April 24, 2005
Vanilla Rooibos
Name: Vanilla Rooibos
Kathy's Rating: 9.5/10.0
Company: Teavana
Origin of tea: South Africa
Price: $4.50/2 oz.
Tea form: Loose rooibos pieces scented with vanilla.
What they say: Rooibos flavored with authentic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans.
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over rooibos and infuse for 5 - 6 minutes.
Review: This is one great infusion that I keep coming back to. It's not caffeinated, which means I can drink it all day and night if I want to. I'm also hard-pressed to think of a more suitable infusion combination than rooibos and vanilla.
Rooibos has a slightly buttery flavor to it, and when vanilla is added to rooibos, the result is very dessert-like. I reviewed Celestial Seasoning's Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea earlier. This is the same infusion as Celestial Seasonings' Vanilla Rooibos, but I like Teavana's better. Somehow, the taste of vanilla feels less artificial in Teavana's blend. I've also tried other scented rooibos from Teavana, but not liked it as much as vanilla-scented rooibos. As far as perfection goes, this infusion is pretty close to it.
Posted by Kathy at 01:25 PM | Permalink
March 01, 2005
Berry Blast
Name: Berry Blast
Kathy's Rating: 5.5/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (~141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of fruit and spices.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from black currants, raspberries, elderberries, bilberries, hibiscus flowers and rosehip peels. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 6 minutes.
Review: Earlier, in my review of Fruit Medley, I voiced apprehension about Berry Blast. So, I was prepared to find this tea unpleasant. Well, as it turns out, Berry Blast is a lot better than Fruit Medley, Strawberry Patch, and especially that icky Dewy Cherry blend. Not tons better, mind you, just somewhat better. This is because the taste is not nearly as tart as the other blends mentioned above have been. So, I was actually able to finish drinking the entire cup without puckering. If you're looking for a berry-based herbal tea from Adagio, this is definitely the best of the bunch.
Posted by Kathy at 10:55 PM | Permalink
February 28, 2005
Spicy Lemon
Name: Spicy Lemon
Kathy's Rating: 5.5/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (~141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of fruit and spices.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from lemon and orange peels, apples, currants, pineapple, papaya, hibiscus flowers and rosehip peels. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 6 minutes.
Review: Spicy Lemon is a just above mediocre blend from Adagio. There's nothing spicy about it, and I think Adagio should have added some kumquat bits and perhaps a few peppercorns or ginger to spice it up so that it lives up to its moniker. However, barring that, this was an OK tea. If you're looking for a citrus tea from Adagio, I liked the Blood Orange blend better. Here's a review of it.
Posted by Kathy at 11:00 PM | Permalink
February 20, 2005
Pina Colada
Name: Pina Colada
Kathy's Rating: 6.0/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (~141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of fruit and spices.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from a mix of ripe pineapple, savory coconut, fresh apples, rose hip and hibiscus flowers. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: I used to love drinking non-alcoholic pina colada 'cocktails' as a kid, and was hoping this tea would invoke that past. To that end, I'm somewhat disappointed. Upon opening the tin, the strong aroma of coconuts seemed promising. Once I infused the tea, though, I realized there was practically no coconut taste to this tea.
That's why this tea didn't get a very high rating. There needs to be more coconut in here! The pineapple bits were a nice touch, and overall, the tea is somewhere between mediocre and good. I'll bet more coconut flavoring will improve things quite a bit. After all, coconut is the strongest component of a non-alcoholic pina colada drink.
Posted by Kathy at 01:25 PM | Permalink
February 19, 2005
Blood Orange
Name: Blood Orange
Kathy's Rating: 6.5/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $6/4oz (~113.4g)
Tea form: Loose bits of fruit and spices.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from orange peels, hibiscus flowers, apple pieces, rose hip and safflower. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: I was thinking of the review I wrote a while back on Tazo's Wild Sweet Orange herbal infusion as I was preparing this tea, so I was ready to be disappointed. The question in my mind was - should I even bother to try this? Well, I'm glad I did. This orange infusion was tons better than Tazo's blend.
For starters, the orange was actually a bit sweet, not citric acid sour. I think the apple and orange peel bits complimented the blood orange flavor. If I was a bigger citrus herbal tea fan, I would have definitely rated this tea higher, but coming from me, a 6.5/10.0 is a high rating for a citrus tea.
