Oribe Tea Co.

TTB
At first I compared this to a bowl of fruity pebbles with som orange pekoe poured in. But as this traveled in my go cup I got more of a cranberry vibe. I drank half of it and then added some ice and it didn’t stand up well to a scoop of ice. Still cranberry, but quite a bit weaker. A nice tea to try and thanks for adding it to the box.

TTB Review #7: Very pleasant fruity flavor comes through readily without being overpowering. I imagine this would be even more delightful as an iced tea. Overall very unique and enjoyable.

Why did it feel slightly slimy like noodle water when I squeezed the infuser… Weird. The dry leaf kind of reminds me of the smell of plaster but the wet leaf is very different. Sweet and a mixture of spices. The mouthfeel is very smooth. The flavor… pasty… not pastry. Like poi. It’s unique.

I have a soft spot for passion fruit. Both the flower and the flavor. This one reminds me of a mix of chicory with a splash of tropical flavor but it’s not nearly as passionfruity as I was hoping.

A reusable cotton teabag was included with this organic tea and powdered spice blend. I used the teabag only once because I found it hindered extraction and made a weaker cup.

What I’ve been doing since then is using a tablespoon of powder in a cup of water on the stove, boiled for a bit, add a big glug of milk and simmer for a few minutes. Straining through one of those micro-strainers, I still get a puddle of goop at mug’s bottom. If I’m not paying attention, it can be an interesting surprise. Sometimes I drink the spice goop.

Black tea is the first ingredient listed but it seems like turmeric is in highest proportion. Given that I use a tablespoon of powder, I’d expect a heck of a caffeine buzz. Moderate. I really don’t think there’s much black tea in this but it does brew quite a bit browner than turmeric’s earthy orange color. The spices are very fresh and powerful, what I like in a masala chai. It’s a true rooty warmer of a tea. The taste, while powerfully ginger and turmeric, seems very well balanced. Cinnamon and clove are forward in the aroma and cardamom and black pepper in the finish.

My work father brought this back from Hawaii and I haven’t seen it at the store here in California. Perusing their website, Oribe’s other teas look interesting and they even sell an organic Hawaiian sencha at $10 for 2oz. Considering Hawaiian-grown tea isn’t easily found and is generally pricey, that could be a good deal. They also offer mamaki which I’ve never seen for sale on the mainland.