John McKenna
I am 57 years old and have consumed tea since I was 12, you would think with 45 years under my belt I would be an expert, but I'm far from it, I just enjoy a cup or 5 every day. This is by far, the best site I have found for trying new stuff. As you will see in the Communitea, I am a music lover as well, makes the perfect 12 x 12 backdrop for my daily reviews. I am also Vegan, do not drink (alcohol) or smoke (anything). I try to live as healthy as I possibly can. I look forward to diving into this site and having fun.
User's reviews
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Keemun Concerto
A delicious black tea also used in English Breakfast tea, a wonderful malty flavor
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Jin Guan Yin
Such an awesome and delicious oolong, sweet and complex, brewed at 170 for 3 minutes, real cool to watch it unfurl. Could be my favorite oolong so far
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Golden Spring
A perfect spring tea from the Fujian province of China, wonderful malty flavor, dry mouthfeel, hints of cocoa, and zero astringency. Brewed at 212 for 5 minutes in my Velocitea, will try other brewing methods next time
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Chaga chai
This was just no good at all, the chai spices were overpowered by the rooibos and coconut, tasted like soap to me,
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Jump Start
just a boring, unflavorful pack in todays pick. It wasn't necessarily bad, just lacked any flavor.
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Golden Monkey
A beautiful non astringent nutty and malty flavor here, the way I imagine tea should taste. A perfect morning cup to start my day.
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Decaf Vanilla
One of the best flavored teas out there, decaf or not, I could drink this anytime of day, and happy I can since it is a decaf!
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Rooibos Nutcracker
A superb nutty flavor just adds to the natural taste of the rooibos, smells great and tastes better, a nice warm, cold weather treat
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Oriental Spice
I love this blend. I am a big fan of clove so this was a no brainer, It was a CT sampler so perhaps I didn't get the full flavor profile so perhaps a little more citrus would be nice but I still liked it.
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Pomegranate Grove
This one was horrible hot, too much hibiscus, as it cooled, the other flavors took over and it was quite nice
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Formosa Bai Hao
a splendid sweet and malty treat, withstands over steeping and good for multiple steeps, the way tea should taste
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Fujian Ti Kuan Yin
A great tasting oolong that gets better with each steep, no grassiness at all, just delicious.
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Rooibos Vanilla Chai
Not much for me here, I did not think the chai and vanilla worked well with the rooibos. I don't mind rooibos in other blends but it was off to me here
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Golden Flower
unfurls and fills my steep basket with glorious leaves leaving a mellow earthy flavor begging for more steeps
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Yunnan Jig
an overall stellar cup of black tea, zero bitterness, brewed at 205 for 3 minutes, worthy of a second and maybe a third steep
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Cherry Marzipan Oolong
This to me was a perfect cup of tea to start my day, the cherry flavor was perfect mixed with the oolong. apple helped to alance out the tartness of the cherry and sweeten the cup a bit. didn't get any rose petal or cinnamon flavor in my steep
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Daydream
Very interesting blend, I am not a hibiscus fan but this one was ok, the minty orange taste mellowed out the tartness. lemonbalm was also present, I sorta liked this one
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White Pear
I liked this one a lot, I don't have much experience with white teas, it was light and the pear was subtle, I enjoyed it
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Candy Cane
a nice black tea sweetened by the candy cane, my cup was not an in your face minty flavor, however, the mint hit me on the back end, it was nice but not overpowering
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Mango Melange
Only saving grace to this tea is that it was pretty, just not a fan of hibiscus in any form, so this just wasn't for me.
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Grapefruit Oolong
very strong aroma of grapefruit was not so strong after the first steep, but not a bad thing, a very nice mellow citrus flavor which would be great iced
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Black Forest Cake
A perfect cool Sunday afternoon sip, the chocolate was on point, the creme was there to mellow it out a bit, and the cherry added a sweet finish to this black tea.
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Pu-erh Spice
a great spicy cuppa with orange to sweeten it a bit. I liked the cinnamon and anise but could not detect the ginger, solid cup
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Apricot Green
If the green wasn't great enough, add some apricot and you will be taken back to summer
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Decaf Chai
A very solid chai, love the fact it's a decaf so I can drink it at night, I got a lot of spice in my cup, a very pleasant sip
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Berry Blast
An awesome Tisane with a wonderful berry taste, the rose hips add a nice twist and the hibiscus stays in the background
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Cha Cha
decent enough tea, I love lemongrass, could have done without the mint, nothing I would purchase again ut would drink it if offered
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Dancong Aria
Very nicee mild Oolong, slight maltiness, I love the smoothness of this cup, It is on my stash wishlist.
