28 Tasting Notes
I had previously LOVED this tea. It was the perfect rooibos chai. It was expensive, but in about 2015/2016, it would go on sale at Whole Foods to a decent price. It held up to milk and honey, and was full of aromatic flavor.
Unfortunately, fast-forward to late 2017, when I ran out of my stash, and was happy to see it promoted at Whole Foods again at a sale price, with a demo. I bought two jars at $7 each.
To my dismay, this tea and batch was a weak, watered-down shadow of its former self. It wouldn’t make a full mug of robust flavors, like it once did (and proclaimed it was its strength). It barely flavored a teacup’s worth of water.
I saw that the price went down to $5 until the end of Jan 2018. I didn’t think it was worth it, and returned my teas. I still have one jar of the new, terrible batch, and have no idea what to do with it. $7 is STILL too much to have paid for 15 sachets worth of water dressed in brown.
Quite possibly one of my favorite teas to have with a bit of milk and dark honey (I prefer avocado). It is incredibly smooth, with hints of malt, and no bitter bite of tannin. I’ve had a whole pot to myself, and could easily go for another.
Flavors: Cacao, Caramel, Malt, Whiskey
Preparation
Mild, smokey tea that has a hint of malt to it. I found this bagged in a Cost Plus World Market in Pentagon City, and haven’t seen it anywhere else I’ve looked (not in London, Brighton, Boston, SF Bay Area or NYC). It was the first time I’ve encountered this tea, and I enjoyed how it doesn’t become bitter with a longer steep. It is likely going to become a favorite of mine. I plan to get the loose leaf, if I can get ahold of it. I’ve only had it black, which was delicious, but will be back to add more to this review once I have it with milk, iced, or sweetened.
Flavors: Campfire, Caramel, Fireplace, Malt, Smoke, Smoked
