Dewy Cherry

tastes like cherry kool-aid with some sugar in it
super delicious made as iced tea
healthier than kool-aid too

I decided to counter the hibiscus sour with one leaf of amacha (fermented hydrangea that is extremely sweet). I think one leaf was a good amount for my small pot. You might need two for a larger English style pot or a litre jug. The sweetness of the amacha isn’t very noticable (a good thing), but it is there just enough to prevent the hibiscus from being too much. I can appreciate the fruity flavours more this was.

Tea #2 of the night.

Drinking this down after I bought it at an Adagio shop up in Chicago about a year ago.

It’s funny to read back on my old tasting notes and see a little diary of the early days of college. Especially notes like “I don’t like straight Earl Greys since I don’t like bergamot… I prefer Earl Grey Creams.”

Oh, honey. Just wait a few years and you’ll be wearing bergamot perfume and looking for the sharpest flavors you can find.

Anyway. Adagio recommends a 5-10 minute steep time for this, and it definitely can use something on the longer end of the spectrum. It’s fruity without being too sweet; the sour cherry, rosehip, and hibiscus takes care of that. The color is the deep red that you get from hibiscus teas.

I remember hating on hibiscus back in the day. I think it was because Teavana put it in EVERYTHING and I didn’t (and still don’t) love when its tartness overpower the rest of the flavors. I don’t have an anti-hibiscus agenda anymore, at least.

I’ll use up the 3oz I bought – there’s probably not more than 5 cups left – but it’s not likely to be a re-purchase.

I used an entire sample for a pitcher of cold brew, and it turned out awesome! Tasted just like Cherry Kool-Aid, minus some sugar. There was some natural sweetness, but not so much that it felt sickly or like I was drinking something ‘bad’. There was also a good bit of tanginess.

Don’t think I’d try it hot though – not a fan of hot, sweet fruit teas.

good. i this fine. :)

blech. this was a free sample from adagio, which i figured might be nice for a cold brew. Turns out, this is too floral for me. It was semi nice and then there was just too much of a floral note in it. I guess it’s from the hibiscus flowers but i’m surprised. oh well, since it’s something i might have considered, it’s still a win :)

Samples Only TTB

I have to say, I didn’t like this at first sip but it grew on me.

The aroma out of the bag isn’t overwhelming. This tea doesn’t really wow you until it’s finished brewing. Steep it long enough to let the fruit and flowers do their work. In my cup, this had a gorgeous aroma which I pondered over long enough to identify. It reminds me of when one is making cherry jello, the way it smells when you add the hot water to the powder before progressing to other stages. It smells delicious and reminds me of childhood.

At first sip, it was a sour, tangy nose with a sweet, lingering tail.
The amount of sugar in my cup grew slowly with subsequent sips until I found it to my liking (at closer to 3t, which is way more than I usually like in any tea, albeit this being for a 16 ounce mug) At this point, the tea is delightful! It’s sweet with a sour and tangy middle, but the nose is purely sweet and fruity and the tail lingers with the same. It creates a little tangy burst in the middle and this is how the rose hips truly shine; as an accent rather than a feature.

I am honestly growing to dislike rose hips and hibiscus in tea because the tangy sour flavors just don’t do it for me… But sugared more than normal, they can be quite delightful. I wonder if some of the other teas I’ve found to be too sour would have tasted better if I’d sweetened them more. I like to avoid too much extra sugar, but some teas may not be able to really stand on their own without it. However, this one becomes a delight with enough sugar, so I am afraid I must make an exception.

I may well purchase some of this in the future from Adagio.

Sipdown! (195)
Thank you 221tea for sending this sample to me! I’m always curious about the base teas Adagio uses since I only buy the blends. This one was a nice fruity mix that my daughter and I drank all afternoon as iced tea. It was a little tart with the hibiscus but not terribly so, and I could have added agave if it was really bad. We drank it up so quickly – that’s a good sign! I’m glad I got to try it, and if the price is reasonable, I’d consider getting more some time! (If I’m doing an adagio order anyway… I def wouldn’t do it JUST for this tea. :P)

Used to hate cherries. Didn’t even like cherry candy anything. But as with most adults my tastes have changed and some how I ended up finding myself liking them. Well…. kinda. I prefer the sour ones. Like in this tea.

The dry smell is great. Would make a great potpourri. But is better as a tea. I didn’t pick up much from the brewed smell. The taste isn’t quite what I thought it was going to be but I’m still enjoying it. Fruity yes but the sour cherry isn’t as present as I thought it would be. Good hot but I like it better lukewarm.

Update: 10 years later. Wow. Much has changed. I still enjoy this tisane. Though it takes a long time steeping for it to really bring out its true colors.

This tea is lovely. I am pretty picky about my herbal teas, I like the fruit to actually taste like the fruit I am drinking…silly me. Adagio’s herbals are generally pretty solid since they are basically dried fruit.

This cherry blend didn’t let me down. The cherry tastes natural and a bit on the tart side. I also tried it with a healthy dose of sugar the second time and it tasted a bit like cherry pie. Yum.