"There is no mistaking the lemon in this tea; the lemon is evident in the aroma of the dry leaves, but even more so in the flavor. It seems as if a couple of lemon wedges should be floating in my glass. " Vanessa’s Teaview: 8.5/10 Other Teaviews: Dan gave it 9.2/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

Rishi Tea is a company that continues to impress me with the quality of their products. Summer Lemon Iced Tea is an organic and fair trade tea, making it even easier to enjoy this tea. Like many teas designated as iced teas, Rishi’s Summer Lemon Iced Tea comes packaged in large sachets conveniently designed to make large (32 ounces) pitchers of iced tea. There is no mistaking the lemon in this tea; the lemon is evident in the aroma of the dry leaves, but even more so in the flavor. This tea is delicious and refreshing. The essential oil of lemon adds such an authentic lemon flavor that it seems as if a couple of lemon wedges should be floating in my glass. The source of the black tea used in this base is not specified, but whatever it is, it works perfectly with the lemon flavor. The tea has a mild sweetness to balance out the lemon’s potential to make the drink too sour. I also picked up on some floral notes which added to this tea’s ability to be refreshing and thirst-quenching. This is a tasty iced tea and one that I truly enjoyed on this very hot Miami June afternoon. Rishi’s Summer Lemon Iced Tea succeeds at being a thirst-quenching drink that might just make those hazy, hot and humid days of summer a bit more tolerable.

— To purchase Rishi Summer Lemon Iced Tea, 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.

Vanessa Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Vanessa's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Vanessa.

"I'm just not into Coconut.. but if you are you might like it, at least the Green Tea wasn't bad." Troy’s Teaview: 4/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

So this was labeled Green Tea, but looking at the pictures at the website I kinda sorted this was the coconut version.. mostly from the little bits of Coconut. Considering that our samples are all sorted and processed by Stephen I’m actually amazed that he doesn’t get them mixed up more often, or more dramatically. Although the bad point for Tattlers is that I’ve never been fond of Coconut.

I ended up wasting a whole pot of this due to a miss timed phone call. Second time around I caught it in time though, and it was semi worth it. I really couldn’t give this a high number, as I generally score these based on my tastes, and I’ve just never liked Coconut, which this is ripe with. Its fibrous, bitter, and just not my thing. I also got a bit of, what I suspect, was mango or some other tropical fruit, which almost saved it, but not quite.

All in all I think someone who actually likes Coconut will like this where as I didn’t. Everything I hate about Coconut seems to be what its lovers like most about it, its a bit like finding out that some people like the searing pain of a bullet in their thigh.. it just makes you cock your head in that “Dog hearing his masters voice on the answering machine” way. Still it wasn’t all bad, the green tea seemed to be of pretty good quality.

— To purchase Tattlers’ Teas Coconut Creme Green Tea, 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.

Troy Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Troy's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Troy.

"The aroma of the leaves after steeping as well as the tea itself remains more of the oolong than a fruity or floral tea, which is actually a plus for me as I am not much of a fan of floral scented teas." Cindy’s Teaview: 8.5/10 Other Teaviews: Vanessa gave it 8.5/10, Laura gave it 4/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

Every once in awhile, Teaviews offers a sample for a tea that I am already familiar with and Orange U Slim happens to be one of those teas. Not only am I familiar with it, it is one of my favorite oolongs for daily consumption. I had tried other orange oolongs prior to this one, but they appeared to be only scented with orange blossoms. Orange U Slim is comprised of dark Chinese oolong leaves that are characteristically thin and wiry. The dry leaves are of good size and more than the aroma being either fruity or floral, I actually detect an ever so slight smokiness. The Teas Etc. website indicates that this blend includes dried orange pieces and orange essence. While I am unable to pick out anything resembling pieces of orange in my sample, there are dried light colored slivers of what I first thought to be orange rind. Upon closer examination and actually placing a piece in my mouth, I believe it is actually a petal from an orange blossom.

After adding the water I allowed to steep for 3 minutes, which produced a medium amber liquid with a bit of an orange tint. The aroma of the leaves after steeping as well as the tea itself remains more of the oolong than a fruity or floral tea, which is actually a plus for me as I am not much of a fan of floral scented teas. The first taste proves that oolong is indeed the most prominent presence. This is a tea that is remarkably easy to drink. The orange only becomes a player at the end of the sip and lingers in the aftertaste. I am normally able to steep the leaves three times with good quality results.

