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I know a lot of tea-drinkers have a love / hate relationship with caffeine but for those of us who kind of love it (for good or bad, haha), Republic of Tea’s hi-caf brand is pretty damn awesome.

Of all the ones I’ve tried so far, Pom-Berry is my favorite. The fruit flavors do a good job of offsetting the boldness of the heaviness of the caffeine which is more prominent in the others I’ve tried (Breakfast Black and Toasted Coconut).

As far as the buzz – it’s real. Their so cold “tea mind” is a cute attempt to quell worries about having tea that’s got 30% more caffeine than a cup of coffee. My officemates and I all feel pretty energized if not a little hyper after having a cup and kind of avoid having any after lunch.

So if you’re sensitive to lots of caffeine, or preggors, or a child, it’s probably not a bad idea to avoid. But if you’re ok with it, and like an alternative to the morning cup of coffee that’ll still energize you for the day, highly recommended.

Very yummy, does its job well.

After a bad experience with the Eggnog matchachinno, I was happy to find that the caramel flavor is the completely opposite.

Although a bit on the sweet side, this mix is smooth, rich, and extremely flavorful. Made as an iced latte with light cream (no added sweetness!) this was a great after-dinner dessert. I’ve also used this blend to make flavored mochi and they came out great!

My one criticism is that it IS very sweet, so if anybody is sensitive to a lot of sweetness, be wary! It still tastes pretty good on its own without anything added but it really shines as a frothed, milky treat.

http://www.infusedmusings.com/2014/04/01/red-leaf-tea-matcha-review-eggnog-caramel/

I got the eggnog as a free sample along with another flavor a purchased (caramel), and I have to say, I was EXTREMELY disappointed in this tea.

I don’t know if it was a fluke sample, but I made it once on its own, using close to traditional prep methods, and it was horrible. The tea itself was very bitter and the sweetness of the eggnog flavor on top of that astringent taste was a bad combo.

I prepped it again, figuring I must have done something wrong since I’ve never had matcha that tasted this bad before but the second try wasn’t any better. Added milk and a little sugar for the “latte” effect and it didn’t help.

Thankfully the caramel flavored matcha was significantly better, so I am wondering if maybe I just got a bad sample. But the friends I made this for really disliked it, and they were surprised because I have made them good matcha before, so…

Disappointed.

http://www.infusedmusings.com/2014/04/01/red-leaf-tea-matcha-review-eggnog-caramel/

I think the #1 aspect of this tea that I love is the aroma – it seriously smells like a Jolly Rancher! I love to have it sitting in my pot over a tea-light to keep my room smelling great.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that despite how strong the aroma was, the taste was much less prominent (a good thing!). It was smooth, sweet, and had just the right amount of boldness.

It’s hard to say much more than just how delicious this tea was. No need for added sweeteners – it’s perfect on its own. Momijigari definitely has made my top 5 favorites of anything I’ve tried so far.

I’d recommend this in a heartbeat and am sad that it’s so limited to get!

http://www.infusedmusings.com/2014/04/09/lupicia-tea-review-momijigari/

I bought this tea a while ago when I went to visit my old stomping grounds in New York. I was originally looking for a now discontinued blend but settled with this one to give it a try (at the time I hadn’t had much experience with white teas).

The citrus and berry flavors complement the otherwise subtle taste of white tea really well. It was a very pleasant drinking experience.

The smell is actually my favorite part. It’s just a wonderful, sweet aroma that fills the room with warmth.

I plan to re-stock as soon as I get back to NY.

Their tins are really bad for tea, however, with an open “viewing” window that lets light in. They are also generally a pain to open and close, so I’d transfer to a better storage asap.

http://www.infusedmusings.com/2014/01/06/spices-tease-white-raspberry-grapefruit/

This definitely knocks me out. Although it doesn’t help me fall asleep faster, it helps me stay asleep as I am I light sleeper and wake up multiple times through the night.

The taste is OK. I’m not a huge fan of the fennel flavor that is fairly bold compared to the other ingredients, but other than that, it’s alright. Definitely not a tea I’d drink for pleasure, just to help me sleep.