Republic of Tea

This is by far my favorite of the HiCaf line (that I’ve tried—I’m not a big fan of “breakfast” teas anyway so I doubt that one will make it into my collection anytime soon). It’s balanced well, and despite having the caffeine content of a black tea it feels soothing. I’ve also used it a couple of times to soothe nausea—it is excellent for that.

The tea itself is the nondescript Chinese green Republic of Tea tends to use in their bags, but I don’t mind because the other ingredients suit it so well. The mint is subtle and lightly sweet, and the ginger adds just a little spice in the aftertaste. Nothing is overpowering here and I don’t feel the need to modify this cup at all. For me this is the perfect afternoon pick-me-up!

And Noowwww I know what valarian tastes like. I was beginning to think it was an exaggeration.
It’s not.
Definitely not. xD
Oy.
Thanks for the sample though, Darby!

This is pretty nice. There’s plenty of berry, and it’s sweet with just a little bit of tart. I just wish I could taste more of the tea along with the berry. I’m drinking this with my customary two sugars, and it’s making the fruit flavor really pop. I might actually order some of this down the road.

I got a free sample of this with my Republic of Tea catalog yesterday and drank it with breakfast this morning. I found it to be an unremarkable smooth black tea with a generic red berry flavor…pleasant enough, but certainly nothing special. I would drink this again if it was offered to me, but it’s not something I intend to purchase (although that cute Downton Abbey tin is certainly tempting!)

I love this spicy tea. It is warming, with almost a festive taste profile. I have never managed to over-steep it. I’m not compelled to add milk or sugar, it stands well on its own. Nice for a cold morning, and its assertive spiciness completes baked goods quite well.

The third tea I tried from the Downton series. I’m torn between this one and the Mrs. Patmore one being my favorite. This one has the nice black base again with a really flavorful fruitiness. I did get a bit of tartness which shouldn’t be hibiscus since it doesn’t list that as an ingredient. The tartness is smoothed out by the black base so it totally works.
Everyone really liked this Downton tea so we will probably run out of it at our tea.

We didn’t get to the daughters English rose tea. I’m sure that one will be nice … I’m just leary if the stevia in it since I didn’t like it in the pumpkin tea I had today. The other ladies tried the herbal Cora blend and thought it was ok. I did smell it and it smelled of lavender and chamomile, but since I didn’t taste it I’ll review it later.

This is a good spice tea. It starts off balanced but gets a little heavy on the cinnamon toward the bottom of the cup and could use more cardamom for my taste (but then everything could use more cardamom for my taste!). Right now I’m enjoying warming up with it on a cold, windy day, which is perfect.

I’ve never heard of jackfruit before so I was looking forward to the opportunity to try this tea out. The aroma when I opened the tin was tropical. The description says this tea has notes of pineapple, mango and banana. I can’t say that I was able to identify individual flavors but the overall taste definitely sweeps you away to the tropics.

I used two teabags in a 14oz cup with sweetener and milk. It was delicious! It had a creamy mouthfeel and just brought to mind tropical breezes and palm trees. The tea did not seem overwhelmed by the flavors but it wasn’t overly bitter or astringent either.

I think when the warmer weather comes around again this tea would be awesome iced. I only wish it came in loose leaf as well as tea bags.

It’s a little maltier than last time I brewed it. I kind of wish I’d have gone for a less malty black this morning, but it’s still a black, and that’s what I was craving.

Another steep of this, in my Bodum travel press. I think this is an even better steep than the last time I had it. I’m getting a bit more maltiness this go around, but it’s nice, because it’s not an overly “drying” tea.

The catalog claims a taste profile that includes a bit of muscatel, a bit of oolong, and a bit of malty Assam flavor. I get all three. This was a pretty nice black tea, and didn’t get bitter, even though my brewing conditions were not at all optimal.

I do not like vegetal greens. I do not like them, Sam I am. I love toasted greens, like Hojicha and Genmaicha, which are probably my two very favorite teas ever.

