I had this this morning. And I have to say the loose leaf looked like it would be this wonderful creamy vanilla-y tea! The almonds, and vanilla pods, and vanilla scent. It had a really earthy smell as well. The black tea base was a good choice but I have to say, it was not what I expected. Hot and unsweetened it just tasted like a morning black tea. So I let it sit to cool a little bit and it was still bland. So I added sugar and it got a little better and brought out the almond flavor. Then I let it sit for a little longer and added milk. Aaahhhhh hahhhh! I found the vanilla. The cooler it gets the sweeter and stronger it gets! This was definitely a nice blend but I’m going to have to continue searching for the perfect vanilla tea for me:) thank you to the persimmon tree tea company though!