This was the other half of the impulse buy that one day at Target. Read about my other impulse buy, Vanilla Bean Macaron. These two are a part of the Tazo Dessert Delights collection. Today's review is the Glazed Lemon Loaf.

I was very impressed with the flavor of this one; I completely taste the Glazed Lemon Loaf. I picture the loaf you'd get at Starbucks and this hits that exact flavor. You get the tang, the breadlike creaminess, and sweetness of the glaze. I'm actually pretty amazed. This is a decaf tea, too, so it is perfect for that after-dinner-fix.


This is a green rooibos and chamomile base, the former provides a nice earthiness/creaminess, while the latter aids in the floral lemon taste. Apple and orange peel help get that sour taste. Rose petals work with chamomile for the floral notes. Licorice root and ginger help get that "baked loaf" feel. Again, if you're not a fan of licorice root, this tea may not be for you. Overall, I'd give this a 9/10. I was very impressed with the flavor.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

I walked into Target and I just couldn't resist buying two teas from Tazo's Dessert Delights collections -- Vanilla Bean Macaron and Glazed Lemon Loaf. I'll admit, I initially walked past thinking, "Yeah, I can do this. I don't need to buy more tea." But then I stopped, did a double take, and somehow they ended up in my hands. Today, I will be reviewing Vanilla Bean Macaron for you.


I tried this tea 3 different times, and had different reactions each time. The first time I was pretty impressed -- the slightly nutty flavor typical of a macaron came through as well as vanilla bean and creaminess. The second time I noticed the creaminess a bit more, but was still impressed. The third time, however, I did notice a flaw in that it does not taste good if it sits. This is a tea that you pour and intend to finish within the next 15 or so minutes, in my opinion.
As with most teas, a lot of the flavor comes from the natural flavoring. This tea also utilizes Chicory Root, which is actually used as a caffeine free coffee tasting alternative. This helps give the tea it's nutty quality along with the roasted Yerba Mate. Licorice root and cocoa peel give it a nice sweetness. If you have an aversion to either the chicory or licorice roots, this tea is not for you. However, if you don't mind the two, I'd say this is a pretty well balanced tea and an indulgent way to wake up in the morning. I'd give it an 8.5/10. Don't want to give it a 9 due to the bitter taste when it sits.

Happy Tea Drinking
<3 TTT

Hello world!

I know, I know, it's been a while. Did you miss me or what? I could go on and on about how I was in a transition phase and everything was up in the air for a while, and even though TTT was always in my heart, it was difficult to find the energy to sit down and type -- but I'm just going to jump right into a review! Also, please note the updated layout by my favorite, Natalie! Isn't she great?

So this tea instantly caught my eye at Trader Joe's. It was one of those moments where I'm walking, see something delicious in my peripheral, and before I know it, it's in my cart. Black Forest Cupcake. Doesn't that sound just delectable? I ended up with two tins of this on my tea book shelf because my step mom was not a fan. It does have licorice root and sarsaparilla root (root beer type of flavor), so if you're not a fan of either of those, I would not advise purchasing this product. Instead, you should persuade a friend to buy it and try it at his or her place before making your own commitment.

Now, let's get down to business. Personally, I like this tea. I'm not in love, but I am definitely in like. It is sweet tasting from the cocoa and carob, so it's a great breakfast tea. Pairing the cocoa with chicory root (often used as a coffee substitute) is brilliant and enhances the chocolate flavor. As it is a black tea, I would not advise this as a dessert tea, unless you are one of those magical unicorns who are immune to caffeine. The hibiscus gives it a slightly sour taste, alluding to the sour cherry portion of a traditional black forest cake. I like adding a splash of almond milk for a slightly more decadent taste. Overall, I would rate this tea a 8/10. It's tasty, gets the flavor across, but isn't something I would write home about (yet clearly enough to write a blog about).

In my quest to stay fit whilst having a desk job, I have turned to dessert teas to curb my ever present sweet tooth. My criteria for a proper dessert tea are:
1) Just sweet enough to stop the craving. Not so sweet that I feel as gross as I would have if I had just eaten a real dessert, in which case, I should have just gone for the dessert.
2) Something so delicious that I find myself reaching for the tea as opposed to the real dessert
3) Definitely something decaf. I go for these teas in the evening when any caffeine would keep me up till the wee hours.
4) Variety! I can't have too much of the same flavor or I get over it very quickly, and in turn, will go for a pastry or a cookie.
5) While I am a honey fanatic, I'd prefer that my dessert tea comes with its own sweetness. Having to add sugar negates my desire to have this tea as a dessert alternative.

Here are the three that I have chosen as my favorites. Each has a unique flavor fit for any sweet tooth.

Chocolate Chai is the perfect blend of cocoa powder and chai spices. Neither overwhelms the other, nor is the cocoa too dry tasting. The rooibos has a natural buttery flavor and sweetness that instantly amps up this tea.

Caramel Apple tastes as close to the real thing as a tea could get. It has the slight sour yet sweet flavor of an apple, paired with a creamy caramel flavor. It's like the carnival made a pit stop in your very own tea cup.

Peppermint Chocolate has just the perfect mix of chocolate and mint. The mint cools and calms as a nice relaxing tea to drink to unwind from the day. It's like a spa in a cup.

What are your favorite dessert teas?