As a bit of a side note, Teas Etc. had several teas that placed very highly at the World Tea Championship this year. Their award winning teas include Assam Reserve, Ceylon OP1 and Golden Monkey Organic. They offer sample sizes of all of their teas that come in cute reusable tins. They also offer an unusual travel tea mug that could change the way you think about travelling with tea!

— To purchase Teas Etc. Orange U Slim, 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.

Cindy Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Cindy's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Cindy.

"An intriguing tea that produces wildly different results with each cupping. The toasted rice and matcha powder play well together for a variety of spectral tastes." Dan’s Teaview: 6.5/10 Other Teaviews: Vanessa gave it 7/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

An interesting juxtaposition exists with this Genmai Matcha (more correctly monikered Matcha-iri genmaicha). Genmaicha (or “brown rice tea”) originated as “the People’s tea”, since rice was very inexpensive and could be used essentially as a filler in combination with the more expensive green tea leaves. As such, poor folk could afford to drink this cheaper tea. Then you have Matcha, which is a very labor-intensive and generally expensive type of tea due to the process of grinding the leaves into a fine powder. So we have here some of the cheap stuff mixed with some of the top shelf stuff. Intriguing.

I have not encountered a pure Genmaicha previously, but I am sure it would appeal to me. A toasted rice flavor mixed in with green tea is a winning combination. My personal favorite experience with Matcha is via the Matcha Green Tea Blast at Jamba Juice. I am a sucker for them, and became addicted back in my days in California. I crave them still. Bringing these two worlds together in one cup seems to be a recipe for success.

The dried mix is overwhelmed with the Matcha. A fine powder coats everything in the mix — the brown toasted rice pellets appear completely pale green. The tea leaves vary in size and in rolled tightness. A few stems are evident.

The cup produced is an opaque, murky, yellowish-green hue, reminiscent of a dirty lake. The aroma is very pleasant and comforting, much like walking into a warm house from sub-zero outdoor temperatures, with a pot of yum on the stove. A bit sweet and earthy on the nose.

My first cupping of this tea evoked one specific comparison more than any other: a cup of chicken soup broth. But with green tea flavor. Mind you, this sounds potentially dreadful in print, but to the palette, it was quite a fabulous treat. This could do wonders for dieters, as it seemed to satisfy any pangs of hunger I had, and was extremely savory. Days later I prepared my second cupping. This result was much more subdued in flavor – almost a bit watered down. The toasted rice flavor seemed much more at the forefront than previously, and I did not have much of the chicken soup flavor I recalled. The last few sips seemed a bit bitter, although there seemed to be no bitterness to the first cup at all (nor the first 3/4 of the second cup). I had actually preferred the first cup immensely, and was strongly looking forward to a similar experience with the second cup, and was quite let down when it produced an almost completely different taste — although to be fair to the second cup, it was quite nice, just not what I was anticipating. I was very curious, and waited several hours before my third cupping. This cup was somewhere in the middle of the first two cups (more like the first than the second). However, this third cup had a much nuttier and slightly more bitter taste with an astringency and gritty texture that was not present in earlier cups (somewhat like a brazil nut, all around). Yet at the same time, this cup was also more buttery. The former effects increased as the cup cooled.

It’s clearly evident that this tea will produce wildly different results. As with any tea, you can get many extremes in taste just from steeping times and temperatures. But with this mix, one cup could yield an extremely strong rice flavor, while the next could be 180-degrees in the matcha direction. A good shake of the blend and a stirring with your teaspoon should yield a favorable mixture to ensure balance of flavors and ingredients. Despite the fact that I was careful to do so with each cup, the results still varied greatly. I suspect the water temperature may have varied more than I thought it did (most likely lowest with the first cup). In spite this, each cup was thoroughly enjoyable with its own unique properties. If anything, this tea provides a good deal of mystery and intrigue with each cupping.

— To purchase Tavalon Genmai Matcha, 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.

Dan Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Dan's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Dan.

