Hawaiian Earl Grey

This tea makes my head hurt a little.

Not physically or even, like, conceptually? I actually LOVE the idea behind this blend. I think it’s super fun! There’s just soooo much flavour happening in this cup and I definitely don’t think it’s entirely cohesive. Like, the bergamot is strong y’all – but so it the aromatic coconut and the hint of tropical fruit. It’s like I want to say to the tea “Hey, calm down! No need to shout”. I don’t even know if that makes sense.

I think I need to experiment here. The individual flavours are good but I need them to come together in a less competitive way. Does that mean making this iced? Sweetener? Milk? I think something has to happen …but what!??

A Berry Frui-tea July! I made a strong infusion of this warm, added just a touch of honey, then popped it in the fridge to chill overnight into an iced tea.

This has proved to be a lovely iced tea brew. There is a strong coconut aroma from the glass, and it has a very smooth and sweet coconut flavor that blends really nicely with the touch of citrusy bergamot. The black base is on the stronger side but carries the flavors well; at least in the iced cup, it is quite smooth, lacking bitterness, and only slightly astringent (though I do probably need to revisit this as a hot cuppa to get a better read on the base). The only thing that I’m a bit disappointed about is that I don’t really get any of the pineapple flavor that should be in this blend; it just tastes like a coconut-flavored Earl Grey, and I have a few others of those around (because I love the coconut/bergamot flavor combination). I really wish I could taste the pineapple, but it seems to be overwhelmed by the other flavors.

So, while I do love this tea, as it’s a flavor I really enjoy, I’m a little disappointed too… it just isn’t giving me anything new, which is what I was hoping for when I got it. I think the pineapple would’ve really brought this as an iced tea over the top, too. Still a nice, refreshing glass of iced tea, regardless.