Tea Reviews

	My Tea Review Page Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea . - author Henry James (1843-1916)
	I dedicate this page to all who understand the joy of a good cup of tea. These are my impressions of a few of the teas I have tried. They were generally obtained at the local grocer or ethnic food mart with a few exceptions. Most of them are every day teas for everyday people. You won’t be reading a lot of deep thoughts. You also aren’t going to get a lot of gourmet description of the teas like this tea has a pleasant amber color and a flowery bouquet with just a hint of nuttiness. What the heck does that mean? Was it any good? In that vein, here are my mini reviews. I have listed the reviews by company name in alphabetical order.
	Ahmad This is a 50 year old English company that I have only recently discovered. While I have only tried a few of their teas, based on just that small sampling I would not be hesitant to try any of their others blends. This is very good tea. At first I could only get this brand online. I have since found it in some specialty food stores. Darjeeling A fine black tea grown in northern India at ‘the foothills of the Himalayas’. Also known as the champagne of teas, such a title can mean this tea is a little more expensive. Ahmad’s blend is my first Darjeeling. It has a very distinct taste that has quickly become my second favorite tea. This is obviously a black tea but with a slight grassiness, similar to a fine green tea. Possibly this has something to do with its fermenting time as it seems close to an oolong in taste. In the cup it is amber and not nearly as dark as Ahmad’s Earl Grey. This is a very enjoyable cup of tea but the brew can become bitter if you steep for too long. The instructions say 3 to 5 minutes steep time. I say stay on the low end of the limit and go longer only after tasting. Whereas Ahmad’s No. 1 tea is simply smooth goodness, this blend has a bit more attitude, refined though it may be, that I found interesting. Definitely recommended. Earl Grey I have a weakness for Earl Grey tea. It began years ago and shows no sign of easing up any time soon. I have tried this bergamot-flavored tea in bag form. The black tea taste comes through very well, as the bergamot does not overpower it. The citrus flavor is complex and changes with the temperature of the drink. If you are a fellow Grey junkie, you will really like this tea. Earl Grey Green I love this tea! It is my extreme nothing else even comes close favorite. Let me say it again, I love this tea! I first tried it in bag form when Twinings stopped selling their version of this tea in the U.S. a couple years ago (they have since resumed). I was instantly hooked. I have also bought it in loose-leaf form (loose leaf is much more economical). The green tea is very good. The leaves when dry are about the size of half a pine needle. After brewing, they swell and unfurl into full leaves. The bergamot flavoring is just the right amount to give the tea a wonderful aroma and a taste that draws you in and begs you to relax. Not every one likes green tea. I believe it is because they have never tasted a good cup of green tea. Try this a few times and I am pretty sure you will agree that when you go back to black tea it tastes bland and flat in comparison. Can you tell I love this tea? English Tea No.1 A blend of black teas lightly flavored with bergamot. When they say lightly flavored they mean just that. This is not Earl Grey but that is ok. This produces a very dark liquor that is smooth and delicious. My first thought was Twinings Prince of Wales. I enjoyed the first sip while steaming hot and as it cooled it changed flavors slightly and became better in my opinion. There was no bitterness and no aftertaste. This blend is definitely worth trying. Bentley My wife brought home a wooden tea chest filled with Bentley tea. All of it is labeled as pure Ceylon tea. The chest was wrapped in plastic. The whole package was $10 in an after Christmas sale, so the box is nice enough for the price paid. The individual tea bags were in paper wrappers. The smell of the raspberry tea dominated when the box was opened. This fact is bound to have affected the tastes of the teas mentioned below, so keep that in mind. Earl Grey While this was actually a pleasant cup of tea, if it had any bergamot oil/ flavoring in it I couldn’t detect it. As an Earl Grey it fails miserably but as a mellow cup of black tea it was enjoyable. English Breakfast I never purposely grab this classic. I have nothing against it. The problem is it just isn’t memorable in my opinion. This blend is no exception. It is beige. Nice enough I think… I just can’t remember. Green This reminds me of a green tea I used to get at a local Chinese restaurant. So I give it extra points for bringing back pleasant memories. While I think this is nowhere near the quality of Ahmad green tea, it is