70

175/365

This one smells delicious from the moment you open the bag, but it’s banana I smell. Candy banana, specifically. Not cream, and surely not rum. It’s an interesting beginning!

To taste, I almost get rum. It’s frustratingly close, but just not quite there. I wonder if it’s because the flavouring here is almost certainly artificial, and has had to be created from other flavours? It’s nothing even remotely approaching tea that’s actually been aged in rum barrels, for example. Mostly, I can taste banana. I don’t mind that at all, because I’m quite partial to a banana tea. Call me perverse, but I actually quite like that foam banana sweet flavour, and that’s what I’m getting here. There’s a good hit of creaminess, mostly towards the end of the sip, and that’s pleasant too. There’s even a bit of coconut kicking around in the background. If they’d called this one banana coconut cream, I would have been happy.

While I like what I’m drinking, it’s not exactly living up to its billing. That leaves me conflicted in terms of rating. If you buy this one expecting Irish Rum, you’re going to be disappointed. And really, what else would you be expecting, given that’s what it’s called? This is the tea equivalent of buying a dog and receiving a cat instead. Puzzling, but by no means unpleasant.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 0 sec 1 tsp

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Bio

Hi :) I’m Sarah, and I live in Norfolk in the UK. My tea obsession began when a friend introduced me to Teapigs a good few years ago now. Since then, I’ve been insatiable. Steepster introduced me to a world of tea I never knew existed, and my goal is now to TRY ALL THE TEAS. Or most of them, anyway.

I still have a deep rooted (and probably life-long) preference for black tea. My all-time favourite is Assam, but Ceylon and Darjeeling also occupy a place in my heart. Flavoured black tea can be a beautiful thing, and I like a good chai latte in the winter.

I also drink a lot of rooibos/honeybush tea, particularly on an evening. Sometimes they’re the best dessert replacements, too. White teas are a staple in summer — their lightness and delicate nature is something I can always appreciate on a hot day.

I’m still warming up to green teas and oolongs. I don’t think they’ll ever be my favourites, with a few rare exceptions, but I don’t hate them anymore. My experience of these teas is still very much a work-in-progress. I’m also beginning to explore pu’erh, both ripened and raw. That’s my latest challenge!

I’m still searching for the perfect fruit tea. One without hibiscus. That actually tastes of fruit.

You’ve probably had enough of me now, so I’m going to shut up. Needless to say, though, I really love tea. Long may the journey continue!

My rating system:

91-100: The Holy Grail. Flawless teas I will never forget.

81-90: Outstanding. Pretty much perfection, and happiness in a cup.

71-80: Amazing. A tea to savour, and one I’ll keep coming back to.

61-70: Very good. The majority of things are as they should be. A pleasing cup.

51-60: Good. Not outstanding, but has merit.

41-50: Average. It’s not horrible, but I’ve definitely had better. There’s probably still something about it I’m not keen on.

31-40: Almost enjoyable, but something about it is not for me.

11-30: Pretty bad. It probably makes me screw my face up when I take a sip, but it’s not completely undrinkable.

0-10: Ugh. No. Never again. To me, undrinkable.

Location

Norfolk, UK

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