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This tea kind of surprised me. I was expecting a minty blast in my mouth and instead, it’s rather bland. The mint isn’t sharp enough; it tastes muddled against the green tea. I’m sad to say that this is just a very blah cup of tea.

I brewed the loose leaf YMY Pu-erh with about 1.5 tsp in my 6 oz cup. I like my Puer a little stronger and this has got that really nice earthy, sweet aroma.

The tea itself is rich and full-bodied. It’s sweeter than you’d expect, with a light earthy note. It’s very smooth and mellow. This is the tea I reach for after a large meal; it settles the stomach and cleanses the palate. Maybe it’s all in my head, but Puer just makes me feel healthier.

I’m not the best judge of green tea, especially Japanese green tea, but I really enjoyed this Gyokuro. Light body with a sweet, grassy note, this is exactly what I look for in green tea. It has a pleasingly light astringency and a clean finish.

This black tea is unbelievably smooth with a full body and very clean finish. I’m not really a fan of the flavor notes (malty and sweet), but I love how bright and brisk Golden Monkey is. It’s definitely a high-quality tea; I can wholeheartedly recommend it to others!

Mmm! This is, so far, the only Yunnan I’ve liked. It’s rich, full-bodied, sweet and the dry leaves have that amazing nutty aroma. Utterly smooth with a clean finish and no astringency. When I think of a classic Yunnan “the mocha of teas” black, I think of this tea.

Light and slightly sweet with citrus notes, this tea is comparable to a decent Ceylon. While it’s very agreeable, I wish it had more body. This tea would be great for someone who likes lighter-bodied blacks. It probably won’t take milk and sugar very well.

Malty and smooth, full-bodied, no harshness or bitterness, slightly astringent, bold and biscuity. This is where I go for a strong cup of tea.

I was in the grocery store when Townshend’s Vanilla Rooibos caught my eye. I absolutely love rooibos but have unfortunately disliked most blended versions. I had tried Stash’s Vanilla Rooibos, but it wasn’t very good.

This, on the other hand, is delicious! The vanilla really comes through but doesn’t taste artificially sweet. It is a bit like a dessert treat. I like to brew it darker (two teaspoons per cup, steeped for at least 5 minutes), but I’m also eager to try it iced. I’m glad to have another caffeine-free option to drink at night.

I also just found out I live by the Townshend’s on Alberta. I can’t wait to make a trip to the shop itself.

This tea has a light, fruity flavor that is subtle rather than overpowering. It’s smooth and fairly pleasant to drink and I imagine it would take milk and sugar well. However, though it’s full-bodied, it lacks character.

Despite hating fruity teas, I actually wish the lychee was more prominent. The dry leaves smell delicious, but the brewed tea doesn’t really hold up to the promise.

I’ll try brewing this tea with 190° water next time and see if that makes a difference.