I think it was Ysaurella´s review of this a few weeks ago which has made me crave a peach and vanilla black tea. I was at the time ordering Thé-o-Dor teas and her review of Nosy Bey made me choose their Mélange de Galice. So an inevitable comparison from the start!
In the meanwhile Ysaurella oh so kindly got into another tea swap with me and sent me this as well (and oh so many other so fascinating goodies. Thank you so much!). I now got two dreamily-named black teas with vanilla and peach, not just one! And I do love to compare and contrast flavoured teas, how different companies can make such different takes on the same idea.
A warning: there might be a bias by previous acquaintance, that I would always prefer the first one I tried. Theodor ended up the winner but maybe I was biased because I had it first? Dunno.
The teas: Mélange de Galice is a mix of chinese and Sri Lanka black teas with peach and vanilla flavours and some sunflower/marigold petals sprinkled around (for prettiness, I guess). Nosy Bey is a chinese black tea, with vanilla and peach flavors with rose petals and I think tiny sugar cubes? (or is it dried peach?) Both teas smell divine when dry. I think Nosy Bey smells a bit more floral and bit more like orchard peaches, while Mélange de Galice smells a bit more like regular peach and orchard peach mixed together, and has a stronger vanilla scent with no floral notes. Honors even here, both wonderful scents, different but equally lovely.
Nosy Bey brews very much like a chinese BLACK tea. Mélange de Galice has (predictably) a bit more body and is (unexpectedly!) smoother as well, even when brewed at the same 85C that I brew Nosy Bey. I do not understand why a ceylon-chinese blend brews so so smooth while having some body, but there you have it, even at several temperatures it is always smooth and even naturally sweet.
And then, the liquor: and it is here that Mélange de Galice pulls ahead to win me, it just tastes more, a richer, more intense, more layered taste. But Nosy Bey is still pretty lovely on its own. And drinking peach and vanilla tea in December, oh it is so mood lifting!
Preparation
People who liked this
Comments
hehe MgD, makes me think of beer :P
(Miller)
Ah, sorry I do not know any MGD beer! I was just trying to save some type. Miller is an american brand of beer right?
yup, it stands for Miller Genuine Draft. I prefer the lime version myself. Or local craft beers
I think there are no sugar cubes in the tea (this is something the French Tea brands are not really doing) I identified the cubes as dry fruits…but which ones…mystery…
I taste really the wine peaches (pêches de vigne en français dans le texte) in Nosy Bey. Now I am craving to taste Mélange de Galice !
Indigobloom, oh thank you for the explanation!
Ysaurella I think it was fruit as well, at least it did not melt. The roses I could detect a hint from them.
And Mélange de Galice, oh I will save some for you! I am currently afraid of going to the post office before Christmas, but I would love to send you a little bit of Thé du Loup and Mélange de Galice (LOL; with a condition that i would love to read your opinions on it, of course ;)
Oh thank you !Sure you will read my opinion :)
Hope to see yours soon about sakura 2000 – this is not a very commented tea here on Steepster but I am very curious to get your opinion on this one especially.
hehe MgD, makes me think of beer :P
(Miller)
Ah, sorry I do not know any MGD beer! I was just trying to save some type. Miller is an american brand of beer right?
yup, it stands for Miller Genuine Draft. I prefer the lime version myself. Or local craft beers
I think there are no sugar cubes in the tea (this is something the French Tea brands are not really doing) I identified the cubes as dry fruits…but which ones…mystery…
I taste really the wine peaches (pêches de vigne en français dans le texte) in Nosy Bey. Now I am craving to taste Mélange de Galice !
Indigobloom, oh thank you for the explanation!
Ysaurella I think it was fruit as well, at least it did not melt. The roses I could detect a hint from them.
And Mélange de Galice, oh I will save some for you! I am currently afraid of going to the post office before Christmas, but I would love to send you a little bit of Thé du Loup and Mélange de Galice (LOL; with a condition that i would love to read your opinions on it, of course ;)
Oh thank you !Sure you will read my opinion :)
Hope to see yours soon about sakura 2000 – this is not a very commented tea here on Steepster but I am very curious to get your opinion on this one especially.