362 Tasting Notes
I think I will probably not like ginseng on its own. And I am pretty sure this is very ginseng-y. My first try of this I was really uncertain. It´s its own thing. it´s ginsengy, very. But then it is blended so well with things I love that I do love it, and somehow they have that magic where this tea just leaves you with this wonderful well-feeling.
About the medicinal properties, I do not know for sure. But it feels possible, a real feel-good tea and this is going on my staples rebuy-before-it´s-out list.
PS – not canonical for green tea, but I am brewing it really hot, and drinking it as hot as I can manage and really loving it that way.
Preparation
This has its own vocal fanbase. I have been meaning to try it for almost two years, but it has been sold out or unavailable at the place I was (or to be fair, I think on one occasion I skipped it in favour of a few others, though I did not know it had such a following). And finally it is back on stock and available for mail order.
Alk that and somehow, amazingly it was not a disappointed. It is lovely, a blueberry-rhubarb-cream-peony petals mix where I think I can spot all the flavours (apart from peony, whose presence I am not actually denying. For all I know, it might be there, but I do not know what peony petals are supposed to smell or taste like. The only peonies I ever sniffed had not much scent) and all flavours meld perfectly. This is the more focused real tea, older brother version of Berry Berry Nice. (Berry Berry Nice is my favourite ever non-tea tea). I love it.
Preparation
Oh, this is a nice spiced tisane! One of my favorites so far from the Hoppi Tea Swap. Some orange rind, some cassia bark (not cinnamon, but I am pretentious about that) and a just-right (to me) ammount of hibiscus to not overpower the all thing. I like it.
Preparation
I am liking this more and more all the time. Not my number 1 favorite rooibos or not yet, if I keep loving it more and more it might reach there yet. A really elegant flavour – fruity, strawberries and green apples and maybe vanilla ( just my brain finding these there) and a nice rooibos undernearth.
Preparation
Thanks to the HoppiTea Swap, I am trying american teas. Apart from celestial seasonings, I had never had any american blends, or even found them for sale. So pretty happy to get a chance to try it. But is it just me observing this trend, or are american tea blenders obsessed with hibiscus?!?
KTT kindly picked a wide range of teas, which are not nominally hibiscus teas, but of the ones I have already tried it´s like almost all have hibiscus hidden there in some form! Even this which is green tea. I could not believe it when I brew it, hibiscus in green tea, but checking online, blender admits it. Hibiscus with green tea, is just not going to be my cup of tea, unfortunately.
I am biased about the hibiscus, I admit sometimes they can be used nicely, just feeling grumpy about it being a “surprise” ingredient in so many unexpected teas. This is a nice green tea, with the tang of the hibiscus mixing with the green tea. Reminded me a bit of Twinings´Green Tea with Cranberry ( though that one has no hibiscus, so less tart). I am very glad to have had a chance to try it, thank you very much Carolynne.
Preparation
Glad you’re enjoying the selection – hibiscus or not! I too am not a fan of hibiscus (which = heartburn for me most times). I didn’t realize I’d sent you so much w/hibiscus! To make up for my faux pas, if you see any others in my cupboard you like, I’ll send them your way. (I’m a pro at international shipping now!)
aw come on, you could not have known! who would expect them to put hibiscus on green tea or white tea?
And admittedly it´s on pretty low dosages most of the times,I do not actually hate it, just getting a bit surprised at how often they use it. And yeah I am just extra paranoid about it – for me even when it is a little bit it seems to overpower the rest, but it can not work like that for everybody. About it being so prevalent in US teas, it makes me wonder, it might be an expectation from the market. Maybe it is related to the US being a market which probably makes a LOT of iced tea (an habit I am doing my best to pick!), and hibiscus might help give more body to iced tea.
And thank you very much for your very kind offer, but seriously, I still got lots of your teas to try or to try again, and I really must bring my tea stock under control.
Well the offer always stands… :)
Thank you yet again! Just wish me good international shipping karma – the hoppitea swap I sent has not arrived YET. My swappee says she is not worried, but I am very much!
I am making my way through a lot of teas KTT kindly sent me on the Hoppitea Swap. This one came with a particular recommendation to not brew it over 2 minutes – well, it went a few seconds over that but not too much. I was going to divide the sample into two small teacups but accidentally poured too much so made just my very large half liter cup.
And this is very pleasant, though maybe a bit heavy on the cassia – which btw it is not cinnamon. Really. Truly. It´s cassia and pretty distinctive, though yeah I know cinnamon in the USA almost always means cassia and not the other (real, from my point of view) cinnamon. Cassia being sharper seems to go very well with the tang of this – I can detect fruitiness, but not plums specifically. If it has hibiscus ground in ( color and acidity) it is in a just right dosage It is a winner for me!
