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Customers use these reviews to describe their experience with Jump Start, including flavor, aroma, preparation preferences, strength, and how the tea fits into daily routines. Browse the full review history page by page to compare tasting notes, steeping tips, and favorite ways to enjoy this tea.
Review based on my CommuniTEA packet today: There was a noticeable scent of sweet cinnamon when opening the packet. After steeping for 5 mins @ 190° F, I detected a nice earthy cocoa nose. When taking a sip, I enjoyed the mild, but complex earthy-vegetable taste of the mate mixed in with cinnamon and cocoa, finishing with more cocoa flavor at the end. I would describe this pleasant tea as round, rich, and smooth.
I guess this is the first time I've had mate tea, and I really don't like it. The leaves smell like cinnamon and chocolate slightly, but there's another smell present that I don't like. And that ingredient (I'm assuming it's the mate) makes the tea taste very bad to me. I honestly have no way to describe what it tastes like. I'm pretty disappointed. The kids say they liked this one, but that may be because I put sugar in it for them.
Although my CommuniTea packet had a strong cinnamon scent, it wasn't as overwhelming as I expected once steeped. Although I had plenty of cocoa nibs in my packet, I didn't really get much of a chocolate flavor, but more of a praline flavor. I do like the nuttiness that is signature to the Mate.
Steeped (1) 195F 10min, (2) 195F 15min
At first sip, the tea seemed complex, and somewhat mild, which surprised me, given the ingredients. But, after my honey dissolved in the cup, it seemed to bring out the cinnamon and possibly the kola flavors. Once the tea is warm and sweetened, it has a pleasant flavor, mild and not bitter, and it definitely has some zing.
I like (untoasted) mate and drink it for a smooth energy boost with no crash or jitters. Raw mate is like an earthy green tea, whereas this toasted mate is bolder and darker like black tea or coffee.
I did a 5 minute steep with ~200F water and had a deep reddish brown tea after. I wasn't sure I'd like it, but wow! It's crazy how close it tastes to a cup of coffee! All the flavors come together in a very pleasant way - it's bold, yet well-rounded, with just a hint of bitterness. There's a nice roasted flavor that really imitates coffee and a nuttiness that you can almost bite into. The cinnamon and cacao nibs that I thought would be distracting are pretty much lost in the overall harmony of richness. The flavor is full-bodied and it leave me warm and content.
I did a second steep for 7 minutes and had another cup just as strong as the first. This time I added some brown sugar and yum! I meant to add cream like I would with coffee, but I got totally lost in my cup and forgot! This tea could be a good alternative for anyone looking to move away from coffee: you can customize the steeping time for a stronger brew and may find yourself using less cream/sugar because it's so smooth and flavorful!
I had this before, and I agree with others that the taste is kind of odd, but with a little milk it starts to sing, and that cinnamon shines through.
The aroma coming from my communitea packet was lovely, reminiscent of spiced hot chocolate. The tea itself is much more mellow, but the richness of the chocolate and the slight warmth of the spice at the end was perfect. Hopefully the caffeine content isn't too much for me, we'll see in a few hours!
Brewed at 212F for 8 minutes with rock sugar added
Let me preface this by saying that I have zero experience with mate; this is my first.
The smell of this tea is light cinnamon mixed with something that I just can't describe.
The tea is rather nice to me. The cinnamon is light enough to not overshadow. There is a light chocolateness at the back of throat. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar enough with mate and kola nuts to say what flavors are even happening with them.
As of about 2-3 years ago, I cut back considerably on caffeine since it is an anxiety trigger for me. I was hoping this tea wouldn't affect me too much as I'm definitely not used to anything much stronger than plain black tea now. I definitely starting to feel like I'm going to explode if I don't get up and rearrange the entire house, but more so out of a 'let's get things done' feeling rather than 'fight or flight'.
Overall, this tea is interesting enough to make me want to try again. Although, perhaps on a day with a lot of errands rather than a day reserved for relaxing.
This tea had a malty, rich, spicy aroma. I saw a collection of nibs and flowers in my packet, not too many actual tea leaves. The brew is smooth and gentle, not at all bitter, with just a hint of spice. Nuttiness is more present that other flavors, and it has about as much chocolate flavor as most teas with coco nibs. Brewing at 1 tsp per cup produces a weak brew overall, with a cottony mouthfeel that I often experience with mate. I'd take this over a cup of coffee any day, it doesn't have that forever-lasting bitter aftertaste of coffee. However, it doesn't have much depth, and none of the richness, maltiness, or astringency that I love in a cup of tea. So, as a delivery device for caffeine, it's not the worst, but as a tea in itself, it's not the best.
