The Republic of Tea

So yet another tea from the Great Canadian Travelling Tea Box (pt. 1).
I really rather loved this tea and need to get my hands on more. I had this tea on October 8th and Jan 28th. I really had fun having this tea and was able to re-steep it too, so more awesome!

Dry leaf: the tea was in a tea bag, but i was still able to note the sweet scent, which I find really alluring to my senses.
Steeped: When steeped, the scent is both sweet and subtle. The water is a dark color, brown with purple-y tints. The tea itself is both sweet and surprisingly light for a black tea. The taste is also solid in the the berry sense.

I really found the tea’s taste perfect, it was not too sweet flavor-wise. It was very soothing. And like I said, it is alluring and entrancing to taste and smell.

Sipdown! I’ve been making good use of my electric kettle since I’ve been in my room, and I think that’ll only continue if it stays as cold as it’s been. There’s an ice storm tonight and I’m hoping it won’t make getting to class difficult tomorrow.

This one is pretty mediocre for me, but it’s on the high end of mediocre. The fruit flavor is boring and generic, but the cinnamon is surprisingly subtle (a good thing!). I can also actually taste the base, which in my opinion is a plus for a flavored green.

This is actually pretty good! I did a short steep and got a lot of the fruit flavor with just a little of the spice. The green tea in this blends well with the fruit—I’m really getting to like fruit/green mixes. I don’t know that I’ll restock this one because it’s a little generic but judging from this cup I wouldn’t refuse a cup if it was offered.

I was so excited to get this tea! I had read reviews before that warn against eating right before drinking this tea. Dear people on Steepster. DO NOT DRINK THIS TEA AFTER EATING. I was snacking a little bit while my tea was steeping and once it cooled I took a sip.

The taste is nice, not too strong, but nice for a detox tea. But I was down to my last sip and my stomach felt like it did a somersault. I ran to the bathroom, and sure enough my snacking came back up. I was burping like crazy for the next hour.

I feel cleansed and ready to jump back into my busy life after stuffing my face.

This tea is a little bit bitter without sugar. Once I added sugar and put it on ice, I really enjoyed it. I think hibiscus teas are a little too sharp on their own, but with fruit flavors and sugar, they can be quite nice.

A fantastic blend! On days when I don’t have to wake up extremely early, I make a cup of this. I usually (but not always) add just a small amount of milk and sugar, but it also tastes delicious without, which surprised me. I like the strength and heartiness of Assam, but it can sometimes be a bit overpowering on its own, and I can rarely drink it plain. The Ceylon in this blend works really well to smooth out the bite of the Assam, while still keeping the robustness. This tin was a gift, but I would certainly buy it myself—and may do just that when I run out! I’m very pleased.

This tea was both good and somewhat disappointing. I think I would have liked it better if I had approached it as just a regular Chinese green, but I was expecting more. For one, I started using filtered water (my city’s tap water tastes good, so I didn’t think it would change much, but it improved the other teas I had tried. Moreover, both the price ($22 per tin—but I only got two teaspoons’ worth at Whole Foods, which was lucky) and the description made me expect a spectacularly fantastic green. Maybe it was, and my taste buds just aren’t yet used to all the subtleties in Chinese greens, but to me it tasted like others I’ve had. Good, but not fantastic.

A good lemon tea. Not exciting (to me), but nice.

A nice tea to drink in the winter. Good for a fruit/spice lover who wants a caffeine hit.

A vaguely wimpy tea that promises chocolate and mint, and sort of delivers. Maybe I should steep it a lot longer. Or add cocoa?

This is currently my favorite tea. I love sweet, fruity, tart tea. But I also dislike black tea, so keep that in mind if you’re looking for recommendations.

I love peach, I love ginger, and I love Republic of Tea … I wanted to like this tea but was disappointed. I don’t taste the ginger, and there is just something off about the peach … it seems almost … soapy, maybe? I love everything else from Republic of Tea!

Great Canadian TTB and sipdown!! (203)

Thank you Jeweled Thumb for including this in the box however there is something I am not loving in this cup. It starts of fruity but quickly turns hibiscusy (is there even hibiscus in this?) and ends on an almost sour note. It is just not for me but definitely fun to try.

Sipdown!! (204)

Thank you TraceyC for the chance to try this tea. I remember enjoying the last cup but this one is tasting a bit off. The black base is a little more prominent, the dusty nut element prevalent, and the hint of caramel is bordering on cloying. It is a completely different taste experience and a rather sour note to finish this off with. I don’t think I will be having this tea again if for nothing else but the inconsistency between cups.

Thank you TraceyC for sending me some of these teabags to try. I am actually very confused because I was immediately reminded of Bigelow’s Eggnogg’n Tea when I smelled the steeping cup and there is no reason I should be. Sipping away at this now, I am pleasantly surprised as it is slighty nutty and has a nice vanilla-caramel flavor. However, it is a tad thick for my liking and so for that reason, I probably won’t seek it out once I finish what I was sent. Nonetheless, not bad for a teabag.

One of my favorite teas. I’m used to Moroccan mint tea with spearmint and I think this one is peppermint but it doesn’t matter – this is by far my favorite go-to tea.

This tea is a nice blend of blackberry and sage. I am glad that the sage does not overpower the blackberry. This is a nice ice tea. I can definitely drink this on a hot summer day.

Had a milk oolong last weekend at the Crazy Wisdom Bookstore and Tea Room in Ann Arbor. It was incredible. I wish I had bought some while I was there. I had to settle for this. It is good, but not quite as creamy/silky/caramel-y. It will do until I can make it back to Ann Arbor.