Teaopia

I’m really enjoying this, the spices are perfect and I enjoy the sweet cinnamon flavor that seems to be strongest. I usually prefer the second steep for most teas… except black. We’ll see how this one holds up. But this first taste is delicious, I’m glad my dad shared a bit with me.

Thanks to Indigobloom for this sample as well! I’m glad I finally started tackling some more of my samples from her because they’re super tasty!

So yes, I’ve already sipped at this one, and although I was concerned about a lack of aroma initially, there’s enough flavour here to make me happy. I did the same thing as with the Chocolate Orange Pu’erh, and used about 2.5 tsp leaf for 10-12oz., and although it could be stronger, I’m getting tasty, light strawberry on a nice black base, with zero bitterness. I can’t really say I’m tasting shortcake here at all, just a nice strawberry black, but that’s fine by me, as I’m not fond of shortcake anyhow. The DavidsTea version of SS was much truer to actual shortcake, if that’s what someone is looking for!

Planning on doing the same thing for the re-steep as well, and call this a sipdown by using up the remaining 1/2-1 tsp.

ETA: Re-steep was a bit bitter. I think I should have just brewed a really tiny cup with the remaining small amount of leaves instead of mixing the two, because I’m pretty sure there was little to no flavour left in the used leaves. Ah well.

Thanks to Indigobloom for this sample!

I had a pretty rough/emotional evening yesterday, which turned into some depressing nightmares, which is what I’ve been left with this morning. :( Nothing like starting off the day with some heartache, and feeling helpless that there’s nothing I can do to change things. Anyhow, I opted to brew up some samples that I’ve had for ages, in a (probably futile) attempt to make myself feel better.

This one made the cut, as I was looking for something a bit heavier this morning. Brewed up, it smells much more reminiscent of ETS’ Scottish Caramel Toffee Pu’erh, or whatever it is called, than the DavidsTea version of a chocolate orange pu’erh. So basically, I’m detecting delicious caramelly flavours, and really no orange whatsoever. On the sip, I’m pretty much getting the same. Caramelly yum, and maybe just the barest hint of orange. Strangely, I’m not really getting chocolate here either. I could probably be convinced that someone swapped my sample for the Scottish Caramel Toffee Pu’erh, actually (except that there were clearly orange pieces in my baggie!)

So in the end, this tea loses major points for not being chocolatey OR orangey…. however I am very much enjoying my cup of it in spite of that. Since a) this tea is unavailable now anyhow, and b) I tend to rate teas more heavily weighted on flavour than how true the flavour is to the name, I’m going to ignore entirely that fact and rate it high, because it’s very yum.

Also, I should note that I used about 2.5 tsp in my mug (~10-12oz.) to compensate for tea age. I suspect this will re-steep decently, so will probably throw the remaining 1/2-1 tsp of tea into the infuser for the re-steep to use it up. Not that I’m anxious to get rid of it, just…. sipdown! :D

ETA: Re-steep, 4 min at boiling, using the extra leaf, actually has some orange flavour! Shocking :P Still caramelly but less so, and still not getting chocolate. I’m getting a bit of the throat-scratchy feeling now that I get with the DavidsTea version… still can’t figure out what the deal with that is, since I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen to me with other pu’erhs, but it does happen with rooibos, yet not honeybush. Hrrrrrm.

I had this earlier today while I was fighting with my ex-boyfriend and crying. Also, I’m sick. This might be a terrible reflection on the true taste of this tea, but I was a bit let down. It smells very creamy and delicious, however, the taste didn’t quite live up to that aroma.

I’m really fond of this tea! I’m so sad it’s been discontinued. I’ve been using DavidsTea’s Mother’s Littler Helper, which is good, but not the same. The fennel/licorice root/aniseed portion gave Sleep Well an aftertaste that grew on me. I don’t normally like licorice, so that’s impressive. The rooibos also gave it a really beautiful hue.

I miss it. :( Every time I brewed it, simply smelling it cheered me up and calmed me down.

Tried a cup of this one again, still not really sure. I think my cold is making me sensitive to certain flavors, I’m even struggling with food right now, so I’m going to try it once more when I’m feeling better. It’s not my favorite, though.

Not sure about this one quite yet. I love how fruity it is without being overly sweet, but there is something about it that makes me just not LOVE it. I’ll keep trying.

Kind of disappointed by this one, but I got it from my dad and I’m not sure how long he’s had it in the cupboard. Seemed a little weak.

Something didn’t work with this one. It smells fantastic. The smell of the wet leaves was amazing. The tea itself was really bitter to me though. Didn’t keep my cup full of this one.