Well, summer’s officially here – which means it’s the perfect time to stock up on some high quality iced tea!  Thankfully, Mighty Leaf was kind enough to set up a special offer just for Teaviews.com readers – use promo code teaviews anytime in the month of July 2009 to receive 20% off any iced tea tins or refills (excluding those already on sale).  The list of teas available for this promotion are:

• Classic Black Iced Tea
• Organic Pure Black Iced Tea
• Black Currant Iced Tea
• Calypso Mango Iced Tea
• Ginger Peach Iced Tea
• Organic Vibrance Soother Iced Tea
• Rooibos Refresh Iced Tea
• Detox Soother Iced Tea
• Island Breeze Iced Tea

Shop for these and more Mighty Leaf products by clicking here.  Just remember to order before July 31st and to use the promo code teaviews when you check out!

Stephen Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Stephen's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Stephen.

"There is a restaurant my family and I love that serves homemade orange cheesecake that is to die for. This tea made me think immediately of that sweet treat. " Emma’s Teaview: 7/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

Green tea is blended with orange and cheesecake flavors and accented with orange peel and rose petals. This blend is sure to brighten anyones day! A new staff favorite!-the NecessiTeas.com

I thought this was an incredibly interesting flavor profile for a green tea. I’ve heard of rose green tea, orange and citrus greens, but never orange, cheesecake, and rose. Cheesecake?! I had to try it. I’m normally not a cheesecake fan, but one of my favorite vacation spots is central Florida. There is a restaurant my family and I love that serves homemade orange cheesecake that is to die for. This tea made me think immediately of that sweet treat. I was blown away.

I was a tad wary of it at first because the smell that comes from the tea brings to mind orange flavored pez candy. Don’t let that fool you, though the tea makes a wonderful cup. After 3 minutes of steeping the flavors of rose are pretty subdued with sweet orange being at center stage. The creaminess of the cheesecake is left in your mouth after each sip. It was a little too tart for me without a little honey;as a rule I add honey to all my greens. With that addition the flavors really came to life without much of a change. My mom even enjoyed this tea and she is a strict plain black or green drinker.

— To purchase The Necessiteas Orange Glow Green Tea, 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.

Emma Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Emma's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Emma.

"While the vanilla flavor is detectable and player in the blend before any milk is added, it was lost on my tongue once I added a splash of milk to the cup." Laura’s Teaview: 6.5/10 Other Teaviews: Brad gave it 5.5/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

“Masala chai spices in a South African red rooibos base with a hint of vanilla. These spices will dance on your palate while the creamy vanilla rooibos will sing to your soul.” —Adagio website.

While I drink chai far less often during the warmer months, I am chai girl and I do enjoy it year round. Adagio is one of those companies that sort of has a mixed reputation with me. I love a few of their blends including their Thai Chai, Coconut Pouchong and Hazelnut black tea, but some of their other blends have not fared too well with me. While my favorite chai blends feature black tea bases (preferably Assam), rooibos is my second favorite base for chai blends. After becoming a smitten kitten with Adagio’s Thai Chai, I decided to give this blend a shot and am hopeful that this will provide a cup where the vanilla is player in the blend.

My sample of this features a ton of Masala chai spices that settled on the top. This is one of those blends that is a little high maintenance in terms of making sure that you get scoops of the blend out that are representative of the ingredients featured. Otherwise, you may end up with a skewed flavor profile. While Adagio doesn’t list the ingredients, I am pretty sure that I have identified cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and clove. I don’t really see or taste any pepper in blend. One thing to note is that Adagio recommends using 2 tsps of this prepare a 6 oz cup. If you drink this without milk, then that formula will deliver a very strong, spicy cup–probably too spicy for most folks. However, if you add the milk to the brew, then 2 tsps is about right. I prepared my cup using water brought to a full boil and added a bit of sugar right away.

The flavor profile is fairly spicy and ginger is definitely the dominating ingredient. While the vanilla flavor is detectable and player in the blend before any milk is added, it was lost on my tongue once I added a splash of milk to the cup. I found that to be an unfortunate occurrence as the addition of the vanilla is what would have made this blend a standout for me. Since I do prefer a heavier spice load than many folks, I do still like this blend. However, I can’t call it my favorite chai or even my favorite rooibos chai. I would drink another cup of it though if someone offered one to me though.

Special Offer! For a limited time, Adagio is offering FREE SHIPPING for purchases over $75 total. If you're interested in purchasing this tea or others from Adagio, shop now by clicking this link: Adagio Teas - Free Shipping with $75 Purchase

Laura Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Laura's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Laura.

