups. Like as advertised, it does have a bit of champagne smell and the taste is creamy, light, yet full bodied. Otherwise, the taste is a bit weaker since this is a white version of a Pu-Erh.

As for the company, M&K’s is very generous with prompt shipping, great discounts, and a degree of personable customer service that is hard to find. I personally go for stronger brews than their recommendations to get stronger and fuller flavors. When I did one teaspoon of this tea in particular, it was nice and fragrant, but kinda weak. I then upped another heaping spoon and the subtle sweet notes of cream and hay really came out. I did the same with some of their oolongs, and the results were the same. As for their blacks and green teas, their recommended amount and steep temperature are spot on. I would recommend this to someone who has intermediate experience with tea, and maybe to a newbie who likes light and creamier things, but I would not be too sure about a connoisseur. They might be underwhelmed by it or satisfied but not in love with it, unless White Moonlight so happens to be one of their favorites.

I didn’t sleep well last night and I’m dragging through this day harder than RuPaul – the white rose tea earlier was low in caffeine and I desperately needed some, so pulled this beauty out of my M&K sampler out to give it a whirl and its wonderful. Brewed strong with jut a few rock sugar crystals, this tea has bold earthy tones and a mildly bitter/dry finish to it. It’s not overpowering ad actually compliments the sweet woodsy notes. I found the flavors to develop as it cooled and drinking it just barely warmed was delicious. The tannic/bitter flavors developed and were pleasant and not overwhelming to the overall taste of the tea. I’m planning a second steep later today, so I’ll update this post then! Overall a very nice tea and I’m happy to have enough for another brew left. So far I have not been disappointed by my M&K tea sampler – I can already feel the caffeine coursing through my veins!

I have been dying to try this tea! I got it in my sampler from M&K and it is lovely. Very light and mellow with sweet floral undertones and a very smooth and consistent taste. I am thinking of trying this iced next time I brew it, although I don’t have as much experience with iced teas. I added a drizzle of clover honey, which accents the delicate flavors of this tea very well. The suggested brew is two whole flowers, although the company recommends 8 oz of water while I used 12. This made the flavors a bit weaker but I am pleased overall with this tea. The whole flowers are gorgeous to watch as the tea brews, and this excited me for other floral teas I have waiting in my cupboard. I think this tea goes to show that even a simple, single-ingredient brew can be wonderful

Second Brew
I re-steeped this in 8 oz of water with 1/2 tsp of rock sugar and it was even better than the first brew. The floral notes were stronger and there was a soft vegetal undertone that rounded out the flavor. I also think the rock sugar better accented the natural sweetness of the violets. I definitely recommend brewing this tea stronger for a better experience, but even brewed weak I really enjoyed this tea.