I loved this tea from Teaopia and Teavana. It’s been discontinued and I’m looking for a replacement. Any suggestions? I tried the Tealux Sleepy Tea and it was terrible, it even made me feel slightly ill.

A very simple tea, the classic tastes of vanilla and rooibos. I’ve also tried this as a latte and it was pretty good.

Back when Teaopia was still around this was my go to drink! I would always get it cold with agave in it. The agave really brings out the sweetness of this tea, while everything else mixes so subtly and nicely together.

Really incredible! I used to work at Teaopia and this was my go-to for customers not knowing where to start! It’s got sweetness that isn’t too overpowering and it makes a great hot cup of tea with a little added sugar or honey. :)

My absolute favourite tea!

If you’re looking for something to compare to Starbucks, this isn’t it. This tea tastes like a traditional pumpkin and is not sweet at all.

I don’t know how much of a reason there is in reviewing Teopia teas anymore, since I don’t think Teavana has any intention of bringing them back, but someone new who isn’t my mother is following me, and I’ve had about 5 cups of this today, so colour me inspired.

This tea has a great sweet, nutty, smooth smell to it both dry and brewed. In all honesty it isn’t that different from Teaopia’s Fireside S’mores tea. Obviously it’s stronger as it’s all black tea (which makes brewing it easier actually, the s’mores tea has white, oooling and black tea in it which makes determining the best brewing temperature to bring out the plethora of tastes without turning it bitter very difficult).

It can go astringent if you forget to pull the leaves out in time (I typically leave it in for about 4-4.5 minutes – makes it nice and strong), but even at its most bitter it’s still drinkable.

Obviously I don’t need to worry about if I’ll buy this again, but I can be thankful that I stocked up on this before Teaopia ran out (at %75 off, and yes that DOES make it taste better)

Loose
Appearance: dark knobby oolong, berries and fruit noticeable
Aroma when Dry: fruity, syrupy, jammy, plum notes

After water is first poured: fruity, plum notes
At end of steep: light plum
Tea liquor:
At beginning of steep:
At end of steep: light brownish pink
Staple? No
Preferred time of day: unsure, first tasting
Taste:
At first: tart, jammy, slight astringency, closing on an odd sweet note
As it cools ? Stays jammy, sour, plum note changes in odd way, astringency increases, notes get cloying

Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, plum, citrus notes, syrupy astringency

Loose
Aroma when Dry: fruity, notes of cactus, orange, fig
After water is first poured: fig and orange
At end of steep: cloying fruity, malowy
Tea liquor:
At end of steep: meadow green
Staple? No
Preferred time of day: unsure, first tasting
Taste:
At first: drying sandalwood notes, followed by orange, closing faint fig note
As it cools ? Notes open up into layered bitter, sour, grassy
Additives used (milk, honey, sugar etc)? No
Lingers? Yes, astringent, bitter, grassy, soured fig close

The first tea that hasn’t made me puke since I came down with Norwalk.

…Yay?

Seriously. I essentially got the weekend off, and I COULDN’T DRINK TEA.

I am absoultely addicted to Cactus Fig!! Sadly, its being discontinued in Teavana stores. :(

After bringing the water to a boil, I let it cool for 1 minute before steeping. If you steep this tea for any longer than 1 minute, you’ll get really bitter tea.

Anyone know where else I can find this tea?!

First off, big thanks to Nwolf93 for sending me this sample! I loooove my teaopia teas, although most are sadly gone. There must have been some leftover sugar in my mug because my first infusion was so sweet I thought there must have been stevia leaf in it. As it is it’s…interesting. There’s a certain scent/flavour that’s very familiar, that for some reason my brain is telling me is mint. That could just be the green mate, though, since most mates I drink are roasted or heavily flavoured. I feel like I can taste, and am enjoying the cola nut flavour, but can’t quite pick it out. Allover, definitely I tea I would keep around….if it were still made. Mind you, I’m very curious about mixing my own teas in the future, this might be one I try and replicate.

I am not generally a fan of oolong, I’m more of a green tea type of gal, but I have to say this one was pretty delicious. A lot because it has a lot of qualities of green tea, but be warned – any one who tries this one, do not steep it too long, it will taste quite horrid.

This tea is just lovely. Beautiful balance of the fresh green tea taste and fruity twist of strawberries. Unlike artificially flavoured teas with strawberry, this tea does not steep pink or red and taste bitter, it is just perfect..

I absolutely love this tea, and it was my first panic when I heard the news about Teaopia going away.