Got this as a free sample for my Della Terra order.
I was pretty worried about hibiscus being in this. It’s such a tart, overpowering flavor. The scent of the tea itself seemed off to me, too. It was trying to be a chai, but also seemed to be trying to be fruity, too. Fruity and chai just aren’t flavors I’d put together, you know?
So anyway, I steeped this for right at three minutes, because hibiscus can be bad news if you let it go too long. Fruity flavors and milk don’t go together, so I just kept it plain.
Surprisingly, this blend worked! The deep red color of the liquor was gorgeous – my favorite part of hibiscus is the color it adds to the resulting steeped tea. The spiciness of the cinnamon/ginger/cloves did a good job of balancing the hibiscus, too – in fact, the spices and orange peel really could fool you into thinking the hibiscus was more cranberry like, since both are so tart and astringent anyway. Or – maybe the actual cranberry in the blend helped give it a cranberry like taste. Wow. My brain really isn’t operating at 100% today.
Anyway, in a nutshell- this was good. Tart, spicy, good with or without additives. My mom and I drank it last night on a dark porch under the glow of christmas lights, and this really added to the holiday feel. I’m super glad I got to try it!
