Tazo Zen Tea Review – It’s Seriously Zen!
I love it when tea companies give their tea blends inventive name. Sure, Mint and Lemongrass Green Tea would have sufficed, but “Zen” tells you so much more about what the tea feels like when you drink it.
In my full review of Tazo Zen tea, I’m going to take you through the flavour experience, how best to brew it, and a little more info about the ingredients and brand that bring you this peaceful cuppa.
Tazo Zen Tea at a Glance
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Blend: Green tea with spearmint and lemon verbena
- Flavour: Refreshing minty lemon verbena tea with incredible smoothness
The smooth and silky texture of this tea combined with the refreshing flavours of mint and lemon verbena make this tea so, so, relaxing. I highly recommend it for chill evenings.
Full Review – Tazo Zen Green Tea Bags
Izzy's Rating
3.1/5
- Type: Tagged paper filter tea bags
- Tea: Green tea
- Additives: Lemon verbena leaves, spearmint leaves, lemongrass, natural flavours
- Flavour Notes: Refreshing mint, lemon verbena, subtle lemongrass
- Aroma: Lemon sherbet, lemon verbena, spearmint, lemon zest, mixed herbs
- Milk or Lemon: Neither
- Where to Buy: Amazon
When I first enjoyed the aroma of the dried tea bags, I had no idea that there was any green tea in this! There’s this really sweet, strong and fresh aroma of lemon sherbet that’s absolutely diving. Breathe a little deeper and you’ll find notes of lemon verbena, mixed herbs, spearmint and lemon zest too. Combined, it’s an extremely nice scent. I think it would even make a nice candle.
It brews into a burnt orange tea that’s slightly cloudy. Expect a little tea dust at the bottom of your cup when you’ve finished.
As for the brewed aroma, it’s a lot more subtle now. Sweet notes of lemongrass and spearmint with a few hints of grassy green tea. It’s less sherbet and way more zen.
The flavour follows suit and it’s soooo good. It rolls through your mouth in waves. First the minty refreshing notes tingle your tongue, then herby lemon verbena sweeps through, and finally high sweet notes of lemongrass finish it off.
I loved the texture of the tea too. It’s thicker than water and effortlessly silky smooth.
Altogether, this is a fantastic green tea blend and Tazo Zen tea certainly lives up to its name.
How to Brew Tazo Zen Tea
Tazo actually give detailed instructions for this tea, and I was very impressed when they turned out to be perfect. Normally I need to tweak the brew time or water volume a little, but not for Tazo Zen.
Use 80°C water and steep the teabag (which holds approx. 2.1g of leaf) in 250ml of water for 3 minutes.
I found the tea has a natural sweetness, but you could add some additional honey if you want a really sweet treat. This is primarily a green and herbal blend, so don’t add any milk.
I also recommend drinking this tea after a meal, not during or before. The mint is refreshing but it can make food flavours taste a little strange (just like toothpaste).
Why Tazo Teas?
This is my first ever Tazo teas and I’m really impressed. Let’s start by examining what’s in the teabag. Take a look at my photo – you can see the individual pieces of lemon verbena leaf and spearmint leaf. You can also make out a few twig-type parts that I believe are the lemongrass. Furthermore, although Tazo list natural flavourings on the ingredients list, the blend clearly relies predominantly on the real flavours.
Tazo are an American tea brand that was founded in Portland, Oregon. For some reason, that always reminds me of Jess from New Girl. But anyway. Back on topic. They produce a range of teabags, pods, and bottled tea drinks including both hot and cold varieties.
The packaging they use for the teabags is totally biodegradable too, and the box has a label stating it’s made from 50% post-consumer recycled material. But beside that, there’s no organic or natural certifications for the tea, which is a bit of a shame.
Summary
Overall, I highly recommend this tea. The ingredients are all natural, including the flavouring, and they are perfectly balanced. It really is a peaceful, zen-like tea to drink. You’ll love to sip on it during a meditation session or just at the end of a busy day. You can find it available on Amazon.
Tea Recommendation
Green tea blends are great. I love the fruity ones, with notes of mango, bergamot, strawberry, orange… the list is endless. But the herbal and green tea ones are delicious too. If you want to explore more tea blends, then head to my Tea Review Index.