Tea InfusiastI have been thinking over my surprise teas of 2024: the teas that made a big impression on me that weren’t already on my favorites list. The first teas that came to mind were all flavored teas. Historically, I tend to drink a lot more unflavored teas. So, this was quite a surprise!
My surprise standout teas of 2024 so far include:
Hi, Tea Friend! Hope you have been steeping up and sipping down lots of good tea lately. This post shares a confession about tea steeping temperature.
Rosebud tea can be delightful. Let’s compare the flavor, mouthfeel, and more of yellow vs. pink rosebuds steeped as herbal tea.
I have been drinking pink rose and pink rosebud tea for some time. Yellow rosebuds, by contrast, are relatively new to me. Realizing I had two different colored rosebud herbal teas, both grown in Iran, made me curious to compare them. The results surprised me!
Their flavor profiles, beauty, and more persuaded me to add persimmon leaf and magnolia blossom herbal teas into my tisane rotation at home.
I am a long time devotee of “real tea” (from the Camellia Sinensis plant) and relatively late to discovering herbal teas that I enjoy drinking regularly. No one was more surprised than I was when I wrote my first Herbal Tea Recommendations post a few months ago! Since then, I’ve found two new tisanes to add to my recommendations.
Note: always research any potential health risks associated with herbal teas before you try them.
This post shares herbal tea recommendations based on flavor profiles that I love.
I’ve always been primarily a non-herbal tea drinker. It took me years to find herbal teas that I really enjoy. In this post, I’m happy to highlight seven that I love.
This post shares the wonderful teas of 2023 that my monthly newsletter, Tea Infusiast News, featured in its “What’s Steeping” section.
I paid full price for each of these teas (except one given to me by a friend). In other words, no one is sponsoring this post.*
This post shares tasting notes for three delightful teas from Teawala. Read on for my thoughts on their Khiri Gold (black tea from Thailand), Rice Oolong (oolong tea processed with an herb from Thailand), and Ruby Red (black tea from Taiwan).
This post shares tasting notes for three teas from Tea Vivre. I have bought and enjoyed many teas from them. These impressions, however, are for three teas that they sent me for free. Per my review policy, I had no obligation to review unless I sincerely enjoyed them. I certainly did! Read on for my thoughts on their award-winning 2019 Bai MuDan, their Fuding Shou Mei White Tea Mini Cakes, and their Phoenix Dan Cong.
I appreciate that Tea Vivre offers both gongfu and western-style brewing suggestions on their website. I tend to alternate, as you will see below.
Looking for a pure tea–no flavors added–that tastes of chocolate? I heartily recommend trying Korean Balhyo Cha or Balhyo Cha powder for Valentine’s Day. This tea’s leaves have a wonderful chocolaty note. Prepared a certain way, and without adding any sweetener, the powder has vibes of grown-up, gourmet hot cocoa. Both are delicious!
Looking for a kit with an elegant assortment of loose-leaf teas and accessories? Perhaps one that arrives beautifully presented in a red and gold box and contains mostly organic ingredients? If you thought “yes,” I have a recommendation for you! In this post, I share my review of Tea Kit #1 from Samovar Tea.
The tea kit contains two accessories, four loose-leaf teas, a tisane (herbal tea), and a tea guide.