This tea wasn't anything spectacular. I had to add almond milk to taste the caramel, and nothing stood out to me from the packet prior to steep. Nice to try from CommuniTea box but wouldn't buy myself.
I received this in the communiTEA box. It is probably not something I would choose to drink, but I wouldn’t say it’s bad, either. I found it to be a bit gritty (cinnamon may be the culprit?) and has a hint of toasted cocoa flavor to it. I’m not a big chocolate fan in tea, so unless it tastes like an Andes mint, I generally pass on teas with chocolate in them.
Thought this was going to be like an extinct chocolate tea from an extinct chain tea purveyor owned by a popular coffee chain, but the aroma upon opening the packet was that awful fake cinnamon red hots aroma. HOWEVER, after brewing, that cinnamon flavor really mellowed away into a pleasant spiciness that isn't heavy-handed at all. in fact, this would be a good spiced tea for newbies.
Really enjoyed this tea. Wonderful nutty flavors with a touch of cinnamon. I added some rock sugar and Italian sweet cream. Delicious.
Personally I try to stay away from teas with high caffeine because I get a little too neurotic. After steeping this tea for three minutes I found myself extremely hungry and ready to take on the world. For those that can't handle as lot of caffeine I suggest saving this tea for your lunch after you've had plenty of food.
Enjoyable tea, it had good flavour and was very smooth
Nutty, mildly cinnamon and just a bit smokey, this mate tea was good plain for a good jumpstart to the day. No bitterness from the black tea, just a surprisingly rich and multi-layered cup. Adding some sweetener to the 2nd brew proved to enrich and bring out new flavors. Not for the faint of heart, a quick rinse before brewing helps to wake up any sleepy tea leaves.
Not a favorite. I don’t like the way cinnamon makes my mouth feel dry. I’m sure there is a word for that!
Communitea sample review...I got the meh feeling today. I got the aroma of cinnamon and sort of nutty bakery notes. I added sugar and cream. Nothing really my cup.
Hind of like burnt chocolate on gram crackers, but not it a bad way.
I’ve never had mate tea before so I wasn’t sure what to expect from my communiTEA sample today, but I was pleasantly surprised! I’d describe it as a warm toasty nutty flavor, with cinnamon and a hint of chocolate. Perfect for a cold winter morning. I liked it better hot; as it cooled it got more bitter and astringent. (I did 7 min at 212 degrees; Adagio recommends 5-10 min at 212.)
The cinnamon scent of the dry leaves was intoxicating. I was excited to taste actual cinnamon, rather than cinnamon flavor. Unfortunately, none was present in the hot brew. Instead, I tasted grass, followed by a dry hint of tobacco. Warm, the tea became nutty and tobacco notes increased. Cool, I thought I detected a hint of cinnamon on the back of the tongue.
Not what I hoped it would be.
A nice nutty tea. This was my first time with a toasted mate tea but I have to say that I really enjoyed it. The cinnamon and coca flavor bring out a smooth flavor. I'm really glad this was added to the CommuniTea this month.
The flavor of this tea is amazing. I like it hot or cold. I can taste the chocolate. The smell is amazing to.
This is a very interesting blend. I really enjoyed it, although usually toasted mates are not my thing. While steeping, it had a distinct, but very pleasant smoky aroma with the added bonus of sweet, spicy cinnamon. The flavor was a little weak for me, so I'd use more per cup than the CommuniTEA packet allowed, but it tastes great. A nice malty, toasty flavor with cinnamon and some cocoa touches. I'll have to get some of this to play with.
I steeped today's tea for the full 10 mins and almost, almost got a coffee like flavor. My usual milk and honey probably threw that flavoring but i imagine with sugar the coffee vibe would remain. Loads of cinnamon reminded me of a fall latte. I sampled this Tea as part of the CommuniTEA January Box.
This tea was in my communitea box. It was okay, but not my favorite. Would drink if given to me, but probably won't buy it.
