Company Profile
Name: Choice Organic Teas
Website: http://www.choiceorganicteas.com/index.htm
Product Tested: English Breakfast Tea, Oothu Garden Green Tea, Rooibos Superfruit Tea, Wild Forest Tea, Yerba Mate Mint Tea

Decaffeinated English Breakfast Tea

Reviewer: Brenda Owen from Murray, Kentucky
Review: Upon receiving this sample, I must admit, I was, at first, a little apprehensive for I have never had organic tea nor do I really drink regular flavored drinks, but gave it a try anyway. Surprisingly it had a very smooth, yet flavorful and robust taste that did not leave any aftertaste in my mouth that I thought I would get from a black tea flavor. My usual brand of teas has usually been of the herbal styles. This tea was a good tea to sit back, relax and know that you are doing something not only healthier for yourself, but also for the planet and a wonderful cause on top of it all.
 
Normally I do not pay too much attention to the boxes but this one looked interesting so I read every inch of it and was amazed of all the information that was able to be placed on it. All the things that I did not know about like; the organic method using carbon dioxide, being able to offer Fair Trade Certified tea, using wind power, having a product that is completely biodegradable and used recycled paperboard, supporting the Jane Goodall Institute and letting us know the origin of the tea. All and all, it was a truly wonderful and enlightening experience and I was glad that I was allowed the opportunity to experience.

Reviewer: Gail Roberts from Bonneau, South Carolina
Review: I am a daily iced tea drinker and was excited to try this tea. I prepared 5 tea bags and simmered in the microwave for a few minutes then added 2 quarts water and 3/4 C. sugar to taste, yum!

Taste: I found the black tea flavor a little more prominent in taste than the black/orange blends I usually purchase. It has a very nice flavor with no bitter taste. It is comparable to leading tea brands I have purchased. I enjoyed this tea very much with its bold black flavor.

Packaging: The packaging is informative and I read with interest about the earth friendly components. The bags are of good quality, holding the tea nicely with string and do not contain staples/metal. The bags held up to the cooking process and did not break, yeah! No one likes tea grounds in their tea. The tag has a convenient slit for easy tag removal if desired. I was not aware of the carbon dioxide decaffeination process and assume this is a safe method as stated on the package.

Overall, I thought this tea to be an excellent product and the fact that it is organic without chemicals is a big plus. The quality of the bags and bold black tea taste make this an excellent product.
                               
Reviewer: Teresa Patton
Review: The Organic English Breakfast Tea is very delicious. Has a good taste. Me & my family enjoyed it. No after taste. Just very good. Texture of this product is good, not grainy like most other teas. I used it all during the day.
                               
Reviewer: William Crawford from Chicago, Illinois
Review: An easy drinking decaf black tea, that is nothing special but is a high quality organic tea nonetheless. Not robust or bitter. Doesn’t need sweetener but would certainly benefit from a little honey.
               
Reviewer: Kathryn S. from Forest Park, Illinois
Review: A high-quality breakfast tea that benefited from the addition of a little cream and sugar. It doesn’t really stand out among the many breakfast teas I have sampled in the past, but it ranked right near the top. Good for people who don’t like their tea too strong.
 

Yerba Maté Mint Tea

Reviewer: Amber Izzett from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Review: The moment I opened my package, the minty aroma wafted through the air, so I wanted to make it immediately. I've smelled tea before brewing, but this was amazing! The description does it justice, "exhilarating" fits perfect. So after I brewed it I put plenty of sugar in it. I always do. But I drank it still hot. I normally refrigerate it, then have it cold. That's just how excited I was to try it. I understand now why the gauchos have been drinking it for generations. It is so smooth, not harsh after taste, clean clear taste. I drank 3 more cups hot. After enjoying my 3rd I decided to stop. My mouth was starting to go a little numb, definitely has a natural kick with such a bright minty flavor!

