A trip to World Market. Tea review: Get Clean and Vanilla Almond by The Republic of Tea

Can I just begin this post by saying how amazed I am that I did not know this place existed in my previous 24 years of life?! Whenever I schedule a trip there for random snacks, house ware etc., I always find myself in another aisle looking at something I don't need. Everything is wonderful. The place makes me wish I owned my own house already.

Back to the story....

I went to World Market one sunny morning because I had been searching online for decent teas. I discovered The Republic of Tea and found out they sold them there. I purchased Get Clean red tea and Vanilla Almond black tea.

The Get Clean red tea has milk thistle, Indian sarsaparilla, dandelion, chicory, burdock, clover with vanilla and almond flavors. 

Best sipped hot and sometimes with a touch of milk and honey. For all its purposes, which I have experienced first hand (consuming about 2-3 cups in one day), it tastes very good. The spices complement the rooibos. It is not at all a delicate tea and can taste bitter if over-steeped. On slow mornings this is a good pick me up. 

9/10 because I like spicy red teas and it does detoxify your body.

My second purchase reminds me a lot of the Almond Milk Teas from Boba chains. Once you open the tin you will be able to inhale the strong scent of the almonds. Vanilla and almond go perfectly in this black tea infusion. It is a favorite among Republic of Tea buyers. 

I prefer this beverage hot with milk and honey. Although I may try it iced next time to recreate the Almond Milk Tea Boba I always used to get.

I give this a 10/10 because it is delicious and costs $9.99 for 50 tea bags.


A week after enjoying these teas I went back to World Market to buy a carafe for the loose tea leaves. I was able to find a simple 10 oz. glass carafe with a small strainer. The holes in it were still big enough for some leaves to go through but that doesn't destroy the tea experience for me. It was also spill-proof and handy for school.

Here is the URL: http://www.worldmarket.com/product/glass-tea-carafe-red-chrryblsm.do?&from=fn

There are better travel mugs out there, I saw one in Teavana ($30+) and David's Tea (Davidstea.com). I decided on the above because of the price. The teas I will be reviewing here are usually chosen through determination of good quality with low price. I will have to control my tea spending though since I am making this a full on hobby.

1st Tea Review: Slimful Chocolate Decadence and Honeybush Vanilla from Teavana

This is not the beginning of my tea adventures. It all began  when I was a child. We used to visit my dad when he worked in Sri Lanka. One of the things Sri Lanka is very proud of is their tea. My family took a trip to one of the tea farms in the mountains; this was the first time I saw the whole process. I may not remember each detail but I saw the way tea is made from the plant to the plastic (or paper) containers. I tried their Orange Pekoe tea with sugar. I remember the rich taste and loved it.

Fast forward to the now and  finally taking this tea love seriously. Of course, I DO love Boba Milk Tea now and again but I really need to go a healthier route.

Last week, I went to the mall with one of my friends with the full intention of going inside a Teavana store to check out the goods. We did experience the infamous customer service they have but I managed to not buy tins or glassware. My friend was the one who got the 'Where are you going to steep your tea?' or 'Would you like to buy our rock sugar?' and 'Get the bigger tin, people usually come back to get more anyway.' while I got the 'Is the .4oz (more than I asked) okay?'. I know, terrible, right? They have good tea despite all that.

Anyway, I ended up buying 2+ oz. each of Slimful Chocolate Decadence and Honeybush Vanilla from Teavana. They both taste amazing whether steeped together or by itself.

Slimful Chocolate Decadence Oolong Tea
$10.00/ 2 oz.

This is an Oolong tea with cacao, toasted coconut, ginger and a hint of rose petals. Fairly sweet already that I add a minimal amount of honey.

The flavors blend very well and I always feel refreshed and energized after a sip. The coconut and the chocolate are the powerful notes and the Oolong complements the flavor without overpowering it.

I like drinking this iced with some milk. 

I would give it an 8.5/10. 

Honeybush Vanilla Herbal Tea

The Honeybush Vanilla was a great surprise. I was a little scared getting a mild tea. To be honest, I am very attracted to the  black/green tea blends so I started with the flavorful teas. I got this because it was a 'suggested' tea that blended very well with the chocolate Oolong; at $5.80/ 2 oz. I said yes.  

This one is very smooth and creamy. It was soothing when I was sick. It has a mild honey taste to it that brings the vanilla out. I like to add a little more honey to it when I drink it iced and leave it be for when I drink it hot. 

I use 50/50 of both teas when I make the blend. 

I would give it a 8/10. 

Final verdict: (steeped together) 8.5/10

I would buy again. This is my first chocolate coconut loose leaf (I've tried some tea bag choco-coco) so I also may not have a lot to compare it to. I was more turned off by the selling tactics of Teavana than their tea; they do have good tea. If you don't like that then purchasing online is a good option. It is also something I am looking into currently with other brands that are not available to me close by.