Jen S
Herbal/tisane, berry/fruity flavors, low/no caffeine, iced are my preferred beverages. White/green teas when I'm looking for a more "tea" experience. Earl Grey and Jasmine ♥️
User's reviews
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Virgo
I cold brewed from recommendations of others in the CommuniTEA. I did pick out the rose petals that I could find first. The flavor was mild, nothing really prominent or fruity. It was fine, but not something I would get for myself.
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Wild Strawberry Iced Tea
I steeped for 5 minutes @ 212 and poured over ice. I toss the bag into the pitcher too. The liquor is a vibrant red. I love the tartness from the hibiscus combined with the flavor of the strawberry. This is a refreshing caffeine free iced tea for hot weather.
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Citrus Mint Green Iced Tea
Citrus and mint are a wonderful combination! I steeped for 5 minutes @ 212 and poured over ice. Refreshing and delicious for the hot weather.
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Lemongrass
Nice clean lemongrass aroma from the pouch. I steeped for 5 minutes @ 212. The flavor was clean and lightly lemon. I think it's better in blends in my opinion. A nice herbal.
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Bella Luna Blue
There was a light berry aroma from the pouch. I steeped for 10 minutes @ 212. The liquor was a beautiful, deep clear blue. The blueberry was faint and overpowered by a bitterness. Maybe I steeped it for too long. I gifted the nearly full pouch to a friend who likes it more than I do.
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Cinnamon Rooibos Chai
This is my kind of cinnamon! Strong aroma and flavor akin to Fiery Cinnamon Spice without the caffeine. 5 min @ 212, first steep was cinna-licious. 10 min @ 212 second steep was also cinna-licious. Cheers for lovers of all the cinnamon!
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Cherry Green
I love cherry and green tea! I steeped for two minutes at 165. Unfortunately, the rose petals ruined it for me and I wished I had picked them out. I might try it again if it comes in another CommuniTEA box, and I'll be sure to pick out the rose petals next time.
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Summer Night
I thought I would like this blend more, but the rose flavor was strong enough to make it meh for me. I gifted it to a friend who likes rose tea and she enjoyed it but wished it had caffeine!
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Kentucky Bourbon
The smell from the packet was surprisingly pleasant to me, since I'm not a fan of smokey teas. Unfortunately, the flavor was still too smokey for my tastes. After my sip, I let a friend try it out she drank the rest easily.
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Jasmine Yin Hao
I love jasmine tea and this is no exception. The aroma and the flavor are comforting to me. I resteep as many times as I can still taste and smell the jasmine. I do steep at 165 and for 2 minutes the first time, up to overnight for an iced tea.
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Yerba Mate
I've tried all the different mate blends and never liked the taste. Having the straight mate confirms I'm just not a fan of the flavor that mate has. Add in the high caffeine and it's something I'll gift to a friend if it ever comes my way.
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Campfire S'Mores
I'm not a fan of lapsang souchong. Even in the tiniest amount it just overpowers everything else in smell and taste. I held my breath to take a sip and didn't taste s'mores, just smoke.
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Ceylon Sonata
I'm not a fan of black tea, I find it to typically be too bitter and astringent, so I steep it very lightly. I actually make it quite weak by then pouring it over ice for a pitcher of iced tea.
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Earl Grey Green
I love green tea and Earl Grey, but the combination didn't do it for me. It wasn't bad by any means, but it isn't something that I would go back for more. Drinkable, just not a future purchase for me.
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Matcha Sticks Traditional
I love matcha and I'm hooked on the sticks. They're easy to shake in cold water and the convenience of being pre-portioned is fantastic. I add a couple drops of liquid stevia and it's a treat.
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Matcha Raspberry
I love matcha and while the raspberry flavor could be stronger, I still enjoy this cold with a couple drops of liquid stevia. It's a bright green taste and that little bit of sweetness from the stevia makes it better.
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Matcha Peach
This is the strongest of the flavors of matcha I've tried. The peach comes out in the aroma and a couple drops of stevia brings the flavor forward more. I really enjoy it cold in this hot weather. I'm a green tea and matcha fan.
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Matcha Blueberry
The blueberry is my favorite flavor of the matcha I've tried. While it's a light blueberry, I love matcha and have become addicted to having it cold in the morning in this very hot summer weather.
