I went into Davids Tea looking for a mid-caffeine tea that might not be too sweet. I had oolongs in my mind so I asked to smell a bunch of the loose leaf. I like gingery things so I thought I’d try the ginseng oolong but it was intimidating, both in its chunky appearance and earthy/dusty smell. So I thought I’d give vanilla orchid a try. This tea smells gently of vanilla, and gets much stronger when brewed. The vanilla flavor is herbal but still sweet enough not to be medicinal. I don’t take any honey or sugar in my tea so this was definitely not sweet on its own but had a pleasant green/mineral flavors like an earthy green tea rather than being too vegetal. It was more like hay or leaves in the best way possible. This oolong brews up light, more yellow/green than amber, and I suspect I let it oversteep, so it was a bit strong for me. The vanilla is vigorous but authentic and not at all candy-like. As long as you know that going in, this tea is worth the try.
Flavors: Grass, Hay, Medicinal, Mineral, Vanilla
