Tealish

ok so I took a break from trying new teas today. I just needed a break! It felt good… and thus I’ve decided to take another mini-vacation from this place. I find they rejuvenate my tea-spirit, and when I come back it’s with all the tea-fervor I can handle :)
I’ll still be around, but it will be Indigo-Bloom light for a little while. Just so y’all know I’m not gone for good! See you around!!
Oh and a little note about the tea: good as ever. Yum!

Wow. So this is the tea that I had purchased from Tealish, which ended up going rancid on me. When I let them know, the company was so gracious and sent me a brand new bag, with some samples to boot! Now, not only am I impressed with their customer service, but their tea as well!!
About the tea:
This must have been reblended. The other review here mentions an overwhelming hibby note, but I don’t see it in the blend, nor do I taste any at all in the tea. It’s not at all sour. Perhaps too many people mentioned the hibs and they took note? shrugs
The tea itself is very pungent. The blueberries smell like something mildly fermented, which I suppose could be the beginnings of the rancidness I experienced last time.
Steeped, I get that same intense fermented note. Adding a teaspoon of sugar helps though.
But… What really blew my socks of, was when I added a dash of milk. It now tastes like a blueberry danish! I am in awe!!
Made that way, I do believe I have found my new fave rooibos tea. Oh yes, this is staying in my cupboard permanently. Mmmmmmmm.

Mmmm. Had a cup of this to go in store, and it was delicious! A little burnt, but that didn’t detract from the amazing coconut flavour. It was a very heady scent when brewed, and as it cooled it only intensified. Tasted like coconut cream pie. Lost some of the oolong flavour, which is too bad.

Had this one today for my first cup at work. This time I brewed it in an infuser instead of a bag to see how that changed things. Sadly, it reinforced the fact that this isn’t a tea for me. The marzipan dominates, and I was hoping it would be more orange. The notes of fruit are there most definitely, but they are the undercurrent rather than the body. If anyone likes almond/marzipan, please let me know so I can share this with you!

Did this one up in a travel cup for a meeting I had today. Brewed it in a t-sac and left the bag in the entire time. Dry leaf smells lovely and exactly like its name, and in the cab I couldn’t stop smelling the brew.

First sips of the cup had both the orange and the almond flavour and was lovely. As the cup continued (bag in since I couldn’t get it out in the meeting politely) the marzipan began to dominate.

I’m looking forward to trying this one again with an infuser and a shorter steep, and a bit of sugar. I think it’ll help make the orange flavours pop. Not rating yet for that reason.

I think I’m in love… ahhh. Wait, is it lust? it could be lust! Rosey teas tend to push me in that direction ya know. and papaya, apparently.
Deeeelish!! the fruit notes bring that natural sweet tone and hides most of the earthy rooibos that sometimes can be too much for me. The rose… well, that just makes it lovely. I love rose in my tea… *sighs…
Thank you so much to Tealish for the free sample!!!

Wow this is not what I expected. The apple is really throwing me off! It adds a tart cider-like aspect that I don’t feel jives very well with the berry at all. Phew, is this ever tart! hibiscus much?!?
That said, it isn’t bad… I don’t hate this tea. and when I added some honey it mellowed out some. Next time, I’ll add more so that it’s stronger as well. I can see what the other reviewers mean about it being weak.
Steeping longer doesn’t work, it just gets more sour…

I’m not a Don Cherry fan… but he was certainly right about one thing- toasted tastes better!! as long as it isn’t wearing plaid, of course.
Phew, I love toasted green tea. It’s so tasty! Nutty and sweet, round and oh so comforting after a meal. Mmmmm.
However, I don’t get much a tea high from it. I guess the theanine was roasted right out of it. I wonder if that means it’s less caffeinated as well. That’d be nice, I think… to have a lower caffeine option.

I tried this tea while I was out shopping yesterday, and I have to say I wasn’t terribly impressed.

However, I’m not sure if it was the tea itself or how the particular employee serving me prepared it. She said it would take four minutes for the tea to steep, and told me to just have a look around the shop or take a seat while I waited. I waited, and then she handed it over to me when it was done.

