Boston Tea Company | Pumpkin Spice

Well, after a great Thanksgiving holiday meal including two pieces of pumpkin pie, it's time to relax with a cup of tea.  I chose Boston Tea Company's Pumpkin Spice.  It's a fun-flavored Ceylon that is perfect for this time of the year.  The pumpkin and spices are not overwhelming.  They accent the Ceylon with a festive holiday charm.  I have to say, I steeped my last pot to perfection.  The Ceylon is very smooth; which is important to the overall balance of the tea and spices.  I steeped the tea using 212 °F water for about three minutes.  The aroma rising from the cup brings a smile to your face and helps to capture the holiday spirit.  This is a very relaxing cup of tea that is perfect for sharing with guests around the holiday season. 

From The Boston Tea Company: Ah! Crisp, cool air, bright, colorful leaves - makes me want to have a hot, soothingly rich cup of tea! Try our harvest blend of hearty pumpkin bits, radiant sunflower and exotic spices that complement our premium estate Ceylon black tea for a robust cupful. Keep this pouch on hand for a fragrant cup of Fall all year long!

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Boston Tea Company | Dragonwell

The past couple of months have been very busy for me.  Blogging and tea consumption had to be placed on hold.    I'm happy to now have time to talk about some of the tea offered by Boston Tea Company.   Dragonwell is one of my all-time favorites.  If you are new to Dragonwell, it's the green tea that looks like it was carried around in someone's back pocket on a long bus ride.  Don't let the fact that the tea looks smashed deter you from experiencing the flavor that is derived from this green tea variety.  Trust me, the producers of Dragonwell know what they are doing...Dragonwell is very popular around the world for good reason.

I steep Dragonwell in water that is about 185 °F.  I used a small Gaiwan, so my steeping times were about one minute - maybe a tad more.  I was able to infuse the tea multiple times with this steeping method. Dragonwell is known for its sweet aftertaste.  If you steep it too long, you'll know it for its bitterness - we don't want that.  So, don't be afraid to give it a taste test after a minute or so to make sure you have the water temp and timing down to produce a delicious cup of green tea.  Dragonwell has a great balance of vegetal and sweet flavors.  To me, this is a very pure and enjoyable green tea.  If you are someone that turns away from teas that have a vegetal flavor, keep turning.  Dragonwell does not shy away from its "greenness."  If you enjoy real green tea, Dragonwell is an excellent option for you.  You'll enjoy the crisp, fresh green tea as it washes down with a natural, light sweetness as an added bonus.

Boston Tea Company describes the tea as: Considered a digestive aid and named for the village of Dragonwell, in the Chinese province of Zhejiang where it is produced, this superior tea is regarded as one of the finest Chinese green teas. Its flat, jade green leaves yield a mellow, aromatic brew that leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste for a refreshing cup anytime of day!

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Ready for some tea

Looking forward to trying some new teas from Boston Tea Company

They look great...heating the water now.

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Teas Etc | Bohea Organic

Smoky, sweet, silky, and smooth.

Teas Etc | Bohea OrganicThis tea is the real deal.  I love teas that have character, and Bohea Organic takes it to another level for me.  When I started analyzing the scent of the dried tea leaves,  I got that it was going to be smoky.  That wasn't too difficult to figure out...What I didn't expect was everything that followed.  First of all, the smokiness of the tea is what I would consider the lead flavor.  The next flavor is reminiscent of a natural wood shop - just a light fresh cut oak flavor.  The trailing flavor is this perfect splash of silky, smooth, sweetness.  Just a quality splash of black tea from the WuYi mountains.  This multi-layered treat keeps the cup interesting from start to finish.  Best of all, this is a USDA Organic tea.

I can't say enough about this tea.

Teas Etc describes the tea as: A heavenly, smooth USDA Certified Organic black tea with a sweet oakey note that does not even resemble Lapsong teas of today. Grown high in the Wuyi mountains of China this remarkable tea was once the talk of Europe and made a splash in American history as one of the teas thrown overboard at the Boston Tea Party.

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Teas Etc | Citrus Burst Pu'erh

Teas Etc | Citrus Burst Pu'erhCitrus Burst Pu'erh is a clever blend of earthy flavored Pu'erh with a blast of citrus flavors.  The dry product literally made my mouth water due to the sweet lemony aroma.  I was really curious to taste the tea to see when the Pu'erh flavor was going to kick-in.  Pu'erh is known to have an almost mud-like (earthy to be polite) flavor to it upon the first few sips.  However, just like a natural stream filters muddy water, your taste buds filter the earthy flavor to allow the other flavors to shine through.  I would have been disappointed if the Pu'erh was masked by the citrus.  After steeping the Pu'erh in 212 degree water for 4 minutes, I was pleasantly surprised.  I'll give Teas Etc a lot of credit for finding the balance with this blend.  When I first caught the aroma of the tea from the sample pouch, I thought this was going to be too much lemon and not enough tea for me.  After steeping the tea, I couldn't believe how well the Pu'erh mellowed the citrus burst.  It was a very enjoyable cup of tea.  For those of you that are new to Pu'erh, this would be an excellent introduction if you enjoy lemon flavored beverages.  According to the packaging, lemon grass, lemon myrtle, and natural essential citrus is what gives this tea a sweet and tart kick.

A bit of advice, they don't call it "citrus burst" because the citrus flavor is subtle.  If you don't like strong lemon flavors, you might want to pick one of Teas Etc's other selections.  I enjoyed the beverage hot, but I'm sure it would be awesome iced.

Teas Etc describes the tea as: "A succulent combination of exotic citrus fruits blended in just the right measure create a fun, delicious cup of Pu’erh that is perfectly suited to serve hot or iced.

Crisp, bright citrus notes are sweet and tart and are derived from all natural citrus essential oils in a multi step flavoring, blending process." 

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