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Drink Me: Tea Embassy, Secret Garden
Another tea I picked up in my last Tea Embassy order was their Secret Garden blend.
From the website, Secret Garden contains Pai Mu Tan, Darjeeling and Chinese green teas, sencha, dragonwell, gunpowder, jasmine jade pearls, candied mango bits, candied pineapple bits, orange peels, strawberry bits, red currants, sour cherry bits and apricot bits.
Secret Garden is available at $6.50 per ounce in 1oz, 2oz, 4oz, 8oz and 1lb packages.
When I first opened the package, I got the overwhelming tropical scent of the mango and pineapple. As it brewed I also detected the cherry and strawberry scents. The tea itself was light and fruity. The blend didn’t taste strongly of any of the actual teas: I didn’t get a black tea feel from it, and the green tea was very light and not grassy. Overall, it was a really nice light fruity blend. I think it would be fantastic iced and I really enjoyed it.
Drink Me: Tea Emporium, Royal Benghal Tiger
The third tea from Tea Emporium that I was intrigued enough to order was Royal Benghal Tiger.
From the website this is a blend of Ceylon and Assam teas with mango, cinnamon and passionfruit.
It is available in a variety of sizes: 50g for $5.25, 100g for $$10.50 and 250g for $23.63.
When I first opened the package I got a whiff of cinnamon and something tropical. These aromas only intensified as I brewed the tea. The tea itself was a good strong brew, and the cinnamon, mango and passionfruit just added an extra bit of sweetness and spice. I really liked this one quite a bit.
Drink Me: Teavana, Youthberry Wild Orange Blossom
I went through my tea stash the other day and found a sample from Teavana: Youthberry Wild Orange Blossom. I believe it came with my last order.
From the label the blend contains: apple pieces, white tea, hibiscus flowers, rosehip peels, candied pineapple and mango, beetroot, cistrus slices and peels, red currants, rose petals, orange petals, orange juice pieces, acai fruit powder and Teavana’s rock sugar.
It is available in 4oz increments for $19.96.
When I opened the package I smelled the citrus most strongly. As it brewed I could smell the hibiscus and rose petals. The taste was tangy and citrusy, but sweet. It was a very light fruit tea and I expect it would be excellent iced in the summer, but was delicious as a mid-afternoon pick me up.
Drink Me: David’s Tea, Mango Fruit Punch
The second tea I picked up in my recent David’s Tea shipment was the Mango Fruit Punch.
From the package, this blend contains pineapple, mango, orange peel and slices, safflower, marigold, and strawberry.
It’s available in a variety of sizes: 50g for $7.50, 100g + free tin for $15.00, 250g + free tin for $37.50 and 500g + free tin for $75.00.
When I first opened the package I smelled the mango and pineapple, citrusy and sweet. Once brewed, the scent wasn’t as strong, but I still got the citrus and a bit of the tropical scent of the mango. The tea itself was sweet and I mostly tasted the citrus. It was pleasing hot, but I think it would be great as an iced tea during our hot summer days. I guess I just love tropical blends!
Drink Me: Teavana, Berry Kiwi Colada
Another tea I received in my last order from Teavana is Berry Kiwi Colada.
From the packaging the blend includes hibiscus flowers, rosehips, kiwi, pear, candied pineapple, candied mango, carrot slices, candied tangerine, apple slices, coconut chips, lemon verbena and strawberry slices.
It is available in multiples of 2oz for $9.98 for each 2oz.
When I first opened the package I could definitely smell the kiwi and the pear. They were fruity and tangy. One brewed, I got more of the other flavors of the fruit – it smelled more like a tropical fruit punch. The tea did have a little kick, and was a little spicy or prickly, like the pear flavor would suggest. I really liked this one.
Drink Me: Tea is for Texas, Party on the Brazos
The second tea that my friend K. sent me in my care package was also from Tea is for Texas and is called Party on the Brazos.
From the package, the blend contains black and green teas with papaya, pineapple and mango pieces.
I found the Tea is for Texas tea at the Independence Coffee Company, but it doesn’t appear this blend is currently available on the website. I do note that most of the blends are available for $4-5 per ounce and the website says they are available at Whole Foods stores in Texas.
When I first opened the package I smelled the sweet fruits – I also thought I smelled a bit of peach in there but I could be wrong. The packaging lists other “herbs and fruits” so maybe? Once brewing I smelled the papaya and mango. The tea wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting, but it was very tropical tasting. Another summer favorite?
Drink Me: Tea Market, Bora Bora.
I happened to stop into my local tea shop last week while shopping for a gift for a friend and I found that their summer teas were out! I debated for a bit but settled on trying some of a blend called Bora Bora.
The description said that it was a black tea with strawberries, raspberries, mango, papaya, apples, currants, citrus and safflower petals. All I knew was it smelled sweet and tropical and I wanted some. It was available for $4.35 per ounce.
The second I opened the bag all I could smell was the papaya. Once brewed I still smelled mostly papaya. The tea itself was a little milder than I thought it would be, a good black tea tinged with fruit flavors. I really enjoyed this and am sorry it’s a limited edition – I may have to go get more before it’s gone. That and a beach vacation!
Drink Me: David’s Tea, Guava Cadabra
When I perused the David’s Tea site for my initial order I was intrigued by Guava Cadabra.
From the packaging the tea contains mango, apple, hibiscus blossoms, elderberries, guava, and rosehips. This is actually a tisane, a beverage made from the infusion or decoction of herbs, spices, or other plant material in hot water, since it contains no tea leaves. This also makes it naturally caffeine free!
Guava Cadabra is available in a variety of sizes: 50g for $8.50, 100g + free tin for $17.00, 250g + free tin for $42.50 or 500g + free tin for $85.00.
It was so pretty to photograph and all I could see were the big chunks of fruit and hibiscus and rosehip petals.
This was the most pungent of the tea samples I received. When I opened the package I was overwhelmed by the spicy guava smell. It reminded me of going to Hawaii once as a child and being served guava nectar on the plane. Once brewed it was slightly less spicy smelling, but still had a strong tropical smell. It tasted lovely – sweet and fruity, and a little tangy from the guava and mango. This would be so good as an iced tea throughout the summer, bringing a little of the tropics to your own backyard.