It had a nice nutty, cinnamon aroma dry and brewed. When hot, I didn't really get anything but very subtle hints of cinnamon and a sweetness. What I did get though was a super smooth, malty black tea with zero traces of bitterness. Because I had almost 2 tsp of tea, I brewed it in a two cup pot and drank the first cup hot and was unable to come back to the rest for over an hour. I didn't even remove the steeper, and after an hour there were still no bitter qualities. The taste had intensified a little, and while cold the sweetness and cinnamon came forward giving it a bit of a cinnamon toast crunch flavor. I never got any chocolate hot or cold. I didn't care for mate plain, but this blend really nails the malty, black tea vibe. (reviewed through CommuniTEA; 5 min @ 200F followed by 1 hour of just sitting there {whoops - but still good, what other tea can do that!})
Upon opening my CommuniTEA packet I was struck by the delicious aroma of cinnamon and chocolate. I’m not big on caffeine so I went easy with my steep. 190 for 3 1/2 min.
The tea was a beautiful dark amber color and had just a touch of astringency to it. The cinnamon and chocolate almost disappeared after steeping so to bring it forward a bit I added a tsp of Adagios honey for black tea. This really smoothed it all out and made for a nice cuppa. (I just can’t handle this much caffeine though.)
This tea was a jolt to the system, slightly spicy and very bold. Prepared with milk and sugar
After a frustratingly sleepless night, I sure needed today's CommuniTEA blend! Opening the packet released a very unique scent that was hard to place. It smelled like a mix of cinnamon, roasty cacao nibs, and a sweet woody nutty scent which must've been the kola nut mixed in with the black tea.
Steeping this blend in a maté gourd at 212ºF for 5 minutes revealed a burnt orange liquor. Waiting for it to cool down, I could still detect the cocoa and sweet nutty smells. The first sip of the brew through the bombilla was clean, bright and complex. A light nutty cocoa flavor opens up into the familiar leafy roasted maté and mild black tea in the body and finishes with some woody light cinnamon hints. Caffeine level is high and very present, yet any bitterness is cleanly balanced by the pleasant rounded woody and roasted character. Some tea tannins and astringency are hiding in the finish, and only announce themselves after many sips if you're looking for them. Including maté, black tea, and kola nut definitely makes this a 'Jump Start'!
If you are a maté drinker but also like more bold flavors and need an alternative to coffee, this blend is worth a try. Makes a good early morning pick-me-up!
I don't have a lot of experience with mate so i was unsure what to expect from this cup. The aroma of the tea was quite nice, a bit woody, and a soft cinnamon scent, very homey and warm. I did not do the cold rinse, but brewed it up for 5 minutes at 200 degrees. The taste was very pleasant- a toasty kind of mild cocoa and cinnamon flavour a little bit malty and kind of like when you were a kid and drank the left over flavoured milk from your cereal bowl. I almost had the sense of a bit of yeastiness. or maybe oatiness (is that even a word)? Maybe it is my unfamiliarity with mate that is making it difficult to adequately describe this tea. I definitely enjoyed my cup, and am now eagerly waiting to see whether it lives up to its name and is able to jump start my day!
It smelled like cinnamon and cocoa when I opened the bag. It was strong. But, to taste, mate dominates. Cinnamon and cocoa are rather perceived in the aftertaste. By drinking it, cinnamon comes forward, and I can no longer taste cocoa. However, it is not bad and cinnamon gives it a little warmth. (10 minuntes @ 95°C; CommuniTEA Jan 2021)
Tried with CommuniTEA. Black tea plus mate will definitely get you started in the morning.
I am not a coffee drinker so I knew going in I wouldn’t like this. I made a very large cup for my husband but tried a bit. It just didn’t do it for me. It’s at the bottom of the list for this months communitea choices and left a bad taste in my mouth after tasting.
This is a roasty cinnamon tea with a mild chocolate note. As a chocolate lover, I'd appreciate a stronger chocolate flavor, but it's still a very pleasant cup. I found it to be sweet enough on its own, with very little bitterness.
A couple of teaspoons of colorful ingredients were noted in my communiTEA packet this morning. The safflower was getting ready to fire up the spark⚡️. Nutty and cinnamon aromas were noted.
Since this blend contained mate, I awakened my tea with 2 Tbsp of cool steep water for a few minutes and then added 200ºF steep water on top to reach my 190ºF goal. I only do an awakening for the first steep only. I steeped for 4 minutes so the black tea would not be too bitter. At steep end, it was interesting to note that the safflower threads were still red and supplying the sparks needed for jump starting.
When hot, mild cinnamon and nutty flavors were noted. I added a bit of sugar to bring out flavors.
When warm, mild eucalyptus flavors were noted from the mate. The black tea was not bitter. Cocoa and nutty flavors were mild. Somehow I got a mild nutmeg flavor vibe (I suspect that may have been attributed to the dried kola nut inclusion.) I also tasted some mild apple flavors of all things (I suspect the mate pulled a fast one on my tongue.)
