Toronto Nights

Full disclosure: We asked to sample this one simply because it is named Toronto Nights and we live in Toronto. So again, no rating because this isn’t a tea I’d reach for normally.

But, as has become the usual for RiverTeas, I am pleasantly surprised! It’s a creamy, nutty orange almond flavor. I’m not entirely sure I’d order again, but it’s certainly going to be a pleasure to finish off the rest of the sample. Which was rather large, by the way. There’s more than enough for both my wife and I to make a cup, and then for me to cold-steep in my mason jar.

This is really good cold, but I’m finding that with a lot of white tea blends recently. I went with my standard preparation method – 2 tbsp in 2 litres of cold water, into the fridge for around 10 hours overnight. The flavour of the orange is more prominent that it is in the hot cup, the cinnamon less so. Running right through the middle of the whole thing is the sweet, slightly thick, frangipane-esque taste of almonds. Delicious!

I oversteeped this a bit. D’oh! Otherwise, I tried to follow the steeping instructions on the package: 2 tsp per cup, 2-4 minutes, 70°C.

This tea caught my eye because I, too, live in Toronto. I don’t think this tea quite represents the city (then again, it’s hard to find an ingredient that signifies “City Hall makes me facepalm so hard I have neither a face nor a palm left”, isn’t it?), but it’s still pleasant.

Now, onto the cup itself. The label said it’s a mix of white tea, green tea, cinnamon, orange, lemongrass, rose, and other flavourings. However, in both the scent and taste, the flavour of citrus is the strongest. I can smell some sweetness of almond or vanilla in the background, and can kind of smell the cinnamon underneath the citrus, but the orange and lemongrass together are so strong that they really force the other flavours to second-tier status.

It’s interesting, but once I finish off my sample, I’m not sure if I’ll restock it.

thanks for sending this my way Cavocorax I’m not sure that this is what ngihts in toronto should taste like but it’s a fun enough tea. Sadly, it’s the orange in this that makes me like it less. i love the almond flavouring and the way it blends in with the base, but when the orange hits my tongue it’s jarring..and seems largely out of place in the smoothness of the rest of the cup. Still, it’s not bad but the orange just doesn’t fit for me

Toronto niiiiights, like Toronto daaaaays, more often then not, are colder than balls, in a lot of good waaaays.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

This was . . . good. Interesting. I’m glad I tried it but I don’t think I’d restock. The overwhelming flavour of it tastes nearly exactly like Lucky Charms.

Alas, the last cup :(

This one is so yummy and perfect. The orange and almond really shine through, and the white tea lends a sweetness to the cup.

If RiverTea ever re-opens, this is the first one I’d get.

Goodbye, Toronto Nights.

Aisling of Tea had this and it caught my eye because I ALSO live in Toronto.

What do Toronto Nights taste like?
I probably wouldn’t say they tasted like green tea with almonds and cinnamon and citrus, but apparently RiverTea thinks it does. This is a nice light tea, and the flavouring is not overly strong – I find it a nice contemplative cup for what would be my after dinner-cup if I had actually eaten already. And I wouldn’t say no to drinking more, but I’m not sure this is one I’d crave often. Maybe in the late spring, in the evenings, when I’m sitting in the backyard watching the little squirt run around in the grass… And maybe if it’s iced.

Rob Ford would not taste like this. :P

And the rest of this is being set aside for Sil!
(rating is 79 because I like the cup, but don’t see I’d crave it often. )