My thanks again to Angel and Teavivre for this new tea sample!
Black teas are my favorites of all the teas. Their flavors tend to be more robust than some of the lighter color products. Also, I often need the extra kick of caffeine provided by the selections at the darker end of the tea spectrum.
I don’t think I had ever tried a “red black” tea, which is what Teavivre is calling this blend on the sample packet. I was intrigued and ready to go!
When I opened the packet, the rich odor was instantly recognizable as Yunnan tea, but with something extra. There were syrupy and fruity undertones that sparked my sweet tooth.
I steeped the dark leaves at 195 degrees for five minutes. (I don’t have a 194 degrees setting on my One Touch Tea Maker as recommended by Teavivre – but close enough!) Teavivre’s brewing instructions are always dead-on for my tastes.
The brewed color was a bright golden amber. The aroma was like a sweetened Yunnan tea.
I’m a purist when it comes to tea. I drink every selection straight-up without milk or sweeteners. However, I imagined the aroma wafting from my cup to be similar to what other Yunnan teas would smell like if you added a liberal spoonful of honey.
The taste was a well-balanced cornucopia of Yunnan, sweet, and fruity flavors. The overall flavor strength was full-bodied with all tastes expertly co-mingling in unison. The aftertaste was lightly sweet as it gently faded away. There was no astringency to be found.
As you probably have guessed by now, if you are following even a small portion of my reviews, I am a big admirer of Teavivre teas. I almost always appraise their selections very high on the rating scale. I find the exceptional quality and robust flavors of their increasing varieties to be consistently superb.
This red black tea is also a winner. The taste is outstanding. The flavors are potent without being overbearing, while also somehow managing to be smooth. It’s just another fabulous tea from the folks at Teavivre.
Flavors: Berries, Earth, Honey
