Tea District

Got this in a swap from KiwiDelight. I figured I would probably be into it because I love oolongs and floral teas, and I was right. The floral taste is very similar to jasmine, like the description states. It’s also very naturally sweet. I will probably buy some of this for my stash, I think I’d like to try it again with a little more dry leaf for a stronger flavor.

The lavender and coconut blend very nicely with the Rooibos to create a calming blend. (To me Rooibos almost has a vanilla-like flavor and both lavender and coconut blend very well with vanilla). Good for anytime during the day. Also good hot or cold. No sweetener needed. In fact, I encourage you not to even if you usually do. The pre-steeped smell doesn’t do the tea much justice but then the steeped smell doesn’t help much either. Regardless, don’t let the smell lead you astray. If you like Rooibos you have to give this one a try.

An interesting rooibos. Needs to be steeped for quite awhile; otherwise it ends up kinda bland. Honey gives it an odd flavor. The pre-steeped smell reminds me of fresh hay. Not one of my favorite but soothes a sore throat.

This tea is incredibly delicious, sweet on it’s own and tastes strongly of lychee without overpowering a mild green tea. Fantastically refreshing, I bet it would be lovely iced!

I attended an amazing art fair all day today and my art sold like hot cakes!!! Having a cup of this (brewed properly this time!) before I go out to dinner to celebrate. It is MUCH better brewed properly. I want to raise my rating but the slider won’t work on my tablet.

Thanks KiwiDelight for the sample! I am fond of oolongs and love the smell of magnolia blossoms so I was very curious about this tea! I agree with other reviewers that 1 tbs seems like a LOT of tea. I wish I had only used a tsp or 2 in my cup! I feel like this would be MUCH better if I had done that. I like the floral scent and sweetness of it but I’m getting a heavy almost bitter taste from the vast amount of tea leaves I used! I may rate this differently if I try it again with a different amount of leaves…

A review of Chocolate Vanilla Mate (Yerba Mate) by Tea District

Company: Tea District
Tea Name: Chocolate Vanilla Mate
Tea Type/Varietal: Mate
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf: cup/ loose leaf
Plucking Season:
Liquor Color: dark reddish / rich chocolate
Leaf Characteristics: grounded mulch like leaves with the nibs of cacao giving it a roasted and chocolaty aroma.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 5 minutes

I have selected as my tea of choice this chocolate yerba mate that I had purchased from the folks at Tea District, after having sampled several of their teas; I found this one to be quite nice, so much so that I ended up placing an order. I guess this is how it should work; you sample teas and find some that you like and place an order for keeping in stock in your cupboard.

I scoop out one heaping tea spoon and put this in my cup, adding the boiled water to my cup, I leave it to steep for five minutes. When done I strain out the tea grinds with strainer and observed as the tea is poured into another cup, how it has a lovely dark reddish color; similarly to coffee and the aroma is heady with roasted chestnut or more correctly hazelnut.

I enjoy taking sip after sips of this tea; and find that I must keep reminding myself that this is indeed tea and not coffee; having none of the astringency that some teas have and it is smooth and creamy and on the sweeter side of things, more-so than I remember it to being; perhaps having more of the cacao nibs than the sample packet contained.

Overall, tea is smooth with a lovely aroma of a strong heady roasted cup of coffee like tea and tea has the coloring of a fine cup of malt-like Goya drinks; and one again I find this tea to be very sweet; sweeten with the natural cacao-nibs and combined with the yerba mate.

I like this tea for all that it offers.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 4 minutes

I continue to enjoy this tea with more steeps for shorter time and find it to be as enjoyable as the first cup. In all this tea has a lovely color and a delightful chocolate/roasted flavoring!

Loose
Appearance: bi color light, medium brown bicolor oolong kernel
Aroma when Dry: floral, sour fruity
After water is first poured: honeysuckle, fruity notes
At end of first steep: honeysuckle, fruity notes, peach, apricot
Tea liquor:
At end of first steep: clear
Staple? likely
Preferred time of day: any
Taste:
At first ?: sharp, floral, sour, mineral notes
As it cools?: tea gets bodied, brothy, notes open up and mellow slightly
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? barely, hints of salty broth

Second Steep (3 min):
At first: Brothy, floral, salty
As it cools: notes mellow, tea gets deeply bodied

This is a nice soothing mint tea. It has a nice flavor with a nice green tea backing. I personally wish that the green tea were a bit stronger. Overall it has a nice taste, great to relax with while reading or working on personal projects.

A review of Açai Berry Raspberry Green Tea by Tea District

Company: Tea District
Tea Name: Açai Berry Raspberry
Tea Type/Varietal: Green
Region:
Steeping Vessel/Amt. Leaf:
Liquor Color: reddish pink
Leaf Characteristics: tea leaves are a mixture of Sencha green tea, safflowers and the natural açai berry & raspberry flavoring. This has a lovely floral aroma.

1st Steeping:
Water temperature: 195 Fahrenheit
Time: 2 minutes

I had some of this tea left from the Tea District and decided to finish the remainder of it. I opened the pouch and pleasantly surprised I was to find there was tea still remaining (enough for 1 spoonful) which I put in my cup; and I add the cold water into the cup and put it in the microwave for a few minutes, leaving it to steep another minute.