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Decaf Ceylon
Perfect cup of decaf from Adagio, how is it possible a decaf tastes just as good as a caffeinated version, I love that I can have a cup anytime of day
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Chili Lime Green
Took me a minute to warm up to this one, the initial shock of it all took me by surprise, but then I really liked it a lot
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Sencha Premier
a nice sencha, took me a minute to get used to it, but then I really enjoyed the vegetal and Unami profiles with a sweet taste added in.
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White Chai
This is a 5 star tea, the mild white gives way for all the wonderful chai spices included without making it too strong, I love sipping this one
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Spiced Green
They say this is lightly flavored, well, not my cup, it also does not mention cloves in the ingredients, but my cup was full of clove flavor, I still enjoyed the cup though because I like these spices
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Traditional Ti Kuan Yin
One of the best Oolongs out there, mine was harvested in April, 2023, a sweet honey flavor with floral notes.
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Cranberry
This was just not good, very astringent and dry, it smelled very strange, not a single cranberry was present.
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Raja Oolong Chai
This was a more mild chai than I'm used to, the cocoa nibs and chicory gave it an interesting flavor, but not in a bad, perhaps a bit forward on the cinnamon but I'd brew this again
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Rooibos Cocomint
Not a big fan of either rooibos or mint, I'd rather sip a shot of Pepto-Bismo rather than this, I guess if you like rooibos and mint, you might like this blend
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Vanilla Green
Beautiful cup of green with jusy enough vanilla to mellow it out nicely, this is a tasty blend, one of my favorite greens so far
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Elderberry Wine
2 and a half for a good attempt, i know there are those out there that enjoy hibiscus, but Im not one of them, this one was ok when hot, but as it cooled, the hibiscus took over, and so did my urge to pour it down the drain.
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Dragon Fruit Dream
This one had potential, but unfortunately the hibiscus was way to strong for my taste. I am disappointed because it smelt so good
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Rohini First Flush
This Darjeeling is outstanding, such a light and mellow flavor with just a slight grassy flavor, I steeped it 3 times and it just kept getting better.
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Chestnut
A great, all natural chestnut flavor to this black tea, I actually got a dry mouth similar to eating nuts, it was actually very nice.
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Spiced Mate
Avery nice toasted mate, the cinnamon, ginger, and orange add a nice spice with a little citrus kick, fantastic blend
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CONSTANT COMMENT BLACK TEA BAGS
a sweet orange cup of spicy goodness, sometimes going back to classics is a good thing, this is the best of the classics in my book
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Lady Grey
I really like this, went in thinking it would be like an Earl, was pleasantly surprised at it's mild citrus flavor, a softer version and unique, will keep this one around
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Hazelnut
Not a bad hazelnut, took a star off because it was a bit dry, taste was there, just not the mouthfeel
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Decaf Hazelnut Cinnamon Creme
This has to be the best decaf I have ever had, so sweet and creamy and hazelnutty, Such a perfect night cap before bed, this is a forever keeper
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Earl Grey Green
I can taste a hint of earthiness in the background, more of a citrusy bergamot flavor which I enjoyed 100%, not a go to earl, but nice overall
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Jasmine Phoenix Pearls
A unique green as it's not too earthy, fun to watch unfurl, a tad sweet in flavor, nothing I'd reach for on the daily but happy I have it in my stash
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Maple Creme Oolong
I really loved this blend, the cinnamon and cloves gave it a bit of a Chai vibe, and the maple gave it a fall flavor, perfect together
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Earl Grey Lavender
I love earl grey and I love lavender, the combination makes for a tasty sip, I prefer Earl Grey bravo but this is still very nice
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Yunnan Noir
Update 1/4/24 this time around I found this blend musky and kind of gross, bad batch perhaps.
Just a fantastic black tea, no bitterness at all, could easily be in the Master series, Had 2 steeps worth and just as good the second time
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Peach Bellini
This was a delicious cup of hot peach, not sure I can call it a tea or an herbal, I guess technically a tisane. The flavor was a bit mellow but nice enough to make me happy
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Coconut Grove Pouchong
I love this tea, it is so smooth and tasty, the coconut inclusion is perfectly balanced
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Masala Chai
I have had a lot of Chai Tea in my life, very few will come close to this one, a perfect balanced inclusion of spices and a mellow, easy to drink tea, a new staple in my tea stash for sure
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English Breakfast
One of the best English Breakfast varieties I have had, brewed at 205 degrees for 4 minutes, a perfect balanced cup.
