McNulty's Tea & Coffee Co., Inc.

Smooth, round and delicious without being heavy. Reminiscent of Yunnan tea but a bit less earthy. The folks at McNultys recommended it when I stopped by looking for a black tea that was special and not as well known. It did not disappoint.

The stamp on the bag in which the tea was packaged said “Old-Fashioned Apple Pie Blended Tea,” but the tea listed on the website is simply “Apple Pie” (http://mcnultys.com/products/apple-pie). There was certainly an aroma of apple pie both before I brewed the tea and after, as well as notes of cinnamon and (to my mind) a very slight caramel flavor as well. The flavor held up very well even after being brewed; I added vanilla creamer after brewing. No harsh flavors, just a rather gentle apple pie flavor. I brewed my pot for four minutes (suggestion as per the tea company: 3-5 minutes).

The stamp on the bag says “Amorous Almond,” although it’s simply listed as “Almond” on McNulty’s website (http://mcnultys.com/products/almond-black). As with the other McNulty’s flavored black teas that I’ve purchased (the raspberry and the old-fashioned apple pie blended tea), there’s a wonderful aroma both with the loose leaf tea itself and after brewing. I added vanilla creamer to my four-minute brewed almond tea and enjoyed how creamy and marzipan-y the tea tasted.

Such a good tea! I steeped this for four minutes (recommendation: 3-5), which was just strong enough (I tend to like my teas on the stronger side). Strong raspberry aroma, good balanced raspberry flavor – not too light, where it’s simply a light fragrance, but definitely apparent. I added vanilla creamer to my cup, which made the tea taste like raspberry cream tea. Absolutely lovely.

I’ve been avoiding trying this one to be honest. I remembered my roommate asking if she could eat this tea (it’s got chunks of dried pineapple in it) and that grossed me out so I put it aside but figured I should try it eventually.

It’s very watery – I steeped it with 1.5 tsp for 15 minutes and it’s very mild. The one flavor that sticks out is the pineapple. It’s actually mostly pineapple, and not at all tart. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have a problem with pineapple, but I wish there was something else.

This is one of my favorite teas. It has a very complex flavor that I would describe as light, sweet, and slightly fruity (peach, raisins?). It is smooth and lacks astringency.

THE RUNDOWN
Not going to do a full rundown because I’ve had this tea before. I just uncovered I still had some in a mason jar in a box full of mugs I’ve ignored for about 2.5 years. Still good, obviously: mason jar.
1) First Taste: I love the smokiness the pinewood adds, but it’s not overbearing (probably because this isn’t the heavy-smoke variety). I get a nice acidity too, but that may be because I brewed dark (5+ min).
2) Long Story Short: If you have never tried a Lapsang, this might be a go to – plus it’s available online if you’re not in the tri-state. They ship ANYWHERE. Maybe I’ll try the full-smoke someday, but for now, this my go-to loose leaf China black tea for any time.

The Rundown
1) Trying this at a friend’s house. Only sweetening with an expired agave but who really cares. It is sweet smelling already so not too much agave. Long thin leaves so use a sachet instead of an infuser IMHO.
2) First taste: very earthy and extremely mild. I don’t like my green tea to be too strong. This makes me happy. Definitely a lot of wet earth smells.
3) Second sip: definitely getting a lot more sweetness. Some pine scents and flavors too. I would definitely buy this as a go-to.

This is the first spearmint tea I’ve ever had. I’m a devoted peppermint tea drinker. It’s much more subtle than peppermint. It’s good for when you want a palate cleanser but not something overwhelming.

I’ve never tried a milk oolong before. In fact all oolong teas are relatively new to me. I picked this up on a recent visit to McNulty’s Tea & Coffee Co., Inc. and decided to give it a try.

It is very light both in color (a pale green) and taste. The first cup I tried with a bit of Splenda. It had an odd initial taste that almost reminded me of Playdough (probably because this is the first time I’ve tried a milk oolong). After a few seconds it took on a more buttery taste that was pleasant.

I re-steeped the leaves (this time for 12 minutes) and drank it with no sweetener. It was a bit stronger than the first cup and the buttery flavor was a bit more pronounced.

I enjoyed this tea and will definitely explore milk oolongs from other sellers.

The smell reminds me of the spring rolls at our local Asian market. I may have to reserve some for a rice dish. It has a very distinct oolong flavor similar to the dark oolong that we get a Chinese diner.

Backlog:

This is one that I didn’t find on McNulty’s website anymore … it’s not bad. I could taste the berry and the cream notes, and there was a pleasant black tea base. I had one cup hot and then I made a pitcher of iced tea with it – and it’s tasty iced.

This is very dark, and a little bit smokey for an Earl Grey. I adore it.

This tea smells like a bouquet of berries! I think the primary smell I am getting is strawberry.

When I taste it, I first taste the berries, followed by black tea. It is very smooth. I definitely get a lot of berry flavor, but it isn’t so strong that you don’t taste the tea.

This is one of those teas that grows on me as I drink more of it. I am about half way done with my cup, and keep raising the rating slider.

I could see this being a very good fruity iced tea in the summer time.

Very solid Tikuanyin. I especially like the scent of the dried rolled leaves – it is clear that the brewed cup will be dense with flavor, and sure enough, it is. The brewed scent is on a floral/vegetal boundary that is rather pleasant.

The complex color of the brew is less green than others of this variety that I’ve tried, perhaps the leaves are oxidized a bit more.

The taste is what one might expect from the scent but less buttery than the greener versions. It’s floral and sweet, a very soothing mixture that is best enjoyed as one reflects and relaxes.

When I’m craving a hot cocoa, but desire a brewed cup instead, I reach for this tea on chilly days. I love serving it after cooking a meal for close friends. A great tea for dessert as well.

My daily cuppa to get the day started or to enjoy at tea time. I drink it with organic non-fat milk for a more filling flavour. Highly recommended.

This is the non-decaf version of a favorite. The stamp on the bag says “Amorous Almond” although I think the listing in the catalog and in the shop just says “Almond” – it might be a bit cheeky, but I like the alliteration better. :) Just the right amount of sweetness and almond flavor. It goes well with soymilk, and sugar would be a great addition too for a real treat.

Just the right amount of smokiness, and it’s great on the 2nd steep. I think I’ll be drinking this one a lot.

Fruity and delicious. A great evening drink – soothing!

This is the last of my sample. There was more than enough for my tiny teapot, but not enough for a cup, so I made a super strong tiny teapot and steeped for a shorter time (thinking of Samovar’s recommendations as I did). I have to echo the hint of peanut butter. Now that I’ve read that, I’m totally getting it, too.