The tea’s aroma is pungently sweet and spicy from the safflowers I imagine which makes this seems more like an herbal tea than a green tea I am thinking. As I sip this tea, it is sweet/sour orange/citrus like. I mean there is a slight saltiness that is left on palette after swallowing. I did not notice this prior.

2nd Steeping:
Water temperature: 200 Fahrenheit
Time: 3 minutes

I was able to steep the leaves again and this time the tea color is lighter pink and smelling more citrus with the berries at toe. I know this is green tea but with the leaves and berries and safflower it does seem more like an herbal tea.

This açai berry raspberry is quite nice; it is a naturally sweetened cup of tea with a fruity/citrus for a base and there is not astringency as derived from the freshness that can be enjoyed when having a cup of green tea.

Thanks TeaEqualsBliss!!
Lately I haven’t been a fan of mint teas but this one called to me today. It smells amazing. I find the mint a bit overpowering though. I couldn’t really catch any gunpowder or floral tastes. But as it cooled a bit more they started to come out, but sadly still slightly overpowered. I still liked this tea though :] I could see myself enjoying it when I’m in need of something mellow to relax with.

Smooth & flavorful. Has a wonderful, relaxing aroma & good black tea taste.
Single cup steep time is quick – 1 min.

This is a tasty moroccan mint. The green tea is good, earthy and flavorful. Then there are overtones of jasmine and mint. Neither flavor overpowers the taste of the tea, but both add to the overall flavor nicely.

This is a woody oolong. If you are a fan of that style, you will like this tea very much. I have mixed feelings. I’m not a huge fan of the woody flavor, but there is a nice nutty, toasty-ness that is very enjoyable.

I’m enjoying this earl grey. It is light but flavorful. The bergamot is obvious but not overwhelming. I’ll definitely drink another cup.

This one was sent to me from Liberteas! Thanks!!!!
Buttery Mint? I’m intrigued…let’s see…

Green tea – check, Gunpowder elements – check, slightly floral – yup, a nice mint flavor without being too overwhelming – Yuppers, and buttery? perhaps! Buttery like brothy, I think. Sure! Sounds good! I agree!

So far…this is my fave from Tea District…but then again…I’m a mint freak!

I’m quite enjoying this tea. The taste is quite delicate…which is what I am usually looking for with a white tea. I like the notes of pomegranate. I’m not noticing any tartness, but I did brew the tea with relatively cool water.

-Dry blend has large twisted leaves with long yellow flower petals.
-Dry leaves smell overwhelmingly fruity, like children’s vitamins. Tea liquor has a tangy fruity sweet aroma.
-Tea liquor is a light brown color.
-Sugary vitamin flavor with a lingering artificial mango finish. Slightly numbing on the tongue.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Poor tea. Strong flavor like children’s vitamins. Milk and sweetener lessen this taste but does little for the mango flavor.

Wow! Is this tea a beautiful color! Scarlet is a fantastic description. The taste is also pretty powerful. I actually really like the flavors from the fruit bits. And, somehow, the fruit flavor doesn’t overpower the flavor of the Rooibos…which is probably my one complaint…I’m not a huge fan of Rooibos. But despite my dislike of the base flavor, I could definitely drink a few cups of this.

Thank you to TeaEqualsBliss for sending me some of this tea. I steeped it on the light side to avoid the effects of hibiscus, and it worked, all I’m really getting from the hibiscus here is color… I don’t even taste much from it, maybe just a hint of tart, which could just as easily be part of the berry as it could the hibiscus.

It is lightly sweet, a little tart, and pleasant to drink.

I hate going into a tea or tisane thinking I am not going to like it BUT when Hibiscus is one of the main ingredients…it scares me! I’m TRYING to be open minded so…here…goes…eeeeek…

The combo of Currants, Cranberry, Orange Peel, Passion Fruit, Mango, and Blueberry does smell summery!

The Hibiscus isn’t as scary or tart as I assumed it would be THANK THE TEA GODS for that! Perhaps it was because I didn’t infuse it for very long or over-due my loose amount while infusing or perhaps it was because of the Honeybush/Rooibos ratio to the Hibiscus I am not sure but it’s not too shabby for a fruity tisane with hibiscus in it, I suppose.

It’s ok.

Like Dinosara I also got this through a groupon purchase (great minds groupon alike?). I love everything about this tea! Unlike Dinosara I use the full recommended amount and probably a scootch more than that because I like it STRONG! I was a little leery of the 5 min recommendation since it had black tea in it and went for 4 mins the first brew, 5 the second, and 6 the third. No difference in taste for me between brew 1 and 2 with a slight decrease in flavor in brew 3. I may be able to get another brew out of it.

I have noticed that the more I brew it the more of the coconut I taste to the point where at the third brew it’s really more of a coconut tea with hints of chocolate. Since I like both this metamorphosis is welcomed.

Overall? YUM!

The description is right: you won’t miss the chocolate in this one!

I made a mug of this this morning to bring to work and on the drive in my husband asked what kind of tea I had because it smelled really good. He could really smell the chocolate.

I hoped that the flavor would pack as much of a punch and it does not disappoint. There is a strong chocolate flavor followed by a subtle cherry. The cherry is very very subtle and could be easy to miss so I do wish they’d bump that up a bit. On the whole though, this is a very enjoyable tea for those who want a little twist on the classic chocolate tea.