Today's Tea: Jumpy Monkey

Jumpy Monkey from DAVIDsTEA

Description: This brew gives you a tasty boost with a unique combination of exotic ingredients. It combines freshly roasted peaberry coffee beans with Argentine maté, and laces them with almonds, white chocolate and other roasted barks and roots. The result is sweet, rich and deliciously satisfying. Plus it’s a sweet treat you can enjoy guilt-free, as this blend has virtually no calories. No wonder they say maté makes you efficient.

Ingredients: Roasted yerba maté, peaberry coffee bean or flat bean, cocoa nibs, carob, cloves, white chocolate (Sugar, nonfat milk powder, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, soy lecithin, monoglycerides, artificial colour, artificial flavour), almonds, red clover, oat straw.

Allergens: Dairy, nuts and soy

Caffeine: 3 (Stimulant)

How to Brew: 1.5 tsp 98°C/208°F 4-7 min

(From DAVIDsTEA: Jumpy Monkey)

Steph's Thoughts:

Good morning, maté! If it weren't so frowned upon to put you in my guampa instead of regular maté, I totally would. (Traditionally, only Ilex paraguariensis - straight yerba maté - goes into the guampa.) It would make my day so much better.

You can definitely tell this tea is a maté from the bouquet, and the taste. It's slightly bitter, like maté, but there's a hint of something else, something .... earthier. Chickory, maybe? Except there's no chickory in the ingredients... I was expecting this to taste a little more like chocolate, given the amount of chocolate in the tea, but I guess that's Chocolate Rocket I'm thinking of. It's not as sweet as some of the other matés, so in my opinion it requires a little bit of sweetener. It has a very nice initial taste, but has a bit of a maté kick to it as an aftertaste.

The thing about maté is that it gives you the same mental boost without the jitteries of coffee, so if you need to be awake, maté's just as good as coffee, without the crash. And this tea has actual coffee beans in it, so WHEEEEEE.

And HEY, did you know that yerba maté is actually from the holly family? So TECHNICALLY IT IS APPROPRIATE FOR THE SEASON!!!!! (because it is Christmas-ish, you see...)

VERDICT: Not my favourite maté, but better than straight maté!! Uh, Half-win??

Today's Tea: Lapsang Souchong Star

Organic Lapsang Souchong Star from DAVIDsTEA

Description: If you like single-malt whisky and fine cigars, then this is the tea for you. Most say it was invented when soldiers took over a tea factory in Xingun (Star Village) during the Qing dynasty in China. When they finally left, the workers had to dry their tea in record time to sell it at the market. In desperation they lit open fires of pine to speed the process, and wood-smoked Lapsang Souchong was born. (MK Kosher) Ingredients: Organic Chinese black tea from Fujian Province Caffeine: 2 (Medium) How to Brew: 1.25 tsp 98°C/208°F 4-5 min (From DAVIDsTEA: Lapsang Souchong Star) Steph's Thoughts: This is definitely a campfire kind of tea. It smells like wood smoke and pine branches, and reminds me of summer camp. When I was a teenager, I volunteered as a counselor at a summer camp. Once a week, we would pack up our stuff and spend a night in the woods. We would cook dinner over a fire, sleep in a tent, more often than not get rained on, learn new skills, and also learn things about ourselves, often to our surprise. When we returned to "civilization" (or at least, indoor plumbing) from our foray into the wilderness (ish), we would inevitably come back smelling like wood smoke. Our clothes, our hair, our skin, our VERY BEING was infused with wood smoke, and it radiated from our pores. Some of us would dash into the shower to slough off the "stink." Others of us would savour the aroma of our smoke-infused selves, resigning ourselves to the shower when it was our turn. These are the memories this tea invites. I don't know if this is a tea that one would drink straight on a regular basis. It is very smoky, although you can taste the pine and the black tea. I had mine with milk, which seems to take the edge off a little. It's how the Guides at the Polo Park store recommend it. I can DEFINITELY see using it as a marinade, or in a sauce while cooking. If you want to infuse a smoke flavour into whatever you're cooking, brew this tea and use it. I have a recipe from DT that is basically salmon, milk, and this tea. Upon doing further research, I'm convinced that it can enhance your barbecues, soups and meat dishes! I did a brief Google search for recipes with Lapsang Souchong, and one of the websites I came to suggested putting a bit in a spice ball and putting it in your vegetarian soups and stews to add a little bit of the smoky bacon flavour without actually putting any meat or meat stock in. My brother in law sent me a recipe for Cheddar Ham Chowder (which is AMAZINGLY FABULOUS!) that I might spice up with this tea - maybe instead of 2 cups water, I would do one cup water and one cup tea, OR two cups tea, depending on how smoky I wanted the chowder. Hmmmmm... Now I want to go play! One reader on Steepster suggested mixing a little bit of this with the Oh Canada! to have "maple bacon flavoured tea." I think that I would really like to cook with this tea rather than drinking it. There's a wonderful Tea Rubbed Pork Chop recipe with Lapsang Souchong that I'd like to try, in addition to my chowder experiment. And now, thanks to all my research, and my tea, I want to go cook. Except I didn't actually buy a bag of Lapsang Souchong; I only bought a cupful. And thanks to my review, my cupful is gone. Oh dear. Verdict: Iffy on its own, but would be an amazing additive to cooking.

