4 Tasting Notes
This is a nice, mildly sweet “chill” tea. I have zero previous experience with kombucha teas, so I don’t have an advanced reference point, but what I’ve noticed from this tea is that it has a slightly tangy, soda-ish bite that almost makes me think back to Pop Rocks. It also has that distinct “red tea” flavor going on. It’s definitely sweet enough without any added sugar, and is surprisingly energizing. I drink this tea at the office in the late afternoon when the slump hits and the cravings for just. about. anything. sweet. kick in.
You know how they say that the best relationships are the ones that never feel like “work”? Well, by those standards, this tea and I are a divorced, bitter couple. Oh, how I wanted to love this blend. On paper, the mixture of white and green tea, jasmine pearls, hibiscus blossoms and tempting “artificial flavoring” seemed like a match made in awesomeness heaven. But, in reality, this tea was exhausting. The first time I made it, I followed the instructions, steeping 1 teaspoon for the required amount of time. It smelled amazing. But it tasted bitter, so I broke every cardinal rule of being a distinguished tea-drinker (will they take away my license?) and watered it down a bit; still, it was harsh. This wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, necessarily, had the leaves not SMELLED so sweet, making for a weird disparity between what my nose sensed and my taste buds tasted. The second time I made it, it was equally unimpressive and the third time, I specifically used less tea and steeped for less time – still bitter. I shouldn’t have to work this hard to love you, Buddha’s Blend. We had great potential, but there are plenty of other fish in the sea…I think it’s time we see other people. To be honest, you kind of remind me of a Tetley.
I’m a big fan of green teas and new to loose leaf, but I loooved the smell of this one at the David’s counter so it was one of the first few that I tried.
To be honest, I wasn’t too impressed. I should have expected this – since I’m not a huge fan of “sweet” teas – but, despite the smooth, creamy texture and mild taste (which I usually like), this one wasn’t for me. Trying to find the “lime” notes in this was like trying to find Waldo. Overall, nothing outstanding about this. I still have a few grams left, so I plan to try it iced to see if I like it better.
