Review: The Necessiteas Orange Creamsicle

Green Tea, Orange Tea, The Necessiteas No Comments »
Sophie’s Teaview Snapshot
Thumbs up!"Impressively creamy and naturally sweet, this tea is exactly the right balance of the sweet and sour to produce almost an exact copy of its namesake. Yum!"
Sophie’s Teaview: 8.3/10
Other Teaviews: Stephen gave it 8.5/10, Vanessa gave it 8.8/10
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necessiteas-orange-creamsic.jpgAn ode to childhood’s perfect summer day, this offering from the folks at the Necessiteas comes quite close to matching the original creamy treat. Described as a mix of green tea, orange pieces, and white chocolate chips, it is touted as being a great candidate for iced tea.

Beyond the above description I failed to find out more about this tea on the Necessiteas’ website. I always prefer to first follow the manufacturer’s directions when trying out a new tea. I’m disappointed when tea companies don’t make the effort to give general guidelines on how to best brew their teas on their websites. Also posting an outline regarding the tea’s origins and production methods seems essential information to attract serious tea drinkers. But I digress…

Looking at the sample, a smattering of orange rind pieces are interspersed amongst bright olive green tea leaves of varying lengths. The white chocolate chips are few and far between. However, I’m not phased by this, as the aroma coming from the sample is surprisingly convincing. All the sweet citrusy notes of the famed popsicle are there. The odour of the mixture of vanilla and orange is quite mouth watering. I used my habitual method for brewing green tea. That is one teaspoon of leaves for an 8 ounce cup with water cooled to 180 degrees Fahrenheit and a 3 minute steep. A clear pale cup ensues, which smells very much like the dried leaves. Yum! A touch vegetal tasting, just enough to remind me that I am after all drinking green tea, it is impressively creamy and naturally sweet. Whoever blended this tea hit on exactly the right balance of the sweet and sour in this tea to produce almost an exact copy of its namesake. Moreover, the flavours are not overly intense as sometimes teas that try to emulate other foods are wont to be.

A second 3 minute infusion produces a cup that’s a bit on the watery side. Especially after having tasted the creamy deliciousness of the first infusion, the second one comes as a bit of a let down. However it is still quite drinkable and one might go that route to stretch out their dollars. At 12$ for 3.5 ounces it might be a little pricey for some for everyday use but certainly a nice summery treat from time to time. Nice work!

— To purchase The Necessiteas Orange Creamsicle, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Sophie Sophie
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Review: Culinary Teas Cream Earl Grey White

Bergamot Tea, Culinary Teas, Earl Grey Tea, Vanilla Tea, White Tea No Comments »
Laura’s Teaview Snapshot
Thumbs up!" They could have named this Creamy Tangerine White Tea in my mind---maybe that will give you some additional insight into the flavor profile."
Laura’s Teaview: 8/10
Other Teaviews: Shaiha gave it 2/10
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culinaryearlgreywhitecream“Our Cream Earl Grey White Tea has a delicate Earl Grey flavor with an extra creamy sweetness.” —Culinary Teas website.

I was super geeked to get my little paws on this sample as this is my first run-in with a Cream Earl Grey White Tea. I have encountered the black tea version of Cream Earl Grey aka Earl Grey la Creme, etc. many times. I am dying to find out if Earl Grey translates well into a white tea, not to mention how it translates into a Cream Earl Grey. Culinary Teas does not include the ingredients for this blend on their website. However, if I were to guess, I would venture that this includes white tea, bergamot, and likely some sort of vanilla creme flavoring. There also are some sort of flower petals in this, but they are not the blue mallow petal shreds that I am accustomed to seeing in the black tea version. Instead, some sort of white/yellowish flower petal shreds are visible amongst the white tea leaves.

In addition to not giving up the ingredients in this blend, Culinary Teas’ website also does not offer brewing instructions. I chose to prepare my sample with water beginning to have some bubbles formed and occasionally rising to the top of the pot and infused for 3 min. The resulting cup is actually better than I expected. If you can wrap your brain around the concept of an Earl Grey when paired with white tea, then you can imagine what this tastes like. The white tea base tastes fairly floral to me and has a bit of nuttiness to it. It is of a good enough quality so as not to detract from the blend. The bergamot used in this is quite citrusy—almost tangerine in flavor. I’m not sure that I would call this a delicate Earl Grey blend, but it is not a vibrant one either. I think that a vibrant Earl Grey profile would overwhelm a white tea base so that is a good thing in my opinion. The vanilla cream aspect of this blend gives this cup a nice natural sweetness that is expected from a Cream Earl Grey blend. They could have named this Creamy Tangerine White Tea in my mind—maybe that will give you some additional insight into the flavor profile. Overall the blend succeeds in being one that I will consider for purchase at some point. I really enjoyed the citrusy, tangerine-ish flavor of the bergamot and liked the sweet creaminess of the vanilla flavor. If you have ever wanted a dessert Earl Grey White tea, look no further!!

