74 Tasting Notes
This tea loose smelled like overly sweetened pink bubblegum… I think they were going for a honeydew melon, and missed just slightly.
Sadly, the smell was the best thing about this tea. It doesn’t taste like plain tea, but doesn’t necessarily have a flavor, either. It tastes mostly of bitterness and liquid sugar. I had high hopes for this one, but sadly don’t see myself finishing the packet.
Preparation
This rooibos smelled delicious in leaf form – not medicinal at all, with bright orange notes that seemed very fresh! The look of the loose tea was, as is usual with ESP Emporium teas, disappointing when compared to the picture. There were fewer oranges than pictured, and the ones that were there were 2-3 times the size of the pictured ones… the size makes it difficult to scoop, and unless you break them into smaller bits yourself, its unlikely that you’ll get an orange piece in each cup. Can’t complain about the carrots, though – they were numerous and seemed well dispersed among the bagged leaves.
The taste is okay, for a rooibos. A little overly sweet, even at one Stevia packet per liter, but the floral rooibos flavor is pretty muted. The orange tastes pretty artifical, but its not a deal breaker for me. I’m not sure what the carrots add outside of making the spent tea leaves look like they’ve been sprinkled with cheddar shreds, but they’re certainly not a detriment. This is one of the better rooibos teas I’ve had.
Preparation
When I first opened the bag and smelled the loose leaf, I was disappointed – that harsh, red cough syrup smell was very strong. It smelled much better when the boiling water hit, with a strong and sweet vanilla.
Sadly, the brewed tea tasted only of cough syrup. I could taste the rose and raspberry, so it was strange. Is all red cough syrup rose raspberry flavored? Oh well. It wasn’t sickening to choke down, and I’ll finish the 50g package, but I hope to remember not to buy again.
In personal news, the garden is coming up beautifully, for what I’ve been able to start up. The daylillies and rosebushes are blooming, the snap peas and chard are green and healthy, and its only a matter of time before I can start up the rest of the plants!
Preparation
This tea is great, provided that you don’t oversteep…
The dry mix smells of apricots, and it mouth-watering. When brewed, the apricot flavor is pretty subtle… Its mostly like peach flavored… specifically, the dark part in the center of the peach right against the pit. When lightly brewed, the bitterness of the black tea tastes tangy with the peach flavor… Great for iced!
Preparation
This is one of the best rooibos teas I’ve gotten to try… Usually, rooibos has a strange botanical flavor to it… This tea is no exception, but for once, it actually works! This tea was nice and sweet, a good before bedtime drink. I’d consider buying.
Preparation
This tea is pretty incredible… First off, it smells amazing! More like dried apricot and dark sugar than plum, but still mouth-wateringly good. Some teas skimp on dried fruit, but I got a piece in every spoonful!
When brewed, this tasted like sugarplum, with the slightest bit of cinnamon… The tea base wasn’t too strong, and went well with the tartness of the plum. A definite re-order!
Love this tea iced… just sweet enough, but not overpowering, and the black tea base doesn’t overpower the flavors! This is also one of the best smelling loose teas I’ve ever had… The vanilla smells artificial, but the berry is one of the least artificial-smelling artificial blueberries I’ve ever smelled. Love this one.
Had this tea rated at 82, but had to lower it. It just isn’t sweet enough… Drank it iced today, with extra sweetener, but the orange flavor was very faint… the tea completely overpowered it, and made even the slight hint of orange taste burnt and completely unappealing. Finished for the caffeine, but didn’t enjoy a sip.