Today's Tea: Big Apple

Big Apple from DAVIDsTEA

Description: There’s just something magical about New York City. We love the hustle and bustle, the excitement, and of course the food. Something about the words “big apple” just gets us salivating. Which is why we created this tea, a deliciously fruity blend of premium white and green teas with big pieces of golden apple. It’s fun, flashy and full of flavour – just like our favourite city.

Ingredients: White tea (Mao Feng), green tea (Wu Lu and Guangxi), apple, artificial flavouring

Caffeine: 2 (Medium)

How to Brew: 1.25 tsp 92°C/198°F (though the bag says 82°F) 3-4 min

(From DAVIDsTEA: Big Apple)

Steph's Thoughts:

I wanted to try apple tea, and had heard that this one was pretty good. I ordered this one at DT on Monday, and decided that Christmas Day would be a wonderful time for a) a new tea and b) something fruity. And tea is healthier than cider or hot chocolate, in theory, so.... Hooray! I'm now sitting at my in-laws' place doing a tea review, on Christmas Day.

Oh hey! Happy Christmas, readers.

Anyway. The leaves have a wonderful apple smell, with a hint of something. I can't quite name it. It's quite lovely, though.

I tried brewing it as best I could without a thermometer and proper measuring spoon, as my in-laws are not quite as nerdy as I am. I used water that had boiled and then sat for a few minutes before I put it into the cup. One of the Guides at DT had said that she had oversteeped this tea and therefore hadn't liked it, so I tried really hard to only let it steep for about 3-4 minutes. I think I could let it steep for a few more minutes yet, but more than about 8 minutes, and I've been told it'll be very bitter.

I like this tea. It's like a tea-ish version of apple cider, only with less spices. I'm sure you could add some cinnamon and some other stuff, and make cider out of this. Although I probably wouldn't. It's a wonderful apple tea. It's got a very nice subtle aftertaste.

It really is hard to describe the taste. I mean, you can tell that it's made of apple, but it doesn't taste like apple sauce, or juice, or cider, or crisp, OR PIE. It's like,..... dried apple, without the bitter chewiness, like healthy green tea without the bitter powderiness, and like juice without the added sugar. I wonder what this tea would taste like iced? It doesn't REALLY taste like cinnamon, but I feel like there is some in there. Maybe it's just because my tongue often pairs apple with cinnamon. It's not overwhelming at all, though. It's nice.

And it's not bitter at all, so I suppose I steeped it for an appropriate amount of time. I didn't end up using any sweetener in this one. I really don't think it needs it.

All in all, this is a lovely tea.

VERDICT: Tea win!

Today's Tea: Organic Ever Green

Organic Ever Green from DAVIDsTEA

Description: We were inspired by David Suzuki when we dreamed up this tea. It’s an organic blend of Japanese sencha with Canadian-sourced cranberries, blueberries and sea lettuce. A little bit sweet, a little bit fruity with an oceanic hint. Plus it’s entirely sourced from farms that meet the highest standards of sustainability. You might call it an homage to everyone’s favourite environmental icon.


Ingredients: Organic: Sencha green tea, cranberries, blueberries, caraway seed, mustard seed, sea lettuce. With natural flavouring.

Allergens: Mustard seed

From DAVIDsTEA: Organic Ever Green

Steph's Thoughts:

The name put me in mind of a Raffi album I listened to as a child - Ever Green, Ever Blue, so I was excited to try it. I was expecting hints of pine, reminiscent perhaps of Cold 911, but instead I smelled cranberries and blueberries, and something very strong that I cannot identify, even now. The smell stirs a memory, but I cannot grasp it, nor can I place the smell. And quite frankly, it's driving me mad that I cannot put this into words.

