TimSnowPhoto Send Message

OK, so it is growing on me. I wasn’t too crazy about the tea the first time out, but after finding the right sugar/steeping time balance (steep for longer than most teas I drink), I quite enjoy it. Going for a refill of leaves today!

A pretty decent black breakfast kind of blend. I tend to get this OTC at Starbucks, with 2 bags in my XL. Add a bit of milk and sugar, and it gives a nice kick to start the morning (or keep you up for a long drive home)

I am trying so hard to love this one, it just misses the mark. I am not a fan of bitter tea’s at all, and I feel the dark chocolate chips used in the blend adds a lot of bitterness. I would love to try it with milk chocolate chips instead. Milk and sugar didn’t really help my case with this one…as other have said it may be due to the Chinese base instead of using a traditional Indian one. Crank up the heat and the sweetness and this will be a real winner.

A pretty good Chai from Second Cup, not too cinnamon-ey which I find to be off-putting. Nice and spicy!

I really wanted to like this Chai, as a good Chai is pretty special. It smells great, but I found, once brewed, the cinnamon to be a bit overwhelming. The cinnamon was also very candy cinnamon-ey, like cinnamon gum, not cinnamon stick if that makes any sense. It really didn’t let the spiciness to come through, not the black tea base. I still like a cup once in a while, but find it more of a cinnamon tea than a Chai.

My early morning git-up-n-go juice. Hit the drive-thru and get an XL with 2 milk and 2 sugar and I am good. Nothing outstanding, but definitely good. I tend to drink it with the bag in…taking the bag out while driving can be a dangerous thing to do!

An awesome indulgence every once in a while. When I have a photo shoot where I have to send the photos quickly, I make sure to head to Starbucks to take advantage of their wifi and pick up a XL Tazo to make me work faster!
Great tasting tea, which I usually get with soy milk which I find makes it a bit creamier.
Also, I prefer the Tazo liquid base to Second Cup’s powdered base. I find the powder never fully dissolves, so it is in your last 2 or 3 sips. Good one Starbucks!

A pretty strong breakfast blend which I find leaves a pretty bad aftertaste. I have a tin in the cupboard which I grab every time I run out of my other teas. It’s not bad, just not great. Full credit to them for being 1% For The Planet members.

I picked this tea up at the Spice and Tea Exchange in John’s Pass near St. Pete’s Beach in Florida. The owner of the shop explained how he prepares and blends all of the tea and spices he sells by hand using only fresh ingredients, and it really comes through in his products.
The Darjeeling is a slightly sweet and fruity loose tea, but not overwhelmingly so. As opposed to a lot of tea I have had, this one has no bitter aftertaste at all which is great. They recommend steeping for 3 to 5 minutes which I found it a bit weak; I increased the time to 6 minutes and it was perfect. A bit of sugar and milk suited my cup perfectly.
Overall, it is a great tea that I would not hesitate to recommend to others.

This is my standard go-to Pekoe, I drink so much of it that I hardly know if I do it because I love it or it has just become habit. A bit of milk and sugar and I am good to go!