This was one of the two flavored teas that I chose when I ordered samples from Harney & Sons, mostly because I love vanilla and it seemed to have rave reviews around here. And I’m always up for more caffeine-free options! The dry leaf looks fairly unremarkable – there are generic small black leaves with some strange tiny white specks mixed in. Some kind of flavoring, I assume? Anyway, it smells divine. I would describe it as a creme brulee kind of smell. It’s sweet and creamy vanilla custard mixed with a bit of caramel and coconut. Steeped for 5 minutes.
The brewed tea smells like creme brulee too! Sweet vanilla and cream with a caramel note and a hint of frosting. Yum, yum, and yum. Tasting, I get definite notes of custard and lots of creamy vanilla. I also catch the taste of buttercream frosting, which needless to say is delicious. I don’t really get much from the base tea, but I don’t suppose that’s the point with a tea like this. From what I can tell, decaf black tea bases tend to not taste very impressive anyway. I did get a touch of bitterness toward the end, so maybe I should try a shorter steep. Thanks, Steepster, for bringing me and this delicious tea together! :P
Flavors: Cream, Custard, Frosting, Vanilla
The birthday one is a decaf black blend too.