miles above Stash green. The taste has very little grassiness and is not harsh like some green teas. It did have a peculiar I can't place it quality about the taste but that may be due to being surrounded in the box by the smells of the other flavored teas. Orange spice This is just nasty harsh. It irritated my throat. The taste was heavily cinnamon flavored. I detected no orange and little tea taste. I removed this from the chest so as not to ever accidentally drink this again! Peach I fully expected to hate this tea. It surprised me. The peach aroma is inviting but it did not mask the tea flavor. Bentley behaved themselves. Instead of the overpowering nasty drink I was expecting, this was a wonderfully subtle cup of tea. Raspberry My only previous experience with raspberry tea was ice tea at Olive Garden. I asked them to take it away and bring me something I could drink! So I was leery of trying this tea. Unlike the Peach, the Raspberry is very detectable in the taste but it was enjoyable. I would like it more if it were less flavored, however, when I finished the cup I immediately wanted another. I must add, a friend of mine tried this tea and immediately swore off trying any Bentley tea ever again. What I am saying is your mileage may vary. Bigelow Founded in 1945 by Ruth Campbell Bigelow, R.C. Bigelow, Inc. is based in Fairfield, CT. Bigelow tea is readily available in almost every super market and super center in America. Earl Grey This is the tea that started my lifelong passion, or addiction whichever the case, for Earl Grey. I have used the regular and decaf versions of this black tea in bag form. It used to come in a heavy cardboard container with a metal top and bottom. The lid was oval-shaped metal that you had to pry open. Now it comes in an ordinary cardboard box but the bags are individually sealed in foil envelopes. I haven’t bought it in a few years so I am not sure if they are still using actual bergamot in the blend or if they have switched to flavoring like most companies. The original blend is still my favorite black tea. I recently found an old box in the back of the cupboard. Even way past the expiration date it tasted so very good. Hello old friend! *( see update below) Constant Comment Originally blended at her kitchen table this is the tea that launched Ruth Bigelow’s tea empire. This is also the tea that started my passion for tea beyond the Lipton iced tea my family consumes (the Earl Grey addiction came later). This is a black tea with orange peel and spices. If you are just starting out looking for teas or if this is one you just missed, I highly recommend you try this legend for yourself. (* see update below)** Update - I recently purchased a new box of both Bigelow Constant Comment and Earl Grey. The first of either I had bought in a while. I was sadly disappointed as the brew was very weak and bland compared to my memories of it. In large part the problem was the oversized Starbucks cup I have been using recently. The bigger issue for you to consider is Bigelow has repackaged their teas to contain only 1.65g per bag instead of the 2g bags I remembered. To get the same taste I used to get in an 8oz cup it is now necessary to cut the cup size down to just 6.6oz. Will this hurt Bigelow sales? Stash has used the smaller bag size for years so maybe not but I will now find it harder to recommend Bigelow tea. Ethnic Gourmet* A division of Hain Celestial Group, Inc., which sells Celestial Seasons tea. Honey Lotus Oolong This is the only tea I have seen so far by Ethnic Gourmet. It is also my first oolong tea, so I have nothing to compare it with, however if this is any indication I will try others. The three flavors (honey, lotus blossom, and oolong tea) blend wonderfully together. The combination suggests, but not quite, a light peachiness. Ordinarily that would not appeal to me but here it is very pleasing. With Jasmine tea the flowery taste is too much, not so with the lotus. The only downside to this tea is I am still not sure what oolong tastes like, as I can’t single it out of the blend. I will buy this tea again. Sweet and pleasant. Update - Sadly, it appears this tea is no longer being sold. What a shame. Golden Moon Tea This is not a mass produced tea. This loose leaf teas can be found online at www.GoldenMoonTea.com. At first you might be inclined to think a specialty tea is too expensive compared to off the shelf tea. A 3oz tin starts at roughly $18 and up depending on what you buy. That is equivalent to three boxes of bag tea which probably cost you between $10.50 and $12. Box tea runs 18-20 cents/cup verses 30+ for specialty tea. So yes specialty tea is more expensive but when you consider that you will pay $1.89 per cup or glass on average for a mediocre tea in a restraunt, specialty blends are actually a real bargain for a good tea. Coconut Pouchong Beautiful long green tea leaves (grand pouchong - a