— To purchase Culinary Teas Cream Earl Grey White, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Laura Laura
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Review: Tavalon Genmai Matcha

Genmaicha Tea, Green Tea, Matcha Tea, Tavalon No Comments »
Geoff’s Teaview Snapshot
Its OK"The difference was in the taste. Where most genmaichas make me sneer, Tavalon has found something to balance out the poor man's tea. A little bit of class."
Geoff’s Teaview: 6.7/10
Other Teaviews: Lynn gave it 4.5/10, Laura gave it 8/10, Vanessa gave it 7/10, Dan gave it 6.5/10
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tavalongenmaimatchaI may be biased from the get-go because I don’t particularly favor genmaicha. The idea of rice and tea works well on paper, but the end-result is often like licking a rice cooker after you washed it; not too appealing. Of course, I’m in the minority. A lot of people love genmaicha.

On the flipside of that, I absolutely “heart” matcha. My trials with that wonderful green powder has a 90% success rate. The combination of low-brow brew and ceremonial steep peaked my interest on a scholastic level. How would this dichotomy juxtapose?

Dry, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing batch ever. Green twigs and nuggets with lots of powder. It had the consistency of rabbit food. The aroma was very literal; smelled like dried rice and matcha. Vegetal and roasty.

I brewed 2 tsp in 8oz of 180F water for three minutes, then stirred. The infusion brewed to a deep foggy green. Seriously, I couldn’t see through it. It resembled some type of mad scientist concoction. The scent was like genmaichas I’ve had in the past; pan-fried rice-y.

The difference was in the taste. Where most genmaichas make me sneer, Tavalon has found something to balance out the poor man’s tea. A little bit of class. However, the second infusion was basically just genmai. So, if you want a good batch with the matcha, do a double-brew, don’t re-steep.

NOTE: I’m not entirely sure why, but it doesn’t seem to appear on the site. Perhaps someone has a better guess than I.

Special Offer! For a limited time, Tavalon is offering 25% off for Teaviews Readers. Use the promo code: teaviews when you order at Tavalon

Teaviews Member: Geoff Geoff
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Review: KTeas London Commute (Decaf)

Black Tea, Ceylon Tea, Decaffeinated Tea, KTeas No Comments »
Vanessa’s Teaview Snapshot
Its OK"The overwhelmingly dominant flavor element I noticed was a toasty-roasty flavor. This tea needs sugar to keep that toasty/burnt flavor in check."
Vanessa’s Teaview: 5.5/10
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kteaslogoOn those occasions where I am looking to limit my tea-related caffeine intake, I very rarely opt for decaffeinated black tea, but instead go for rooibos or other herbal concoctions. This morning I was purposely trying to avoid caffeine, and my sample of London Commute Decaf caught my eye, so I decided to give it a whirl. KTeas states that this tea is a Ceylon tea that is decaffeinated using a natural CO2 process. The dried leaves look very much like the standard black tea, consisting of very dark and curled leaves. The dried blend smells very much like raisins. KTeas advises to infuse the leaves for 4 minutes, however I have noticed that some decaffeinated teas tend to go really bitter for long infusions, so I kept my steeping to less than two minutes. The tea was a rich reddish color. My first impression after tasting this tea was that despite it being decaffeinated, this tea has some serious kick. The flavor is robust, to say the least. While the raisin element that I detected in the aroma was also present in the flavor, the overwhelmingly dominant flavor element I noticed was a toasty-roasty flavor, perhaps comparable to, though much more intense than, the roasty flavor of hojicha. This toasty flavor was a bit too strong for me, and at times I found it too similar to burnt coffee, which I found off-putting. This tea needs sugar to keep that toasty/burnt flavor in check. Once sweetened, other notes of malt and cocoa were just barely present.

For me, this tea wasn’t a big winner. Perhaps it was the decaffeination process that made the tea taste a little too funky on the burnt side, but whatever it was, I didn’t personally enjoy it. I will say, however, that many may find that this tea is as robust and stimulating as its non-decaffeinated counterparts.

