I’ve been asked to road-test a range of organic herbal tea from Taste Kaleidoscope. I’ve tasted each tea as is, without sugar and milk (unless otherwise stated).

Green Mints, Lemongrass & Linden Flower
Spearmint, peppermint
The packaging doesn’t rip too readily and is slightly overfilled so its contents spill out. It’s also not so easy to re-zip the seal. Perhaps it’s a rogue packet, as I don’t seem to have this problem with the others.

The herbal tea itself is heavily fragrant with mint – it smells a little like toothpaste so make sure you really, really love mint before you take a whiff. However it’s definitely testament to the authenticity of the product ingredients.

My fears are assuaged as I dip into a beverage that is refined and sophisticated, without any overwhelming mintiness. The lemongrass balances out any extra zestiness that the addition of two  varieties of mint leaves would have held.

This is a tea which I see fast becoming a post-dinner ritual.

Ginger Honeybush Tea
Ginger, honeybush, cardamom, fennel seed, lemon myrtle leaves
The packaging rips a lot more easily and is not overfilled. There’s a big hit of cardamom as you inhale the leaves – the scent reminds me a lot of living in India, which evokes happy memories of chaos and cheer.

At first sip, my reaction is overwhelmingly positive. The concoction is warm and comfortingly familiar with the ginger springing up on the end notes and a tiny bit of spice resonating from the cardamom.

You’d drink this if you were sick and wanted some comfort. I’m drinking it because I want a hug. And it’s doing the job!

Spiced Tea no 1
Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Allspice, Clove, Ginger
There’s a whiff of cloves as you inhale both leaves and later on, from the cup – it smells like an Indian spice market.

As a food blogger of Indian origin, this tea is quite accurate in terms of authenticity of flavour – however there is a dominating sweetness which infuses the tongue after each sip, negating the need for sugar.

The ginger and allspice clings to the back of the throat, creating a comforting feeling that comes from sipping strong, hot tea. I try it with a dribble of milk and it becomes even more so – perhaps a little too much for my liking due to the cinnamon, but then again,  I don’t have a sweet tooth.

Spiced Tea no 2
Vanilla pod, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Allspice, Clove, Ginger
This herbal tea gives off a heated muskiness in terms of smell, but contains cooling vanilla as a variation to Spiced Tea no 1. Let’s see how much difference there is between the two.

After the sweetness of Spiced Tea no 1, the spices are much more prevalent in this offering, however I’d have preferred an even darker flavour. If I had to pick between the two, I’d choose this one in terms of the balance of flavour.

Spiced Tea no 3
Assam tea, Rose, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Nutmeg, Allspice, Clove, Ginger
I’m entranced by the prettiness of the rose petals in the leaves – I’m looking forward to testing this one. The rose tones rise instantly to the front of the palate and is set off beautifully by the cardamom.

This is my favourite of all the spiced teas, with the rusty flavours finally brought out of their shell. It reminds me a lot of Persian tea as opposed to Indian masala chai.

Flora Night Tea
Chamomile, Lavender, Lemon Verbena, Valerian Root, Cinnamon
The Night Tea I’ll be testing on the basis of both taste and ability to induce sleep – after all, what are night teas for? At first glance I love the colours of the leaves and the whole forest-y look of it all – purple and yellow and bit of leaves and bark in between.

It certainly smells comforting and is decidedly floral in flavour – perfect for those who like a chamomile or traditional floral teas. In terms of causing drowsiness, it seems to do the job within a few sips and by the end of the cup I’m truly nodding off into dreamland.

All in all, there were mostly hits and one or two misses with the Taste Kaleidoscope range of teas. The label states that all ingredients are organic – it’s uncertain however if they’ve been certified organic.

I’d definitely be keeping the Green Mints, Ginger Honeybush and Flora Night herbal tea on speed dial for my afternoon cuppa break!