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White Toasted Coconut
I'd never thought of coconut in tea until Adagio, and I absolutely love it. The aroma from the packet, and a nice strip of coconut among the leaves, was delicious.
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White Tropics
I'm not a fan of rose petals so I picked them out. While the aroma from the packet was sweet and fruity, it disappeared after steeping. The taste was plain white tea, which is fine for me, but not if I was looking for tropical flavors.
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White Fuzzy Navel
I'm a fan of white tea and the rooibos that snuck up on some people. Cold brewed overnight. I liked the mix of peach, light white tea, and touch of hibiscus. Definitely a refreshing cup with the excessive heat.
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Fujian Orchid
I love watching teas unfurl. 3 min @ 165 then cooled to room temperature because it's 100+ here. Smooth with a faint floral taste.
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Raspberry Patch
Wow, definitely smell raspberry from the packet. Steeped for 10 min and poured over ice. Very bright fuschia liquor. Delicious berry hibiscus flavor with a balance of tart and sweet.
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Cancer
There's a light apricot/peach aroma from the packet. 3 min @ 165. I took a sip warm and didn't get any fruit or peppermint flavor, just a smoothness with a little green tea vibe. Once it cooled, I could taste some apricot. A very mild hint of astringency, a very drinkable blend.
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Berry Blast
Delicious sweet berry aroma from the packet. 5 min @ 212 and poured over ice. I love the tart from the hibiscus, balanced with fruity berry flavor. No sweetener needed for my tastes.
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Golden Flower
I tried to brew gongfu style in my gaiwan and ended up losing most of the first cup, I don't have the straining technique down at all. The second steep was delicious. Very light floral taste and smooth flavor. Beautiful clear liquor with a hint of green.
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Citrus Mate
The citrus aroma has a hint of mate from the packet. 2 min @ 165. I think this is the last of Adagio's mate blends left for me to try. I can officially confirm that something about the taste of mate isn't for me. That's okay, my coworker will happily drink all my future CommuniTEA packets with mate. Cheers.
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Jasmine Phoenix Pearls
I love jasmine! 2 min @ 165. I love to steep these pearls in my Ingenuitea 2 so I can see them open. I resteep multiple times and love inhaling the aroma. Delicious both hot and cold brewed. I highly recommend for all lovers of jasmine tea.
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Blackberry Sage Oolong
Turns out I don't like sage. 2 min @ 165. All I could taste was the sage. While I did drink the whole cup trying to get some blackberry flavor, I don't think this one is for me.
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Lemon Soleil
Nice lemon aroma from the dry tea leaves. 90 sec @ 165 then poured over ice. I was hoping for more lemon flavor. Not something I would add to my cart because of the caffeine, but others may like it more.
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Gemini
Nice peach aroma from the dry leaves. 2 min @ 165. A very mild fruit/peach flavor. I didn't notice rose, which is good for me as I'm not a fan. I enjoyed it more as it cooled. Very light white tea.
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Blueberry
I didn't have any blueberries in my packet and the berry scent was very faint. 90 sec @ 165 and poured over ice. It was okay as a light iced tea for my tastes, but not very strong on the blueberry flavor.
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Peach Bellini
The peachy aroma from the packet is mouth watering. I cold brewed overnight night with a low water ratio. This is very flavorful with the right amount of water and the peach and fruit is refreshing cold.
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Dreamberry
Great iced tea,and caffeine free! There's a light sweetness with the tart raspberry flavor. I steeped for 3 min @ 165 then let it cool completely. I'll be ordering more and trying it cold brewed. Great fruity herbal for those that don't like the strong tartness of hibiscus.
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Spearmint
The spearmint aroma from the dry leaves is like opening a pack of spearmint gum, yum! I steeped it lightly for 2 min @ 165 and enjoyed the smooth flavor. Then I cold brewed for a refreshing iced tea today. Definitely recommend if you like mint.
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Gyokuro
I'm a fan of green tea. I actually prefer Japanese green tea iced over hot. This is a very savory tea. 2 min @ 165. Very vegetal with mild astringency. I could resteep this a couple more times.
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White Strawberry Basil
I've had this tea hot and didn't like it. I cold brewed overnight and it was a complete turnaround. Nice light tart and fruit and would be great for warmer weather.