It brews a lovely clear amber, and tastes like.... Well, the only word I can think of to describe this tea is GREEN. If GREEN had a taste, I think this would be it. There are definite aftertastes of cranberry and dried blueberry.

In reading the ingredients over and over and over, I think my tastebuds are convinced that I taste sea lettuce, which according to my brain, tastes like the seaweed that you wrap your sushi in, only sweeter.

I think this tea would, in fact, make a lovely complement to sushi or a fish dish.

Also, let me say this: DO NOT microwave the paper cups that the tea comes in if you want to reheat it. I had an EPIC FAIL moment. But my tea does not taste like burning, so I guess, epic win???

I think I like this tea on the sweet side, as it brings out the blueberry flavour. Also, I would recommend following the brewing instructions, as this is a green tea, and green teas are notoriously picky about their water temperature. But Chris at DAVIDsTEA-Grant Park (henceforth referred to as DT-GP) brewed it perfectly!

This all being said, I think the taste is something that requires a bit of time, and a very particular palate. Initially, I was unsure about it, as it's not my favourite. And I don't think it ever will be. But it DOES grow on you. I think I was disappointed that it didn't smell like pine, so maybe that plays into things a little. It does have a fairly strong smell (it's That Which I Cannot Identify), which translates into a taste. It's PLANT-Y. It's GREEN. And that's not a bad thing. It's just ... not MY thing.

Hubby says that it does NOT taste like Green, but somehow like a sharp peach liqueur. Though he's not entirely sure about the peach part of it. He said the smell is a little acrid, which is off-putting. After a few sips, he was able to taste the blueberries. Dried blueberries have a very different taste than fresh blueberries, and I think that is maybe where the taste difference comes in, because there REALLY IS a clear aftertaste of DRIED blueberries. Like... craisins but not. Green Craisins?? Hubby had an AHA moment when reading over my shoulder. "If you stick your nose in a bag of dried blueberries, I'm pretty sure part of the smell in Ever Green is THAT SMELL."

Verdict: Iffy. Could be good if paired with sushi?????????

Today's Tea: Nepal Black

Nepal Black Tea from DAVIDsTEA

Description: There are good things brewing in the Highlands of Nepal. Like this hand-made black tea, from a small family-owned tea garden named Jun Chiyabari. From the first sip you’ll notice its rich, sweet, honey-like flavour. What doesn’t come through in the cup is how much good this little tea garden does. They’ve set up a ton of amazing community programs to benefit local schools, underprivileged families, and the elderly. This particular tea is a DAVIDsTEA exclusive – now that’s a good thing. 

Ingredients: Black tea from Nepal

Caffeine: 2 (medium)

(From DAVIDsTEA: Nepal Black)

Steph's Thoughts:

I went to DAVIDsTEA at Grant Park to try the Cherry Blossom White for Kaseteufel, but it seems it's an online exclusive (boo). I asked the Tea Guides what they recommended and Laura (I'm working on learning all their names, because they are the awesomest ever) suggested this one.

She also told me that DAVIDsTEA has bought all the stock from this particular tea farm, so this particular tea is a DT exclusive. She was super-excited about all the good things they (DT and Jun Chiabari) are doing in Nepal, and I think she's passed it on!

I'm not usually a fan of straight black tea - I like my flavours. But HOLY CRAP. Laura, THANK YOU.

The tea is on the sweeter side of black tea. I was pleasantly surprised by the sweetness, actually. I didn't get a whole lot of sweetener in, because I wanted to try it as straight as possible. I was afraid it would be bitter or very strong, so wanted to temper it with a little agave, and when it's so hot, it's hard to tell what it needs. I didn't need a lot to bring it up to my desired sweetness.

It does have a little bit of a honey taste to it. It's not bitter, and it's a lovely dark amber colour.

This tastes lovely with gingersnaps - it's a great complement, actually. The smoothness of tea goes well with the - ahaha- snappy ginger cookie, and the flavours lend themselves well to the pairing.

I would recommend drinking this tea while it's hot. However, in my life, tea seems to have two temperatures - too hot, and not hot enough. You wait and wait and wait for the tea to NOT be too hot, and by the time you get to "not hot" you have about thirty seconds to gulp down the whole cup before it becomes "not hot enough." And this tea is just too good to guzzle.

It is a black tea, which means it has a caffeine kick. I think this might be a good mid-afternoon tea. Right when you need a cup of coffee to wake you up, pick up this tea instead. I would love to have a tin of this, because as far as plain tea goes, this is THE BEST EVER. Seriously, of all the plain, unflavoured teas, this is my new absolute favourite ever.