So the next morning I made more, enjoying the sweet aroma as it brewed. I didn't put as much sugar in it as last time, then I refrigerated it for about an hour. Good thing I laid off the sugar, it gets sweeter and lighter as it chills! A few ice cubes and I had a delicious refreshing drink. The minty flavor goes great with chocolate! It brings out the dark notes in it.

My 6-year-old son had some as well. He actually is a tea drinker as well. Of course he loved it too! I think he drank it faster than any other tea I've given him! My husband had some as well. He is not experimental and very traditional. He was not too thrilled with it and didn't finish his glass! Oh well, more for me! He doesn't like peach tea either, so I expected that reaction.

I wouldn't recommend this as a nighttime tea. It wakes you up and gets you going. I think it would pair well with almost any dessert. But I loved it and hope all my product testing is as great as this experience!               

Reviewer: Patti Frost from Yelm, Washington
Review: I am very fond of tea, especially herbal tea, so I was happy to receive a package of Choice Organic Yerba Mate Mint Tea. I enjoyed it very much, and shared a few cups with friends. It has a lovely fragrance, and the mint was subtle yet definitely present. Some mint teas are too strongly flavored, but this was perfect.

I most enjoyed it while snowed in last week! I did have a nice fire going in the wood-stove, but nothing warms you like a nice hot cup of tea.
Holding the warm cup, inhaling a delicious fragrance rising from the cup. It was most gratifying.
                                              
Reviewer: Randi Cervone from North Massapequa, New York
Review: The Organic Yerba Maté Mint Tea was actually served after our Thanksgiving dinner. It really give us the energy to play cards with the family and enjoy the rest of our evening with our family. It was very refreshing, and I really enjoyed the mint flavor and I only drink tea once in a while. I actually think I might try using this for a marinade for a lamb loin for my husband.                                                   

Reviewer: Sharon Beneze from Brighton, Illinois
Review: Thank you so much for choosing me to test this great product, Choice Yerba Mate Mint flavored Organic tea. I was skeptical in it being different as I have drank a lot of tea over the years, and so many of them taste alike. This product was different as it had just a taste of spearmint, lemongrass and peppermint to add a wonderful mix of flavors to it.

I drank it hot in the morning to wake me up for the day and made a pitcher of iced tea to drink all day instead of my usual brand of tea bags. It gave me added energy to my day as well as being a refreshing cold drink. As this product is also organic and every purchase supports the Jane Goodall Institute, it makes perfect sense to buy and drink Yerba Mate Mint Tea, especially if you need a little pick me up when your energy runs low throughout the day. I have a nighttime tea that I drink when I need something warm to relax me after a long day so I also tried it in the evening and did not have any trouble falling asleep because of too much caffeine in the product. Overall this is a great new product that every tea lover should try.

I definitely will be adding Choice Yerba Mate Mint Herbal Tea to my grocery list for my next for my next shopping trip.
                               
Reviewer: Kathryn S. from Forest Park, Illinois
Review: Right when I pulled out this tea bag, I knew that I wanted to try it right away. It had an incredibly strong, minty smell and I thought it would be the perfect tea to try first. The flavor wasn’t quite as strong as I had anticipated- the spearmint flavor was prominent, but still subtle. It was a nice tea to sip on, but not my favorite. It’s great for the holiday season, though!
 

Wild Forest Black Tea

Reviewer: Anonymous from Lexington, North Carolina
Review: We had tried the tea both hot and iced. I like the smooth taste and rich flavor of the tea. It is excellent hot with a dab of milk. The iced tea was not as enjoyable, I think because of the use of sugar in it.            

Reviewer: Belinda Cernick from Rice Lake, Wisconsin
Review: I tasted the Wild Forest Black Tea as a hot tea. It had a soothing aroma, not too strong, not too watery. The taste was smooth, rich and yet mild. I usually have to add some kind of sweetener to my teas, but I wanted to give this a fair assessment in its natural state. I was not disappointed. It did not have a bitter aftertaste which so many teas do. I am particular with my teas.

