Don’t let the name fool you, it’s an hibiscus tea (a hibiscus tea?).
But it’s pleasant enough. Aroma is mostly tangy hibiscus and citrus, some peach and a cinnamon base note. I think I might get some of that dried apple, too, or it might be an association with the cinnamon aroma. This tea is BRICK RED, hibiscus is the first ingredient after all. Tart and tangy but not overly so, I get orange and floral peach flavorings that taste a bit contrived, very light cinnamon and apple and I think the chicory gives a hint of a roasted bass note. Lingering tart aftertaste. This might be better cold-brewed and I wonder, despite my preference for not sweetening teas, if a little sugar would help that peach pop. Now that I’m typing this review, I’m noticing a surprising cooling sensation coming up from my esophagus. Whoa. Must be one of the “natural flavors.” I like but it’s odd.
So, one neat thing about this tea is the design of the bag. When I first looked at it, I thought, “What is all this string about?” Then I looked at the back of the envelope where there were instruction printed on how to use the teabag. The string is one of those that you’re supposed to pull out of the bag, know what I mean? but there’s a perforated tag at the top joining both the ends of the string. When you’re done steeping, you tear the paper tag and pull both ends outward and that draws more string out of the bag, squeezing the teabag in the process. While it’s not a tight squeeze, it’s pretty handy for those that feel compelled to squeeze the last drops of life from… teabags… but don’t have a spoon or don’t want to use their fingers.
That was a really long and wordy explanation. There’s probably a 3-second Youtube video showing the process more efficiently than reading that novel :P
So yeah, the tea, it’s ok. Too bright to be sipping on near midnight, though.
