Fusion Teas

Thanks again Fusion for the inspired blends you create! I had to try this one based on the list of ingredients alone. I love pumpkin. I woke up wanting to try this one mainly because it was the last sample I had to try from Fusion, and I want to place an order from them. I figured that three ounces of each tea is a lot for me to commit to right now, since I have so many teas, BUT I realized I’m participating in two swap boxes, so I could always share with those boxes or other Steepsters! Also, by coincidence, I had pumpkin pie this morning to go along with the tea. I made sure to try the tea before taking any bites of the pie, so it wouldn’t taint my taste of the tea. (And yeah, why are pies only for the holidays? Pie is a perfectly acceptable breakfast food.)

To the tasting! I steeped for seven minutes and it’s a nice orange color! The taste is mostly a mild pumpkin with cinnamon. Cinnamon isn’t an actual listed ingredient, but there ARE cinnamon candied peanuts! The cinnamon flavor can’t just be from that? I can’t really taste any of the other ingredients in it (though I’m not sure what the mace should taste like.. or pumpkin seeds.) I wish the flavor was stronger, though it isn’t like there is fake pumpkin flavoring, so it tastes pretty good for just having a couple chunks of pumpkin in the infuser. Maybe more pumpkin chunks would help? Maybe I shouldn’t have waited for the water to cool as much. I tried a second steep with just boiled water but I think most of the flavor was in the first steep. I like that the roasted mate is blended with the rooibos. I really want to try more blended teas, especially black teas with rooibos. Another good tea from Fusion! Now to choose what to order from them….

Since I knew Awkward Soul had sent me some mates from Fusion, I took a look through my as-yet-uncatalogued envelope, and yay, found one!

The aroma I’m getting from this definitely reminds me of various roasted mates I’ve had in the past, plus… cinnamon? Is it supposed to have cinnamon? Again, can’t read the tea description, so I’m not sure…

The flavour tastes to me like a non-banana-flavoured, somewhat chocolatey roasted mate, with a definite floral note. Floral??? Interesting… I’m not sure I taste cinnamon at all though. However, this is quite pleasant! I could see myself drinking this one again as a morning pick-me-up, although I have an awful lot of Malted ChocoMate to get through before I think about buying any more roasted mates!

Thanks so much for the sample, Awkward Soul!

ETA: Wow, a second infusion really brought out the cloves and cinnamon! Although it was a flavourful second infusion, I’m not sure it was quite what I wanted.

Sip down #3
I got this as a sample when I placed my first order with Fusion Teas.

The dry notes smell bakery and like blueberry. The steeped tea smells more Haley than the dry notes.
The first sip is slightly tart, it has a nice blueberry taste, mostly artificial blueberry and quite Haley. It’s more like one of those pre-made muffins you’d get in a convinience store, than a fresh made one.
This is a solid tisane. A great morning cup. I bet this would be great with a hit of milk added to it. It looses a little because it is tart.
As I was typing my review for sip down #2 this tea was sitting beside le and smelt just like a blueberry muffin was next to me.

Additional notes: I’m enjoying this one again… it’s one of my favorites…but looking at Fusion’s site, it looks like they don’t sell it anymore. Upon asking Fusion, they said their supplier discontinued it. I’m definitely sad about this! If anyone knows of a similar blend, let me know. Maybe it’s just one of the blends that TeaGuys stopped adding to their actual website?
2019 Sipdowns: 78 (Tealyra – “Perfect Pumpkin Pie”)

Additional notes: TeaGuys had a sale which I almost bought from. I realized they have the same supplier as Fusion Teas! I love their blends! Sadly though, I thought Fusion actually blended their teas. But no… there is my beloved Pistachio Lime Mate in the list for TeaGuys. Seeing that FOUR ounce tin of this one in the cart I didn’t buy, I had to have from my stash this morning. Man there are a ton of caramel pieces in this pouch! (I think I was complaining there wasn’t enough caramel before. I even tried one out of the bag – pretty tasty!) When the leaves are steeped, it looks like there are different types of leaves here though. This remains one of my favorite pu-erhs.

Additional notes: This was my first pu-erh a year plus a few months ago. I can’t believe it hasn’t been longer than that… I feel like I’ve had a ton of pu-erh since then. Sipping this one again has inspired me to order from Fusion’s AWESOME Black Friday sale (if you want a ton of samples anyway – you still have two days left!) I just love this blend… even when there doesn’t happen to be a giant piece of caramel in the infuser. Two sample size packages of this in the cart they go. (I only had one cup left & not many pu-erh blends! It was a necessity!)

This is my frist ever pu-erh (and I have no idea how to pronounce that). Thanks to Fusion, for sending me some samples. Go and ask them for some samples right now at fusionteas.com!