Posted by Kathy at 11:25 AM | Permalink
February 18, 2005
Chamomile
Name: Chamomile
Kathy's Rating: 6.0/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $6/4oz (~113.4g)
Tea form: Loose chamomile blossoms.
What they say: Chamomile is one of the oldest garden herbs, whose reputation as a medicinal plant shows little signs of abatement. Considered a universal remedy by the ancient Egyptians, Chamomile continues to be used today to battle illness, promote calm and relieve anxiety at bedtime. As a tisane (herbal tea), it is naturally caffeine-free. The finest varieties of Chamomile, of which our tea is great example, continue to come from Egypt. If you have yet to try it, you'll be pleasantly surprised by its superior flavor.
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: I haven't had a great experience with chamomile teas in the past. There's something about chamomile that makes the infusion taste flat and bland. I think chamomile is much better as a small note to a more flavorful base. That said, Adagio's chamomile tea is not bad at all, considering my past experiences.
That's not to say I thought this tea was spectacular - just that I thought it better than most chamomiles. That's why I rated this herbal tea a 6.0/10.0. Better than mediocre, but not drink-several-cups better. If you're a chamomile fan, you should definitely try this tea, though.
Posted by Kathy at 11:15 PM | Permalink
February 07, 2005
Fruit Medley
Name: Fruit Medley
Kathy's Rating: 4.0/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of fruits and spices.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from a mix of raspberry, strawberry, hibiscus flowers, blackberry, apples, rose hips, elderberry and bilberry. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: I just don't get it about Adagio Teas. On one hand, I know they are capable of producing sophisticated herbal blends. Foxtrot, which I reviewed here, comes to mind. On the other hand, Adagio has produced some of the most unpleasant herbal blends I have ever tried. Fruit Medley, Dewy Cherry, Strawberry Patch, and Apple Cantata are all pretty bad. I haven't gotten to Berry Blast yet, but I'm not holding my breath.
Fruit Medley tastes like a hot, watered-down Kool-Aid fruit punch mix, without the sugar. The color of the infusion is bright red too. All in all, this blend just seems very amateurish. Maybe that's what this is - a child's tea. My suggestions for improving this tea? Tone down the red color. If I wanted bright colors, I'd buy a pack of Gobstoppers. Also, go lighter on the acidic notes, which means reducing on the rosehips and tart berries. Instead, add some coconut, pear, or rooibos to 'sweeten' the blend.
Posted by Kathy at 10:02 PM | Permalink
February 03, 2005
Foxtrot
Name: Foxtrot
Kathy's Rating: 8.0/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $6/3oz (~85.0g)
Tea form: Loose chamomile flowers, rooibos, and bits of peppermint leaves.
What they say: Like the dance that inspired its name, our Foxtrot tea is an overnight success that will leave you giddy with joy. It is an herbal cocktail of Egyptian chamomile, South African Rooibos and fresh peppermint leaves. A soothing blend of familiar tastes that produces a pleasantly original combination. It is entirely caffeine-free. The spring in your step is due entirely to its enticing taste.
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: This is quite a sophisticated herbal tea blend. I'm not a huge fan of chamomile, but the rooibos and peppermint managed to mask the taste of chamomile blossoms. The whole infusion has a sweet, almost vanilla-based taste, which I liked very much. The peppermint punctuates the overall taste in an invigorating way. If you've been reading my earlier reviews of Adagio Tea's herbal infusions, you'll see that this is the first herbal infusion of Adagio's I rated quite highly. I'm happy to give credit where it's due, and this tea definitely earned its rating.
Posted by Kathy at 02:05 PM | Permalink
January 15, 2005
Strawberry Patch
Name: Strawberry Patch
Kathy's Rating: 4.0/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of berries, rosehip, orange peel, and hibiscus flower.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from black currants, raspberries, elderberries, bilberries, hibiscus flowers and rosehip peels. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: There's too little strawberry, and too much rosehip in this infusion. The taste was too sour for my liking, although I'll bet that it's high in vitamin C. So, at least I'm getting a dose of vitamin C. Other than that, there's not a lot of positives about this brew. If you like rosehip tea, perhaps this will suit you. I thought the rosehip was a bit overwhelming. If I were to improve this infusion, I would cut back on the rosehip (or get rid of it altogether), and up the amount of strawberries. Perhaps a touch of vanilla or almond will 'sweeten' the tea as well.