The descriptor mentioned a “nutty” flavor to this tea, and I decided to try it, thinking it might have a bit of toastiness to it. Oh, but the drooliemeister guessed totally wonky on that one!

This is a very vegetal, very spinachy tasting tea. If there’s one tea flavor I have a big aversion to it’s spinach. I cannot abide it, and this tea is almost exclusively spinachy. I also tried it at school, where brewing conditions aren’t optimal, and overbrewed it, so I got a bitter note on top of spinach. And it lingered. Three generous sips, and the rest went down the drain on my way to try the other tea we ordered.

Someone who likes spinachy notes may well like it. It is simply not for me. I don’t feel right leaving a number rating and skewing the data, so I won’t. I can say a friend of mine likes it quite a bit, and that’s good, since she can drink the rest and it won’t go to waste.

HAVE YOUR CAKE AND DRINIT!

Up to now, I have never really found a Republic of Tea tea that I really have to have. Their stuff is okay, and I definitely appreciate when it’s offered in cafes as opposed to certain other bagged teas, but none of their main line really grab me. I got an email about this one, though, and it sounded ideal—I had to get it.

Honestly, this tea exceeded all my expectations. Without milk it’s a gentle cardamom (but still with a little kick), with some definite cream and vanilla tones. With milk added the cardamom is more subdued and the crème brûlée comes out in full force, as close to drinking custard as I’ve ever gotten.

Of course, this one is a limited edition, so I’m going to have to stock up while I can. It may become my go-to morning cup!

Clean spice, strong with no woody aftertaste. A great herbal tea when you’re in the mood for spice but don’t want to be overwhelmed with too many flavors. The blend of cardamom with cinnamon is strong without overwhelming. Great any time of day. A favorite after a rich, full meal.

Who would’ve thought cocoa and coconut would make such a great combination. But after trying all of the cocoa teas available, this one wins my undying support! Smooth, silky cocoa flavor dominates. Coconut seems to just lend a hand to the cocoa – adding full, rich flavor. Perfect mid-day cup in winter time, and for dessert any time.

Ok, but not great. It is good that the tea is Rainforest Alliance Certified. But it has a bit of grassiness in the finish and no positive characteristics to make up for it.

Blow you away bold! Love the smoky Pu-erh and the way the coconut rounds it out a bit. Because this is so strong, I don’t drink it as is. I always blend it in with a more subtle black tea. But I really love the way this one adds depth and character to other teas. If you like to blend, try adding this with richer flavored teas and avoid trying to use with a fruity tea.

Not my cup of tea. Has an interesting hint of pineapple, but just too grassy for my tastes. Perhaps an Oolong lover would enjoy it. Seemed to use good quality leaves, full and fresh.

I like it! It’s got a mild (if artificial) coconut flavor that works with the black tea. I like it black, I like it with coconut sugar, and I like it with milk.

Most importantly, it picks me right up.

The liquor brewed up a pleasing bright red. It smelled juicy, but indeterminate. The tartness was satisfying, but the watermelon tasted artificial, like a jolly rancher. It wasn’t bad, and I’d happily drink it again; I wouldn’t actually buy it, though.

I received this as a sample in the Republic of Tea catalog.

I’ve had this floating around for a while and thought that it would be a good choice for this evening. Sometimes I just crave something tart and as this has hibiscus in it (even in the name), I knew it would be a good one.

Sipping… well, I’m definitely satisfied as far as needing something tart. I also like the watermelon flavor that seems to be almost as strong (but not quite) as the hibiscus. It’s not an amazing, juicy watermelon flavor, but one that’s a bit artificial and simple. There isn’t really anything special about this one… it is exactly what it says it is… watermelon and hibiscus. If you’re looking for something beyond that.. this tea wouldn’t do the job. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy this tea, but can see it being a suitable iced tea choice during the summer.