I took samples to work and also gave one to my spouse. I asked each member to try the tea and give me an honest assessment. Quotes: “It was not bitter tasting.” “It was smooth.” Also, I had one person tell me that he had quit drinking tea because it made his heart race, so he was apprehensive to try it, however he did. He said that he liked the taste and his heart did not race even with the caffeine that it stated it had.

I also tried it as iced tea as I drink a lot of iced tea in the summer. It had a distinct, refreshing, natural taste. I would certainly purchase this tea for myself and others. I was not disappointed. I will continue to use it to see if the claims of it being energizing pertain to this product. I would give this a “thumbs up” for my review for a natural, smooth, organic flavor. I do appreciate that it is organic and that the box and the natural fiber tea bags are all 100% recycled paperboard as well.                                                    
Reviewer: Keidy Lora-Palusky from Minneapolis, Minnesota
Review: This black tea is sharp without being bitter as so many black teas are. It served up a large, dark cup with a quality fragrance. It went well with a touch of milk. So far I have had several mornings of tea and have grown to enjoy this brand without growing tired of its taste. My only suggestion would be that the bag itself has no smell - an important part of the experience is missing. Also the box containing the tea fell apart before I could get the first bag out. Seems to be a glue issue.                    

Reviewer: Connie Sloan from Henderson, North Carolina
Review: Daughter tried it for me. She finds it is delicious and would certainly buy it when and where it is available.               

Reviewer: Kathryn S.  from Forest Park, Illinois
Review: Usually, I take my tea with cream and sugar. This tea, however, had such a fabulous flavor that I was happy to sip it black! It was subtle, easy to drink, and perfect for the cold morning I tried it on.

Reviewer: Allison E. from Arlington Heights, Illinois
Review: I really enjoyed the Choice Organic Tea that I sampled, the Wild Forest Black tea. I am already an avid black tea drinker; I always drink my tea with a splash of milk and a teaspoon of sugar. The Choice tea did not disappoint. It had a strong flavor, which I really liked. Typically I use anywhere from 2-3 tea bags to strengthen the flavor of my tea. For the Choice tea, I used only one tea bag and let it steep for 5-6 minutes, slightly longer than the package suggests. Even with only one bag, the tea was strong and flavorful. I would definitely drink this tea again.

Reviewer: Anonymous from Yorktown, Indiana
Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this organic tea. It engulfed me with a brothy comforting savory flavor. I also used this to compliment my iced tea. I would definitely buy this tea, not only because so much care has been given to produce a great tea but with every purchase of Choice organic tea a portion goes to the Jane Goodall Institute to protect chimpanzees and their habitats. Choice certainly makes a great tea that I will purchase in the future.
 

Oothu Garden Green Tea

Reviewer: Anonymous from Weirton, West Virginia
Review: 1. Packaging: Overall package information was done very tastefully (no pun intended!). Like the colors of the package…looked organic!! Like the convenience of one serving - individually wrapped. Easy to take with you on the go. Also liked the fact that the purchase of the tea goes to a good cause. 

Taste: Was a light tea. Liked the color, no bitter aftertaste as some teas have. Liked the fact that it is lower in caffeine too. Enjoyed the tea warm and later as an iced tea. Shared with family and they agreed that it was a light, crisp taste.

Overall, I would rate this tea a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10...10 being the highest.                                       

Reviewer: Jo-Ann Proetto from Bedford, Texas
Review: I found the tea to be good with hot boiled water with fresh lemon squeezed in and the wedge left in the tea. I think if you had a cold or felt like you were getting one it would great help with the freshness and great antioxidants.
 
The pictures on the box are terrific. I think the box itself could be used for a small gift with some twine tied around it and anything small put in it. Also make a nice gift set with a tea cup, matching tea pot and a box of tea.
 
I would also use it in recipes for green tea cookies. I suggest the box of tea bags be kept in a clear closed container for flavor and freshness. And I think on the box itself, the serrated part to pull a tea bag out, should have the opposite top to visually see which flavor tea you want from your cabinet and show the the UPC code.

