These two teas are part of a recent batch of tea my wife purchased from Tea Forté.  I’m trying their signature tea infusers.  The pyramid shaped tea infuser might be one of the more stylish available.  About Tea Forte: “Founded in 2003, Tea Forté is the realization of one man’s dream and vision. Renowned American designer, Peter Hewitt, set out to capture the “art of tea” and define the contemporary ceremony of tea. Through the combination of artfully blended teas, and custom-designed accessories, Tea Forté elevates a cup of tea into an extraordinary experience for all of your senses.”

Orange Pekoe (Classic black tea): Every now and then, I enjoy a simple Orange Pekoe.  This Ceylon was very enjoyable.  With its low tannin levels and smooth black tea flavor and aroma, this tea appeals to a variety of tea drinkers.  Orange Pekoe is a premium Ceylon option.  If you enjoy black tea from popular retail stores, this tea will easily meet your expectations.  I communicate with a wide range of tea drinkers.  Most of my friends and family would easily pick an Orange Pekoe over some of the premium loose leaf options that are available.  Therefore, I’m happy to recommend this one to them.

Orchid Vanilla (Dolce Vita dessert collection): We’re talking some serious vanilla here.  If you do not like scented/flavored vanilla foods or beverages, stay far away from this.  Now, if you enjoy vanilla flavors, you will greatly appreciate this one.  I liked it.  The vanilla is the dominant flavor and it easily outshines the black tea, but I was expecting that from the start.  The tea is said to contain Madagascar vanilla and coconut slivers.  The coconut does mellow the tea and adds a smooth/creamy texture and flavor to the beverage.  Orchid Vanilla is an excellent dessert tea.  I enjoy a tea like this in the morning.  You can enjoy it whenever you like.  Again, the stylish tall pyramid tea infusers will be sure to delight your guests.

• Visit Tea Forté

marTEA

I love tea and it’s really hard for me to drink anything that doesn’t actually contain Camellia sinensis.  I know a lot of you enjoy tisanes (herbal teas), and I’d like to share a couple with you.  Coco Truffle: cacao, cinnamon, fennel, licorice root, cardamom, ginger, cloves, black pepper. Belgian Mint: cacao, peppermint. Both selections were very enjoyable.  Cacao seems to be a common theme that tea companies are using/promoting more frequently these days.  In addition to adding a chocolate-like flavor, the cacao adds more body to the traditional herbal blend.

The Coco Truffle was excellent.  It has a lot of class and elegance that makes it a premium dessert beverage.  The flavors were smooth and balanced.  The scent was divine.  As you can see from its ingredients listing that there are a lot of dominant flavors in the mix. Tea Forté managed to pull it all together.  I could sip this all night long.  It’s difficult not to relax when you are drinking this herbal.

The Belgian Mint is not quite as complex as the Coco Truffle, but it’s lack of ingredients should not be considered a weakness.  It’s strength is in the power of its two ingredients – peppermint and cacao.  Peppermint is probably my favorite herbal ingredient.  So this one was perfect for me.  The cacao and peppermint  combine to create a refreshing and replenishing beverage.  This is a great herbal to drink when you want to freshen your breath after a meal. Plus the peppermint will help you digest your food.  Both herbal blends are naturally decaffeinated.

Visit Tea Forté

marTEA

Decaf Breakfast: If you cannot drink caffeine or you are cutting down your intake, here is a quality option for you.  Through the pyramid infuser you can see the full leaf Ceylon.  As the tea steeps, the leaves expand to fill the pyramid tea infuser. The Ceylon has a traditional black tea flavor and aroma to it.  After a few sips, I lost interest.  I apologize, I just can’t drink decaf tea and enjoy it.  It did have a slight bitter aftertaste that I could do without.  With a little milk and sugar, it was enjoyable.  Compared to other decaf black teas, this was actually one of the better ones.

Black Currant (contains caffeine): With its naturally sweet berry aroma and flavor, this black currant option was satisfying. After patiently waiting just over 3 minutes for the tea to steep, the first sip was very refreshing.  The packaging states that the tea contains: Chinese black tea and blackberry leaves from Bulgaria.  The tea was balanced and flavorful throughout the cup.  I could taste the black tea, and the black currant was not overpowering.

Visit Tea Forté

marTEA