Bird & Blend Tea Co.

I should have known… hibiscus. But the other ingredients sounded so good! I only steeped this one for three minutes, but I could tell right away it would be hibiscus overload since the cup was so red. I even threw out a big piece of hibiscus before it went into the infuser. This is why I don’t understand hibiscus in tea blends… hibiscus might as well be the only ingredient because it drowns all the other fun tastes out. This isn’t terrible if you actually like hibiscus. I wouldn’t order this one from Bluebird but I should have known that with the hibiscus in it. Ah well, I appreciated the sample anyway!

Uh-oh. My cupboard is suddenly up around 115 teas now! I went outside looking for my $5 Verdant sampler and found my order from Bluebird Tea (my last since I joined the ordering hiatus group) and two packs of swaps!

I’m not really that upset though. :P I have high hopes for the Bluebird teas (Rhubarb & Custard rooibos, and Terry’s Orange), and the rest are smallish samples!

I didn’t expect to get 3 more samples from Bluebird with my order though. This is one of them, which is fantastic because when I saw they had a sale on for 15%, I nearly bought this just to give it a try. (The coupon was invalid by the time I saw it which is probably for the best. Now I can wait until I’m under 100 teas, and make sure I like it.).

Surprise? I like it!

The tea is very subtle but I can taste the Ceylon, bananas and more creaminess. I was worried that maybe I’d contaminated this sample with the Creme de la Creme Oolong I’d just finished (in the same cup), but I’m on the second cup now and it’s still creamy.

I’m so used to banana and chocolate, but this is really nice as it is. And it tastes like REAL banana. I want MOAR. #someday

ETA: I bumped the rating up a bit more because I wish I had more in my cupboad. I hope I left the leaves on the counter so I can try to resteep it… Too bad Bluebird didn’t have a distribution office in Canada for cheap shipping. Hey… too bad that imaginary person wasn’t me! :P

Another quick note, as I didn’t want to leave my only Bluebird Tea Co tasting note the not-very positive one on Vicky’s Sponge Cake, after I’ve enjoyed some of the other teas I got from them. This is probably my favourite, as I’ve not had the jasmine & spearmint combo before in a green/white, and it’s a real winner. I may have been a bit over-cautious with water temp, as it was definitely below 80, and the smell is stronger than the taste, but it’s such an utterly wonderful smell that I’m not complaining. Nice blend of white (which I’d guess to be a white peony?) and green tea for the base, and overall balanced and delicate blend.

I didn’t want to edit the tea info (which is the same as the website) as I’m not positive about this, but the ingredients on the package say orange flowers, not orange, and I’m definitely not getting any orange taste. There are lots of beautiful flowers in with the tea & spearmint leaves, though I didn’t have time (or probably, knowledge!) to spread them out and decide what type they were.

100/365

I still think spearmint and jasmine is an odd combination, which is probably what’s stopped me revisiting this blend before. This bag came as a sample with my last Bluebird order, though, so I figured I’d give it a go since it’s been literally placed in front of me.

There’s more jasmine here than I remember there being, to the extent that I can’t really taste the spearmint at all. You can find it in the aftertaste a little, and it adds a background sweetness, but in truth it’s barely discernible.

Which leaves jasmine. It’s floral and perfumey, as you might expect. It’s interesting to try it on a white/green base, rather than just a green base as is more usual, but it’s still not something I’d enjoy drinking every day. It’s not even overpowering, as jasmine goes, just…not for me.

Glad to have had the chance to try it again, though, because you never know!

The last of the samples from my first Bluebird order. I don’t think I’ve ever tried a white/green blend before, so this is a first for me. I also fear it may be rather an odd experience, because while white tea and spearmint are two of my favourite things, green tea and jasmine are not. Frankly, I think the orange might get a bit lost. Still, assume makes an ass out of you and me, so perhaps I should get on and try this before I expand this note further with my unfounded misgivings.

