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This is one I picked up a few months ago and am finally getting to. I decided not to open all my teas at once but instead to focus on a couple at a time. I have done some Butiki sipdowns recently so I get to open some of the remainder. I was very interested in this as I frequently think I want a good vanilla tea but they often come off coconut-y rather than caramel-y. I hate coconut, so that’s a BAD thing. I figured with caramel right in the title, this couldn’t end up with a coconut note.

Unfortunately, the smell of this one comes off as more coconut than caramel to me. It also smells like it might be bitter, which seems unlikely given my steeping parameters (perhaps 3 minutes, less than boiling water). I am not much of an assam drinker though so it could just be the bold assam making itself known aromatically. Let’s hope. It certainly smells strong with a sweet note underneath it all that has me hopeful.

Luckily, this tastes a lot more gentle (but still full and smooth) than it smells. I don’t get any coconut vanilla taste and there isn’t any bitterness from the assam. Instead I get a full bodied black tea with some caramel notes throughout. No sweetness, but no bitterness either. The tea is present but not dominating. Yet, at least!

The aroma is such a strong factor here that I enjoy it best when the cup isn’t too close (I really do find the smell so strong it is almost off-putting) but it is definitely drinkable. I think that it might be improved by a bit of sugar, I might try that sometime if I remember.

For me, this one is good but not a knockout. The disconnect between what I smell and what I taste makes for a weird drinking experience, even though it is tasty in the end. Not the best tea for me, but definitely good quality!

EDIT: Wow, I am the only one who wasn’t totally blown away by this one. I feel left out. Maybe next time!