— To purchase KTeas London Commute (Decaf), or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Vanessa Vanessa
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Review: The Tea Room Organic Tea Infusions Chocolate Bars

Tea Gifts, Tea Snacks, The Tea Room No Comments »
Katie’s Teaview Snapshot
Thumbs up!"If you enjoy chocolate at all and are lucky enough to have any of this company's chocolates at one of your local stores please do yourself a favour and pick some up."
Katie’s Teaview: 9/10
Other Teaviews: Jamie gave it 9.5/10
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tearoomchocolate-barsTea and chocolate – a girl’s best friends. Or at least this girl’s best friends. Separate they’re fantastic enough, but combined they can reach epic heights. The Tea Room generously sent three flavours up my way:

The first is a dark chocolate infused with raspberry rooibos. This bar is my least favourite, though that isn’t saying too much since it is still quite good. I prefer my dark chocolate darker, but overall it is an excellent bar of deliciousness. The raspberry is fantastic and realistic. The problem with raspberry flavoured things is that they often come across as fake and gross, but this is excellently done. While the chocolate doesn’t come across as distinctly rooibos, you can tell there’s more than just the fruit added. The hint of rooibos flavour is vague, but not unwelcome.

The second chocolate bar is their milk chocolate infused with jasmine and tangerine. The website claims it is just a hint of tangerine, but I found it to be the strongest flavour overall. Normally I don’t prefer milk chocolate, but this bar is excellent and bold. The tangerine is fantastic, the chocolate smooth, and the jasmine, while less strong than I would have preferred, blends perfectly with the other flavours. My husband said this one was his personal favourite of all the flavours we tried.

The third and final bar is the dark chocolate bar infused with green earl gray tea. It is my personal favourite of the three. Rich and distinctly earl grey. Impressively, it even tastes specifically like it is infused with a green earl grey tea rather than black tea or just a generic bergamot.

All three bars are as smooth as silk and clearly well made. When I put together a small sample cart, the website told me that ground shipping to Canada would cost me $70, so either something is amiss there, or I would just ship it to my parents then have them send it up this way. U.S. shipping costs seem very reasonable, so that is a very doable option if needed. I would definitely buy these if I didn’t have to ship them and ohmygoodness. Their website says they’re going to be available soon at all London Drug locations in Western Canada. I live in Western Canada. *squeals of delight* Um, yes, onwards. I will definitely be buying these regularly once available at my local London Drugs, and if I had to ship them, I’d still probably get a box or so around Christmas for my, uh, husband. If you enjoy chocolate at all and are lucky enough to have any of this company’s chocolates at one of your local stores (a list of vendors is available on their website) please do yourself a favour and pick some up.

— To purchase The Tea Room Organic Tea Infusions Chocolate Bars, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Katie Katie
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Review: KTeas Autumn Morning

Black Tea, Cardamom Tea, Chai Tea, Cinnamon Tea, Clove Tea, Green Tea, KTeas, Orange Peel Tea, Vanilla Tea No Comments »
Shaiha’s Teaview Snapshot
Thumbs up!"K Teas has achieved such delightful melding of spices that none really stand out. Instead it is a symphony of flavors, each supporting the other."
Shaiha’s Teaview: 8.4/10
Other Teaviews: Lynn gave it 9.5/10, Dan gave it 6.5/10
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kteasautumnmorningOne of my first goals when I joined was to find the perfect “Chai” tea. I haven’t yet achieved that lofty goal but K Teas Autumn morning ranks up there in the list. The website bills this as a lighter chai with Green teas from India, China and Japan, Black tea from India, cinnamon bits, cardamom seeds, cardamom husks, cloves, orange peel, and natural vanilla flavor. The aroma of the vanilla, cloves and the cardamom leap out at you building anticipation of that first taste.

I actually let my sample steep longer then called for as I didn’t hit the website to read the brewing instructions which call for heaping teaspoon in boiling water for 3 minutes. I actually let mine steep for 4 ½ minutes but the resulting liquor isn’t bitter in the least. In fact, I would say that it has a natural sweetness so use a light hand with the sweetener. K Teas has achieved such delightful melding of spices that none really stand out. Instead it is a symphony of flavors, each supporting the other. This is also one of the few chai teas that I have ever tasted that is just as good with creamer as without.

As I am sampling teas from this vendor, I am composing a list of ones that I need to add to my tea chest. This one definitely makes the grade. And the fact that it is so reasonably priced doesn’t hurt at all. KTeas has quite the variety of teas and well worth checking out. None of them are expensive but in tea a high price doesn’t necessarily mean a good tea.