The dry leaves smell mostly of spearmint, with a slighty grassy, slightly smoky undertone that I’m assuming is the green tea. It’s an interesting mix — there are quite a lot of white tea buds and a few twigs and leaves, slightly less of the green tea, a generous sprinkling of shredded spearmint, and some really quite generous orangey pieces. Some of them are undoubtedly zest, but a few look more like blossoms to me. Jasmine? Orange? I’m not sure, having never encountered either in their raw state before. Could be.

Anyway, this is definetly an interesting tasting tea. Brewed, the scent is mostly of spearmint and jasmine, which is a strange combination. It’s surprisingly delicate to taste, though, and seems to have a base that owes more to the white tea than it does to the green. There’s the initial hit of sweet spearmint, the floral and perfume-like jasmine, a slight grassiness, and then the smooth, honey-like taste and texture of white tea. It’s only the very slightest bit astringent, and that might even be my fault for being a bit impatient with the water.

I like that Bluebird are trying to do something different with their teas, like this white/green blend. It’s a deceptive tea, as the liquor is golden brown, and the scent definetly lead me to expect more of a green tea. That’s not what I got, though, and this turned out to be a pleasant surprise. It’s not 100% my kind of thing, but it is pleasant, and the spearmint is simply glorious. Another I’m glad to have had the chance to try!

160/365

The last of Bluebird’s Dreamtime collection, which was released earlier this year (just after Christmas?) Dozy Girl is kind of a repromote in this context, because it’s part of their permanent collection anyway. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the ones that’s been around since day one.

It’s never been one of my absolute favourites, just because floral teas aren’t generally my thing. I had a cup right before bed, though, and I slept so well last night that I might have to reevaluate. I didn’t go to bed particularly early, but I woke up actually feeling refreshed, and that’s a rare thing for me.

The most prominent flavour is chamomile, followed by a heavy hit of rose. The lavender is there also, but remains very much a background flavour. The combination is highly scented and perhaps a little too perfumey for my liking, but it does tone down the sweet/honey flavour of the chamomile a little, and that’s welcome.

There’s something underlying the other flavours that I can’t quite put my finger on, but it’s adding a deeply “herbal” note to an otherwise sweet tea. I suppose it could be the lemon verbena…? It’s not the hibiscus! Until I looked at the ingredients list, I didn’t actually realise there was hibiscus in this blend. It doesn’t affect the flavour or colour, so I guess it can’t be much.

This probably isn’t a tea I’d drink routinely for pleasure, because the flavour combination isn’t really one I enjoy. As a sleep aid, though? You bet!

This was a sample with my last Bluebird order. I think I’ve only tried it once before, and that was also a sample if I remember correctly. While I like the idea of herbal bedtime blends, floral teas aren’t usually my favourite so I just tend not to buy them often (or at all).

I’m pleased to be able to give this one a second chance, though. While brewing, it smells strongly of lavender. It’s a very calming, reassuring scent, at least to me, but it’s too perfume-like for me to want to drink regularly. Fortunately, the lavender doesn’t really translate into the flavour. To taste, this is mostly chamomile (with all the thick, sweet hay-like honey notes that implies), with a hint of rose water. The lavender lurks around the edges as a sweet, floral background note but it’s not massively prominent. As the cup cools, I can begin to taste a touch of lemon – the sharper citrus helps to brighten things up, and is a refreshing counterpoint to the otherwise heavily sweet and floral flavours.

I liked this one more than I was expecting to, which seems to be the same experience I had last time too. It’s not something I’d drink regularly, but it would make a really good stress-busting blend, and it puts me in mind of summer which is instantly cheering on a dull-ish day. As ever with Bluebird blends, it’s also a very pretty tea. The pink rose petals, lilac lavender, yellow chamomile and green lemon verbena are very much reminiscent of a wildflower field in summer, and that added just a little extra touch of wonderfulness as I watched this one brew. A pleasant reacquaintance!

Backlog from Thursday.

The second of the samples that came with my first Bluebird order. This one is a herbal, with generous amounts of chamomile (whole flowers, and truly massive at that!), rose petals, lavender, and lemon verbena. The scent is mostly of chamomile with a hint of rose, so quite sweet and floral. I am tired right now, but I’m having trouble winding down, so hopefully this will help to ease me into sleep!