I left Tealish to continue shopping and immediately burned my mouth upon taking a drink. One would think that it would have cooled down enough to drink after four minutes, but it was still FAR too hot to enjoy or even taste anything.

I waited several more minutes for the tea to cool down, and when I tried it again, it was hopelessly bland. There was none of that rich, warm, soothing flavour that normally comes with rooibos, no fruity taste, no nothing. It just tasted like slightly sweet hot water. Disappointing.

Now, it might not be the tea itself that’s the problem. It may have been how long it steeped, how much the of the tea the Tealish employee actually used, or it may have just been my damaged tastebuds being unable to comprehend a potentially awesome tea.

Either way, I’m not sure I’d want to pay for another cup just to find out.

Meh. Just…meh. It’s good enough, but it doesn’t wow me, but I don’t have the same tastes as my wife, De. This is right up her alley, so I’m glad she likes it. But the spices are a bit strong for me, and I don’t care for the cardamom.

Oh wow, this was SOOOO GOOOOD!!!
I stopped in at my docs today, and since I was in the area (for once, when they are open!) I dropped in to exchange some tea and grab a cuppa.
Going through all the options, I was in one of those super indecisive moods where I hrmm and huhhh through virtually every option and then torture the staff while I do it all over again. This, after I’d done virtually the same whilst purchasing a pair of spring boots… errnoooo I did not buy another pair of brown boots, said the girl with two pairs already in her closet… heh. Hey to be fair, I really need a pair to get me through the spring, since my other ones are either insanely high heeled or ultra warm for the winter. and I hate wearing nylon socks, they never look right with “work shoes”… so boots are really my only alternative until it gets warm enough to wear sandals.
Anyhow, onto the tea. The girl at the shop was so patient, pulling down all the teas I wanted to try. Of course my mind was made up when saw their only pu’erh, and I asked her if they can add ginger to the cup. Thankfully, she said yes! yay! It was amaaaazing. No fishiness at all. The texture was a little thick, and creamy like… chocolate milk, except without any of the graininess. In fact, it reminded me of cocoa in some ways, or even a mild chicory sans the abrasive factor.
However, it wasn’t as potent as the DT version, which I didn’t mind because it’s not like I was at work, nor am I deathly ill…
Oh and did I mention that the girl who served me (I’d mention her name but that would be an invasion of her privacy, I think) gave me the cup on the house?!? for my troubles with the tea I came to exchange. AND some free samples. Now THAT is customer service folks :)
does a little jig in her brown boots

This was a nice cup tonight before bed. Hints of mint mixed with natural raspberry notes! It was nice and mellow and relaxing, which after a weekend of work and tea party sleepover, was exactly what I was looking for in a mug. As I drank I debated if I was going to try this one iced but ultimately I decided that it might get a little scary if I cold steeped it. The mint is nice and an undernote when brewed hot, but I suspect a cold steep would bring it out in focus, contrasting against the fruit. Still though, a lovely tea overall!

Not bad not bad!! Like Jessie mentioned, a decent alternative for the STE version. Only less intense. and kinda Jasmin-like after the third steep… which I wasn’t thrilled about.
I’m not sure if I’d restock though, I think I’ve overdone it with the coco oolongs lately. We need a break… I’m sure CO and I will get back together again soon :P

Someone from the Toronto Tea Party shared a sample of this with me (Tina? Adrienne? I don’t even know any more.) and I finally got around to trying it. First thing I got hit with was the orange, a very sweet and creamy orange, but with the heavy aftertaste I get from most rooibos teas. Tasty experiment, but I don’t think I’ll reach for it again.

yup, I finally got around to this one!
After reading all the reviews already posted I was not looking forward to it so much. However, it’s better than I expected. Berries dominate the cup, but I also get a sort of creamy texture in it.
The second steep was harder to get down. I added agave and milk just to see… and it was nice that way to.
Overall though, it was pleasant enough for me to drink up… but certainly nothing that stands out in the tea crowd. I think there is just too much going on with it!
Also, I am oh so very very tired. Too tired to write the other ten reviews I have backlogged. Oi!!