— To purchase KTeas Autumn Morning, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Shaiha Shaiha
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Review: Merkaba Raspberry Truffle

Apple Tea, Black Tea, Blackberry Leaf Tea, Chocolate Tea, Merkaba, Raspberry Tea, Rooibos Tea, Rose Tea, Vanilla Tea No Comments »
Laura’s Teaview Snapshot
Thumbs up!"The raspberry flavor is that of a sweet raspberry filling like you might find if you bit into a chocolate confection or a raspberry jam. The chocolate flavor is a secondary player in the blend and not strong enough to truly satisfy a chocolate craving."
Laura’s Teaview: 9.5/10
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merkabaraspberrytruffle“The full raspberry and chocolate flavors create a wonderful remembrance of Raspberry Truffles. Try adding a pinch of sugar to accentuate the flavor.
Bright and Coppery. Contains luxury black tea, freeze dried raspberry, blackberry leaves, rose petals, rooibos, apple, vanilla, chocolate bits and
natural flavors. Makes a marvelous dessert all by itself.” —Merkaba website.

I have ‘owed’ this tea a review for awhile now meaning that it is a favorite of mine. It is one that I reach for on a regular basis and it is a reorder item in my tea collection (the highest compliment possible). Further, the owners of Merkaba, Ron and Kathy (sp?), are some of the nicest people and willing to take their time with you on the phone should you call to ask any questions about any of the products in their store. In fact, this tea was recommended to me by Kathy when I called their store about a year ago and a sample of it subsequently showed up with my order. Within a few days, I knew I had to have more and I placed a second order for a big bag of this stuff. I’ve somehow managed to suck down that entire quantity and recently placed another order to restock their Quangzhou Milk Oolong (also amazing) and for another stash of this.

The dry sample is chock full of ingredients and this is one that I advise shaking up the package a bit so that you can get a scoop inclusive of all of the ingredients. While the directions on my package state that you should use water temperature at 180 with just a 2-3 infusion, I can tell you that this one is VERY forgiving. I have actually prepared it with boiling water and let the infusion time drag out to as long as 5 min and still had an amazing cup. I do tend to scoop this one pretty generously and also add the pinch of German rock cane sugar that is recommended when preparing my cup. The result is one of the most delicious raspberry truffle black teas ever! The flavor profile is dominated by the sweet raspberry flavor and has a nice tasty chocolate undertone. The raspberry flavor is that of a sweet raspberry filling like you might find if you bit into a chocolate confection or a raspberry jam. The chocolate flavor is a secondary player in the blend and not strong enough to truly satisfy a chocolate craving. If the chocolate taste was just a bit more intense, then this would be a perfect 10. The black tea base is mild and of a good enough quality so as not to detract from the blend. This one also takes a splash of cream well—or if you want to play up that chocolate flavor, then a splash of chocolate milk! While I do prefer this as a hot cup, this also makes an excellent iced tea. This is dessert in a cuppa…YUMMO. At just $6.30 for 2 oz, this is Highly recommended

— To purchase Merkaba Raspberry Truffle, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Laura Laura
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Review: TeaFrog Masala Chai II

Anise Tea, Assam Tea, Black Pepper Tea, Black Tea, Cardamom Tea, Chai Tea, Cinnamon Tea, Fennel Tea, Orange Peel Tea, TeaFrog No Comments »
Erika’s Teaview Snapshot
Its OK"The scent was spicy and heavy with orange and cinnamon."
Erika’s Teaview: 5/10
Other Teaviews: Shaiha gave it 4.8/10
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teafrogmasalachai2This was my first sample from TeaFrog, and before I even tried the tea, I was a fan.  What can I say?  I’m a sucker for clever (and cute) company names.  TeaFrog’s version of Masala Chai appeared for the most part like any other chai.  It included many of the typical ingredients, as well as a few I haven’t seen in chai blends before, including fennel and star anise.  After looking over the ingredients, I was curious to see if these two particular flavors would be prominent in the blend.  Honestly, I was secretly hoping they would blend seamlessly with the other ingredients because I’m not a fan of anything licorice flavored.

I put the water on to boil and looked over the dry blend.  The tea consists of an Assam that appeared to have been rolled into tiny pebbles.  Pods, seeds, and peels were abundant in the blend and seemed to be in good proportion to the tea.  The scent was spicy and heavy with orange and cinnamon.  Hints of licorice were nowhere to be found.

