Forever Nuts

1.5 TB for 500mL water, no milk or sweetener.

So I followed guidelines this time. A mere six-minute steep. Much less apple-peel flavour and scent, a but more nuttiness. Mostly almond, though … not marzipanish sweet, but definitely sweet.

I really don’t like the colour, though I’m happy it comes from beetroot and not from the dreaded hibiscus.

Much better steeped cautiously. Not sure if I’ll order this one again, but it’s a tasty alternative to my must-be-rationed Super Chocolate.

I have not discovered a tea that has brought this much satisfaction in a long time. But I do have a bone to pick with it!

First, I find the title to be misleading. The tea contains subtle hints of nuts, but nothing that would deserve to be chosen as the main element. Instead, I like to think of this tea as “apple crisp meets oatmeal cookie” (and what a delightful reunion it is).

I love the color, however! I feel a bit giddy every time I see the crystal clear water change to a vibrant (almost violent?) pink.
For a mild tea, it still demands attention. Surprisingly, I cannot consider this tea as “weak” but instead as “delicate”. The initial sip is decidedly apple, with a slight spicy aftertaste on the sides of my tongue. An indescribable sweetness ties the whole thing together into a cup of absolute pleasure.

50g bag? 100g tin? 250g tin? May I just buy the huge tin off the wall?
To be consumed in a clear cup for maximum enjoyment.

[EDIT] I decided to give this tea another steep to see how it faired. Giving it 8 minutes with boiling water, the tea still retained it’s beautiful pink shade. It had a slightly less emphasis on initial apple flavor, and a larger emphasis on the spice and nuts after. I think I will resteep this one more often.

Dry Leaf Nose: Fresh roasting nuts.

Liquor: Gorgeous bright pink colour with a sweet and nutty aroma.

Flavour: Delightful with roasting nuts (fresh roasting – not roasted) as the predominant flavour note. There’s also a nice and sweet note coming from the apple pieces. The hibiscus adds colour and balances the sweetness.

Nice to sample, but not a keeper.

This smells like a mild apple cider. It tastes of apple, spices, and a hint of almond.
I think it tastes a lot better than an average spiced cider, and it has a lovely deep pink color when you brew it.
It’s very light, and has a warmth to it that is enjoyable during the colder seasons.

Personally, I enjoy having this all the time. Because it is so sweet and not full of caffeine.

Sipdown

Had a few glasses of this this morning/afternoon chilled. I really do love this tea iced. I think next time I’ll add more tea to it to make it stronger, but because it was just an advent sample, I only had limited to work with and steeped it several times to try and get as much out of it as possible!

I used up the last of this today at work. I had only a tiny bit, but a big 500 ml mug, and it occurred to me that this would work with vanilla. So I added a sachet of Mariage Freres vanilla rooibos I had on me. Great combination! I wasn’t thinking I’d buy more of this tea, but it is good to have on hand for a comforting tea. I know both Tealish and Herbal Infusions have similar/nearly-identical blends, so perhaps I’ll give one of those a try.

FINALLY!
I left my tin at a friend’s house a MONTH ago and I’ve been without my Forever Nuts since then. I’ve wanted it every single day and I finally have it back. (Of course, after this cup I have enough for one more cup and then it’s off to David’s. What’s that? Just in time for the spring teas, you say? Fortuitous!)
The pinkness makes me so happy when I bring it to my lips. It’s ridiculous. I feel like I’m drinking a princess drink in the best possible way.
It smells like a freshly-baked apple oatmeal muffin and it tastes as amazing as it smells. I can’t pick out any specific tastes (although the dried apples linger nicely), other than “muffin”, but that’s all the description that I require.
Even though this is a tisane, it’s what I chose to get me through tonight’s working blitz. More for the mood than any keeping-me-awakeness.
My mouth is happy. My face is happy. Even my mug is happy.
Thank you, Forever Nuts!

Sipdown! !!

I used to love this, but today it’s coming across a little bland. I may or may not restock it. Too many other tea’s that I prefer. It was good while it lasted, but perhaps time to move on.

I discovered tonight that this blend is greatly improved when brewed at double strength. The smell remains exceptionally wonderful, with the taste lagging behind, but Forever Nuts is a lot better brewed extra strong.

I also used an opaque white cup rather than a Bodum double-walled glass. This helped to camouflage the scary fluorescent red color, which looked more opaque in a white cup. I still don’t understand why an almond-flavored beverage should be red, but for some reason beet root has been thrown into the mix. Probably to hide the otherwise hideous color of infused almonds…