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White Ayurvedic Chai
Great and mellow take on a chai tea, the coconut and pineapple added a great flavor and were really present with the mellow white tea
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CHAI BLACK TEA
Very good Chai for a bagged tea, not sure about this being caffeine free though, it is a black tea. I really love Chai so I am a bit picky.
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PUMPKIN SPICE BLACK TEA BAGS
For a bagged tea, this pumpkin spice is among the best i have ever had, just the right amount of spice, not too heavy on the cinnamon, would be great iced with creamer
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Peppermint Bark
Not too bad, I am not a big peppermint or mint at all fan in my teas, the chocolate seemed to mellow out the mint and gave it a creme de menthe vibe, i'd drink this on again if offered
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White Eternal Spring
This is my favorite white tea ever, so light yet so flavorful at the same time, I'm a big fan.
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Iced Black Tea Family Size
Had a strange chemical taste i did not enjoy, maybe it needs sugar but I like unsweet tea.
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Tension Tamer
Very nice before bed tea, I like it better than sleepytime. the mix of flavors and herbs somehow work here.
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Lemon Zinger
much better iced than it is hot, the sugar calms the hibiscus a bit, not too bad
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Raspberry Zinger
I'm just not a big fan of hibiscus, the zinger series is ok, they are not too strong but it would not be a go to
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Chai Oraganic
Tazo makes a decent tea, this chai is one of the better ones for a tea bag.
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MINT VERBENA
Had sort of a strange aftertaste but added a bit of honey and it mellows it out, really nice mint flavor and great balance with the lemon
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Jammin' Lemon Ginger
I like this one, I let it get cold and it was even better, very nice lemon flavor
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Honey Vanilla Chamomile
Where is the vanilla and honey? All I taste is the chamomile, The flavor is pretty good, but there are better chamomile teas out there.
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Tangerine Orange Zinger
One of the few hibiscus blends I enjoy, the citrussy flavor is perfect
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True Blueberry
Not a fan, the hibiscus ruins it for me, I may try it iced with some honey and see if that helps
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Sleepytime Classic
Just an awesome favorite and a classic, has always been a go to for a night time sip
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Peppermint
I love this peppermint, it gets 5 stars for a bagged tea, always a staple in my house and great on the go
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LAPSANG SOUCHONG
This is the smokiest Lapsang Souchong I have ever had, it is a bit much at times which is why i took half a star off, but it deserves 4.5 just for the quality
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GENMAICHA
I'm not a big green tea fan, but I love this variety, I have not had a lot of these, but the few I have had, this is by far my favorite.
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Vermont Maple Ginger
This one was rather nice, a good warm feeling with every sip, the maple dominates and the ginger adds a nice burn. Cinnamon evens it out nicely.
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Cinnamon Apple Spice
I really should read before I buy stuff, If I had seen the word Hibiscus, I would have left this in the store, thankfully it did not overpower this tea, but the unforgiving sweetness did.
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Black Tea
It's ok, it is what I grew up with, so Lipton gets credit for introducing me to tea, I would still drink it if it is all a diner had to offer and wouldn't complain.
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Fireside Vanilla Spice
This is a winner from CS, the vanilla, cardamom, and ginger highlight this awesome blend, not too sweet.
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Wild Berry Zinger
Not a fan, I can't stand hibiscus, although it does an ok job covering it up, still a no go for me
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Belly Comfort Peppermint
A great tea that tastes good and helps your digestive system, I really just enjoy the flavor
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Ultra Spice Chai
My favorite Chai of all time, honestly haven't had a ton of them, but this one is my Sam Adams of tea.
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Bengal Spice
Very nice Chai flavor, I didn't give it 5 stars only because it is a bit on the sweet side. Still a nice decaf option.
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Pure Camomile
Twining's usually does a great job, this one is lacking a little flavor, way to mild of a Chamomile flavor for my taste, Bigelow does a much better job for a bagged tea
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Lemon Meringue Green
This was such a perfect treat, The smell when brewing hit me right away and the taste did not disappoint. This goes in my top ten of all time.
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Morning Thunder
I love this tea, a great start to the day, I enjoy the subtle bitterness of a black tea and I love what Celestial Seasonings uses in their blends