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Cha Cha
I love Adagio's chamomile. Blended with peppermint and lemongrass, this is a nice caffeine free option for relaxing in the evening. 5 min @ 212
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Jasmine Chun Hao
I love jasmine tea! Nice jasmine aroma from the packet. 3 min @ 165. This has nice jasmine flavor and I would definitely recommend for anyone who likes jasmine tea.
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Black cherry
Whoa the rose hit me from the packet. So I had to pick the rose petals out, and I didn't have any cherry that I could tell. 90 sec @ 165 so it would be light. No overwhelming rose, some fruitiness, but not much on the cherry front.
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Keemun Concerto
I'm not the target audience for high caffeine plain black tea. 90 sec @ 165 is light enough for me to be able to drink the cup easily. Nothing wrong with it, just not for me.
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Taurus
I didn't have any apple pieces or apricot, but everything else is in the packet including two silver needles. I cold brewed based on other reviews. Unfortunately, the absence of apple and apricot pieces equalled an absence of peach flavor. I got an earthy Oolong taste that wasn't for me.
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Mango
90 sec @ 165 poured over ice. Light iced tea, doesn't really taste like mango to me. I added Selefina mango powder to boost the flavor.
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Peach Oolong
I cold brewed my packet to make iced tea. It has a light peach flavor but is mostly Oolong, which is smooth but just not my preference.
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White Peony
2 min @ 165. Nice light white tea. I think it will also be good iced. Good for a touch of caffeine with a clean taste. I don't always want strong flavors in my tea and this is perfect for those times.
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Turmeric Bliss
I'm not a fan of turmeric. The packet smelled of orange and spiciness. 3 min @ 165. I intentionally brewed it light and it was okay to drink. Not something I'd get for myself.
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Genmai Cha
I think this is very similar to the version with matcha. I'd like to do a side by side comparison. Enjoyable for me as I'm a fan of green tea and the toasted rice gives it a savoryness.
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Spring Darjeeling
90 sec @ 212 This tea was light in flavor and aroma. Not unpleasant, just unremarkable to my tastes. No bitterness, mild astringency. Might be better as an iced tea for me, but I prefer much less caffeine.
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Double Ginger
There are too many peppercorns for my tastes. 3 min @ 165. There's a light fruitiness behind the peppery bite.
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Green Chai
I'm not fond of chai spiced teas, but I like green tea. I removed the cloves. 2 min@ 165 This wasn't bad, just not one I'd choose because the chai flavor.
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Butterscotch
Wow the butterscotch aroma is strong from the packet. 90 sec @ 165 The butterscotch comes through much lighter in flavor with a little sweetness. I'm glad I got to try this in the CommuniTEA. No additions.
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Teaster Marshmallow
I'm a fan of rooibos and the colorful sprinkles are fun for the season. 5 min @ 212 The sprinkles partially dissolved and complement the green rooibos. I'll try it cold brewed when my order arrives.
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Wuyi Ensemble
I don't have the refined palate, so I don't get the aromas and flavors that others do. I steeped for 3 min @ 165. The tea was easy to drink, no bitterness. I like green Oolongs better.
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Chamomile
By far the best chamomile I've ever had. There are lots of large whole flowers in the bag. The smell is so fresh and bright. 5 min @ 212. Nice clear pale yellow liquor. The taste is clean so much better than store bought tea bags. Definitely a favorite and I don't think I can ever go back to low quality chamomile.
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Lemon Meringue Green
Nice sweet lemon scent from the packet. 2 min @ 165 The lemon flavor is lighter than I expected, probably mellowed by the creme. A pleasant green tea, but I prefer Citron Green as it has a stronger citrus taste.
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Orange
I gifted this to my coworker with the chocolate tea. She likes it by iself, but really enjoys it more mixed with the chocolate, like the candy orange ball without the sugar.
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Chocolate
My coworker gave up sweets for Lent. I gifted her this tea as she's tried some of my other Adagio chocolatey teas and loved them. She gives it five stars and is using it when she's craving something sweet because it doesn't need any sweetener.
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White Eternal Spring
The candy scent doesn't carry through to the flavor. 2 min @ 165 I didn't get fruity or floral, just a plain white tea.