"The jasmine flavor came through immediately and was very soothing, however the green tea was very, very weak. In fact, I found it hard to even detect the green tea at all. Still, if you are new to jasmine teas this would be a good tea to sample. " Vanessa’s Teaview: 6/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

I rarely drink Jasmine-scented teas because I usually have a problem with drinking flowers. However, today was a particularly rough day and I needed something to help me mellow out and soothe me. This was the perfect day to brew up my sample of Narien Teas’ Jasmine Pearls. This tea appeals to multiple senses. The tea is tightly rolled into small bead-like spheres (hence the name pearls) that are beautifully colored with different hues of green and brown. This is a visual treat, but of course, the strong point of this tea is in its aroma. These beads are scented (and flavored) with jasmine flowers. The jasmine fragrance is strong, but not overwhelming. I have had other jasmine teas in the past which were entirely too powerful for me; I appreciated the mellower jasmine scent that these pearls offered. Flavorwise, this tea was just a bit disappointing. The jasmine flavor came through immediately and was very soothing, however the green tea was very, very weak. In fact, I found it hard to even detect the green tea at all. I felt as though a similar beverage could have been produced by steeping jasmine flowers in plain water. As I began to write this review, I was conflicted over how to rate it. On one hand, this tea gets big points for having a well-balanced and not overly pungent jasmine aroma and flavor. However, on the other hand, this tea loses points for the fact that the green tea is really too mild to even be tasted. Still, if you are new to jasmine teas this would be a good tea to sample because it is not too strong so as to come off as if you are drinking perfume. If your love of jasmine tea comes more from your love of green tea than your love of jasmine, then this is probably not the tea for you. In all, I would say that this was a positive tea-drinking experience for me, as the jasmine did succeed in helping me unwind from a rough day, but I would have liked to have been able to taste the tea a bit more too.

— To purchase Narien Teas Jasmine Pearls, 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.

Vanessa Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Vanessa's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Vanessa.

"This is a unique blend of a fruity, smoky, sweet and delicious tea. " Kari’s Teaview: 8.5/10 Your Reviews: Add your review »

Zhena is the owners real name, and she takes a lot of pride in her organic and fair trade company. You can learn more about her story and her commitment to her tea growers though her socially responable programs on the web site. This blend is from a line of teas- Pink Tea for Womens Health specialty blended for women’s health and vitality. Some of her profits go to the Breast Cancer Research foundation in which the company is a proud partner.
My sample is a silken tea bag, I can see rooibos, green tea and little pieces of what look like cacao and some pieces of fruit. I can really smell the chocolate and berry aroma. The infused leaves smell almost the same with the addition of some green tea. UUUUUUUUMMMMM. This is rally good and sweet. I can taste the berry, chocolate, rooibos and even the green tea comes in the background.. I always think chocolate deepens the smoky factor in rooibos and with the addition of fruit -it really makes it delicious. It is smooth, has a long finish and coated the roof of my mouth nicely. Before I knew it, my cup was gone. I enjoyed it iced also. I really do want to buy some of this. I would recommend this to anyone who likes masterful blends of fruits, chocolates and rooibos. Its $9.95 for a tin.

— To purchase Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Cacaoberry, 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.

Kari Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Kari's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Kari.

Just a quick post to congratulate our reader Nicole – she’s our lucky Mighty Leaf Shopping Spree winner for June 2009!   Nicole will have her pick of the Mighty Leaf Store with a cool fifty bucks to spend on any teas she fancies.

Congratualtions, Nicole!  And a big thanks to Mighty Leaf Tea for sponsoring our June 2009 drawing!

If you didn’t win in June, don’t despair!  Everyone who’s signed up to our mailing list is automatically entered in every monthly drawing.  The drawing for July 2009 is sponsored by Tavalon, and a new lucky winner will be selected on August 1st from amongst our subscribers.  (Even better – Tavalon has graciously upped the prize amount to a whopping $100 Shopping Spree!)  Not a subscriber yet?  Join now!   Just find the “Win a $100 Shopping Spree” graphic in the center column of any page and enter your name and email address to register.  You’ll receive a confirmation email soon after with a unique url – you must click on that url to confirm your subscription!  (If you don’t confirm your subscription, it will be ignored within 72 hours and you will NOT be entered into the drawing.)

Good luck to everyone in June’s forthcoming drawing, and thanks to Tavalon for sponsoring it!

Stephen Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Stephen's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Stephen.