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The first thing I noticed about this tea was that it was it was CTC. I have not seen flavored blacks that were CTC before. Not that I mind, but it was odd for me, as I’m used to seeing full leaf. The smell of the dry leaf was pleasantly coconut.

Now the taste. I have this feeling that 52teas coconut cream pie, being so amazingly delicious as it is, has spoiled me for other coconut teas. I can’t help but compare, and they all fall short.

This tea is nice. The coconut is prominent, the vanilla a nice companion. All in all quite a pleasant tea, just not so memorable as to be purchased again.

I’ve been remiss in my tasting notes. A few weeks ago I made a large sample order at Chado Tea. See, I have a love of rooibos and am always looking for vendors offering unique flavors. More often than not international shipping is horrid, so I search for vendors that offer a variety, allowing me to order many samples of rooibos in one order.
Chado Tea Room as a large variety of rooibos. Many are identical to other vendors (same wholesaler, perhaps), but some that are unique, and of which I ordered many. I have tried almost all of the samples, but have yet to rate any of them. I will do that for each on my next round of tasting (sample sizes are generous, so that I can get quite a few cups from the sample).

It’s unfortunate that I’m starting my reviewing from this tea, because it is the one I liked the least so far. Most of the teas were good, some even great. This one is not.

I like the idea of banana and cinnamon, reminding me of a dessert I was served at a restaurant a while ago. Bananas in a creamy sauce with a hint of cinnamon. However the cinnamon here is so overwhelming that I am getting neither banana nor rooibos. Had the flavors been better balanced, I think the combination of banana and cinnamon could have been a winner.
It was so heavily cinnamon that I could not even get past the first sip, which is very rare for me.

Giving it a second thought, perhaps I oversteeped, although 6 minutes for rooibos is mostly standard. I will try this tea again soon, with a shorter steep time. Maybe it will redeem itself. The low rating on this tea is by no means representative of most of the other Chado teas I have had.

I’ve had this tea about 3 times now on separate occasions, each time hoping that it would get better. unfortunately it did not.

Oh, how I had wanted to like this tea! Oatmeal raisin cookies are some of my all-time favorite things in the world. However I am getting neither raisins nor oatmeal in this tea, only lots of grape. I am not a grape fan.

52teas blends are some of the best teas I have tried, but sadly this one misses the mark.

This is so much better than I had expected. I love coconut and I love chocolate, so this tea is right up my alley. The fact that it’s herbal had me a bit worried. I wondered if the lack of black tea or even rooibos would make it weaker somehow.
I think maybe it is even more impressive because the flavors stand on their own.

I agree that it needs to be brewed stronger for it’s full effect. But then, WOW this is one good cuppa! I downed the whole pot before it had even cooled. Chocolate and coconut! There’s also a malty flavor there, maybe the barley or the carobs.

I really like this!

This is much better than I had expected from a supermarket bagged tea.
The aromas after brewing were fascinating. When the cup was on the table, I got a strong orangey smell, but from close up I smelled mostly ginger. The taste was one sip orange and one ginger. The green base is good, but not nondescript, and it’s the orange and ginger that make this pop.

This is a good tea to keep on hand for quick tea making (I often turn to tea bags when I’m in a rush).

What a wonderful mate! Nuts, cinnamon and pumpkin…to me that is always a wonderful combination. I think the pumpkin blend flavors are much better suited to a roasted mate base, as the roasted flavor adds that extra touch to the overall flavor (as opposed to the honeybush/rooibos sweetness, which is good too, but not as good as the roasted mate).

I am enjoying this very much (and already getting nervous that my pouch is running out)

I am wonder what mystical powers Frank has, or what magical process he submits his teas to, but this tea is spot on. Maple sweet and doughy. I’ve having my breakfast in the evening, and it’s so much fun! I’m having it unsweetened, but it is so pancake-y that it is actually as satisfying for my sweet tooth, as having the sugary item itself.

Interesting that others have said they got more cinnamon and less ginger…I guess all the ginger hid in the leaves that I got. I, however, am not getting much cinnamon, so it’s basically a ginger tea. Now, I like ginger tea, but since it’s called Pumpkin Pie, I sort of expect the cinnamon.

As a ginger tea, it’s quite pleasant.

I smelled the dry leaf and it was positively wonderful- very orange-y. I love orange in tea!

I made the mistake of looking at reviews of this tea, as it was brewing, but before I actually tasted it. Not because I would have liked it otherwise, but because I would not have even bothered brewing it. I have yet to find an herbal with hibiscus in it that I actually like. Something about that tartness just puts me off.

Even so, the purple/red hue of the tea would have quickly given the hibiscus away.

But as it was already brewed, I tried it. I can taste the cranberry and the orange. A nice combination of flavors.
Had it be sans hibiscus, I could really like this.

As it stands, it seems like a really good tea for those with a more amicable relationship to the hibiscus that I have. I will pass this tea on to my hubby, who rarely drinks tea, but when he does, favors the tart hibiscus-y kinds.