82 Tasting Notes
Licorice is the first thing that came to mind as the hot water hit the tea bag. I almost dumped it but thought it can’t really taste like licorice. Well, I was right but I’m not sure what this tastes like. It certainly isn’t pineapple. I think it’s trying to be fruity but it fails. It does smell a tiny bit like pineapple after I removed the tea bag but that does not carry over into the taste. Adding some Sugar in the Raw to see if that helps it any. Nope. Somehow that removes what little flavor it had.
I’m still trying to decide what I really think about this tea. It has sort of fruity tart smell to it. But also smells a little like cardboard. Kind of has that taste, too. Maybe it’s trying to pull off something ‘earthy’ & is failing miserably. I’m not entirely sorry I bought this tea but I certainly wouldn’t purchase it again.
I remember trying this years ago when I first discovered loose leaf tea. I was not impressed. I don’t remember it having any flavor. Or not enough, anyway. Never bought it again & never looked back.
Until now. I ended up snagging some BOGO coupons for Harney tea at B&N and thought I’d give it another try. And I’m glad I did! This tea is so much better than what I remember. You open the tin & you can actually smell the cinnamon. And once steeped it doesn’t loose anything. It’s a nice, bracing cinnamon aroma & taste. It’s almost too much but not quite. Orange peel? Sure, I can see it but can’t really taste it. And that’s just fine with me. I’m drinking this for the cinnamon, not the orange.
It also makes a lovely cinnamon tea latte…steamed milk, some brewed Hot Cinnamon Spice & I added some cinnamon honey. To die for.
While this was steeping it smelled like stale tea. Which is kind of odd given that there’s no tea in it. After…it sort of tastes like one of the CS herbals though I don’t remember which. Probably the Raspberry Zinger or whatever it’s called. Though the raspberry flavor isn’t as strong in this one. Don’t get any vanilla, either taste or smell. Adding sugar doesn’t do much other than sweeten up some of the tartness.