Seriously, if you like plain tea, THIS IS YOUR TEA.

Thank you, Laura!! You rock my socks like crazy.


Verdict: Tea Win!!

Today's Tea: Bubbly

Bubbly from DAVIDsTEA

Ingredients: Green tea, candied pineapple, mullein blossoms, artificial flavouring

(From DAVIDsTEA: Bubbly)

Steph's Thoughts:
I'm not normally a champagne drinker, because it's rather expensive, but I figured with New Year's coming up, I'd like to have some celebratory tea to drink at midnight (because that's how I roll. I don't party, and buying a bottle of expensive champagne just for me, and just for one night is a little silly). I was intrigued by the smell in the store, even though I'm NOT a green tea drinker.

A few days ago, I was trying to decide which tea to drink. I smelled the tea from this tin, and while I didn't feel like drinking it at the time, I will admit I picked through the tea to find the candied pineapple, and ate a few pieces. Candied pineapple is AMAAAAAAAAZING! It was so hard not to eat it all! But then the tea would taste funny, and we can't have that, now, can we?

I can't say I was familiar with mullein blossoms, so I did some research on the internet, and HELLO, Aren't these PRETTY?

They're cheerful little flowers!
Apparently they're in the figwort family, AND HEY DID YOU KNOW they're used for treating respiratory disorders and ear infections?
So instead of getting drunk on NYE, I can get HEALTHY! I like this plan! (..... I'm schputting here a little, since I'm pretty sure the medicinal quality of this tea is fairly minimal. Consider this a disclaimer.)

Also, I think I want to grow these in my garden in spring. HAPPY FLOWERS IN MY TEEEEEEAAAAA.

The taste of Bubbly is pineapply and green-tea-that-is-not-horrid. Again, very skeptical of green tea. It is a little on the bitter side so next time I might add a healthy dose of sweetener. Especially for the bottom bits. The bottom of the cup is really very bitter. And a bit sedimenty. I suppose that's normal.
I wonder what kind of flavour the mullein adds. I've never smelled them. Perhaps a botanist would like to describe the smell to me? In any case, David and his team have done a fabulous job blending them with the pineapple. I like the pineapple in this tea.


I apologize for the inanity of my review. It has been a very long, very emotional day and I'm sick and thus, very bonkers. And since I'm reviewing these for free, I feel a little less pressure to be professional.

Verdict: It's growing on me. The pineapple is nummy and the flowers are pretty.

Today's Tea: Spiced Carob

Organic Spiced Carob from DAVIDsTEA

Ingredients: Carob, oolong tea, black tea, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, natural and organic flavouring.

Caffeine: 1 (low)

(From DAVIDsTEA: Organic Spiced Carob)


Steph's Thoughts:

I had this to drink during a staff meeting, so I couldn't review it right away (though I WAS jotting notes during the meeting). But the best part about this is that it's got a fuller leaf, so it can be brewed more than once and still taste just as good! I rebrewed the bag when I got home from the meeting, and am now enjoying a second cup.

The first thing that strikes me is the ginger and the cardamom. It reminds me very much of Le Digestif, or perhaps the Pu'erh Ginger. And then, there are hints of chocolate, but not too heavy. For some reason, I'm reminded of this candied ginger-chocolate thing I ate once. It was so amazing. This is almost like the tea version of that. Except better.

After the ginger, cardamom and chocolate hit you, then there come hints of cinnamon, which are reminiscent of the Cocoa Canela, with slightly less chocolate. It really is very subtle, but oh so delicious. I think recognizing the cinnamon really made it pop.

It doesn't need a lot of sweetener - I used half a pump of agave, which was more than sufficient to sweeten it. I drank the second cup black with no sweetener, and it was just as good.

Also, apparently oolong tea, carob, and ginger are all tummy-soothers, so if you have an upset tummy, but crave a little bit of chocolate, this might be your go-to remedy. It's very light, which is welcome when you have an upset tummy.

On second brewing, the flavour of the carob really came through - it was chocolatier than the first cup. Also, I think that oolong tea has a very distinct flavour that is really hard to describe. It's not in-your-face like black tea, nor punchy like maté, nor ... um... tweaky is the only word I can think of to describe green tea (I'm not a huge green tea fan, and I'm always little skeptical of it). Earthy maybe? But not bad earthy. It's nice on the palate. And my tummy says thank you, too.

This isn't a tea that I'd normally pick for myself, but today's been a weird day. This was a really good end to the day.

Verdict: Win, enough to drink it twice!