teaqueen Send Message

Ever logged into your work computer on Monday morning and realized that you’re simply not emotionally ready to launch your interoffice IM app and email client? That me today. Wish me luck.

Caffeine will only increase my stress levels and further diminish my fool-tolerating threshold, so this is what’s on tap today. Good with a splash of milk. Good for the stomach. Good for the liver. Just good all around.

Backlogged… drank yesterday.

I had high hopes for this one… It’s just OK. The flavor is overall kind of nondescript. It’s a refreshing change of pace to see an herbal/ bedtime blend that doesn’t have chamomile. But the lavender is so overpowering that I think I prefer chamomile, honestly. There’s some slight but lovely perfume-y floral complexity in the finishing note with the fruits and linden flowers, but it mostly tastes of herbaceous medicinal soapy lavender.

The dry leaf looks pretty, but once it steeps, it turns into a mushy, slimy, beige lump of yuck. I understand that that’s kind of a silly complaint, and it’s not a dealbreaker, but it doesn’t add anything to the overall experience, either.

Just… meh.

Rooibos works best when it’s bagged, because the loose leaf is so fine that it goes straight through my mesh strainers and I spend the entire experience scraping it off my tongue and picking it out of my teeth. So I appreciate that Sipsby chose to send me the bagged version. If they hadn’t, I’d’ve just wound up making my own teabags with the empty bags they provide anyway.
This is a smart and enjoyable blend, as cocoa and rooibos both have earthy notes, and the orange note comes through right at the end as a bit of a palate cleanser. I also appreciate that it’s organic. A nice break from plain rooibos, and very satisfying and warming on this chilly, snowy afternoon.

Not Stash’s best offering. I taste mostly lemongrass. The peach flavoring is weak and doesn’t work well with the oolong base.

Got as a sample… I think it’s just gimmicky. As promised, it does steep a pretty pinkish purple color, which turns blue if you add lemon juice.
However, the artificial watermelon flavoring overpowers all the other real fruit and the green tea in the blend, which is expected, but still a shame. Cold-brewing and drinking iced is the only tolerable way to consume this.
Not my thing.

Sipdown!
I’m legitimately sorry to finish this sample. This is the most delicious oolong ever. The rolled up leaves spring open and look so gorgeous.
It’s good Western style with tap water. It’s even better gongfu style with spring water. It stayed fresh for six months without issue.
Roasted, mineral-y, nutty, earthy, with a breadlike mouthfeel. Inviting. Quietly strong. Fortifying. Like an old friend.

Normally I’m not a fan of mint teas, but the rose makes this one good. The beauty of this one is its simplicity. Just a soothing, nicely balanced, low maintenance herbal cuppa for a cold winter afternoon.

Although Sips By basically phoned it in this month on my subscription box, I legitimately enjoyed this one. It’d be nice if they hadn’t shorted me one sachet of it, but alas. I’ve never had an olive leaf tea before, and I gotta say, I kinda love it. The gentle olive flavor works surprisingly really well with the rose, while the chamomile and passion flower play supporting roles. This company uses whole flower blossoms, so it’s gorgeous to look at while it steeps in the mesh sachet. Very lyrical, very pleasing, very gentle, very wholesome, and very pretty. It’s like wandering into a fairy forest. I like the story they’re telling here. Perfect medicine for today.

I guess I’m feeling a little bratty about this. I opened my Sips By box this month and saw… a plain, bagged chamomile. Seriously?
To be fair, it’s definitely a good quality chamomile. I taste vanilla bean and apple, and it was a nice cuppa to unwind with on a Monday evening. Pleasant, as you would want and expect in chamomile.
But… it’s still just a plain chamomile. I prefer to get more unique teas that I can’t find in a store in my Sips By boxes. Maybe I’m giving it short shrift. Will drink the other three servings, won’t purchase a full container.

The packet says to use boiling water, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that to a green tea, even a heavily roasted one like this, so I used 195 degree F water instead.
Oh, so good! Roasty, toasty, earthy, just a slight little bit of smokiness. Very reminiscent of the flavors of toasted sesame oil. Paired really well with my avocado salmon sushi roll. Heaven!!!