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Martin, this one’s amazing! I tend to be leery of rose teas because they can be improperly blended and taste like the soap Grandma kept in her nightie drawer to make everything smell good. However, the rose gets a really nice citrus counterpoint that keeps it from being too cloying. This is another one I think will be really lovely on ice. Thank you!

Another treat from Martin’s Intercontinental Box of Happy Tea! The only unflavored Basilur tea I tried previously was an English Breakfast that was pretty so-so. This one was a pleasant step up. Less brassy, a little more malty, and it still has potential to improve … I used a little more mug and a little more water than was necessary. Looking forward to a more concentrated version.

Is there anything better than a box of tea treats waiting for you at the end of a long day? Even better when they’re from a tea friend; thank you, Martin!

This was the first packet I broke into. The basil/lime combination is sweet and refreshing, and the combination of citrus peels and flavoring pumps up the flavor without a bit of painful tartness. The total combination smells like the tomato plants in our little container garden after a good rainfall! Fragrance is a fitting name.

I’ve got a second steep recycling in the fridge overnight. Garnished with a little fresh basil pinched from our plants, this should be equally refreshing on ice.

Took a chance on this sample today; steeped it according to package recommendations (3 minutes), then tucked it immediately in the fridge. Not a bad little treat when it’s chilled, although the creamy/nutty flavor completely overwhelms it. Couldn’t sniff out much cherry at all. I’d consider it a “tea party” tea you could serve to little’uns and non-teaists.

Friend of mine did the Charleston Tea Garden tour this spring and signed up to be notified when the first 2023 flush was available, and sent a little sample my way.

I’ve always thought Charleston’s tea was a little on the acidic/coppery side, so this was a welcome surprise. It’s still not especially strong—I haven’t met an American tea that is—but there’s a nice brown-sugary finish to it that their retail-grade offerings doesn’t have. Nice and pleasant without additives.

You’re invited to VBS Family Night … 300 kids singing on stage, bouncy castles, a foam pit, hot dogs, and the fire department coming to turn on the hydrant!

Hotter than a skillet today, and kids jumping around like excited crickets. In anticipation of both of these things, at your recommendation, I iced down a large tumbler of Paris. Delicious. On ice, the lemony aspect is downplayed, and the caramelly part reminded me a little of almond ice cream.

Tea MO this week = two sips hot, then ice it down for the rest of the morning. It’s VBS week during a heat advisory, and I’ve been traipsing around after fourth graders in quadruple-digit humidity. (Wouldn’t change a thing. My high school teaching assistant is one of my Sunday kids all grown up, he has a heart for kids, and the 10-year-old boys traipse after him like puppies. My happy bubble is blown up to bursting.)

You’ve all heard me jabber on about this chocolate-grapefruit blend, so this part will be brief. I wouldn’t change a thing about it either, except get a larger tin next time. It makes me want to hunt down more hibiscus-free teas with grapefruit in the flavor profile.

One of you friends recommended this as a cold latte with vanilla syrup. My initial experiment left room for improvement, as the only dairy product under our roof was skim milk; however, it made me want to haul out the blender and try it as a milkshake: I think it would replicate malted milk very nicely. Unfortunately, the only ice cream under our roof is cherry lemonade. I don’t think that’ll fly! Plenty of summer left to try it.

When this landed in my Mom’s Day gift basket, I speculated that it would make great iced tea in the summer. (“You were right, Mom…. " just what every mama longs to hear.)

Requirements for what make a great unflavored summer black tea vary by user, but this meets both of mine: Is it strong enough to wake you up in the morning? and Does the bottom half of the tumbler retain that strength on ice? A firm yes to both.

I don’t venture into bottled teas often, but this one deserves a mention. According to the label, there’s Java tea leaves and there’s water and that’s that—no unwanted accoutrements. Brassy; not much of a bass line, but still strong enough to suit builders tea preferences. Will hunt it out next time I need a cold to-go.