Tropical Tea Company

Right.

Auggy sent me this tea ages ago and we’re just not going to ask questions about “Exactly how long ago was that?” or “Why has it taken you so long to get around to trying it?” or “Why do you suck like a Dyson D28? Why? WHY?”

I don’t know! I don’t know! And I especially don’t know why I am so aware of the Dyson product line model numbers! My brain is a sponge and I have no control over what it absorbs! Leave me alone!

I’m sorry. I’ve got to get it together. Give me a moment to compose myself.

Okay, so the tea. That’s why we’re all here, after all. I’m fairly certain I messed this cup up, so I’m going to leave the rating off and try again later.

Actually, I’m going to try again right now, because I can’t finish this cup. You can probably guess where this is going [nowhere good].

It’s a beautiful autumn day in Virginia. The temperature is moderate, the leaves have, for the most part, changed, and the buzz of leaf blowers is permeating throughout the neighborhood’s usual ambience. In digging through my box o’ samples, I thought that a tea named “Maple” would be fitting for today, especially since I am contemplating making breakfast for dinner tonight [picked up a tin of this earlier and I’m admittedly excited – http://bit.ly/c0eCd2 – Viva la Contessa!].

Cracking open the container, it does indeed smell of extract/alcohol as Auggy mentioned. And then…

You will probably not be surprised to learn that at one point during my childhood my mother washed my mouth out with soap. Can’t say I really blame her. I was a good kid for the most part, but if I was ever told to do something that I didn’t want to do [or I felt that I had been slighted by one of the many injustices done unto me by my brother] I could be quite manipulative. I knew how to push people’s buttons, I took great pleasure in doing it, and my mother hated it when I swore. I think you can get the gist of what occurred on the fateful soap day, but I will elaborate to say that I had recently learned a fantastically versatile four-letter word.

As a side note, it will also probably come at no surprise to any of you that the soap didn’t do one lick of good to reduce my vulgarity when it comes to the spoken [or written] word. Though I will say that I make an effort to be mindful about curbing my penchant towards obscenities here on Steepster.

When I took my first sip of this tea, that is what I thought of – the soap. It was bitter and kind of filmy and not pleasant tasting at all. For those of you who have NOT had soap in your mouth, perhaps you have drank something out of a glass that was not quite rinsed of detergent completely? Same idea, just intensify.

So there was no sweetness, no maple taste, no malty flavor I was hoping to get from the black tea. Just…soap. NOT FUN.

Funny thing is, the aftertaste on my breath was rather maple-y [this is an Auggy sent tea, so I figure I can use Auggy isms like -y words] and so I think I am going to tack this batch down to user error. Hopefully the next trial will be met with more success and less BLECHing and making of faces.

I thought this was a green tea. In all seriousness, I really did. It brews to a greenish y ellow color, and there is a great deal of particulate in with the fuzz (with some leniency for the fact that this was shipped to me, and may have been crushed a bit along the way).

It’s white tea? Really? I guess I can see that now that I know. Probably bai mu dan, which never makes me think ‘delicate’ as far as the white teas I’ve had go. It’s usually vegetal, slightly sweet, and a bit musty for reasons I have yet to isolate.

Anyway, so yes! Smells a bit like suntan lotion, with something faintly sour, also. Like maybe the bar of an all-inclusive hotel in Cozumel, where everybody’s been ordering pina coladas all day long in the hot sun, and there’s still puddles of it in the moat mats…or you can smell it through somebody’s pores, somebody who’s wearing Hawaiian Tropic lotion…or something. Something like that.

That doesn’t sound particularly alluring, does it? But it probably has shades of pleasantness, with the faintest a definite undercurrent of not-so-great to spoil its tropical-ness? If that’s how it sounds, then I’d say I’m hitting the mark, because that’s essentially what it’s like. On my first sip I made the ‘ew’ face, but then I took another one. And another one.

It’s drinkable primarily because the coconut taste — which really and truly is more like the tanning oil than any coconut I’ve ever opened and eaten — saves it. I always did like the smell of that stuff. I’m pretty sure I’ve never met anybody who didn’t like that smell, actually.

The rest of the tea is immediately forgettable. There might be pineapple in there somewhere, but I can’t imagine being bothered enough to try and enhance it somehow. I don’t know where the slight sourness is coming from, but I think it’s a dealbreaker for me.

