15 Tasting Notes
this is definitely an experience. there’s no getting around it: kombucha tastes like vinegar. period. it doesn’t “hint” at vinegar or “taste slightly” of vinegar, it’s just straight up vinegar. at first, it’s definitely a turn off, not because it tastes bad, but more because vinegar is not something we taste so concentrated. once the initial shock of vinegar is gone, it’s actually not too bad. it is very refreshing and not like anything you’ve ever tasted. the vinegar is in the aftertaste, but the first taste is very delicious. i found for me it was easier to gulp it straight down so i could still enjoy the refreshing taste while minimizing the vinegar :)
Preparation
so i’m not too big into green tea. for the most part, i find green tea a little too leafy and grassy tasting. the exception would be jasmine pearls, which i recently found out i’m kinda in love with…but i digress.
this tastes like the epitome of green tea to me. vegetal and slightly bitter with a fair amount of astringency. refreshing and clean, but overall a bit boring. it seems decent quality, but i’m no green tea connoisseur. i don’t mind drinking it, but it’s not like i’ll be buying it again.
if i could imagine my dream soulmate, and my soulmate was a liquid, this would be it.
a delicious blend of spicy chai and creamy expresso. granted, this drink is not really a testament to the tea that’s in it, but still something great in it’s own right. only downside is a) price, and 2) it’s the type of drink that needs the magic of a barista to make it. i can’t really see me waking up all groggy, dragging myself outta bed and stumble to the kitchen to brew some chai, then some expresso, THEN take a boatload of ice and blend it all up – only to get a inevitable watered-down mess. eww.
i’m super surprised with how much i dig this tea!!
let me begin with saying i’m not much into green tea. i’m almost certain i bought this in one of my teavana BUY-EVERYTHING manias to mix with something else they had on display. god, they’re crafty. buuuut it was getting late, so i didn’t want to do chai, and i was over my white-green rose mix, so i scrounged around and found this. what the hell, eh?
omg, so good! love the floral notes. the green tea is very palatable, it’s soft while retaining the “pepperiness” of tea. i will say that i made a colossal mistake by adding honey to it. i generally love sweeteners in my tea, but was on the fence about adding anything to this stuff. it doesn’t need any, but i thought what was great could be better! it was not >:O the honey overpowered the tea and the lovely vegetal taste that comes with floral tea.
Preparation
this tea was fairly good at getting me relaxed. the taste is much more mild and has less of the medicinal taste than that of sleepytime extra. the blend actually works well with each other. as usual with valerian, i don’t think it’ll knock me out, but thus far, def. my preferred blend for “sleeping”.
if you’re looking for other teas with sedating effects, consider tulsi or kava. i’ve had much higher success with those than valerian.
Preparation
i don’t know what it is with this tea, it never does anything for me, but i still keep drinking it!
i believe this tea has potential for some people! i believe for some the valerian (the “extra” in sleepy time extra) works and it’s enough to help lull them in to sleep. i am not one of those people >:( i have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, and usually average about 2-5 hours a night. so yeah, basically insomniac – which is why i had such high hopes for this tea! it does, only on occasion, help calm my nerves if they’re feeling particularly restless. i do however drink this fairly frequently, and always have a box in my cupboard, if only as a last resort.
the taste…well, when i first started drinking it i found it absolutely offensive. the closest thing i can describe it to would be a foot. i REALLY did not like the taste or smell, but over time have gotten used to it and now the scent is synonymous with bedtime. if you’re looking for something to help you sleep, i think this would be the tea to try, but if you’re like me and the regular chamomile or valerian don’t seem to help, try something with kava or tulsi in them. i’ve had really positive experiences with both :D
Preparation
this tea turns a beautiful ruby red almost instantly!
i like this tea, it’s very enjoyable, but that’s about it. while i’ll probably continue to carry some blend of hibiscus in my home, it won’t necessarily be from republic of tea. it’s very tasty, but nothing extraordinary to keep me loyal and coming back for more.
overall, a very good, very forgettable herbal. it is yummy with lots of sugar :D
Preparation
this flavor is really intoxicating. the green tea just goes so well with the toasted rice, it makes for a delicious combination. it tasted almost like popcorn, but not in a bad movie theater popcorn way. it wasn’t as bitter as some green tea, but by no means was it sweet. its going to take a while for me to get used to the taste, but its such an interesting taste i see a lot of potential in it.
with that being said, even though this was my first try at green tea with rice, i could tell it was not quality, and could only imagine what having a freshly steeped loose leaf would be like. so while celestial seasoning is not a great representation of this tea, i strongly recommend trying the flavor! very unique!