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Citron Green
The aroma from the packet is lemon-lime. Orange peel and marigold are present among the green tea leaves. 90 sec @ 165. The citrus taste is more orange with lemon. Medium astringency. I recommend as a fan of both citrus and green tea.
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Irish Breakfast
I steep black teas lightly. 90 sec @ 165. Poured over ice, this was easy to sip and went well with an almond financier. Not something I would get for myself but no bitterness or astringency how I made it.
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Pi Lo Chun
I like green tea. The dry leaves are twisted green and white. The aroma is pleasing to me and I get umami and seaweed. 2 min @ 165. Nice fresh green taste. No astringency.
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40 Winks
The Valerian root is prominent in the aroma, a definite medicine smell, and the mint does a good job of making it tolerable. I'm a fan of most of the ingredients. Didn't see any cherry. I can't say I specifically taste the valerian root, I get mint and chamomile for sure. I'm going to mix this with Slumbering Sloth and add some extra valerian root for sleep.
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Minty Comfort
The aromas from the dry tea are invigorating. Definitely mint and eucalyptus. I forgot to set a timer and steeped for 30+. Didn't get bitter, mild astringency and a cooling sensation on the throat.
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Samurai Mate
This smells delicious. I love Adagio's spicy cinnamon flavor. I don't taste mate, which works for me. But too much caffeine for me. Cheers.
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PARIS
Had this at a tea party so I don't know the brewing specifics. I tasted bergamot and black tea bitterness with too much astringency. I tend to steep my black tea at lower temps for a shorter time so this might be more enjoyable if I brew it myself.
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GENMAICHA
Received this as a gift. Smell is toasty and grain like with green tea in the background. 2 min @ 165. Pleasant roasted grain taste and light green grassiness.
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Iced Black Gallon Size Tea Bags
Convenient size and easy for making a pitcher of iced tea without needing to boil water then cool down steeped tea.
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Brigadoon Breakfast
Very strong breakfast tea. Too much for me. I diluted it for iced tea. Creative novelty every four years.
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Throat Therapy
Highly recommend, even if your throat feels perfectly fine. Delicious sweetness and has a definite soothing quality for your throat.
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Green Rooibos
Nice light sweet aroma, reminds me of a sweetened seaweed dessert. 5+ min @ 212. Pleasant light flavor maybe some toasted sweet grain. I think this is great for a straight forward hot beverage or a base for blending. I added a few licorice root pieces on the resteep and boosted the sweetness.
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Throat Coat
Definitely good for soothing your throat. I steeped it for 10 min @ 212 and got a delicious sweet flavor from it. I tried steeping a second time, and while it still had nice flavor, it was lighter and didn't have that coating factor from the first cup.
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Elderberry Wine
I thought I would like this blend a lot because my tastes lean towards hibiscus tartness. This was definitely a tart red wine flavor when hot and too much for me. I'll try cold brewing next time.
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Earl Grey Bravo
I love bergamot and the dry tea smells good. I cold brewed a whole pitcher from the CommuniTEA packet since black tea is usually too bitter, astringent, and caffeinated for me. This worked out well as iced tea for my tastes.
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Pisces
Adagio's grapefruit flavor is delicious! I can smell it well from the packet, during, and after steeping. I get a faint sweetness in addition to the strong grapefruit taste.
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Valentines
Disclaimer: I removed the rose petals. The dry tea leaves smell like chocolate with a light sweet fruit/berry. No strawberry pieces. I did a light brew to keep it from being bitter or astringent. Pleasant chocolate and sweet flavor.
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Rooibos Iced Tea
I enjoy Rooibos tea blends, especially iced. The straight rooibos iced tea bags have a pleasant dry woody aroma, reminiscent of sweet cigar tobacco. Cold brewed in a pitcher, I resteep multiple times. I love it.
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Lychee Rose Green
Disclaimer: I don't like rose. The dry tea smells very strongly of lychee to me. So much that I didn't detect rose, even though I knew it was there. I picked out the rose petals before steeping. 2 min @ whatever temp the office hot water dispenser is. While hot, I tasted mostly green tea with faint lychee. As it cooled, the rose flavor came forward. Not a tea for me.
