Choice Organics Mint Tea Variety Pack, Herbal & Puerh Black Tea Bags, 3 Boxes of 16

This review is for the Choice Organics mint tea variety pack. I’m a fan of mint tea and cocoa infused green tea so this variety pack looked interesting. The plain wintergreen is what you would expect if you’ve ever had winter green tea before, it’s bright, vibrant and fresh tasting. Personally, I like to add about an eighth of a teaspoon of plain cocoa powder just to add a little depth to the mint flavor. I think it really balances the mint. The sage mint flavor is interesting. It actually has a list of ingredients that include lemon peel, eucalyptus, licorice root, and lavender for a very unique and well-balanced flavor profile. I don’t think I’ve ever had sage tea before and I wasn’t sure if I would like it but it’s nice. The cocoa mint puerh is a very gentle flavor. Not as robustly minty as the peppermint and just a hint of cocoa. I think I’ll use two bags per cup instead of one next time. During winter I drink a lot more tea than the rest of the year so I will be enjoying this variety pack this season very much.

This is a sampler pack of three different varieties of mint tea: Cocoa Mint Puerh tea, Mint Sage herbal tea and Peppermint herbal tea. ALL TEAS: All three teas are 100% certified USDA organic, sourced exclusively from organic and non-GMO growers. All tea bags are compostable, without staples; the inner boxes are manufactured from 100% recycled paperboard and are printed with sustainable vegetable based inks. PEPPERMINT TEA: Comprised of 100% organic caffeine-free peppermint leaves, this was my favorite of the three teas. As recommended by the manufacturer, I allowed the tea to steep in boiled water for about 5 minutes. The tea developed a full-bodied flavor, with a pleasing, lingering (but not overpowering) aftertaste and a wonderfully aromatic scent. MINT SAGE TEA: This is an intriguing caffeine-free all-organic blend of peppermint, sage, lemon peel, spearmint, eucalyptus, licorice root and lavender and is my close-second favorite. Each of the ingredients complements the others and none is overpowering. The fragrant tea has a somewhat earthy, herby flavor, with a light aftertaste. COCOA-MINT PUERH TEA: This tea uses Puerh tea, a type of tea where the leaves are fermented, and is the only one of the three with a small amount (approximately 30 mg) of caffeine per cup. In addition, the tea contains cocoa shell, carob pod, peppermint leaf and vanilla extract, all ingredients organic. I noticed that after steeping the tea for at least 5 minutes, the liquid appeared to be rather light-colored and so I let it steep for a few more minutes. The taste of the tea, while smooth and pleasing, was perhaps too subtle and not as pronounced as I would have expected after extra steeping time. It also had almost a non-existent aftertaste, as if the cocoa cancelled out the mint. Since I do not normally drink my tea with sweetener, possibly a bit of sugar or vanilla syrup would have brought out the flavor. SUMMARY: I very much enjoyed all three teas. They are delicious and would be perfectly at home in a cup in front of the fireplace or at a formal tea. This assortment of three teas would make a delightful holiday or hostess gift. Highly recommended.