I know some of you are afraid to venture out and try new teas, after all, tea can be expensive and what if you don’t even like the tea that you purchased? I get it, and therefore I have decided to create a new segment of Tea Reviews called Tea Review: Subscriber’s Edition. Now you can suggest tea that you would like for me to try in your behalf including any questions or concerns you may have; I will choose a few of you a month to perform specialized Tea Reviews just for you! Today, I am reviewing 3 teas from Golden Moon Tea suggested by Ashley Johnson, a Tea End Blog YouTube subscriber. Hey Ashley, I hope this helps!
Click play to see my honest review of Madagascar Vanilla, Coconut Pouchong, and French Breakfast by Golden Moon. Be sure to also subscribe to be automatically entered to win FREE tea/books/stuff during Tea End Blog Give-Aways. Already subscribed? Tell a friend!
THE HUE
Madagascar Vanilla by Golden Moon is a black tea that takes on a deep amber hue. I'm always using this term to describe black teas because, although they vary in intensity, they seem to all exude a dark caramel-like hue resembling amber. You can see the variation in black tea hues by comparing Madagascar Vanilla with French Breakfast.
Coconut Pouchong by Golden Moon is a tea that rests somewhere in the the middle of a green tea and an oolong. Its bright green hue may leave you daydreaming about your past sipping experiences with sencha. I love lively green teas, they are so much fun!
French Breakfast by Golden Moon is a black tea from Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and embodies the hue of any black breakfast tea. Taking on a darker amber hue, French Vanilla is grounding and solid in color. Again, you can take a moment to compare it with Madagascar Vanilla in the photo above to see the variation in amber-like hues of black teas.
THE SCENT
Madagascar Vanilla by Golden Moon is blended with vanilla and bourbon vanilla therefore it takes on a sweet vanilla and whiskey scent which is quite pleasant upon opening the tea tin and when preparing the tea.
Coconut Pouchong by Golden Moon smells like a fresh green meadow laced with coconut. Who doesn't love coconut! This tea was probably the most pleasant to smell and it makes me mourn the last month of spring.
French Breakfast by Golden Moon is a Ceylon black tea without any other ingredients to adulterate the slightly malty and sweet aroma so common in black tea.
THE SIP
Steep Temp: 212°F (boiling)
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Steep Time: 4 min.
Madagascar Vanilla by Golden Moon without honey has a clean, non-bitter taste with a faint vanilla note. With honey, the tea's bitter notes become more prominent and the vanilla taste becomes even more undetectable.
Alternatives: Rooibos Madagascar Vanilla Red Tea by Celestial Seasonings, $5.65 | Vanilla Bean Black Tea by Arbor Teas (see Tea Review), sample $3.00, 3 oz. $9.95
Steep Temp: 180°F
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Steep Time: 3 min.
Coconut Pouchong by Golden Moon without honey has a pleasant and smooth beginning and finish. I had not desire to add honey to this tea and would probably sip this tea without honey henceforth. Upon adding honey, the green tea notes were punctuated but the coconut took a back seat. The overall sipping experience was pleasant and out of all three teas, Coconut Pouchong was worth my dollar.
Alternatives: Green Tea with Coconut by Harney & Sons (see Tea Review), $6.98
Steep Temp: 212°F (boiling)
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Steep Time: 4 min.
French Breakfast by Golden Moon without honey tastes like a black tea and with honey it tasted like a sweetened black tea. At this point, I am assuming you know how black tea tastes with and without a sweetener. This tea was the most disappointing of all teas because the name is misleading. A typical french breakfast blend usually includes black tea with natural caramel notes, vanilla, and some type of flora such as rose, lavender, or even bergamot. French Vanilla by Golden Moon is just ceylon black tea. It's like offering a chai without the spices. What? Not cool.
Alternatives: Black tea at your local super-market | Ceylon Black by Arbor Teas, sample $2.00, 3.5 oz. $8.50 | Ceylon Sonata by Adagio Teas, sample $3.00, tea bags $8.00, 3 oz. $8.00 | Actual French Breakfast Blend - Paris by Harney & Sons, $7.50
I hope you enjoyed this Tea review: Subscriber's Edition! on Madagascar Vanilla, Coconut Pouchong, and French Breakfast by Golden Moon Tea, especially you, Ashley! Don't forget to take this opportunity to tell me what you would like for me to review! Be sure to include any questions or concerns you may have so that I can address them in the next Tea Review: Subscriber's Edition!
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