Today was supposed to be strictly productive, but instead a friend coaxed me outside with promises of enjoying the weather on the patio at Red Tea Box. Unfortunately we were too late for their lunch. Fair enough, but so disappointing! Instead, we hit up Fresh and Tealish and took it to the park for a picnic, and then followed it up with Dufflet. This was a fair substitute. Man, I can’t believe how amazing the weather is in mid-March!

So, I got this iced to-go from Tealish, having heard good things from De and aisling. The girl preparing it also said it was her favourite iced tea. I can see why! It was really flavourful and incredibly refreshing. The mint was just enough to be cooling, and not enough to be overbearing. I was surprised by how nice a raspberry flavour this yielded. I can’t say I really noticed the chamomile, which is probably for the best.

I don’t drink black teas very often, but when I need a bit of a caffeine kick this is one of my go-to teas. I like that it has a little bit of a ginger kick, and a slight fruity finish. It is very aromatic, and it does remind me a bit of mulled cider but you don’t really taste the cinnamin. I don’t need to add sweetener to it and it can be re-steeped a second time.

SIPDOWN!!!
A big achievement for me, since this was a 50g purchase. Woohoo!!
and despite there being a bunch of fannings/broken pieces/dust, it was really tasty. What a great way to see off a tea. Thanks for the good times Doomur. You shall be missed. Kicking up the rating a few notches. Rose coloured lenses and all…

My breakfast tea. Good enough to wake me up! light and floral. A little malty. Only about five cups left…

What a LONG day. but a good one. I’m now the Member Services coordinator (director? still finalizing things) for the Tea Guild! So excited!!!! happy dance
We are having an event on Feb 2, The Toronto Tea Festival, so everyone who is local to the area, please mark it in your calendars!
Oh and I won the door prize at our meeting, a collection of yummy looking jams. Sweeeeet!
Anyhow, this was my breakfast tea. I always forget to steep it a bit longer, but this time I remembered, and it was good! oh yes it was.
Later on, I stepped into Herbal Infusions, and bought a cuppa Jackfrui Tea but used almond milk, and it was very tasty, but I think I need to try it sans anything before submitting a review.
Welps, I have another big one ahead of me tomorrow so should grab some sleep. EEeeeeeeee! How am I gonna sleep when I’m still buzzed from my appointment to the BOD?!
I’m on TWO boards now. Oh dear. What have I done?! errrrr…

Odd, the honey note came out more in my second steep here. Hmmm.
So I’ve decided… this is a lovely Assam, but not my fave for the moment. I’ll drink down what I have, easily, but will be glad to move on when the time comes!

I don’t quite know what to think of this. It was good, but how good? I can’t decide!
Malty? check. Bold? check. Sweet? check! Astringent… no too much!
Wait a sec… sweet?! I added no sugar. How can that be? It tasted as if I added sugar! Honey even. and more than I’d normally take. In fact, my second cup was sans dairy and it was still rich in flavour. (well, if you consider the little bit of left over milk from my first infusion mixed in as naked that is)
I need to try this again. I’m a little perplexed!!

Yum!
This tisane… tastes like PINK!!! Which is odd because there’s very little colour in the brew. Maybe a hint of pastel.
At first when I sipped, it was pretty bland and sour… but then I added a teeny bit of agave and voila! berry cotton candy in a cup.
This is one I’d seriously consider buying more of, if only I didn’t have so many in my cupboard already. I’d reach for it often though, so I may end up caving next time I wander by the shop.
Oh and the best part? eating the fruit afterwards. I had nothing to wash out of my strainer!

I adore how this tea smells dry. It’s so light and fruity and just utterly makes me long for spring. Once brewed there were definite scent notes of strawberries and fruit as I pulled out the infuser, but when I sniffed the leaves and the pot, I couldn’t figure out exactly where they were coming from since neither seemed to hold them.

The tea itself is a beautiful light yellow-green when brewed, and is a delicate flavour on first sips. As I continued through the cup I started to get the feeling in my mouth that I sometimes get with extremely perfumed teas, or ones with a lot of artificial flavourings. Overall a nice tea, but I’m not sure if I’ll restock.