I gave this four minutes before calling it good. It tastes rather like it smells. Sweet, perfumey, floral, but mostly of chamomile. The lavender is quite prominent, and adds a pleasant edge to this tea. I’m not usually a fan of lavender in tea, so it too me by surprise a little. It’s actually very delicate and not at all overpowering. The rose all but disappears, but that’s perhaps not a bad thing. Lavender and chamomile are strong enough flavours in themselves without having rose to compete with also.

The thing I like most about this is that it smells just like the countryside in summer, which I’m guessing is the effect of the lavender. Lavender is a big thing in Norfolk, so it’s a smell I always asspciate with weekends out in the warmer months. It’s evocative, and I like that in a tea. The flavour is interesting, too. I probably wouldn’t have put chamomile and lavender together, but they work quite well. Especially since the lavender is sweet rather than large and reminsicent of pot pourri.

This probably isn’t one I’d drink regularly, simply because I’m not a fan of floral teas, but I’m glad to have tried it — I’m always willing to challenge my taste buds! Thank you, Bluebird!

This tea brews to a blush pink / beige colour with a scent of citrus accents over sharp berry floral and something slightly earthy that
gives the tea some depth. There is a sweet almost minty undertone followed by lemon verbena and a slight tartness. There is also a sweet fruity floral with a bit of slightly deeper tang as a result of the citrus peel, rosehip, and hibiscus. The oolong lends a fruity sweetness to the tea and smooths out the base and gives the tea a slightly thicker creamier body. It has a pleasant tastes almost like a well balanced herbal that leaves you with a feeling of pleasant alertness. The floral taste is almost like the scent of yarrow and leaves a slightly earthy aftertaste, so it reminds me of sunny days and picnics in the countryside. I re-steeped this tea four times. This tea tastes a little bit like sumac lemonade if you’ve ever had that.

I Realized I missed this tea but wasn’t sure if I would still love it after more than a year without, so I ordered a small amount.

Well, the verdict is in and it turns out I still like this tea enough to drink pots upon pots of it. Fingers crossed that it, along with the pricey White Wolf, help pull me out of my tea blues.

Backlog. I drank a whole pot of this last night and it kept me good and wired until about 7am. Funny how the coconut all fell to the bottom of the bag; as I work my way through 80grams it becomes more distinct.

What I’m actually drinking right now: Black coffee. I tried to log “coffee” on here a few minutes ago and then had an epiphany! My brain has apparently turned to mush.

Today this tea is 90% raspberry jam, 8% coco-vanilla butter, and 2% toasty pastry. The finish is tart with mouth puckering effects. I may have forgot about it for a few, and over steeped it. Still good though!

Little comforts.

Still makes me think of Fantasy Island from David’s Tea, but with a bit of buttery cream between the cake layers.

At first glance, this blend reminds me of fantasy island, but it’s not as artificially sweet, is more creamy, and doesn’t get that awful bitterness that Fantasy Island tends to get.

It dry blend and the liquor both smell of tart raspberries. This comes through in the main body of the tea which tastes as close to jam as tea can get. Seeing Ceylon in the ingredients usually makes me wary but it’s a fine base here that blends right into the berry notes. The really amazing and delicious part of this tea is the smooth and creamy notes near the end of the sip. Raspberry jam and buttery cake.. Umm. I’m finding it difficult to describe how I feel about this cup of tea without resorting to profanities so I’ll just say that this probably falls in my “keeper” list.

Thank you Cavocorax for sending me some of this, and Bluebird Tea Co. for making this exist. Will be ordering more in the future.

Edit: I second steeped this for about 6 minutes and it was equally fantastic, although in a different way. The jam was cut back a lot, becoming a light spread and allowing the buttery sweetness of sponge cake to dominate the cup.

Another wonderful sample from the nice folks at Bluebird Tea Co.

