Orange Ginger

My ginormous Samovar order came in today and I’m so happy I ordered a tin of this! It’s what the Rishi Tangerine Ginger should have been – gingery warm, citrusy bright, fresh, cuddly, sweet, tangy, a hint of woodsy – not tart or phlegm-inducing or something that brings to mind Thera-Flu. I think I could easily become addicted to this tea.

Sipdown no. 37 of 2014 is my sample of this.

I’m sad about sipping down my Samovar samples. I was just on their web site and it looks like they’ve cut back a lot on what they offer. It seems like there used to be more of everything—more tisanes, more white tea, more black tea. Perhaps they’ve decided to focus on just a few things and do those really well. And at least they are still around, unlike some companies. But I have so much love for their tea and for the amazing variety they used to have that I can’t help but feel sad. I never met a Samovar product I didn’t find anywhere from incredibly drinkable to off the charts amazing.

This, alas, appears to be on offer no longer. I really wish I’d had the foresight to drink my samples and order up everything I liked back when I got them. That’s what I get for saving the best while drinking my way through others I didn’t like as much. Their stuff is so good, it never occurred to me that it wouldn’t always be around.

When I first opened up the packet, I thought perhaps this might at last be a Samovar product that wasn’t for me. I mostly smelled the bitter tang of orange peel and not much else. And I’ve had hit or miss experiences with ginger in tea.

The steeped tea allowed the ginger to come through in the aroma, though it remained in the background, which I appreciated. The liquor looked like lemonade.

The flavor, however, wasn’t at all bitter. It’s not exactly sweet either. I guess the word is refreshing? The ginger gives the flavor a little spicy kick and I can taste it, but it isn’t overpowering. The orange remains the main flavor given a little extra citrusy boost by the lemon myrtle (which, thank heavens, is otherwise innocuous in the blend). And fortunately, I don’t taste licorice.

I like the Berry Rooibos (also no longer around) somewhat better, but if the Orange Ginger was still around and I was placing and order, I’d include it. As I’m sitting here, I’m noticing that something about this is really wonderfully calming. It must be the ginger; I have been under much work related stress lately and the stress goes to my stomach. I feel as though my stomach has been permanently clenched for months, and right now I feel as though it has finally relaxed.

So yeah. This and the Berry Rooibos. Bring ’em back?

I got my Samovar order in today and I am so glad this is back in my life. Like, seriously, so glad.

When I ordered this the first time, I went out on a limb and got a large tin because I love orange, I like ginger, and I trusted Samovar. It was a good thing, because this has become a tea I very often love to have to finish the day.

I put about a teaspoon and a half into 8 oz. of water, and I think I was using more water [probably closer to nine, nine and a half] before because it came out stronger. I didn’t mind it though, especially because I could actually feel the ginger warming my insides. If you’re not a huge fan of ginger, I’d recommend upping the water volume or steeping it for around 4 minutes instead [this is a tea with which I have done much experimentation] because it becomes less noticeable there.

Especially now, in the midst of winter, I’ll probably continue to brew this strong. Once it starts to warm up I’ll likely revert to something a little weaker. The main tastes that I get out of this are the citrus [mainly orange, maybe a hint of that extra puckery lemon, but just a hint] and the ginger. The licorice is barely noticeable to me, and really I think it’s just there to add depth to the sweetness.

It’s like what I think a glass of orange cider would be like. I’m a big fan. Giving it a small bump.

This is a sample that I purchased from Samovar a while back… and just now getting around to trying it.

This is one of the better tisanes I’ve ever had. Generally, I prefer tea to tisane, although, there is a place in my life for tisanes – especially later in the evening (and since it is 12:30 in the am, I think that qualifies!) when I’m starting to think about heading to bed.

The flavor is very fresh and vibrant, yet the tea is very soothing. It is a very nice tea to have at the end of a long day. I suspect that this would be very refreshing as an iced tea too. Now that I’ve had a chance to really try this, I wish I would have gone ahead and bought the 2 ounce tin, rather than just the sample package… this is one that I would like to enjoy again, and also share with friends.

Perhaps I will have to remember that when I get around to placing another order with Samovar!

My taste buds have always been overly sensitive to spices, so this one was just a little too gingery for me. It could have something to do with my getting distracted by the latest episode of Desperate Housewives and steeping it for a couple of minutes longer than I meant to…

My second steep was about half the time of the first, and the ginger was much more manageable — though I can’t tell if it’s because I steeped it for less time or because the ginger is naturally more mellow on the second steep.

More experimentation is required! I may try mixing this one with the oolong I just bought.

This is a very light herbal from Samovar. I’m used to them being a little heavy on the hibiscus or licorice root that they use as a base or to “sweeten”. With some of their other herbals the licorice can sometimes over power the tea. With this herbal it does not over power. This tea reminds me of my Aunt when I was little. She would always cut up some fresh ginger root and lemon peel and simmer it on the stove for hours. It would make the whole house smell great. I swear that just the smell would help me get rid of the cold that I had. This tea taste just like it without the ginger BURN in your throat and chest. Although I do like the BURN…:)

I’ve got through several tins of this. It’s my before bed tea. It’s warming, soothing, and doesn’t stain my teeth like a rooibus. (No chamomile. Many people, myself included, are allergic to chamomile.) I steep it 2 or 3 times. The first steep is very sweet and tastes strongly of licorice. The second steep is more firey with ginger. The third is a more gentle ginger. The orange lingers and is more like a Lemsip citrus to me. Again, soothing! Tonight I’ve added a little Wei Chi Cha, which I don’t really like on it’s own, but here it’s adding even more sweetness and warmth. I’ll be fast asleep very soon.

This is my favorite night time tea. Very soothing and full of flavor. The ginger helps digestion and goes great after a nice dinner. I usually drink a cup of this before bed to help me relax. Try it with honey, and you’ll forget about chamomile.

I love ginger teas and this one is pretty damn good. The ginger is warming but not overly spicy and the orange is sweet and mildly tangy. The berries kick in a little sweetness too. Good dessert tea. Good tea for an upset stomach. Good tea to cuddle up with. It’s becoming a regular in my caffeine-free lineup.

Full Review: http://www.tea-tank.com/?p=59

I love this tea. This was my first Samovar tea, enjoyed on a cold San Francisco evening after a long day at work. The pep and bite was exactly what I needed.

I bought a tin of this some time ago and when it was empty, I got sad. I’ve finally gotten around to replenishing it and I’m grateful to have one of the more delicious herbal blends out there once more.