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Pu-erh Chorange
Definitely smells like chocolate and orange from the packet. 3 min @ 165 The orange scent has lightened and the chocolate takes the stage. Nice chocolate flavor with a hint of orange. Very smooth, no bitterness or astringency. I highly recommend for fans of chocolate and orange.
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White Chocolate Peppermint
Fresh minty aroma, can't smell any chocolate, but white chocolate is pretty bland to me. 5 min @ 165. Pleasant mint flavor with a light sweetness. I think I'd enjoy this iced.
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Cupid’s Cup
Nice sweet strawberry aroma. I didn't see rose petals, just hibiscus, rose hips, apples, and cute pink and purple hearts. I cold brewed and really enjoyed the light strawberry sweetness. Cheers.
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Chocolate Truffle
Shared this CommuniTEA packet with my coworker. She loved the chocolate aroma and added a creamer and sweetener. She enjoyed it and is looking forward to trying more flavored teas.
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Tiger Eye
Nice aroma from the dry tea leaves. 2 min @ 165. Mostly just a black tea flavor, not getting caramel and chocolate. I'd probably make this iced if I had it again.
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Scottish Breakfast
I cold brewed my CommuniTEA packet. The flavor was quite strong for me so I made it into a whole pitcher.
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Peppermint
I love peppermint, gum, candy canes, ice cream, York patties. But peppermint tea always gave me heartburn. But no heartburn with Adagio peppermint! I love it in rooibos Cocomint, and I like to mix a little with my chamomile. Delicious!
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Assam Melody
I cold brewed the single serving packet all day for a half gallon pitcher of iced tea. Worked great for me to cut down on the caffeine level and it wasn't bitter or astringent.
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Earl Grey Lavender
I gifted this to a friend for Christmas with samples of Adagio's other Earl Grey blends. She said the lavender was her favorite of them all and she loved it.
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Sour Apple
Sweet, tart appley aroma. 212 @ 5 min. Strong hibiscus tartness, but the apple is lost. I'll try cold brewing this next time and hopefully the hibiscus is tamed so the apple comes through.
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Chili Lime Green
So many pepper seeds! I picked them out. 90 sec @ 165. Not for those like me that don't eat chili peppers at all. The pepper heat and tingle are the only thing I can get from it. Will give it a try as a seasoning in the future. Cheers to trying it if you eat spicy food.
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Currant
The dry tea smells berry-ish. 2 min @ 165. A smooth black tea, but not much other flavor. I've never had currants, so I don't know how it compares. It was better cold, no bitterness or astringency.
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White Tangerine
Very floral aroma from the dry tea, light tangerine in the background. 3 min @ 165. The white tea is delicious and the tangerine is just a hint, easily lost. As it cooled I didn't get any tangerine, but I enjoy white tea and was happy with it. 4 ⭐ white tea, 3 ⭐ tangerine tea.
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Earl Grey Moonlight
I was pleasantly surprised by this EG blend. 2 min @ 165. The vanilla and creme gives a little smoothness to the bergamot. If you like Earl Grey, give this version a try.
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White Chai
The spice aroma is nice from the dry tea, not too clovey. Lots of ingredients here, mostly lemongrass. 3 min @ 165. A very mild tasting chai which goes well with the delicate white tea. I'd choose this for a more mellow chai experience. Cheers.
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Yuunan Noir
I'm not a fan of black tea, but they're usually ok to have a few sips. This one had an earthy flavor and I had to add creamer and sugar. Not for me.
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Yunnan Noir
I'm not a fan of black tea, but they're usually ok to have a few sips. This one had an earthy flavor and I had to add creamer and sugar. Not for me.
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Chaga chai
Chai spice aroma from the packet, not clove heavy. 3 min @ 212. An ok rooibos chai, but I prefer cinnamon rooibos chai or rooibos vanilla chai. Not sure there was any chaga, but I've never had it before so I don't know what it tastes like.
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Jump Start
I hoped the cinnamon would come through not just in aroma, but to cover the taste of the mate. 2 min @ 165. While there is a hint of cinnamon, the taste of the mate is overpowering for me. Just not a fan of mate. But I keep trying them!
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Great Expectations
Wow, what a surprise! Nice minty aroma. All the ingredients are in the mix. 5 min @ 212. This is a sweet mint tea. The spearmint is milder than peppermint and this blend is delicious hot. I would recommend this tea and would like to try it iced.