To prepare my cup, I followed the chai latte instructions found on the TeaFrog website.  During the steep, prior to adding the milk and honey, I noticed the scent of licorice.  After the cup cooled slightly, I bravely took my first sip and was met with a very distinct licorice flavor.  The other ingredients were present as well; they just seemed overpowered by the fennel and star anise.  Unfortunately, the licorice flavor was too much for me in this blend.  Although I was not a fan of this tea, I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an interesting chai.  Assuming of course, that you like licorice.

— To purchase TeaFrog Masala Chai II, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Erika Erika
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Review: Suffuse Tea Goudekop Cinnamon Rooibos

Cinnamon Tea, Herbal Tea, Rooibos Tea, Suffuse Tea No Comments »
Vanessa’s Teaview Snapshot
Its OK"This is a tea that I would certainly drink again if it was offered to me, but I would certainly not search this tea out, nor would I recommend it on the basis of it being a cinnamon-flavored blend, as I don’t think it delivers in that aspect. "
Vanessa’s Teaview: 5.6/10
Other Teaviews: Jamie gave it 7/10
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SUFFUSELOGOSuffuse Tea’s Rooibos Cinnamon comes packaged in white sachets making the contents hard to discern. In the case of this tea, however, I am guessing the ingredients list is rather simple, and so I don’t feel like I am missing out too much by not being able to clearly see the rooibos and cinnamon specks. I drank two cups of this tea without really thinking much of it, making me force myself to focus on the next one. I then realized that the reason the first two cups went down so quickly was that this brew lacks a “wow” factor, thereby lending it to easy and mindless sipping rather than savoring and contemplation. The rooibos flavor was sweet and nutty, but not as fresh as I have sampled from other selections. The cinnamon flavor was very mild, almost what I would describe as weak. I would have appreciated a stronger contribution of the cinnamon. I feel that this is a decent enough tea whose mild flavor profile would not be considered offensive or strong by too many people. This is a tea that I would certainly drink again if it was offered to me, but I would certainly not search this tea out, nor would I recommend it on the basis of it being a cinnamon-flavored blend, as I don’t think it delivers in that aspect.

— To purchase Suffuse Tea Goudekop Cinnamon Rooibos, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.

Teaviews Member: Vanessa Vanessa
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Review: Teavana Golden Jade

Black Tea, Green Tea, Teavana No Comments »
Katie’s Teaview Snapshot
Its OK"It doesn't have anything that makes it pop or helps it stand out."
Katie’s Teaview: 6/10
Other Teaviews: Brad gave it 9/10, Raven gave it 7.3/10, Jamie gave it 7.5/10
Your Reviews:Add your review »

TeavanagoldenjadeTeavana seems to concentrate mostly on flavoured blends and fancy-shmancy leaves, with this tea falling firmly in the latter category. In keeping with Teavana tradition, they don’t have an abundance of what I (and I assume what other people who take their tea far too seriously) would consider useful information and facts that I really prefer to see on finer teas. Where, exactly, is it from (I would guess it’s a combination of Chinese teas)? Can I get a more precise detail of what the leaves are aside from “green tea and black tea?” Is there actually a religion that encourages giving up the things you don’t need so you can concentrate on meditating in the hopes that you will reach true Teavana? This tea brings more questions than answers.

Gaiwan time! One heaping teaspoon of fluffy leaf for three ounces of 175° water in my pre-heated porcelain demigod of teaware. After a minute, the tea is smooth, buttery, and faintly vegetal. It has a hint of tobacco quality in the scent which is even fainter in the flavour. At first I found this somewhat confusing since it took me quite awhile to realise that this is in fact a blend of green and black teas and not just green tea, as I had thought at first for no real reason whatsoever.

By the end of the first cup, I find I am craving a second, which I leave for one minute. As with the first cup, the black tea takes a strong back seat to the green. Again, the tea is noticeably smooth and somewhat buttery. I don’t feel the flavour is particularly memorable, but it is solid and appreciable. I pull out a third 1-minute steep, but the fourth falls flat.

After it is all said and done, I sit here mulling the cup over more than I usually would. The tea is solid, consistent, delicious, but it lacks something that I can’t quite put my finger on. It doesn’t have anything that makes it pop or helps it stand out. I like it, but nothing is making me feel motivated to love it. I’d prefer to get black and one green teas that I really love and experiment with blending them myself.

Special Offer! Free Shipping on orders over $50! If you're interested in purchasing this tea or others from Teavana, shop now by clicking this link: Shop Teavana for Teas and Tea Accessories

Teaviews Member: Katie Katie
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