Tea Temptations, Ginger Apricot

Tea Temptations Description:
Ceylon Apricot flavored tea with Ginger pieces.

My Review:
A sample of this tea was included in a recent order from Tea Temptations. This company has been reviewed many times on The Everyday Tea Blog, but under the name Empire Tea Services. Tea Temptations is the retail side of the business and Empire Tea Services is the wholesale. This company is located in Southern Indiana and is a couple hours drive from my home. They remain the only local establishment I am aware of that actually blends their own teas. Once or twice a year I visit the warehouse and so I only recently realized the two names involved.

Opening the sample, the leaf looks very much like the picture. The Ceylon tea leaf is very dark and healthy looking. The ginger takes two forms. One is little cream colored nuggets, the other is like tiny dried planty hairs. The tea is flavored with apricot. The dry leaf scent is nicely apricot. At this point I am not sure I am smelling the ginger.

I used about 3 g in my press with 212 F water. The steep time was 3 minutes. The brew is kind of cloudy and a deep muddy orange. It looks a bit like fresh apple cider. Of course the apricot aroma tells you it is quite something else.

Sipping, the apricot steps down allowing the spiciness of the ginger to come into play. Neither flavor is overly strong. The ginger adds a depth of warmth along with its spicy notes that builds under the apricot. My mouth is filled with a tingling glow long after swallowing. The Ceylon base is the least noticeable element. It is there but is mostly filling in any voids in the profile. Usually Ceylon adds bite and that may be the case here though it is not apparent as it is mixing with the ginger.

I have never encountered this combination before. Though I think the quality is high enough, it is is not something I would order for my self. Their Peach Apricot is much more to my liking.

Visit Tea Temptations online.

Empire Tea Services, Earl Grey Supreme

Empire Tea Services Description:
A blend of Ceylon teas, Bergamot flavoring and Orange peel. Outstanding!

Price: $9.50/4oz

My Review:
If you have been reading this blog for long, you know I love Earl Grey. I also love Empire Tea Services. They were my introduction to quality loose leaf tea. My wife and I have tried several of their teas, including three Earl Grey varieties - Green, White and De La Creme. Some how I have never gotten around to Earl Grey Supreme, until today.

This is one of their micro-blend teas, which means it is blended 10 pounds or less at a time. It is fine cut CTC leaf with visible pieces of orange peel. The picture represents this well, except it can't give you that wonderful aroma of bergamot and orange that is trademark to Empire's Earl Greys. For the uninitiated it is quite strong. If you only like a touch of bergamot in your cup, just move along as this is not for you.

I used about 3g of leaf steeped in my press with boiling water for about 3 minutes. The result is a pleasingly dark cup of bergamot scented bliss.

The sip bergamot and orange. Not overwhelming (by my standard) but very intense. The Ceylon is hiding in the background. It pops out of hiding more as the cup cools. This is not the least bitter but it is a touch drying. I added Splenda and it is almost too sweet even for my sweet tooth. Note to self - hold the sweetener! One thing I have learned with Empire's micro-blend line is this will mellow out as the leaf ages a few weeks. I recall when I first tried their Earl Green, I mixed it with another unflavored tea for a while to tone it down until it aged. Another thing I have learned is their teas re-steep well.

Cup two was steeped around 3 1/2 minutes. I didn't really time it. The brew is deep red. Very pretty. The sip is still bergamot and orange but there is a peppery quality about it. I can feel it on the sides of my tongue. The Ceylon base is more obvious in this cup and it is very smooth. No bitterness, slightly drying. This is classic Empire Tea Services Earl Grey.

Cup three (yep, from a CTC Ceylon!) is lighter and reminds me of Twinings at this point. Well, except the base tea is better. I sipped part of the cup, then added ice and enjoyed a chilled bit of refreshment. Iced Earl is quite delicious.

This is a tea for bergamot lovers. By adding the orange bits it does take it of center just a bit. Sometimes when a company messes with my earl, by adding things to it, I get a little bent out of shape. Here it still remains faithful enough to the original that I enjoy the change.

Empire Tea Services lists this tea on their Tea Temptations web site.

Empire Tea Services, Moscow Nights

Tea Temptations Description:
Ceylon tea, Bergamot, Lapsang Souchong, Spanish Safflower petals and Thistle.

My Review:
While restocking my wife's favorite tea (Tea and Herbs) I asked if they had a smoky Earl Grey. A sample of this was tossed in with our shipment (Thank You ETS!).

First, a note of confusion that I will attempt to straighten out. This company, I have known for years as Empire Tea Services. Their newly re-launched website shows their retail name as Tea Temptations. After contacting their president, Lalith Guy Paranavitana, I have learned that ETS is the wholesale side of the business and Tea Temptations is the intended retail arm of the company. Lalith admits this may confuse people initially and ETS has very strong name recognition in the industry. So far now at least I will continue to use the Empire Tea Services name and direct you to the Tea Temptations web store.

I wish I had taken a photo of the tea in the resealable sample envelop (adding my own photos is something I hope to do in the future). The spanish safflower had worked its way to the surface. This gave the appearance of hot embers, along with the wonderful smoke emanating from the pouch it gave this a cool, almost ominous, vibe. So let's crank up a little Enter Sandman and have at it.

I used about 3g (2/3 scoop) of leaf and 12oz of water heated to 200F. I steeped in my press for 4 minutes. No, I did not look for steeping instructions. I just went with what felt appropriate.

The brew looks bronze in the press but much darker and 'thicker' appearing in the mug. The scent is sweet and smoky. I am digging this. It's funny, a year ago, the aroma alone would have sent me scurrying for cover. Today, I'm all bring it on!

The sip is sweet and smoky but the smoke is incredibly smooth. There are no rough edges. This is not a heavy Lapsang Souchong despite my attention to the smoke notes. The addition of the Ceylon gives it a rolling bubbling taste sensation. How can it be smooth rolling at the same time? I don't know, but that is the best way I can describe it.

The bergamot is present and clean but not anywhere near the dominant flavor. So be aware this is not an Earl Grey, but Tea Temptations does not call it by that name. It is a wonderful moderately smoky (they say light) tea with a hint of bergamot adding a bright yet subtle citrus element late in the sip that breathes a welcome bit of lightness into the cup.

This is not exactly what I was expecting, but erasing expectations from my mind, this is very tasty and interesting on its own merits.

Visit the Tea Temptations website.