Posted by Kathy at 05:15 PM | Permalink
January 12, 2005
Apple Cantata
Name: Apple Cantata
Kathy's Rating: 4.5/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of dried apple pieces, lemon peels, hibiscus flowers, and other fresh fruits.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from dried apple pieces, lemon peels, hibiscus flowers, and other fresh fruits. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 7 minutes.
Review: This herbal infusion is better than the Dewy Cherry blend I reviewed earlier, in that it's less cloying and sour. I still didn't like this blend very much, though. There's definitely cinnamon added in this blend, which I thought was promising, but in the end, the cinnamon taste was barely discernable. I think Apple Cantata could also use some cloves and possibly, ginger to spice it up a bit. The overall taste just seemed too bland for me.
Posted by Kathy at 09:10 PM | Permalink
Dewy Cherry
Name: Dewy Cherry
Kathy's Rating: 3.5/10.0
Company: Adagio Teas
Origin of tea: China
Price: $7/5oz (141.7g)
Tea form: Loose bits of sour cherries, apples, orange peels, rosehip, and hibiscus flowers.
What they say: A delicious blend of natural fruits and spices that brews up a mouthwatering cup of herbal tea. Entirely caffeine free, it holds a special appeal for kids and sweet-toothed adults. Yet contains no sugar or other sweeteners. The flavor is all natural, emanating from sour cherries, apples, orange peels, rosehip, and hibiscus flowers. Highly addictive; Please proceed with caution!
Preparation method: Pour boiling water over tea. Steep for 6 minutes.
Review: When I opened the canister containing this herbal mix, I was immediately greeted with the strong fruity scent of cherries. In fact, the scent was so strong, it smelled almost like soap (I'm thinking about the Rose Soap made by Bee & Flower). Uh-oh. The extreme sourness of the taste that couldn't be discerned from the scent manifested itself in the infusion. Double whammy. I just really didn't like this brew. This is a real shame, since I love the concept of Adagio Teas. Despite the fact that I ordered only sample sizes of fourteen different herbal infusions (Adagio's entire herbal repertoire), each sample arrived beautifully contained in the neatest little tin canister (as opposed to a paper bag or envelope). On each tin was a label identifying the tea, as well as the water temperature and time duration to infuse the tea in. How cool is that? No more looking up recommended infusion times and water temperatures on the website while I'm downstairs in the kitchen making tea. No other vendor (so far) is this meticulous about both packaging and being user-friendly. Well, I have another thirteen herbal teas to try. Stay tuned for more Adagio reviews.
Posted by Kathy at 08:12 PM | Permalink
January 01, 2005
Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea
Name: Madagascar Vanilla Red Rooibos Tea
Kathy's Rating: 7.5/10.0
Company: Celestial Seasonings Teas
Origin of tea: South Africa and Madagascar
Price: ~$3/20 tea bags (42g/1.5oz)
Tea form: Herbal rooibos with vanilla flavoring and vanilla beans.
What they say: With its magnificent fragrance and lush taste, this naturally caffeine-free red tea flavored with real Madagascar vanilla beans resonates with the wonders of Africa.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over sachet. Steep for 4-6 minutes.
Review: Rooibos (pronounced "roy-bus") is an African shrub from which the leaves are used to make this tea. Although rooibos tea is called red tea, it is not naturally caffeinated, nor are the leaves from the traditional tea plant known as 'Camellia sinensis'. In fact, the Chinese sometimes call black tea 'red tea'. This is not to be confused with African red tea, which is more like an herbal tisane. OK, now that I have gotten some of the semantics out of the way, let's move on to the taste. Rooibos tea is pretty mild on its own. I think it needs extra flavoring to give it a stronger character. Celestial Seasonings has done just that by adding a natural vanilla flavor and vanilla beans. I didn't think the vanilla taste was going to be very strong, but it was. I like this tea because it's great to drink before bed - no caffeine. The vanilla taste is very pleasant, and I would even call this tea a 'dessert tea'. I will confess that I have purchased International Delight coffee creamer (French Vanilla flavor) in the past - and drank it straight up. This tea reminds me of the creamer, without the sugar. Very creamy and perfect for before bedtime. I'm giving it a 6.0/10.0 as opposed to a higher score because I think the tea would taste even better if the ingredients were just rooibos and vanilla beans. This would obviously bump up the price of the tea (vanilla beans are costly compared to vanilla flavoring), but I think it would give the tea a richer and more sophisticated taste.