very lightly fermented oolong) and essence of coconut. While I like coconut, I was pretty sure it did not belong in tea. Approaching this tea with caution, I was more than pleasantly surprised. The liquor is very light yellow-green, almost clear, in the cup and the aroma is wonderful. The coconut taste was very smooth and creamy with a natural sweetness. I added some sweetner, as this is my custom, and it was almost too sweet. Half a packet would be perfect. When brewing, I caution you to use a 2" tea ball as the leaves really expand. I filled the tea ball three times and got a total of 9 infusions out of the sample packet before a co-worker made me throw it away. Patting the leaves dry to use again the next day was too much for him. I just couldn't bring myself to part with this tea as it is very addictive. Each cup tasted as good as the first. The closest I have to a negative comment is the flavors blend so perfectly it was a little difficult to separate out the taste of the tea. Honey Pear Ingredients include good quality black tea and pollen pieces. I didn't like the smell of this tea in the package - to me it was very medicinal. The liquor is dark caramel colored. The taste is a lot better than I expected. Nice and smooth, slightly sweet and did not have an overpowering aftertaste. Not caring much for fruit teas it is hard for me to give this a fair assessment. I shared it with three co-workers and they all liked the smell and the taste. One of them commenting that it smelled like a Jolly Rancher. So the vote went one loved it, two liked it, and one (me) didn't hate it but didn't like it either. Got at least two infusions out of each tea ball filling - approximately one rounded teaspoon. Nepalese Afternoon Tea Of all the Golden Moon Teas I sampled, this is the one I was looking most forward to trying. They say, “The infused nectar evokes serene notes of lotus, honey, and fragrant sandalwood”. I was hoping to have found a replacement for Ethnic Gourmet’s Honey Lotus Blossom Tea, which is no longer offered. This tea is not that replacement. The ingredients are organic black tea. Where they get the honey, lotus, sandalwood, imagery escapes me. This is a good mellow black tea. It is not bitter and has no nasty aftertaste. I did enjoy the cup but it is not what I was anticipating. Rose Tea Black tea with rose flavor and petals. My first rose tea. I finished the cup but did not desire a second. It is probably good. I just don't care. My wife on the other hand enjoyed this tea a lot. Sencha I am not a Japanese green tea fan. I prefer Chinese green tea but this is much more pleasant than I expected. The dry leaves have the traditional dried grass smell. In fact they look like grass clippings, however, once brewed it expands significantly into full leaves. The liquor is a pale green. The taste is smooth with no bitterness. If more traditional green teas tasted like this good quality tea I might learn to really enjoy it. Sugar Caramel Oolong This is a fun tea blend. With burnt sugar and caramel as ingredients this is obviously a sweet tea. I can envision this as a replacement for hot chocolate in the early morning or just sitting in front of a fire on a cold day. Twinings China oolong I would not recommend to just anyone. This oolong is a lot easier to suggest. If you are looking for a traditional tea this ain't it but if you are looking for a fun dessert tea this would do nicely. Harry & David Estate Teas Harry & David Operations Corp. was officially established in 2005, however, the company really had its beginnings much earlier, just after the turn of the 20th Century. Then after the depression they began selling fruit through the mail. That makes them one of the nation's oldest catalog mail order companies Apple Chai Tea reviews are very subjective and this tea proves it. I gave a friend a box of this tea and he loves it to the point of rationing it so as to make it last forever as we are not sure where to buy it. A fellow coworker originally gave it to me. I did not like it at all. The taste is not reminiscent of any Chai tea I have ever had before and the apple I find overpowering and overly sweet. I gave it a fair try and still don't like it. Pumpkin Spice Rooibos Contains rooibos, cinnamon, ginger root, and artificial and natural pumpkin essence (whatever that means). Ok, since this is a red tea it isn’t technically a tea. I include it here as it is the best use of red tea I have tried. It looks good in the cup. It smells good. It tastes good. The tin it comes in is a keeper for future use. This was given to me and I have no idea where to buy it but if you find some, it is worth trying if red tea interests you. Kroger Brand Green Tea Perhaps the worst example of green tea I have ever tried to drink. In a blind taste test I would be hard pressed to distinguish between this tea and a cup of cheap latex paint. Yes it’s that bad. Lipton I