Welp, finally getting around to writing the tasting note for this tea!
This is one of two new “superfood iced tea powders” that DT released this year, and we actually released it months ago. I usually do my big DT info dumps for new products much closer to after they’ve launched, but I’m actually allergic to this one (the mushrooms in it) so I hadn’t tried it at the time of launch. Yes, I know it’s very weird that I work on making products I’m allergic too – if you’d asked me years ago how much my mushroom allergy would impact my day to day work life I would have told you never and I would have been so wrong.
So I’m doing with this one what I’ve done with other mushroom blends DT has released: one big sip in a controlled environment on a day I’m not working and don’t work the next day – and spitting it straight out instead of ingesting it. For the flavour education. Gotta know what other people are experiencing. As always, no one is forcing me to do that and I wouldn’t recommend others do it either.
First though – what was the intent with this blend? Other than being tasty, I suppose. Like all the powders in DT’s “superfood line up” this is definitely a functional blend with a combination of ingredients meant to make it an ideal hydration option for mid and post work-outs. Two adaptogenic mushrooms (cordyceps and chaga), tart cherry, and acerola. We loved this combination of ingredients because they’re known to have anti-inflammatory properties and support your body: think physical endurance for during your workout (whatever form that takes) and muscle recovery and replenishment for afterwards.
Flavour wise, I wanted this to be kind of like an “adult kool-aid”. Juicy and tart, not so sweet or artificial, and something that it vaguely nostalgic that you can feel good about drinking. Tart cherry, while a specific kind of cherry, is still in fact tart tasting and with the hibiscus in this blend it’s definitely got a punch to it. I observed that too with my quick sip, though once you get past the top notes there’s a little more depth from the mixed berry flavouring that kind of rounds it out a little.
Texture wise I don’t find this one quite as smooth as Maqui Mojito, but it’s also certainly far less gritty and granular than a lot of other tea powders I’ve tried. The mushrooms are subtle and if those scare you from a flavour standpoint I wouldn’t worry – this is a far stretch beyond tasting savoury or like soup. But there is a touch of earthiness to the finish that I do want to acknowledge.
Since this tea has launched I’ve heard of a lot of people mixing it with sparkling water to create a sort of cherry soda, and I think that sounds very tasty and easy to make. A shame I won’t personally end up trying it that way.
Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts and feelings regarding the teas, and not the company’s.
That’s quite the dedication you have to your work!