*Revision* (1/7/05)
I have decided to raise the rating for this tea. Initially, I gave it a 6.0/10.0, but now I'm modifying the score to 7.5/10.0. The reason I'm changing the score is because I have been drinking this tea before bedtime for nearly a week now, and it seems unfair not to rate a tea that I consistently drink more highly. I can only imagine that this tea might reach a 10.0 if it was processed as I suggested in the previous comments.
Posted by Kathy at 10:20 PM | Permalink
December 12, 2004
Sweet Cinnamon Spice Herbal Infusion
Name: Wild Sweet Cinnamon Spice Herbal Infusion
Kathy's Rating: 5.0/10.0
Company: Tazo
Origin of tea: Southeast Asia, India, Turkey
Price: ~$5/20 bags (44g/1.5oz)
Tea form: Crushed fruits and spices in tea bags
What they say: A big flavorful herbal tea swirling with cinnamon, star anise, and other fragrant notes. In a past life, perhaps you spent an evening sitting in Marco Polo's camp on a return trip from the spice markets of the Far East. This is the tea you were drinking.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea bag. Steep for 5 minutes.
Review: Sweet Cinnamon Spice Herbal Infusion is very spicy and bold, with a slight hint of sweetness from the licorice and sarsaparilla roots. Sarsaparilla root has been used to make root beer. I liked this herbal brew. The cinnamon provides a mild bite and sharpness to the tea. Although orange peel is an ingredient in this blend, I didn't taste much of that. The way the licorice root taste sticks to the back of my palate bothered me - enough to keep my from really enjoying the tea.
Posted by Kathy at 04:11 PM | Permalink
November 03, 2004
Wild Sweet Orange Herbal Infusion
Name: Wild Sweet Orange Herbal Infusion
Kathy's Rating: 2.0/10.0
Company: Tazo
Origin of tea: Eastern Europe, Guatemala, Oregon, China
Price: ~$4/20 bags (44g/1.5oz)
Tea form: Crushed herbal leaves, flowers, fruits, and spices in tea bags
What they say: Tazo Wild Sweet Orange begins with the rich taste of blackberry leaves from Easten Europe, blended with lemongrass from Guatemala, spearmint from Oregon and the spicy taste of Chinese ginger. Natural orange essence imparts a delicious citrus flavor. Mumbled chantings give it incredible juju.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea bag. Steep for 5 minutes.
Review: I'm going to start by stating that I'm not partial to citrus-based herbal teas. I saw the word 'sweet' in the tea moniker, and thought I would give it a shot. Unfortunately, all that this particular experience has further reinforced in me is 'stay away from citrus herbal teas'. To paraphrase a famous Wendy's Hamburger commercial - "Where's the sweet?" Drinking Wild Sweet Orange reminded me of the vitamin C tablets I sometimes take when I feel a cold coming on. Not an auspicious omen. Go figure, one of the ingredients in this tea is citric acid - vitamin C. Another component of this tea is rose hips, which you guessed it, my vitamin C tablets contain. What is up with this? If I want to take vitamin C, I'll just swallow it quickly and wash it down with water. Why take it in hot liquid agonizing sip by sip form? As for juju, I'd say that mumbled chantings will make it go down more easily. Just maybe. Unless you love sour teas, don't bother with this one.
Posted by Kathy at 11:06 PM | Permalink
Yellow and Blue Herbal Infusion
Name: Yellow and Blue Herbal Infusion
Kathy's Rating: 4.5/10.0
Company: Harney & Sons Teas
Origin of tea: Unknown
Price: ~$3.50/3 sachets (4.5g/.16oz)
Tea form: Loose chamomile, lavender, and cornflowers in silken sachets
What they say: A floral rapture. This is a great blend of chamomile, lavender and corn flowers.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over sachet. Steep for 5 minutes.
