Friday Afternoon Tea's Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

 A friend sent me a sample of the Kiss Kiss Bang Bang blend by Friday Afternoon Tea.  Friday Afternoon Tea is a self-described "small family owned, geeky-themed tea company."  They have really cool stuff and I'm delighted to get the chance to review one of their blends.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a blend of black teas infused with pine smoke.  It's one of their "fandom blends" -- in this case, it's inspired by the Supernatural TV show.

I'm not sure how one infuses pine smoke into tea, but they did it.  When brewed, there's a definite pine scent interlaced with the tea scent. It tastes like good quality, slightly smoky black tea with a gentle pine tree aftertaste, like the equivalent of tasting the smell of a Christmas tree.  It's not the taste of pine.  It's the taste of the scent of pine, if that makes any sense at all.  I think this tea would appeal to people who like Russian Caravan-style teas or Lapsang Souchong.

For the second cup I made out of the sample, I experimented putting a little bit of honey in the brew.  Nope.  Sweetening the tea managed to kill off what makes the tea unique.  It became just a basic black tea, albeit of good quality.

Old Barrel Tea's Prickly Pear

 I generally do not like rooibos, so I am pleasantly delighted by how much I enjoy Old Barrel Tea's Prickly Pear tea, which I received as a gift from friends.

Ingredients:  green rooibos, sencha green tea, hibiscus, pear pieces, safflower, and natural flavors

Brew Instructions: "1 - 2 teaspoons in 8 oz of hot water for 5 minutes"  

The company doesn't specify what temperature of water is "hot" so I've tried brewing the tea at both boiling (212°F) and short of boiling (185°F).  I can't detect a meaningful difference in flavor.

The brew is a tiny bit fruity and very slightly tart, with a citrus-like note sort of like a sweet grapefruit.  I've never eaten an actual prickly pear, so for all I know this is how they taste.  I couldn't imagine adding sweetener to this flavor, so I haven't experimented with sugar or honey.  It's enough all by itself.   I like drinking it as a palate cleanser after I've eaten something with strong flavors.  It's easy and refreshing.

I give his tea a wholly unexpected A grade.