only mention this company here as its Brisk tea is the yardstick most of us in America use to measure all other teas. Love it or hate it Lipton iced tea is as American as apple pie. I personally am not a fan of it hot, but iced it satisfies like nothing else. Numi Makers of organic teas. Mint Puerh An organic green tea blend with Moroccan mint. A slightly oxidized tea, that is then ripened and aged for months. This is my first puerh tea. I applaud Numi for using a generous 2g of whole tea leaves in each bag. However, I am not a fan of mint tea – it is like drinking tea with gum in your mouth. To my tastes, this would be a much more pleasant drink with none or half the mint although it is not completely overwhelming in this blend. When hot, the tea has a very earthy taste similar to Twinings Oolong. The earthiness becomes less pronounced as the tea cools. I imagine this is not for everyone but it is an interesting quality tea. Package contains 16 tea bags. Organic India An organic tea company Tulsi Tea Also labeled India Breakfast. Contains organic black tea and Tulsi. I had never heard of Tulsi before trying this tea. It is apparently a very common herb in India grown in nearly every home garden. Also known as holy basil it has a sort of clove aroma. A friend commented it was reminiscent of sassafras. It makes for a pleasant cup of tea that is as familiar as it is unique. Normally served with milk, I enjoyed it with only sweetener. The one negative I had is each bag contains only 1.7g of tea. I really longed for the black tea flavor to come through a little more pronounced. This would subdue the tulsi making for a more enjoyable cup of this otherwise delightful tea. Prince of Peace Founded in 1983 by Kenneth Yeung, POP has its headquarters in San Francisco, California and specializes in importing and distributing gourmet products. Premium Peony White Tea This is inexpensive tea. Don’t let that stop you from trying it. Up until I discovered this brand I considered Stash white tea to be the best of what is available locally. I have changed my mind. I enjoy drinking this tea. I also like that the bags come packed inside a zip lock bag. I also enjoy knowing that every time I buy a box I am helping to support an orphanage in China for special health needs children. That in itself is enough reason to try this brand. More mellow than black tea but similar in taste. Republic of Tea I know nothing about this company and they seem to want it that way. Earl Greyer Green Tea At 3% there is way too much bergamot flavor for way too little tea (1.6g) to produce what I consider a good cup of tea. Smells nice. Salada Founded in 1872 by Peter C. Larkin or in the 1920’s depending on what you read. The company is now owned by Redco Foods, Inc. White Tea With Green Tea Blend While this isn’t great tea it is pleasant. It is also inexpensive. In the tea deprived wasteland of our local grocer’s shelves this is a little oasis. It will hold you over until you find something better. Green Tea This is an inexpensive non-spectacular tea. While there is nothing particularly wrong with it there is also nothing particularly memorable about it either. It does however stand miles above Stash or Kroger green tea. Stash Originally an American company that was recently bought by a Japanese company. Stash has been blending and selling tea since 1972. Earl Grey It’s Earl Grey so I give them an E for effort on this black tea. The problem for me is the brew is too weak to enjoy (1.6g). The taste is pleasant enough. There just isn’t enough of it. Fusion Red & White Tea This is one of my favorite Stash teas. It is a blend of Red and White teas. White tea is similar to green tea in its processing as it is not fermented. The difference is white tea uses very young leaves giving it its unique taste, which I think has more in common with black tea. Rooibos or red tea is not a true tea. It is made from a small African shrub. It has a naturally sweet earthy taste to it. This is labeled as caffeine free so it is a perfect late evening drink. The taste of red tea is impossible to describe. If you are curious this is the one I would try first. Green Tea This tea is just plain bad. It tastes – and I do not exaggerate here – like a cupful of dried grass clippings. If that appeals to you fine, otherwise look elsewhere. Lemon & White Tea White tea has less caffeine than other true teas but this one is apparently further decaffeinated making this another fine choice for late evening. What I really appreciate about this tea is how understated the flavoring of lemongrass and pure lemon oil is in the blend. For some peculiar reason most companies think that if a little is good a lot must be great. Stash did not follow that maxim with Lemon & White and I appreciate it. This is a very good tea. Orange Spice Decaf Tea A Blend of naturally decaffeinated black teas, cinnamon, orange peel, chicory, hibiscus