Tea Blog

Name: Coconut Kava Cream

Brand: Tiger Wing

Type: Herbal tisane

Form: Paper tea bag, individually wrapped

Review: Coconut is one of my favorite things, and for some reason, coconut flavored teas and tisanes really hit the spot. The good folks over at Tiger Wing have once again created a nifty tisane that blends roasted mate (a South American stimulant herb), with red rooibos (a shrub that grows in South Africa) and kava root (kava is a Polynesian plant that is traditionally held to have calming qualities). Plus coconut cream flavor. Lots of coconut cream flavor.

The tea brews up to a medium-bodied, golden liquor with a pleasant, though not overwhelming, scent of coconut. The roasted mate, blended with red rooibos, makes this drink incredibly smooth: While it doesn’t really taste like coffee, it does have a coffee-like quality that I found quite appealing. What I liked even better is that the coconut flavor isn’t overwhelming, and blends well with the rooibos, itself a naturally sweet herb.

As for the other herbals, mate and kava, I can say that I didn’t really detect the flavor of kava in this blend, but then again, I don’t normally drink kava so I may simply not be able to identify it. The mate, on the other hand, is quite good, giving the tisane a bit of structure that prevents it from becoming inspid due to the sweet, gentle flavors of coconut and rooibos. While I didn’t notice any psychological or physiological effects from drinking this blend, I can say that it was quite delicious, and I look forward to drinking it again.

Preparation: Go ahead, use boiling water, and give it a 3 minute steep. Yum.

Cautions: My usual cautions about all herbal tisanes apply. Herbs can trigger allergies, and may interact with medications. Remember: Mate is a stimulant, so you aren’t off the caffeine hook when you drink this tisane. If you aren’t supposed to drink caffeine, avoid Coconut Kava Cream.

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