Blueberry Bundt

Republic of Tea makes some awesome products, like Plantain Coconut Green Rooibos, Mango Chili Green Roooibos, and Pomegranate Green Tea. I get their sample bags in the mail and some have been stellar like the Pumpkin Chai sample that comes at the beginning of fall. So, when I saw this new line of teas from them I jumped on it. I got the Lemon Chiffon and Blueberry Bundt since both are caffeine free. The Lemon Chiffon was clearly the better of the two.

This is a rooibos, so I use boiling water and let it steep upwards of 10 minutes. The first disappointing thing is that it really doesn’t taste anything like blueberry for me. There is a slightly cakey taste that leaves an unpleasant aftertaste. There is a woodiness from the rooibos, but it is mainly overpowered by some other taste I can’t really place. All in all, it was drinkable. I am just about finished with the whole tin, but I wouldn’t buy it again.

This is one of those teas that definitely tastes better as it cools somewhat. When it’s hot, you get great blueberry aroma but the taste is more just the cake. As it cools down, the blueberry flavor is more pronounced. This is one my kids love, and I like it pretty well. It has a lot of flavor, which I like, but it isn’t a particularly “refined” blend. Sometimes, that’s just fine, though!

I’m surprised by how much I liked this tea! Rooibos tends to be very hit and miss for me, but this one turned out to be a hit. While steeping it, my kitchen smelled like I was baking blueberry muffins. The first few sips had a lot of woody rooibos and I was ready to write it off as no good. But as it cooled, the blueberry flavor started to pop and the base retreated to the background and suddenly it was tasting almost as good as it smelled: a great combination juicy blueberry and sweet pastry flavors. Thank you to The Cookie Lady for the sample!

Why didn’t I love this? I was supposed to love this!!!?!???!?!?

It was the rooibos, I think. Maybe I steeped it too long? It smelled like blueberry cake when the water first hit it, but within the couple of minutes it was steeping it began to get that sort of medicinal smell. Perhaps that influenced my impression of that taste, as well. It just tasted like weak blueberry cough drops or something like that. I didn’t even finish the cup. It’s just not for me :(

Sooo I got one of the most amazing packages in the world today from The Cookie Lady! I’m having a miserable week and getting this package seriously just made my entire month. I feel so loved and cared about, and I really needed that to cheer me up this weekend. Like I really don’t understand how on earth the most caring and thoughtful people happen to be tea people, like I really don’t understand. xD
I don’t know that many thoughtful people in person, my family is like pretty far from that for the most part, and I don’t have many friends in person anymore because the ones I did have ended up being pretty terrible. But the people I have known on here have just blown me away. Some of you guys are seriously so generous and kind, it’s just amazing! I don’t think I can really get over it ever-it just always blows me away!
Like just look, this seriously made my day:

http://instagram.com/p/xakmN2KHP_/?modal=true

And now I am drinking Blueberry Bundt, because The Cookie Lady had originally sent me a sample of it, and I kept telling her how much I loved this tea, and she sent me a whole tin! I’m so excited-like this…ugh, I can’t even explain. xD This just really makes me happy!
As for how the tea tastes. Fresh. Sweet. Fruity. And like pastries!
Delicious as always!
Thank you soo much The Cookie Lady! You are amazing!

I should note beforehand that I traditionally use my Keurig to heat my water for tea, so YMMV depending on temperature.

I found a container of Blueberry Bundt at Whole Foods for 50% off, and as someone who loves blueberry tea, I had to try it out. The scent isn’t much, but once I started to drink the tea, I was in love.

The flavor is a sweet, natural blueberry with this amazing cakey flavor that isn’t necessarily vanilla, but tastes “baked”. It’s an excellent dessert tea, especially on a warm night.

I found this on sale recently at World Market – 50% off for RoT? Um, hell yes.

I always find the rooibos is naturally sweet—but in a weird, rooty sort of way. When I read the ingrendients (which are short and underwhelming), I expected to be kind of disappointed, but who cares, it’s 50% off.

Boy was I wrong. While the flavor is definitely not complex, it is very robust. The blueberry flavor is intense. VERY intense—and blueberries are freaking delicious. It doesn’t taste artificial either, which is quite nice. Usually, I find that flavored sweet rooibos teas are overwhelming, but this one sits right on the edge — any more sweetness, and it would be ridiculous.

The smell is very pleasant — it definitely smells how you’d expect a fragrant blueberry cake to smell up close. Overall, the tea is very pleasant in short, small doses.