Reviewer: Lynn Allen from Sun City Center, Florida
Review: I personally am not a tea drinker. So I made test subjects out of my Mom and Dad. They both really liked the tea. My father said that it had a darker color than other green teas he has had before. He added some raspberry rum to his and really enjoyed it! My Mother enjoyed it as well without the rum added to it. We both were impressed that it was organic and supported the Jane Goodall Institute. We have always been impressed by her work. Another added bonus after reading the box was to find out that they also use wind power to offset their electricity cost and that most of the package was made from recycled materials.

Reviewer: Kathryn S. from Forest Park, Illinois
Review: I am a huge fan of green tea- you can’t beat its health benefits! I definitely enjoyed the Choice green tea- it was right on par with all the other green teas I’ve had in the past. It tasted fantastic with a little squeeze of lemon and it was a great way to start my morning. 

Rooibos Superfruit Tea

Reviewer: Carolyn Class from Baldwin, Maryland
Review: This tea is a smooth textured tea and had a dominant taste of orange. Great by itself but when a creamer is added it curdles and looks unpleasing to the eye. Not a big fan of fruit teas but this one was enjoyable. Since it curdles with creamer not sure what other uses it could be used for other than adding some to cider to make a spiced cider drink.
                   
Reviewer: William Crawford from Chicago, Illinois
Review: A well balanced Rooibos tea blended with organic fruit. Has a smooth sweet taste that finishes with a delightful apple and orange essence. Delicious, caffeine free and exceptionally healthy with no need for any sweetener.
                   
Reviewer: Rhonda Baker from Jemison, Alabama
Review: I really loved this tea.  Each night while I was on the computer and listening to Christmas music, my husband brought me my cup of tea. It was so warm, and soothing, and I truly savored it!

I drink my tea with no cream, honey, sugar, etc. I could taste the floral flavor, as well as the smooth tea flavor. A couple of nights I had a scratchy throat, and you can only imagine how smooth and velvety it felt to my throat. This was always just before bedtime, and I slept like a baby after having my tea!
 
I never tried it as iced tea, but I can imagine it would have been great that way. I hope I have described in as much detail as possible for the customer's benefit, because this is one tea that if they haven't tried it, they are really missing a great tea experience. Thank you for the opportunity to try this tea. I have truly enjoyed it!
                               
Reviewer: Beth Bigler from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Review: I tried this tea hot and unsweetened, hot and sweetened and iced and sweetened. After reading the ingredients list, I expected a fruity and sweet tea. The tea had more of a woodsy taste than anticipated. Of the three ways I tasted it, I preferred the sweetened and iced version. While this will not become one of my favorites, it was an interesting change of taste. A family member visiting for the holidays and tried this as a hot unsweetened beverage. She found it a bit bitter.

Reviewer: Kathryn S. from Forest Park, Illinois
Review: This tea was a deliciously deep red color and smelled fantastic!  I could really taste the orange and berry flavor in every sip I took.  I would love to add some fruit juices to this tea to really bring out the flavor. Next time, I think I’ll add some apple or cranberry juice.

Reviewer: Sandra Luss from Clermont, Florida
Review: Love having a cup of tea especially when it is so cold outside. I was recently in Alabama with snow all around so fixed a cup of Rooibos. It hit the spot. The fruity flavor is what I really like. This is something I would buy.

Reviewer: Jackie Tambourine from Warren Michigan
Review: When I opened up the box of tea there was a comforting scent of citrus. When I brewed it, it smelled great, and the first sip was good. The problem is, I am not a tea purist. As much as I love tea, hot or cold, I just cannot drink it ‘plain’. It needs a little sugar and a little lemon – and by adding just a touch of sugar and lemon juice – it was the best cup of tea that I’ve had in a long time. The sugar and lemon upped the citrusy taste. I can’t wait to try it iced. I will be buying this tea – a great tasting, caffeine free tea – what a treat!