Wow, today was hectic… there’s nothing like having a broken finger, helping someone with a broken foot repot dozens of plants while trying to keep several dogs and many cats from eating/burying the plants or tipping over the half filled pots.
A pot of tea is definitely what I need now after so many plant pots.
Thanks, Fusion Teas for the sample!
The flavor is great – it smells exactly like pumpkin pie. I don’t taste a ton of pumpkin though – mostly I taste sweetness and vanilla. It’s a pretty smooth relaxing cup though. The rooibos gives it a nice smooth mouth feel.
To counter some of my other posts where I quoted modernist poets, I should note here that I am enjoying this tea while watching Tommy Boy with Chris Farley and David Spade.
Perfect almost-Fall combo <3

The scent is very strong! Okay, here’s the deal. I’m giving Earl Grey a second chance. The only times I had had it, years ago, were as bagged teas. I disliked it then, but I think I really ought to give it another shot. The leaves smell very strongly of citrus.
The tea black is really interesting. Moderately astringent and with a definite citrusy flavor but… I like it! Shocking.
I actually like it better without milk – the milk adds a nutty element that doesn’t blend so well.
I think I’m a fan though – hurray for (re)trying (old)new things!

This is another sample that Fusion Teas generously sent to me :)
My fiance came over last night and specifically requested a tea session. I first let hi, try the Jumpy Monkey tea I had that he was interested in. He liked it so much I sent it home with him.
Next I decided to brew up a pot of the Caramel Chai pu-erh. The scent of the leaves is wonderful – deep, earthy, salted caramel-y, umami awesomeness.
Brewed up, it was much smoother than the spicy scent would have you expect. I definitely tasted all the chai spices, but they weren’t overpowering. I didn’t end up tasting too much of the caramel in the final tea, and the pu-erh was also backgrounded as well, but I liked that – I wasn’t in the mood for an overwhelming pu-erh last night.
My fiance really liked it and we finished the pot together. It’s a nice tea to warm up with on a cool night at the beginning of fall.

Additional notes: Sipping this lovely right now. I’m glad to see Fusionteas.com is still around! I might not order from them a lot, but I really appreciate their blends. If you’re looking for a different tea shop to check out, there you go. I love so many of their blends!

Additional notes: I’m loving this one again today. It’s interesting that I did notice that barbequey flavor again, that I noted last time. It’s roasty, smokey, chocolately, earthy, coffee-like. So good!

The smell of this tea upon opening my sample was chocolatey
scumptiousness! So so good. Fusion has my favorite blends. An amazing
list of ingredients for this one, as usual. Fusion is so inventive! I
think this is my first roasted mate, though I’ve had Fusion’s Pistachio
Lime Mate and it is my FAVORITE (the mix of ingredients is perfect!) I
will definitely be buying some of that at some point. I actually requested
some more samples from Fusion to get an idea of what I should buy along
with that one. (Seriously, go request some samples from Fusion — you won’t
be able to resist!) The flavor of this one reminds me slightly of barbeque
sauce. I have no idea why – don’t be scared, it doesn’t actually taste like
barbeque sauce…just reminded me of it somehow. It tastes like a mild
coffee with a LITTLE bit of a chocolate flavor. Very roasty and earthy.
The temp said 180, so I waited a while for the water to cool, but for my
second steep, I’m going to go full boil to try to get more flavor. The
second steep is much like the first. I just wish there was more flavor, but
it is still very very good. Try Fusion!

I was super excited to try this. I love mate teas and this is one of a few swapped from Awkward Soul.
I was seeking comfort from this tea. Tomorrow is my birthday and I’m not pleased about turning another year older. This past year has been the best one yet, but still not keen.
Why do we have to grow up anyway?
Anyway the tea…
First sip hinted that this was not one to be drunk bare. In goes a bit of raw sugar…. Nope, something still isn’t right. Little milk, but more sugar. Nope.
Sadly, this tea tastes like burnt leaves and cocoa powder. Not, awful, but it’s flavours do not jive.

I have a super sore throat today, so I figured I’d try something soothing sounding. The samples that Thomas from Fusion Teas generously sent along arrived today :) So, I brewed up a pot of the Apple Pear Tulsi. The leaves smell like a warm spiced apple pie, not too spicy – I’m really sensitive to cinnamon and this definitely isn’t too powerful in the mix.
Brewed, this smells wonderful – like I’ve just come into a dark wood lined hallway from the rain. It smells wet or damp, but in a nice spicy way, like an autumn night storm, and unused mysterious rooms.
Apple! A really nice apple flavor, not fake tasting at all. Nice and fall-like with earthy undertones. There is a slight slight hint of a minty flavor. The rooibos flavor is seriously backgrounded, which I actually like – it supports the other flavors rather than competing with them. Apple is the most prominent flavor, and the other kind of dance around it. Nice and relaxing tea.
ETA: I added some honey to this to help my throat and I actually like how it changed the flavors (not usually a honey in beverages fan). It brought the fruit flavors more to the front and made the pear flavor (which is a phantom flavor created by the apple and pineapple, there is no actual pear listed) come out much clearer.

Ok, so this is technically the second time I’m drinking this tea – the first I apparently forgot to log; I drank it on the way out to the cottage last weekend!

Anyhow! I think this is a sample from Awkward Soul, thanks!