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Decaf Vanilla
Nice sweet vanilla aroma with a hint of citrus? 2 min @ 165. Smooth vanilla flavor, no bitterness or astringency. I'm appreciating Adagio's decaf tea more and looking forward to trying the rest.
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Honeybush Chocolate
Sweet and lightly chocolate aroma from the sample pouch. 5 min @ 212 There is a slight sweetness from the honeybush, but the chocolate is more of an aftertaste. Better as it cools, but not sure it would be my choice for iced tea either. Maybe it needs some chocolate chips instead of cocoa nibs.
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Christmas
Strong clove spice aroma from the dry tea leaves. One clove, some cinnamon, cardamom, didn't note ginger or orange. 2 min @ 165. Medium spice fragrance, black tea with a hint of spice flavor, no bitterness or astringency. Added milk and it was okay, but not for me.
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Formosa Pouchong
I like green Oolong and this one is really good. 2 min @ 165. Liquor is a clear pale green. Light floral taste. 2nd steep has more color and flavor, soft mouth feel. I could keep steeping this or even cold brew it overnight.
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April In Paris
Smells like caramel candy, but not overwhelming. I don't get any bergamot aroma. 2.5 min @ 165 Still a sweet caramel scent but much lighter. The taste is mostly black tea with a touch of sweetness and maybe a hint of the pomegranate on the aftertaste. Surprisingly I don't get any bergamot. Mild astringency but no bitterness.
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Honeybush Vanilla
There's a sweet aroma of honeybush, but not getting any vanilla. 5 min @ 212. Slightly sweet with a touch of vanilla. Will have to try this iced.
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Rooibos Mango
I'm a fan of rooibos and usually like it better iced, so I cold brewed this overnight. I can't say the flavor is very mango, but I liked it. No additions.
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Rooibos Nutcracker
I'm a fan of rooibos and this is the best of the nutty rooibos blends to me. Smells like hazelnut and chocolate candy. 5 min @ 212. Nice slightly sweet and woody rooibos flavor with the kick of hazelnut. Delicious, I will be ordering more.
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Ali Shan
This is a good green Oolong. Smooth mouth feel and pleasant mild green tea flavor. Multiple steps for this one all day for me.
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Mocha Nut Mate
While this has a nice chocolate and nut like sweet aroma from the dry leaves, I don't like the taste of mate. I prefer much less caffeine too.
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Wenshan Mist Green
I cold steeped this overnight for refreshing iced green tea and it was delicious. No additions.
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Thai Tea
Nice coconut aroma and coconut pieces in the packet. 3 min @ 212. I don't add anything to my tea, but it's suggested to pour this over ice with milk & sugar. That would be the way to go next time as all I got was bitterness with a hint of coconut.
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Speedy Recovery
Nice mint and green tea aroma, can't smell the spices from the dry tea. 5-ish minutes @ 165 I forgot to set a timer. Definitely taste mint and get some bite from the ginger. Maybe a hint of bitterness with mild astringency. If it's helping me physically feel better or it's psychological, I'll take the win.
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Capricorn
Nice vanilla aroma from the packet. I have white and black tea, apple pieces, an abundance of rose petals I picked out, but no coconut. 2 min @ 165. Clean black tea flavor with some vanilla and smoothness. No bitterness, mild astringency. I stepped a second time, but not for me with the rose and caffeine.
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Yuletide Toddy
Cinnamon and tart scent from the dry tisane. Lots of apple, rose hips, and hibiscus. 5 min @ 212. Magenta liquor. Even though I love cinnamon and tart separately, they aren't doing it for me together in this blend. Maybe it will be better as a cold brew, but for a yuletide tea, no thanks.
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Oriental Spice
Strong spice aroma from the packet. Some cinnamon pieces, an orange peel, no cloves. 2 min @ 165. I get a mild black tea flavor with light spice in the background. Medium astringency, barest of bitterness. An okay black tea.
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Pomegranate Grove
Disclaimer: I hate rose. The aroma from the packet was a nauseating cinnamon and rose perfume. I picked out all of the rose petals I could hoping to at least try it. 2 min @ 212. A perfume bottle taste with a hint of tart. One sip and down the drain. Not for me.