Not a horrid cup, but not my cup — I’ve been too spoiled by the Coconut Pouchong to settle for less. Still glad for the chance to try it, though! Thanks Auggy!

Seems like a good tea but nothing terribly remarkable about it. A bit of a dry note to the aftertaste but not bad. Enjoyable, can’t really think of any descriptors for the flavor though – tastes like… tea.

I didn’t get huge amounts of maple from Tropical Tea Company’s straight Maple tea, so I suppose it is no surprise that I don’t get tons out of this one either. Instead, I get more… calendula cookie. Maybe with a little maple extract added to the cookie mix, but only to the point of making me think, “Hmm, what is that added flavor that makes this not your everyday, plain ole cookie?” instead of making me think “Mmm, maple cookie.” Obviously, I would prefer maple cookie.

Anyway, if this tea had been named Calendula Sugar Cookie (Without Much Sugar), I would have been fully on board and this log would have included the words “hit”, “nail” and “head”. But this is named Maple Creme so I’m just sort of eh about it. While the plain Maple isn’t knock-my-socks-off good, I definitely prefer it over this one.

Nice cherry flavor, creamy (though that’s probably the milk), smooth with astringency at the end but without being bitter.

I’ve had a Monk’s Blend before and while, thanks to Jillian, I now know that grenadine is not cherry flavoring, it still registers in my brain as cherry. I just can’t help it! So this smells very cherry-y, or perhaps like heated Dr Pepper. The taste is vaguely similar too, but with less citrus burst (though the hot Dr Pepper I tried had lemon it in, which would explain the citrus.) I did add sugar and milk but after tasting it, I’m thinking it might be okay on its own – it’s pretty sweet and I didn’t add that much sugar. I’m pretty sure this has calendula petals in it (at least it looks like it does) but it’s a lot less than the other MB I tried. Since calendula seems to make my tongue tingle unpleasantly, less calendula is a good thing. Anyway, this isn’t exactly a complex tea and is a bit like drinking warm Cherry Coke. But I like it.

Well, revisited this one today…meh. It’s alright…there isn’t anything wrong with the taste…but…I can’t taste half of what the product description claims…fruity – yes, but chocolaty – no. Tasty but not chocolate, unfortunately.

Another Auggy Tea! Woot! Thanks!

I must say…at this infuses…I’m having some bizarre experiences with this tea right away. PLEASE keep in mind…Bizarre isn’t always a BAD thing…but I just thought I should mention…lol…

First when I opened the baggie of loose leaf I thought I was smelling vinegar. SO WEIRD! Yes, I have Vinegar Tea BUT it’s packed safely in a tin far away from where I was storing this! LOL Once the loose leaf had a little time to vent the scent morphed into more of a chocolate cherry scent…WHEW!

Okay…now…I’m post infusion and had another odd-ball happening…the liquid is VERY cloudy…almost like a seasonal/natural cider with herb and fruit floaties. Now it smells like an alcoholic beverage with chocolate and cherry.

The first sip…
Hum…not sure…it’s woodsy tasting…

2nd sip…
It’s still pretty woodsy….actually quite woodsy…and spicy. NOT hot or artificial spicy but almost like Indian Spices…if that makes sense…
I’d don’t think it’s creamy at all. I’m not really tasting any chocolate…maybe a dark chocolate in the after sip/beginning part of the after taste…okay…I’ll go with that. And I can’t really taste the cherry…eventho I know it’s there! There is a HUGE one in the center of my infuser.

I have been taking slow sips thus far to try and really taste it…and first and foremost WOODSY. As I try to increase by sip speed (LOL – that sounds funny!) I notice it’s easier to handle and I can pick out an ever so slight hint of BOTH the cherry and chocolate.

This is so odd…SO COMPLEX. Perhaps I over infused amount-wise…but…

Personally, I will have to remember to sip faster on this one and not dilly-dally…there IS a difference. OR…maybe wait for it to cool a bit.

After doing the “Sip-Speed-Test” I have decided this is ok…very bizarre, but ended up being pretty good.

Sometimes you just have to tinker with it, ya know!?

I’m still on the hunt for non-rooibos-y rooibos. So far, the winners have been Teas Etc’s Coconut Custard, Cuida Te’s Tiramisu and Lupicia’s Green Rooibos. So will Tropical Tea Company’s Mocha Rocha Rooibos be added to this delicious list?

