Raspberry Cream Pie

Probably my new favourite right now. Incredibly sweet and creamy. The raspberry flavour is very prominent.

Finally a sipdown this week. Getting through my teas one by one. ^^

This is a very sweet tasting tea, with just enough hint of raspberry. I find sometimes raspberry flavours to taste like chemicals, but not in this tea. It isn’t something I would drink every day, but it is nice for a treat.

I can’t recall if I have ever had this one before, but I have no notes listed, so it is possible. It is also possible I have had it and never made a note.

I am having this straight. No milk, no sugar, no additives at all. And it is actually sweet enough for me this way. There is cane sugar in this pretty high up, plus the chocolate bits, so I’m sure that is why I am ok as is (though I still prefer to add my own sweetener thank you very much DAVIDs!). That said, it is on the artificial side. I wonder if milk in this would tame that aspect of it. I have a small sample that I can try it with. I might try to resteep with the existing leaves and try, though it may be less flavour all over this way.

Aside from the slight artificial notes, it is a creamy feeling tea. My guess is that the chocolate chips are providing this. They are also providing an oil slick on top of the tea. While I know some people are bothered by this, I’m not. It isn’t super pretty to look at, but meh…whatever. I’m not fussed. It’s just tea. It doesn’t really reflect the taste much, if at all.

I was admittedly nervous at trying, given the hibiscus listed, but it is really low down, and I do feel it lends a slight tartness to the raspberry component. It is not actually that terrible in this, and not a bully at all. If anything, the artificial notes override and bad hibby ones.

As for the pie aspect…nope, not getting any whatsoever. I can feel like I smell some kind of graham crust, but I can’t really taste it. Well, maybe just a teensy bit as the tea cools down. I think it is mixed with the artificial notes.

So the big question is whether or not I will buy more of this once my sample is out. I think the verdict is yes, despite the bit of artificial taste. What it has going for it that is important to me is that it is free of stevia or blackberry leaves, licorice or anything like it, and flowers like rose or jasmine. I am finding it really hard with so many new teas from DAVIDs having stevia or blackberry leaves. I’m mildly allergic (more sensitive than anything) to the stevia…it can be a headache.migraine trigger, and makes me feel like throwing up in an acid reflux kind of way. Also in its favour is that it is caffeine free and I am all about trying to monitor how much caffeine I have a day, and since I like tea, finding alternatives is good (even if not true tea). It also uses green rooibos, which I vastly prefer over the red.

This tea was great when made As a latte in the store, but when I made it at home I did not like it as much. It tasted sort of woody when I made it at home. Maybe because it was made with agave at the store.

Sipdown (99)

Finished the last of this iced which has boosted the white chocolate element of this tea. Unlike last time, I am not getting the base so much but unfortunately I am not getting much raspberry either with this brew method. However, with the stronger white chocolate flavor, “cream pie” is certainly an easy connection to make.

Ultimately, I have enjoyed this enough while it last but I doubt I will seek it out again.

To me, this tastes much more floral than fruity, but in a nice way. I’m not ever a fan of floral teas but this mix makes it palatable, with the mild sweetness and raspberry which cuts the floral from being overpowering even though I struggle to taste much actual raspberry flavor. The cream/chocolate bits are a nice touch and work well with the raspberry and rose. This is a really nice blend for a spring tea, it hits all the right notes for me at this time of year and reminds me very much of being a ladylike flavor you might have for an English inspired afternoon tea. That being said, it probably wouldn’t make my favorites list and I can’t see buying it at other times of the year though I wouldn’t mind if it was around as a spring time tea again in future.

Smells gorgeous, tastes only okay. I’m not a fan of the oily film left by the white chocolate chips. The raspberry and cream notes are there, but the rooibos itself is slightly weak in comparison. Tastes mainly of raspberry and not much else. Very sweet on its own; no need to add more sugar beyond what’s already there.

Dry leaf: Juicy, ripe raspberry and sweet cream.

Liqueur: Rosy pink with an orange tinge. Smells like juicy ripe raspberries with a slight creaminess.

Flavour: Sweet raspberry notes are up front and are followed by creaminess. Like eating a slice of raspberry pie with whipped cream!

Sweet. Overwhelmingly sweet.

So sweet. So unbelievably sweet.

I got a sample (and a 50g bag) of this with my most recent DT order. I just tried my sample – hot. It doesn’t taste like raspberry cream pie to my taste buds. It tastes like what I wanted Cotton Candy to taste like…only about 10x sweeter. It’s quite artificial tasting. The more I sip the more I’m reminded of that packaged cotton candy that’s available at convenience stores. I don’t get distinct raspberry flavor. It’s more of a generic berry flavor to my palate. The raspberry is more of an aftertaste. On a more positive (sort of) note, the tea is so incredibly sweet that I can’t really taste the rooibos.

I can see why so many people enjoy this as a latte. I imagine the dairy (or other alternative milks) cuts the sweetness of the tea.

This isn’t a tea I’ll be stocking up on. I’ve only had about 4 ounces of my 12-ounce cuppa, and I’m already getting a headache from all the sugar. I don’t know that I’ll be able to finish it. I’m glad I only ordered 50g.

If you’re looking for a (super sickeningly) sweet dessert tea and don’t mind artificial berry flavoring, this is the tea for you.