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Formosa Bai Hao
I can't smell anything from the dry tea leaves, I'm a bit congested. 2 min @ 165. I think I'm missing out on the flavors because I only get a light black tea. Not bad, but I think I'll have to try it another time. I still prefer green oolongs.
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Rooibos Pecan Turtle
Pleasant sweet nutty aroma with the woody rooibos. 5 min @ 212. The nuttiness hides any chocolate to me. The slight sweetness leans more towards caramel as it cools. Resteep 10 min @ 212 is mostly rooibos with a hint of nuts. I love rooibos so I enjoyed this blend, although I prefer rooibos Nutcracker.
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Ti Kuan Yin
It seems like there is a lot of tea in my packet today so I only steeped half since the leaves will open up exponentially. 2 min @ 165. Nice clear pale green liquor. Delicious light flavor, the barest hint of floral aroma, very smooth. I still don't know what "mineral" taste is, my palate is underdeveloped. I will happily resteeps all day as I enjoy green Oolong. Cheers!
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Gingerbread
Light cinnamon/spice aroma from the packet. Big piece of orange peel, a couple of tiny pieces of maybe ginger. 2 min @ 165. Tastes like black tea with a hint of cinnamon/spice but not gingerbread. No bitterness or astringency, but not for me.
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Decaf Raspberry
Light raspberry aroma from the packet. 2 min @ 165. Mild raspberry taste, no bitterness or astringency. Resteep 2 min @ 165 still had light raspberry taste. I'm beginning to appreciate the fruity decaf black teas.
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Darjeeling Sungma Summer
Nice aroma from the dry tea leaves. 2 min @ 175. I don't recall drinking Darjeeling before and it's not a bad experience. I can't describe the flavor, but I would recommend for black tea drinkers. No bitterness or astringency, just not for me with the caffeine.
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White Pear
As a white tea this is good, as a pear tea this is okay. From the sample pouch, there is a light pear scent. 3 min @ 165. I don't smell any pear after steeping. There is a faint pear flavor that is easily missed under the floral of the white tea. I like white tea, so I enjoyed it, but for pear it was lacking.
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Rooibos Orange
Bright orange fragrance is strong from the sample pouch. Several pieces of orange peel are mixed in. After steeping, the rooibos nearly overpowers the orange scent and definitely takes charge in the flavor. While I can taste the orange, it much more prominent in the lingering aftertaste. This is okay, but I'll stick with my beloved Earl where the bergamot can stand up to the rooibos.
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Rooibos Peach
Delicious strong peach aroma from the dry rooibos. The sample pouch was topped with an abundance of marigold petals that I mixed in. Very light on peach pieces. After steeping, the rooibos overpowers the peach in scent and flavor. The peach is hiding and light on the aftertaste. Honeybush Apricot is the much better choice for me in comparison.
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Cream Tea
I smell vanilla from the dry tea leaves. 2 min @ 165. There is medium astringency and faint bitterness. Not for me but probably much better with milk and sugar.
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Candy Cane
Minty fresh aroma before and after steeping. 2 min @ 165. There was some bitterness from the black tea. It's okay but there are other mint teas I prefer.
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Mango Melange
This smells and tastes like a generic hibiscus tea. I cold brewed after reading some reviews to see if the hibiscus would be mild enough for any mango to come through. Not a winner for me, there are too many other hibiscus and rose hip herbals that have more character.
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Grapefruit Oolong
Definitely grapefruit aroma from the dry tea, that hint of bitterness that separated it from oranges. 2 min @ 165. An earthy scent from the oolong blends nicely with the grapefruit. Earthy and grapefruit flavor are smooth. No bitterness or astringency from the tea. Delicious.
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Black Forest Cake
Nice chocolate aroma from the dry tea leaves, no cherries iny packet. 2 min @ 212. I can definitely taste the chocolate. There is a hint of cherry on the aftertaste. It would probably have more cherry flavor in a sample size with cherries in it. No bitterness or astringency noted. Good tea, just not for me with the caffeine.
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Pu-erh Spice
Nice cinnamon and spice aroma from the dry tea. 2 min @ 212. Faint fishy scent but not enough to cause concern. A nice cinnamon spice flavor, not to strong, and a smooth tea.