This is a pretty good one. This has the fruit/spice ratio just about right. The fruit tastes authentic and just an overall cup of deliciousness. I had it hot, I can imagine this being absolutely wonderful iced on a hot day.

Now I downed this cup pretty fast, so I don’t remember all the nuisances in this, just that I immensely enjoyed it and need to order more in the near future.

Totally nutty sounds nice with its almond and cinnamon flavors, its got a black and green tea base… but i didn’t know that until after i brewed my cup and looked it up to put this review in. So i possibly brewed it with to hot water because there was green tea in it…

Ah well the dry leaf smell heavy cinnamon like and the blend looks tasty to! Brew color is a bright brown liquor. Still smelling strongly like cinnamon but i’m noticing a other good smelling thing to (not sure how to call it or what it is exactly), its a fresh blend u can tell that.

When the cup is cooled enough i’m trying some sips from my brew. First thing i notice is the black ceylon base that is soft but very present. I’m not sure i’m tasting the green tea thats in this blend but i don’t really mind. The almond is very present but not overwhelming and the cinnamon supports it a bit. I’m liking this tea and i’m pleased that i had a chance to try a sample off it!

A black/green tea blend with a twist to keep a refreshing eye on tea very well done!

I had this at work the other day, my last sample from Bluebird Tea Co (boohooo).

I wish I would have thought to bring some of my Davidstea’s Earl’s Garden, because I really like that one, and the two blends are definitely similar.

Unfortunately, (but not really) I did get distracted when drinking this when a coworker who had to leave work a month or two ago due to a cancer diagnosis came in for a visit, I hadn’t seen him since he left work abruptly and it was awesome to see him again.

By the time i got back to my tea I had to finish it cold…. I really did enjoy it though! I would order a small amount to try it again and compare the two. I would have to figure out if they’re different enough to justify having them both. The ingredients are slightly different.

I regret not being able to really pay attention when drinking this one, but…. Not really, given the circumstances :)

Thank you again, Bluebird Tea Co!

Oh, I love this. It really reminds me if raspberry jam with a bit of custard creaminess. Last time I had this, I think I drank it all on a week. Always overleaf it…. mmmm

Another sipdown! 118 teas! (Down 5 today? Not bad!)

I’ll reorder this next time they have a sale!

Mmm! This is a great after-dinner tea! I really should drink Fantasy Island so I can compare the two, especially since ozli was kind enough to send me some!

Hee! I’m just craving this tea every day now. Looks like I’ll be out of it next week at the rate I’m going. I placed another order with Bluebird last week, but that was for the Rhubarb Custard and the Terry’s Chocolate. Should have added this one too, but I’m not sure I’d even tried this at that point. :P (Too impulsive)

I’m just enjoying my tea while I share lunch with the baby. She’s eating ham, avocado, cheerios and fancy cheese, and I keep snacking on the pieces she doesn’t want. Win win! I wish I’d realized how tasty avocados were years ago!

This is my fourth day in a row drinking this tea! Is it love, or just a passing fling? I will savour it either way. (Mmmm….spongy berry cake)

So maybe this isn’t QUITE as awesome as I thought it was yesterday, but I dig the fruity raspberries and creaminess and I’m still getting a bit of sponginess too. For some reason this tastes a bit more tart this time around, yet it’s still sweet. I wonder if I should have mixed the bag up a bit more? Maybe I drank up a lot of the coconut in the top half and am missing it now?

But you heard me – I’m halfway through this bag already! :O

It’s funny how we can all try the same teas and have such a wide range of reviews.

For me, this was one else of those teas that make you drop whatever you’re doing and start packing samples of the tea you are currently enjoying because EVERYONE has to try it. Everyone. It’s just so spongy, and fruity and light. I want to eat it up.

Sadly I finished all 12oz before reviewing it,so I can’t remember anything else right now. I resteeped it too but it’s just a sad shell of its awesomeness… The good news is I bought an 80g bag of this so I will have plenty of chances later on

I hope Ozli and CrowKettle enjoy it too and that my tastebuds weren’t just being crazy.