Review: I came across Harney & Sons Tea while searching for tea merchants through Froogle. Harney & Sons' website was really nicely designed, and I was looking for something herbal to try. So, I ordered a bunch of teas in small quantities from them. I suppose the name of this blend, 'Yellow and Blue' is derived from chamomile flowers being yellow (and white), and lavender flowers being blue. I have no idea what cornflowers look like, but they may also be blue in hue. When I popped open the beautifully made tin containing the sachets, an overwhelming scent of chamomile wafted upwards. Uh-oh. I'm not a huge fan of chamomile tea. But, I decided to try it out anyways, because the worst that can happen is that I give it a bad review, right? Well, anyway, I was surprised that this tea tastes more strongly of lavender, even though it smells more like chamomile. This is good, because I like lavender. I have no idea where the cornflower part is. Between the strong lavender taste followed by the chamomile aftertaste, I couldn't taste anything else. Is there a purely cornflower tea out there? I need to sample that to know what cornflower tastes like. My final verdict: this is a good tea for me, as long as I keep taking sips so that the chamomile aftertaste doesn't linger. Perhaps I'll purchase a pure lavender tea next time instead. Of course, if you're a fan of chamomile, I'm betting that you'll enjoy this tea.
Posted by Kathy at 09:43 PM | Permalink
November 02, 2004
Bushmen's Brew Honeybush Herbal Teasan
Name: Bushmen's Brew Honeybush Herbal Teasan
Kathy's Rating: 6.0/10.0
Company: Numi Tea
Origin of tea: South Africa
Price: ~$5/20 bags (1.68oz)
Tea form: Crushed honeybush leaves in tea bags
What they say: For hundreds of years, the Khoi and San peoples of Southern Africa hand gathered this plant from the mountainous regions of their homelands. This honey scented flowering bush creates an enticing rich brew with sweet honey over-tones. Rich in anti-oxidants, phytoestrogens and essential minerals, this new, organic African herbal is both delicious and healthy. One sip and the secret touches your soul.
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea bag. Steep for 4-6 minutes.
Review: This is an organically grown and caffeine free tea. I thought this tea would be similar in taste to rooibos tea, but I was wrong. Honeybush tea tastes nothing like rooibos, even though they both have hints of honey. Honeybush is very, very mild, despite the fact that I let it steep for six minutes. It's almost like I've prepared hot water, and added a bit of honey, but not really enough to sweeten the water. At the same time, there's an earthy taste to honeybush tea. I can't decide if I like it or not, so I'll just say that it can be pleasing, but not entirely satisfying.
Posted by Kathy at 09:58 PM | Permalink
October 29, 2004
Red Mellow Bush Rooibos Herbal Teasan
Name: Red Mellow Bush Rooibos Herbal Teasan
Kathy's Rating: 6.0/10.0
Company: Numi Tea
Origin of tea: Cederberg Mountains, South Africa
Price: ~$5/20 bags (1.68oz)
Tea form: Ground rooibos shoots in tea bags
What they say: Grown in the high desert regions of the Cederberg Mountains, the shoots of Rooibos have been hand gathered by South Africans for generations. It is prepared like a traditional tea, undergoing meticulous drying (oxidation) and cutting. Organic Red Mellow Bush has an earthy vanilla taste and pleasing orange color with hints of autumn straw. With an anti-oxidant level comparable to green tea, Rooibos has no caffeine, is rich in minerals, very low in tannin, and is relaxing to the nerves. No wonder they call it the "miracle tea". Discover the wonders of Rooibos!
Preparation method: Boil water and pour over tea bag. Steep for 4-6 minutes.
Review: This is an organically grown and caffeine free tea. When steeped, this tea turns the water a pretty red-orange shade. I was pleasantly surprised that this tea is strong in taste, yet has no bitterness - not even a trace - to it. Is it possible to be strong in taste and yet mellow at the same time? It is now. As the package indicated, there is indeed a hint of vanilla to this tea. I would say there's even a hint of sweetness. I highly recommend this tea, especially for those who are caffeine-averse. I rated this teasan a 6.0/10.0 for a couple of reasons. One, rooibos is not tea in the sense that it is not derived from the plant Camellia sinensis. This makes it difficult for me to evaluate rooibos properly against most of my other reviews, which are tea leaves plucked from the Camellia sinensis plant. Two, rooibos cannot be compared solely with herbal teas only because it is different from those as well. How do I compare apples and oranges - I cannot. But, I still feel like it would be beneficial to assign a rating. So, the 6.0/10.0 rating is a semi-awkward attempt to put together all of my total tea tasting experience into deriving a number for rooibos. Overall, an interesting (and good for you) herbal drink, but not what I would consider a serious tea experience.
Posted by Kathy at 09:09 PM | Permalink