Happy tea drinking!
<3 TTT

This is the final installment of the Republic of Tea sample set reviews. Next Wednesday I will compile all of my thoughts into one post about the brand! I'm very pleased to say that this last set of four teas have all been delicious and all are decaf. Keep reading for the full reviews!

Pineapple Lychee Hibiscus: Wow! This one right here. Wow. You actually taste each and every single flavor described. You get the subtle tang of the pineapple, the sweetness of the lychee, and the tea flavor from the hibiscus. To me, this tastes exactly as if you brewed hibiscus tea and added in pineapple and lychee juices. Absolutely fantastic. And the smell is just as delicious as it tastes. I love for my fruit teas to still have the tea flavor and not just taste like straight up juice. Such a fan. 10/10. Bravo!

Organic Mint Fields: If you are not a fan of mint, stay away because this tea is super strong! In a good way, though, for you mint lovers. For me, it is just the right ratio of mint to tea flavors. It is decaf, but definitely has the full-bodied flavor of a green or black tea, so this is perfect for those of you affected by caffeine but still want to enjoy those flavors at night without the consequence of staying up late, or for those of you who don't like herbal teas, this is a great one to try. Big fan. 10/10.

Get Relaxed: This tasted just like liquid lavender. It is very relaxing, from the smell to the taste. If you are not a fan of lavender, stay away, because this is very strong. As with the Mint Fields tea above, this tea has the full-bodied flavor of a green of black tea, but is still decaf. I would rate this a 9/10, just because it taste a bit too strong when cold.

Red Velvet Chocolate: I thought I would end this brand review with a drinkable version of one of my favorite desserts, Red Velvet. I wasn't sure what to expect. I also wasn't sure of how a tea could capture the complexities of a red velvet cake without tasting just like chocolate. But, my friends, best believe, this tea does it. It tastes exactly like a red velvet cupcake without the full-carby feeling one feels when eating too much of a good thing. It's hard for me to pin down the difference between red velvet and chocolate, but I guess I would say it tastes like vanilla batter with cocoa powder? If you have a better description, let me know, but this tea is fantastic! 10/10

Click the links below for the first five parts:
Republic of Tea Review Pt. 1
Republic of Tea Review Pt. 2
Republic of Tea Review Pt. 3
Republic of Tea Review Pt. 4
Republic of Tea Review Pt. 5

Happy Tea Drinking!
TTT <3

Acai Green Tea: From the beginning, I had high hopes for this tea. I am usually a fan of acai and the previous tea from Republic of Tea that I tried with this same packaging have tasted quite good. This brews into a bright berry red. It is slightly sour from the acai berries, but not at all over powering. I quite enjoyed this tea because I could also taste the green tea. It is a perfect fusion of the two flavors. I rate this a 9.5/10 because I wish that there was just a touch more acai flavor.

Hibiscus Vanilla Apple: This tea was a pleasant surprise! At first glance, this tea doesn't sound like it would taste good. Those three flavors don't generally blend well in my mind. But once brewed the three flavors mix in perfect harmony. You taste the sweetness of the apple, the creaminess of the vanilla, and the slight sour taste of the hibiscus. This tea almost tastes like an apple cobbler. It is very delicious. Among my favorite dessert teas and I do intend to purchase the full container of this stuff. I rate this a 10/10.

Pomegranate Vanilla Red Tea: I was slightly nervous about this tea, because, unfortunately, I wasn't too impressed by the other Red Teas that I have tried from this selection. I'm happy to say, though, that I was pleasantly surprised. There was no weird, off-putting after taste as with the others. This tea was sweet with a very faint pomegranate taste that developed as the tea cooled a little. It has that same sweet tarts flavor I have mentioned. All in all it was a fairly good tea. I would rate it an 8.5/10 because of the sweet tarts flavor, that I personally don't mind too much.

Decaf Ginger Peach: This tea smells, again, like Peach-O's. This made me very excited to try the tea. I was super disappointed, though, because the tea had this weird soapy flavor that over powered all else. I tried with all of my might to focus on the peach, but couldn't avoid that weird soap flavor. Not a fan. 3/10.

Here are links to the first four parts:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Happy Tea Drinking!
TTT <3

Orange Blossom White Tea: I drank this tea in the afternoon as a little pick me up, and really enjoyed it! It is refreshing with a florally orange flavor. As a lover of Orange Blossom honey, I expected a great floral flavor, which I got! I do wish, however, that the white tea came across more, but as this tea is only steeped for a minute, it is difficult for the tea to fully develop. I would rate this an 8/10. There is a possibility that I would purchase this tea.

Strawberry Chocolate Tea: Believe it or not, this is only the second chocolate flavored tea I have ever tried. Crazy, I know, but chocolate tea made me imagine watered down hot cocoa, which is just plain weird. But after trying Chocolate Chai from Republic of Tea, which I love, I am no longer afraid. This tea, however, was not one of my favorites. I did not taste the strawberry, which was a disappointment. The chocolate tasted like cocoa powder, and left a drying taste in my mouth. I would give this a 7/10.

Blueberry Green Tea: This tea was fantastic! There was a fresh blueberry taste. It was weird! I could distinctly taste the blueberry! As with many of Republic of Tea fruit flavors I have found, there is a Sweet Tarts type of after taste. Whether or not that is something you like, is up to you! I think it's ok; it doesn't bug me too much. But I really did like this tea, and will probably repurchase it. The green tea flavor was perfectly mixed with fresh blueberry taste. I would give this a 9/10 because of that after taste.