So, I’m one of those people who has a tendency to smell/taste banana in roasted mates. From both DT and 52teas, so it shouldn’t be a vendor issue. So, naturally, I was expecting that same flavour here… and it is, slightly, but far, far less. Instead, the overwhelming flavour I’m tasting here is molasses! Not as sweet as molasses, but that almost bitter, dark flavour of cooking molasses. Very interesting. It was a little offputting to me earlier, as all I could taste was the molasses when it was hot, but down that it’s also suffered the same 6-hour cooldown as Prince Vladimir, I can taste the cocoa (and banana) notes beneath the molasses, and it’s far more enjoyable. The tea still smells strongly of molasses though. This might be best for me as a cold drink… perhaps I should brew some up and leave it in the fridge for the morning? Although it just occurred to me that I only have less than a cup’s worth left :( Oh well.

Thanks for the sample, Awkward Soul! I do seem to like these roasted mates!

I hate when this happens. I make a tea order, it ships. While I’m waiting I check out the online store again and see teas I should of ordered along with my order! ARGGG! Mango mate was one of them, thanx Kittena for the sample!

STEEPED: sweet and fruity with a hint of grassy smell. Steeps up a deep golden yellow.

TASTE: Sharp hit of earthy grassy mate with a sweetness of mango. Actually a pretty sweet tea on its own. Not bitter, tart or astringent.

WHO’D LIKE THIS: peeps into green, unroasted mate. It’s a little grassy compared to roasted mate.

COMMENTS: overall, really good green mate. The sweetness is nice. I wisht here was more to it, like creamy or stronger fruity, but Mango Mate is not bad. Fusion does great mates and I’ll be back sometime to get more.

Additonal notes: I bought this recently because the sample was so good! This time it wasn’t as carroty as it should be if it’s a carrot cake blend, so I think the blend should have more carrots. But otherwise, it is still a DIVINE blend. Really really good. I’m amazed that everything melds together so well, as it would be tough to actually get ALL of the many individual ingredients in the infuser!

Fusion gets my vote for having the most inspired and well-thought out blends! I mean, look at that ingredient list! It’s a bunch of the things you would actually find in a carrot cake! I love a nice piece of carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. I tried to shake up my sample pouch, but I think I got more of the bigger things in my infuser than the actual rooibos. Infused, the color is the most orange I have ever seen a cup of tea! Of course it should be orange! The scent and flavor is JUST like carrot cake! The right amount of spicey and delicious! I think the maple brittle (!) acted as the frosting… because it even seemed like I was getting a frosting flavor there. I think I was even sort of chewing a bit while I was drinking this! Fusion is amazing, as usual!

I was pretty sure when I went to try this tea that I’d prefer it cold. however, I don’t drink a lot of cold tea mostly because i don’t have a decent set up for it. Maybe next summer!

For a tea called passionately orange, i expected more in the way of orange. Instead it’s a really light tea that has a weird smell upon brewing. I’m wondering if it’s because my sample didn’t have enough of the orange peel in it. I did try to steep it for a little longer after tasting it mid steep. It didn’t help much :(

Ah well..better luck next time! I still apprciate the share!

Thank you Fusion Teas for this sample!

The dry leaves have a strong artificial smell. It’s almost like a strawberry car air freshener. Thank goodness, this is not what you get from the tea. The liquid is not as synthetic in the sip. It taste more like a light strawberry soda. I’m pretty sure this would be an excellent cold brewing tea. Even chilled on that note.

There is other nice flavors that emerge with this cup as well. You almost can taste a touch of peaches, with a little extra tanginess. Also, a hint of something that reminds me of jasmine. One thing is for sure – this tea leaves a very refreshing taste to the mouth. Not a bad drink for a long humid summer day.

This smells AMAZING! The dry leaf smells very fruity and flowery and it is absolutely making my mouth water. The brewed tea maintains much of the fragrance that I noted in the dry leaf, but smells maybe even a teensy bit better because now I can drink it instead of just smell it. haha! Seriously, though, there is a bit more of an Oolong floral note to the brewed tea, however, it still smells fruity and delicious.

This tastes as good as it smells. To be honest, I didn’t expect to like it as much as I do. I don’t typically go crazy over Acai berry flavored things – I mean, I like them OK, but, I’d prefer just about any other berry over the acai. But it all works together well here.

It doesn’t taste strongly of BERRY … at least, not in this first infusion. It has a smooth Oolong flavor that is lightly floral, and this melds wonderfully with the berry notes, providing a taste that is sweet and a little tart, and quite tasty. It is really quite different from any other berry flavored Oolong that I can recall tasting… but I mean that in a good way. This is so unique. It is not your run-of-the-mill berry flavored Oolong. It’s really nice.

Thanks Emilie for this one!
Toffee isn’t my favorite flavor but I don’t mind it either! I’m always eager to try anything I haven’t tried yet! This is one of those tisanes!

The aroma is abundant!

At first taste I immediately thought of peanut brittle but with that toffee twist…not so much the peanutbutter, per say. I also tasted the cocao (kernals) and the creamy yet sweet caramel pieces.

This is pretty good! So glad I got to try it.