Roasted Almond

I sampled this while I was in the Wildwood store today. I did not like it. I’m sure there was almond in it, but like some other almond herbal blends that uses apple as filler (cough, David’s Tea, cough), all I could taste was apple, and tart apple at that. Well, at least I could try before I bought it.

I really want to like this tea, since Capital Teas only sells it in one pound amounts (very shrewd, CT, very shrewd). Despite their claim that this is a best seller, I find it insipid. Not much almond flavor to it, a little too much cinnamon, and apple from the apple pieces. I’ve been desperately trying to get through it, since I’ve got so much of it. Not sure what made me buy it – I think I really liked the sample and smell of it when I tried it at the NYC Coffee & Tea Festival a couple of years ago, but I’ve been struggling with it ever since. A little better hot rather than iced , but not by much. Strangely, there’s a little bit of viscosity to the brew that I find off-putting (hot or iced). Lesson learned – never buy a pound of ANY tea unless it’s something you drink all the time.

Got this as a recent sample. It is very reminiscent of David’s Forever Nuts, but Forever Nuts just seems a little stronger, a little more all around apple-cinnamon-buttery. Still good, but you know, not seeing anything here that would make me want to switch from the original.

This is what I would describe as a sweet and savory tisane. Bought it today at the Tea and Coffee Festival NYC and it is too late for caffeine so I am trying it first. One reviewer mentioned she didn’t like the hibiscus in this. I don’t taste any at all. I think they must have removed it from the blend. The main note is that of almonds.

I brewed this one time in a 16oz Teavana Glass Perfect Tea Maker/Gravity Steeper with 4 tsp leaf and boiling water for 8 minutes.

Follow up after a bunch more drinking:

This may indeed become a favorite. Still frustrating how much is needed to make a cup, but I’m finding it much more resteepable thoat first day of drinking it. So very expensive but a highly enjoyable flavor. Still, so very pie crust and sweet fruit behind it.

Not any kind of intense sweet, as said it’s rather like pie: that first flavor in a sip is flakey crust and then that fruity sweet mildly.

I’ve been drinking this and other teas at the same time, switching between due to steeping times and temps and my need to get a ton of fluid in each day.

I’d now definitely describe it as “nummy”.

Another blend I tried at the Coffee & Tea Festival. The flavor was just almond cookie goodness. Alas, there’s a bit too much hibiscus in here. It really lingers on the palate, too. Blegh. I probably would have bought a small quantity of this blend anyway, but they only had it in 1-lb tins. I’m not about to buy a pound of any tea!

I’m not very experienced with teas yet, but I liked the way this tea had a warm, lingering aftertaste. The flavor seemed weaker than I wished so perhaps I should have used more leaves in my 24 ounce pot. It did have a lovely flavor even so, and I agree that the apple flavor comes out strong- I could taste the almond though as well. I can imagine having this with milk and perhaps even adding vanilla or honey to create a warm and inviting autumn flavor on a rainy night. It’s a tea I will go back to and hopefully add to this note as I learn more. I also think this would go extremely well with apple pie and vanilla ice cream, or ginger, almond or sugar cookies.

ADDITION: Because I didn’t finish my pot of tea, I poured the remainder in the fridge and left it overnight. The next day when I drank it as iced tea it was incredible- robust, flavorful, memorable, delicious and sweet without any sugar. Definitely give it a try!