flowers, and natural flavors of orange and clove. Not at all what I was expecting. I had tried a different orange spice and hated it. This is a pleasant little tea. It is spicy enough that I would not call it mellow. It is more comfortable. The cinnamon and clove taste dominate and I really could not distinguish the orange in the blend. It is not Lady Grey but it is not bad. Pumpkin Spice Naturally decaffeinated black tea, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin spice flavor, and clove. I wouldn’t want this all the time but it is a fun drink. The box says to add milk to compliment the luscious flavor. White Tea I like this tea a lot. Similar in taste to a black tea but it is much more mellow. I can’t think of a better way to describe it. It does not have that after bite that most hot black teas have. St. Dalfour A French company. That is all I know about them. Earl Grey The box says this contains organic Ceylon tea with the all natural flavor of bergamot. The bags are individually wrapped in foil envelope. I don’t know if the box I tried was mislabeled or if it really is their take on Earl Grey tea. I enjoyed it but it tasted like a cinnamon flavored tea not Earl Grey. Much more subtle than the Bigelow cinnamon tea I drank years ago. Not bad but not what I was expecting. Tazo Tazo was started by, among others, a couple men who originally founded Stash. Though only a recent entry in the tea market Tazo was purchased by Starbucks and has become their house brand of tea. Earl Grey You should be able to tell by now that if I am out where tea is on the menu, I am going to go for the Earl Grey before anything else. So when my son forced me into going into a Starbucks against my will, I ordered my favorite blend. I was underwhelmed. If it said English Breakfast on the label I might consider it a passable cup of tea, but it doesn't. I detected no bergamot flavoring or oil at all. If it is in there it is in such small quantities as to be of no value. My first thought was the tea had been on the coffee shop shelf too long and lost its flavor but my son brought a box, he had bought elsewhere, home to try and the flavor was the same. It is strong black tea that leaves the standard black tea aftertaste but there is no citrus flavor to this blend. It might have made a pleasant iced tea but it is a not worthy of the name Earl Grey. Vanilla Rooibos Not a true tea but an African shrub. As much as I disliked Tazo’s take on Earl Grey, I thought it only fair to comment on how much I enjoyed this drink. The smell of the tea bag is simply wonderful and brews up a beautiful red liquor in the cup. Naturally sweet, adding sweetener is almost too much. Blended with rooibos, vanilla, apple pieces, peach pieces, and other herbs and spices. I have not tried an instore latte yet but after trying this tea in bag form, I believe it would be enjoyable. Twinings They have been making tea since 1706 so I suspect they know what they are doing. Maybe that explains why I can’t think of a single Twinings tea I have tried that I haven’t enjoyed. Chai Ingredients listed are black tea, natural chai, cinnamon & ginger flavors, other natural flavors, cardamom, clove. This is kind of like Lady Grey meets Constant Comment. It is a very enjoyable cup of flavor. The black tea is bold and like other Twinings offerings is not bitter and leaves no nasty aftertaste to ruin the pleasure. If you enjoy Chai teas I highly recommend this blend. Since Chai tea is traditionally slow brewed with heavy milk it seems fitting to suggest adding milk to the cup. China Oolong This tea is one of Twinings Origins blends which according to the press release means it is made of the finest teas from the world's best tea growing regions. This particular tea is not for everyone. Unless you are the adventurous type you might want to avoid China Oolong. Don't get me wrong, I like this tea. I just don't want to mislead any one. This tea has a slightly sweet flavor. It has a earthy taste that reminds me of the smell of a forest floor. Oolong is partially fermented and that may explain the taste. This is only my second Oolong and is very different from anything else I have tried. To really enjoy this tea I personally prefer to prepare it differently than per the instructions on the box of pouring fresh boiling water over the tea bag. Labeled to be a light flavor tea I find it is a little too bold for my tastes prepared by the directions. I pour near boiling water into the cup and let it cool a few degrees before adding the bag. This is similar to the way a white tea should be brewed. I like most teas strong but find this one works better if the brew is not so in your face. A cooler starting temperature mellows out this blend nicely. Still it is not a tea for everyone. Earl Grey I switched to this tea from Bigelow brand because this is a bergamot flavored tea rather than containing the actual oil of