This blend was very complicated one to review. The mate, as usual, adds a different flavor profile for different people. I love mate teas just for that reason. Lots of multi-layered flavors were noted in today’s tea. I got my needed jump start! Second steep produced the similar results. (1st: 4 mins/2nd: 3 mins @ 190ºF, 1/4 tsp sugar)
This is a nice and distinct tea. A great way to 'jump start' the day.
Delightful cinnamon flavor. Slight 'barky' flavor. I added milk based on other reviews, seemed to be a good addition. Seems a naturally sweet to me, so no additional sweeteners for me.
This tea has a twigs and wood taste to it that is not really doing anything for me. I may just try the second cup with some rock sugar to see if it tastes better.
I love mate! And together with some cocoa and cinnamon how can you go wrong? Just don't drink it before bed, as it's seriously caffinated.
A very straightforward tea in many respects. The tastes aren't overly complex, but that doesn't mean it isn't enjoyable. It's got a nice rich tea flavor without bitterness and with a lovely undercurrent of cinnamon. I enjoyed this one without any added cream or sugar. (7 minutes at 212 F)
Definitely a nice wake up tea. A bit of a woody taste which is quickly covered by the cinnamon.
Meh. I’m not big on mate and am trying to cut down to caffeine so I can’t say I’m a fan. Toasted, malty flavors are predominant in this tea.
I don't really taste the mate much in this, just a slightly flavored black tea. And as I am typically a black tea drinker, this is great for me. I really enjoy it.
I LOVE this tea! I'd never had a mate before so I wasn't sure what to expect. This is delicious! Mellow with a nutty chocolatey flavor! Definitely going in my cart!
This flavor isn't really, pardon the pun, my cup of tea, but I can't deny that it was definitely one of the more flavorful blends I've tried over my time in the CommuniTEA. A lot of teas, for me personally, are pretty mildly flavored and whether that's because I'm still novice and doin' it wrong or because that's just how tea generally is, I don't know, but some blends just really have so much flavor that they surprise me. This is one of them.
I wasn't exactly pumped about it when I caught the aroma upon opening the CommuniTEA packet, I have to be honest, because I smelled two components I don't particularly care for: nuttiness and spice. That said, credit where it's due, I did still finish my whole mug full and before it got cold, even. So, in spite of my general distaste for those two elements, I did still really like this. I should also note that, as it started to cool, the chocolate flavor from the cocoa nibs (of which my packet had PLENTY!) started to really shine, making the tail end of my experience especially nice.
As for the caffeine boost, I don't know if I could do this every morning since it's giving me the shakes a little, the way a cup of coffee normally would (hence why I'm a tea girl instead of a coffee gal), but for mornings that find me especially sluggish, I might actually consider it. If you like that jolt of caffeine, you'll like this.
All in all, pretty good!
Drank this while getting my day started .. just what I was looking for
I was suprised to somewhat like this one since the mate teas I've tried in the past have been too bitter and just unpleasant for me. I steeped this one at a slightly lower temp 200° for about 6 minutes so maybe that helped make it more mellow. The aroma in the packet is cinnamon and cocoa, and once brewed mainly cinnamon and some earthiness from the mate. The flavor is pretty light but may get stronger if you brew at a higher temperature or longer time. I get mostly a light nutty, herbaceous flavor with some warm cinnamon that is slightly sweet but not overly spicy. I really couldn't tell that there was black tea in it. For some reason I feel extra sensitive to the caffeine in mate even though I'm used to drinking coffee with a similar amount, so for that reason I probably wouldn't buy a bigger bag. It was fun to try though with the CommuniTEA and overall not a bad tea.
Today’s communiTea tea, a delicious rich bold flavored black tea with a bit of an extra kick, kola nuts I assume. All my ingredients seemed present today and it smelled nutty as it steeped. As suggested, once steeped added little adagio honey for black tea. This tea was very Interesting and so unique. Each sip tasted like nuts, covered in hints of chocolate & sprinkled with just enough cinnamon, creating a slightly nutty, almost sweet earthy tone on my tongue. Never had a mate tea before, but steeped at lower temp as I do all black teas, resulting in a delicious, smooth cuppa tea. Now let’s see if it “jump starts” a Kick of Engery to face a busy day. Note, my second steep was just as good as my first cuppa tea. If you like caffeine to kick start your day, well here you go... Vroom vroom. (Steeped 10mins @ 195F for both cups)
This smells amazing! I love a good mate flavored tea!