Maybe. It reminds me a lot of Cuida Te’s Tiramisu but with a little less depth of flavor and a little… weaker. It’s coffee-y but mild. If I hadn’t had the Tiramisu, I’d like this a lot more as there really is no rooibos flavor and I appreciate that. I could see this being on the short list of rooibos that I keep around for when it’s required, but ultimately if I had the choice, I’d pick the Tiramisu over this one.

Like the Tiramisu rooibos but it’s kind of like a normal rooibos with a little bit of cocoa powder taste.

Okay. Doesn’t have the smoothness of an oolong. Doesn’t have the bite of a black. And it tastes like someone poured suntan lotion in it.

Rather good but a bit dry. It is very smooth. The aftertaste is kind of fake-flavored tasting – like a cheaply flavored chocolate bar.

Predominately a darker chocolate taste with hints of cream and cherry. There’s a slight astringency to it that isn’t unpleasant but that keeps this from screaming ‘dessert tea’ to me. The flavorings are smooth and mild and that keeps it from being overly rich. Not bad.

Tea is pretty good, a little heavy on the sweet flavor – not smooth, but good flavors.

I was prepared to be disappointed with this tea because of how the dry leaves smell – there is a strong extract/alcohol smell plus a fair amount of calendula, which I am discovering I dislike because it makes my tongue tingle. But actually, this tea isn’t that bad. Once water hits it there is a maple smell to it, which is reassuring. And the taste, while not overly maple syrup-y, has a high, sweet taste that isn’t quite but almost a sugar-esque sweet. I’m not 100% sure I would have been able to peg this as maple if I hadn’t known that’s what the taste was but it’s close enough for hand grenades so whatever. The calendula tingle/taste was there but not too strong so I’m okay with it. This really isn’t an awesome tea but it’s good enough to drink and enjoy.

Have had this tea before with boiling water, 5 minute steep, and been unimpressed. Changing things up today in hopes of a better cup.

Maybe it’s because I’m not a huge fan of cinnamon teas, but this tea really doesn’t do it for me. I get more of the flavour of the cinnamon and cloves than I do of the tropical that’s supposed to be in there. Using the lower temperature water made the tea much more enjoyable, since the cinnamon hasn’t had much of a chance to overpower the tea, but it’s still a mediocre cup at best. Drinkable, but not great.

I, too, received 1 sample thru the mail. And, I, too, could smell it thru the envelop. I also agree that it smells wonderful. The sample of loose leaf I received is much less than I usually steep in my large® cup here at the office…so I hope I can get the ‘full affect’. I’m infusing now…

The coconut scent mellows almost to nothing as it finishes the infusion. The liquid is that of an oolong and it is murky – has floaties!

This company donates money to children in under-developed counties providing clean drinking water – what a wonderful thing to do! For that alone, this rating will get an extra point or two.

As far at the House Blend is concerned…I must say…it’s not my favorite…it’s not very memorable. I can taste a little coconut and pineapple and white-tea like taste at the end but it’s not creamy and I can’t really taste the other flavors…maybe the floral as an after taste, maybe.

If I had more I might be able to tinker with it, however, but I don’t.

This is pleasant…nothing too overpowering and it all meshes well together. A bit tropical tasting with a hint of spice!

Ehh it was alright, subtle flavor, but see I steeped it terribly (see my video at teacast.net on how I did it). I’ve had it before, and think that the name of it is really cool, but the flavor could be a lot better. I’m not really sure what “Birds of Paradise” is, other than a Charlie Parker tune, but it’s a tea that I would skip. Definitely go for Tropical Tea Co’s Pomegranate Hibiscus Green Tea if you want some great flavors from them!

This tea has a wonderful fruity flavor without being overpowering. The flavor is also very natural and doesn’t taste artificial.

This has green tea and dried strawberries. I did not steep this very long. You can really taste the green tea and some strawberries. Only thing that would make this better would be more strawberry please.

This I’s a green tea with pomegranate and hibiscus. I steeped it for two minutes. With the combo of the pomegranate and the hibiscus gets too tart for me.

This has sencha green tea jasmine blossoms,and peach pieces. This smells like green tea with a floral and peach scent. I steeped it for two minutes. The taste a green tea slightly vegatal with a floral and slight peach taste. Not enough peach for me.

This has white tea,coconut,pineapple,salflowers,cornflowers and such. This smells mostly like coconut. I steeped I’t up. The taste coconut with abit of pineapple. I do not like this tea too well because I do not like coconut.