I don’t think I’ve once managed to log this since I joined Steepster, although I’ve been drinking it on and off for years. It was one of the first loose teas I tried after finding Teapigs, and it’s a favourite even now.
I’ve not tried all that many toffee apple teas as yet, but maybe I don’t need to. For my tastes, this one is perfect. The dry leaf smells mouthwatering. It’s sweet and delightfully rich. I can definitely pick out the apple and caramel, and something slightly fruity I’ve always classified as strawberry. No idea why, but there you go. I suppose it’s more a generic candy-like sweetness.
Anyway, to taste this is as close to a real toffee apple as tea can come. I’ve tried it both with and without milk in the past, and like both equally. The black base is the only thing that’s slightly odd. It’s a little heavy tasting without milk, but not quite strong enough to really need any. It’s a minor complaint, but probably why I’ve never settled on one or the other as my preferred way of drinking.
All told, I do like this and probably always will. I love that I can clearly taste both the caramel and the apple; there’s an initial rich sweetness, which gives way to a slightly tangy “green” flavour, before sweetening again towards the end of the sip. It’s like tasting the toffee, then the apple, then both melded together, just like eating the real thing.
Minor issues with the base aside, this is one tea I can always see myself coming back to. I guess sometimes first loves really do endure!
