Hibiscus Orange Nectar

Got this by backing the kickstarter for this company. Yum this is really tasty. Smells like a creamsicle. I had it hot one evening and it was delicious but right now I am tasting it after a cold brew oh man it is good iced. Very mellow on the hibiscus flavor which I appreciate. Not very tart at all. Definitely would love to purchase a full size of this in the future.

I took this off of *TheLastDodo*’s hands.She was kind to sent the entire packet.

The dry leaf has an appealingly sweet, orange aroma. The infusion has a soft texture and is full with flavor. I can mostly taste the orange and the rooibos, which are strong. The aftertaste starts of with orange juice, but seconds later reveals light notes of hibiscus, rosehips, and then vanilla.

I was pleased to find an orange-flavored tea, since there aren’t many. For those wary of hibiscus, I don’t think you’d have to worry about it overpowering this herbal blend. I enjoyed this one.

I love this one! I’ve been drinking a lot of Rooibos tea at night recently, and this one is particularly nice with chocolate (milk chocolate is my favorite, but I’m sure dark would be nice too.) It’s got great orange spiciness, but it’s not super spicy like chai or anything. It’s more of an orange-honey with a faint hint of spice that makes it really nice for cold nights. I like my tea strong so I steeped it for awhile.

You know, I still haven’t gotten around to mailing my camera away, for shame! I am so slack lately, but I have a valid excuse…yeah, that grumbling that I thought I was getting sick has come to fruition, I am definitely sick, blech. At least I am getting it out of my system before the holidays, so that is a positive, but it is cramping my style man, I gots stuff to do! Bah, I am sick of complaining about this sick, instead let me tell you how absolutely gorgeous it was today! I got to open up the windows and enjoy some fresh air, and the air smelled lovely, crisp and like wet leaves, one of my favorite ways for the air to smell. Plus sitting in some sunshine was excellent, I am a nightowl, but I am also possibly a cat and therefore solar powered.

Today’s tea comes from new subscription service, Rosali Tea, specifically their Hibiscus Orange Nectar! Before I get into the tea itself, let me say that Rosali Tea has the best box ever for shipping their monthly teas (three of them, if you were curious, for $14.95 a month) it is not a standard box, it is a box that is also a drawer…and I want a bunch of them to stack and use for storing things because I collect boxes. Really I just like everything about their packaging, especially the little cards with ingredients and about the tea in question. Hibiscus Orange Nectar honestly filled me with apprehension at the name, you all know my weird relationship with that tart red flower, but reading the ingredients put me at ease. It is a blend of Rooibos, Orange Peel, Hibiscus, Rosehips, Apples, Safflowers, Rose Petals, Vanilla, and Citrus Flavors it is described as being reminiscent of a creamsicle….one of my great weaknesses! It was love at first sniff, the leaves smell like an Orange Julius, creamy sweet vanilla and sweet oranges with a gentle touch of tart and roses. The roses are a fun addition and give me the evil idea of adding rosewater to an Orange Julius…I mean it works for mango lassis, why not those too?

Brewing the tea turns my little tea area into a citrus creamy delight, and I am ok with that. Funnily I rarely eat oranges, but I will go gaga for orange flavored things, especially if those orange things also involve cream, it is just so delicious and joy inducing. The aroma of the soggy leaves is a balance of oranges and creamy vanilla ice cream, with undertones of roses and a touch of tart hibiscus. Really the hibiscus is incredibly light. The liquid is creamy and sweet with notes of vanilla ice cream, oranges, roses, and a touch of hibiscus tartness. It is like an Orange Julius on an exotic vacation and has taken a fondness for the color pink.

Tasting time, will my love of creamy orange beat out my dislike of hibiscus? Unsurprisingly yes, because really it seems my dislike of hibiscus is truly waning in my old age, or I just get lucky and the blends I have it in know how to use it sparingly. This tea is surprisingly creamy for one made from rooibos and hibiscus, the mouthfeel is not incredibly creamy, more a mix between smooth and dry, but man, that taste is like ice cream. And oranges, so many oranges, it is like a slightly woody, rose water spiked Orange Julius. Sweet, warm, and cheerful…my only complaint with Orange Julius and creamsicles, I don’t like ingesting cold things, so having those flavors in a warm soothing tea makes for a happy me. There is a bit of tart at the finish, not too intense, the tea is sweet enough that I was not even tempted to counter the tart with sugar. This tea is delicious, my craving for Orange Julius has been sated for now.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2015/12/rosali-tea-hibiscus-orange-nectar-tea.html

Rosali Tea is just launching a monthly subscription service. I received this and a milk oolong for review. When I opened the box and saw hibiscus on the label, I went eeuuuwww, hibiscus. When I opened the bag to sniff, I expected a tart blast. Instead I got this incredible vanilla orange scent. I poured out a spoon of leaf and immediately saw rooibos. That is often another red flag as it can be throat scratchy rough. I could not smell it until after I steeped. Even then it is light and its sweetness fills in around the orange and vanilla. I see hibiscus. I do not taste hibiscus. I added a little sweetener for science. Holy Wow! This is unquestionably the best blend I have ever tried with either hibiscus or rooibos. So very good.