Tuesday 21 August 2018

T2 Tea | Scots Breakfast


Company: T2 Tea 
Name: Scots Breakfast
Tea Type: Black Tea 
Loose or Bagged: Loose Leaf
Rating: 4*
Best Served: Hot w/o Milk
Water Temperature: 100° 
Brew For: 3-5 minutes 
Buy: T2 Tea 
Price: £7.50 for 100g. 

Description: Cuddle up to this warming cup! A big handful of oats, a sprinkle of warm cinnamon and sweet caramel notes makes for a very cosy brew to tackle any dreich day!

Ingredients: Black tea, oat flakes, cocoa husks, cinnamon, natural and artificial flavouring, vanilla
CONTAINS GLUTEN

So at the end of April Me and Mum popped up to Edinburgh, Scotland for a long weekend away. And as perfect as the weekend was, I came back craving all things Scottish (and just going vegan I couldn't even have Shortbread! *cries*). 

That's when I was desperate to find some Scottish tea, and if anywhere was going to stock a Scottish tea it was definitely T2 Tea. They have everything from London Breakfast to Irish Breakfast, an English Breakfast to Scottish Breakfast. A breakfast tea for every part of the UK!  They've also gone world wide with their Singapore, New York, Melbourne and Perth breakfast tea's too. (Can I say breakfast anymore?). 

Every breakfast tea T2 Tea make is blended around the typical flavours from that City or Country. So the Scot's Breakfast is filled with ingredients and smells you'd expect to find from Scotland. The flavour of the black tea was actually really nice, for a girl who doesn't like th ever powering flavour of black tea this was quite nice. it's bold and robust but not bitter and too strong. With the added creaminess from the oat flakes and cocoa husks it was so cosy. Which isn't always the best thing for morning but the spiciness form the cinnamon and mellow sweetness from the vanilla really gave this brew a little oomph. Made it hole some and hearty. 

It's exactly what you want first thing in a morning. Something with caffeine to wake you up but a little creamy sweetness so it's not quite a kick up the butt if it's a nice Sunday morning. This is definitely going to be a brew I'll end ringing more of when the mornings are cold and frosty! Plus it makes me long for Scotland too, when I visited with my mum it was just the nicest weekend away. Beautiful Country and I'd love to see more! 


Monday 6 August 2018

Leaves of the World | The Jaffa

Company: Leaves of the World
Name: The Jaffa
Tea Type: Roobios 
Loose or Bagged: Loose Leaf
Rating: 5*
Best Served: Hot w/o Milk
Water Temperature: 100° 
Brew For: 4 minutes 
Price: £6.50 for 50g and £12 for 100g

Description: Listen up. I’m The Jaffa. The boss of all things in the chocolate and orange department. And let me tell you, my sweet velvety chocolate is the best. Number 1. That’s right. Creamy, sweet indulgent chocolaty rooibos with juicy orange and especially bring me a biscuit when you whip me up as a tea latte. Um um ummmm. I’m only around for a limited time. So make the most of me while I’m here!

Ingredients: Organic: rooibos, cocoa shells, orange pieces, organic orange flavour, sunflower blossoms.

This tea guys, is phenomenal. I've tried a fair few chocolate teas now and most of them are sub-par at the best of times. I just don't think there are many teas that really capture that creamy, sweet, chocolatey flavour without taxing synthetic or cheap. But The Jaffa really hits the nail on the head, since going Vegan I have rely struggled to satisfy my chocolate craving and although I have never given in, it's hard!

The Jaffa really quenches your need for chocolate in a healthier, lower calorie, and cruelty free way! It's sweet and creamy and delicious. The added orange pieces and organic orange flavour transforms this brew into a dreamy cup of tea. A true reflection of that well loved chocolate orange classic. Nostalgic almost. Is it Christmas yet?!

All in all The Jaffa is a perfect tea. It really is. It's one I'd stock up by the bucket load! It's perfect in the morning if you wake up feeling rough, it's perfect for an elevenses, and it's perfect just before bed to calm and soothe you. Master of all times of the day! 

