The loose tea smelled like olives to me! It was very strange, but since I like olives I actually liked the smell.
I think this tea is a pretty good idea (as in, they came up with clever ingredients to achieve the flavor they were going for), and its probably as chocolatey as you can get without actual chocolate pieces in the mix. However, while I enjoyed the cup, I found myself thinking – "if I want something chocolate flavored, I might as well drink hot chocolate! Chocolate is just one of those flavors I don’t think can (or rather, should) be imitated.
To me, it’s like fake sweeteners – either drink real sugar (honey, agave, etc.) or drink/eat something else!
Anyway, this is an enjoyable tea, well made for what it is.
I’m going to move this discussion to the thread and open it up to everyone. I’d rather hear from the consensus of the community as to whether a company should rate their own teas, and from Jason as well, if he has time.