bergamot. That might sound strange to some but I made the change on purpose. The oil has a more complex taste but it seemed to be harder on my system. Your mileage may vary. Twinings Earl Grey allowed me to continue to indulge. However, recently Twinings has reformulated this blend and increased the bergamot flavoring. I liked the original blend better but maybe you will enjoy the change. It is still very good - just different. The citrus is brighter, and a littke more tart, in the new fomulation. There is 2g of good quality black tea in the bag. Earl Grey Green I really enjoyed this tea when I first discovered it. I had it hidden away everywhere. Then they discontinued sales in the United States for a time. I was sad but I moved on after a time of mourning. Now it is back (who knows for how long). I immediately grabbed a box to celebrate its return. Seems the time off was to reformulate the blend. It is now a 3% bergamot flavored tea. I personally liked the old formula much better. There is enough actual tea in the bag (2g) that I can make a strong enough cup for my tastes but I prefer a slightly less amount of the citrus flavor. I am sure they have done their research. I hope they do well. It is not that it is bad, it isn’t. It is just not my, ahem, cup of tea. Oh, come on you knew I was eventually going to say it. English Breakfast A friend of mine once claimed this was his favorite tea. It has a strong enough flavor to be enjoyable without being bitter. I enjoy it while drinking it but can't remember what it tastes like afterwards. Beige, a good quality beige, but still beige in my opinion. Green Tea This makes a very good cup of green tea. Like most green tea, the aroma has a hint of grassiness about it but the taste does not. It is a very smooth tea with no bitter after taste. My Sunbeam Hot Shot heats the water almost too much for this tea but if I let the cup sit for about a minute before adding the tea bag, I get a really delicious drink. With lesser green teas I am done with the drink before it is gone. With Twinings green tea I enjoyed every drop. Gunpowder Green According to legend this tea is so named because the tea leaves are rolled into very tight little balls that resemble gunpowder. OK I have to admit it, my son and I tried this tea for the simple reason we thought the name was cool. It is a bold tea like its name. I will almost guarantee that you will make it too strong on your first attempt. Because of the tightly rolled leaves it takes a smaller measure of the tea per cup. This tea is also said to make a good iced tea, though we have never tried it to see. Lady Grey A much overlooked and under appreciated black tea. Ingredients include black tea, orange, lemon, and citrus flavor. The orange and lemon are 3% each of the total blend but in this case they do not overpower the drink (unless they have recently reformulated this blend as well). Bergamot is at least part of the citrus flavor mentioned. That may be the reason this is my second favorite type tea after Earl Grey. Prince of Wales A good black tea. I normally don’t drink a lot of hot straight black tea without other flavorings added. This is an exception. This blend is very smooth without the after taste common to most hot black teas. Pure White Tea Another or the Origins teas. I don't think I have met a white tea I didn't like. This tea I love. No bitterness. No aftertaste. Smooth and delicious. Much more mellow than black tea but similar in taste. Made from handpicked buds and air dried this tea rocks. If I weren't seriously addicted to Earl Grey I would probably drink this every day. Vanilla This reminds me of Vanilla Coke without the bubbles. Not that they taste the same but rather they suffer from the same problem. Both are way over done. This is simply too much of a good thing. Often I take a Coke and add a tiny portion of vanilla syrup to it and the result is quite tasty but the canned product I find nearly undrinkable. I think the same thing applies to Twinings Vanilla. Half the vanilla would have been more than adequate. This tea was recently removed from the Twinings lineup. Taylors of Harrogate Founded in 1886 by an enterprising Yorkshire tea merchant, Charles Taylor. Yorkshire Gold An English chap informed me that when the British sit down to tea this is their drink. From an American point of view, I don’t think it makes a good iced tea, however as a hot tea it shines. This is especially suited in my opinion as a morning replacement to coffee. Their oversized bags make for a strong brew that tastes stout. I suggest using a bigger cup. This is not a tea for wusses. Home Loose leaf or bags? Tea Storage Iced Tea Hot Tea Tea Reviews Tea Links Well there you have my thoughts on several teas. I would be interested in your thoughts of these or any other tea that has captured you imagination or sent you screaming towards the drain. Feel free to drop me a note.