Roobios tea can be a desired taste, but this is perfect for both sides of the fence. You can't really taste the strong Roobios flavour, but it does ass the nice sweetness and slightly caramel flavour to the brew. 

Don't forget if you want to give The Jaffa a try use TEANOMADBECCA20 for 20% off your online order! 


Saturday 4 August 2018

Tea Club | Bird & Blend - July


So last month I wrote about how I'd joined up to the Bird & Blend Tea Club Subscription Box and my thoughts on las months box. So I figured it'd be cool to review this months box too. 

This months theme is: Christmas in July


After month one you just get the three teas and a card explaining the different tea with each months unique artwork on. 



Let's be honest, there is nothing better than cake. Except perhaps a cup of tea and cake! Our Birthday Cake Tea is delicious, has both and almost no calories! Oh and did you notice the pretty sprinkles in there too? Talk about having your cake and eating it!
Rooibos (84%), Sri Lankan Black Tea, Sprinkles (Sugar, Potato Starch, Rice Flour, Corn Starch, Vegetable Fat, Spirulina Extract, Colours (E160a Carotenes, E160c Paprika, E100 Turmeric, E163 Anthocyanins, E162 Beetroot), Stabilisers (Maltodextrin), Almond Pieces, Vanilla Pieces, Mallow Flowers, Flavouring.  
 *Please note that this tea has less than 1% of Ceylon black tea, it's not just a Rooibos blend.

I got some of the Bird and Blend Birthday Cake in January, back when it was my actual birthday and I really loved it. This tea was included in the box this month because it's B&B's Birthday! It's a really lovely blend, and actually does have that sweet, cake-y, vanilla type flavour you get from a really good birthday cake. I loved the cute little sprinkles which add the sweetness and the vanilla flavour comes from the Roobios tea. Which is a personal favourite of mine too.

Holding its own for the title of best Christmas tea of all time, this blend tastes like cake, contains real life actual Christmas tree (spruce needles!) and, as if that wasn't enough, it has little candy snowflakes. Still not impressed? Well brew it up and watch it glitter like icicles! 

Almond, Ceylon Black Tea, Cinnamon, Cloves, Flavour, Orange Peel, Sprinkles, Vanilla Pieces

I've always had some Christmas Cake from B&B every Christmas. Or in some variation they've done that year, so after receiving this I was just craving that winter weather and festivities. It smells delicious, spicy, warm and full of flavour. I am truly gutted it wont be coming back this year! I loved the strong flavour of the black tea which just lifted the nuttiness from the almonds and spiciness from the cloves and cinnamon. The added range peel and sprinkles stop this tea being overbearingly spicy and makes it a mellow warm flavour



With scents of clove, cinnamon and orange this tea tastes just as good with or without red wine! It is perfect for warming up after a chilly walk or as an alternative to the pre-made mulled wine cocktails you can buy from the supermarket!
Ingredients: Hibiscus, Rosehip, Apple pieces, Lemon pieces, Orange peel, Orange flowers, Cloves, Cinnamon.
And finally, the last tea of the selection; Mulled Wine. I don't think i'd ever tried this one before as last year I had the Mulled Cider and Sugar Plum teas. I don't think the Mulled Wine was released, I believe this is 2015/16 blend? I love fruit blends, and especially slightly spicy fruit blends at that. So the mulled wine was made for me. The sweetness from the hibicus and rose hip paired with the heat from the cinnamon and cloves is truly delicious. perfect for those who want that homely, wintery brew but don't like black tea. 
As confused as I was this box, because I don't really buy into the whole 'Christmas in July' thing. I know what it is but not being a traditional thing and being very new to me. I'm all for the 'let's live in the very tiny summer we have' kinda girl. So I will probably be putting the christmas teas away until around October. I definitely would have preferred say an Iced Tea Box or a Cold Brew Box this month given the ridiculously hot temperatures we're having. 
None the less I still love the premise of this box and at £10 inc Postage it's a really good deal if you;re looking to try some new teas! You can buy the box here and here are there Subscription Box options.