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Apricot Green
Nice apricot aroma from the dry tea. 2 min @ 165. Pale liquor with a green tinge. The fruity scent has lightened. Mild apricot flavor with green tea. Second steep 2 min @ 165. Mild green tea taste which I enjoy.
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Sagittarius
I can smell slight bergamot bitterness and a hint of tart raspberry from the dry tea. 2 min @ 165. Slightly sweet and smooth from the vanilla and creme. The bergamot had gone into hiding and I taste faint tart raspberry. No bitterness, mildest astringency. Nothing wrong with this tea, but I was expecting more Earl Grey flavor that I love.
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Chocolate Chai Pu Erh
I took a chance here and I'm glad. I've only had pu-erh once before and I liked it. Light chocolate and spice aroma from the dry leaves. No rinse. 2.5 min @ 165. Hint of spice flavor, no chocolate notes. Smooth and mild, no bitterness or astringency. I like it but won't be adding to my tea collection because of the caffeine.
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Forest Berries
Some type of berry aroma from the dry leaves (what does a forest berry specifically smell like?). 2 min @ 165. Just black tea aroma. No berry taste, bland/plain black tea. No bitterness or astringency, just not a tea for me.
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Dancong Aria
2 min @ 165. I didn't get any of the tasting notes. Smooth with the mildest astringency. I actually got a hint of smoke on some sips and in the aftertaste. Not off-putting, just not a tea for me.
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Decaf Ceylon
90 sec @ 160. Smooth and soft mouthful. No bitterness or astringency. I would like this over ice as a classic unsweetened iced tea.
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Sencha Premier
Clean vegetal aroma from the dry leaves. 2 min @ 160. Beautifully clear pale green liquor. There's a hint of seaweed that dissipates quickly. Nice savory flavor, light astringency. Second steep 2 min @ 160 mild astringency. Pleasant and peaceful experience with this delicious green tea.
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Berry Blues
Berry and tart aroma from the sample pouch. I wouldn't say blueberry specifically. I use 2 tsp for 8 oz because I like strong fruity flavors. Nice magenta liquor. Definitely smells more tart than berry after steeping. Definitely a hibiscus forward herbal. I like it but would choose Berry Creme Compote over this.
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Dewy Cherry
Ever had Cherryheads candy? That's what I smell when I open my sample pouch. Beautiful big cherries are hiding among lots of rose hips, hibiscus, and apple pieces. First steep was the magenta color I love to see from my tart teas. Definitely sweet and tart, with light cherry flavor. I really like this hot and it's a very close runner up to my favorite Berry Creme Compote. Second steep 10 min @ 212 was a pale red-violet and much less flavor. If you like tart and don't automatically think yucky medicine about anything cherry flavored, this is great.
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Spiced Green
I'm a cinnamon fan and this tea works for me. Nice cinnamon spice aroma from the dry leaves. A couple of orange pieces with cinnamon chips. 2 min @ 165. The cinnamon smell is still present and overpowering any orange or green tea fragrance. Delicious cinnamon flavor, again overpowering any orange or green tea. I like it and it provides another cinnamon tea sans cloves option.
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Always Nuts
Strong nut aroma. 5 min @ 212 and the whole house smells nutty. Pinkish liquor has a sweetness and mild tanginess, definite nut flavor. Second steep 10 min @ 212 was lighter in color and mostly sweet, no more tang.
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Cranberry
Upon opening the packet, I time traveled to my childhood and could have been holding a bottle of Flinstones vitamins. Definitely an abundance of chewable vitamin C tablet aroma. 2 min @ 175. A light tanginess, not necessarily cranberry flavor, but I couldn't get past the vision of vitamins.
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Cinnamon
Delicious cinnamon aroma and typical black tea fragrance from the dry leaves. 2 min @ 160. No cinnamon smell after steeping. I prefer strong cinnamon flavor so I couldn't detect any here. No bitterness or astringency but it's not Fiery Cinnamon Spice.
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Rooibos Cocomint
This dry tisane has a delicious chocolate mint aroma. I could smell the packet all day. 5 min @ 212. It became mostly a minty rooibos smell. When sipped hot, it's more minty with a slight chocolate taste that goes well with the rooibos. It could use some more chocolate flavor to balance the mint. It became even more enjoyable as it cooled. A very pleasant blend that wasn't overwhelmingly minty. Tried this iced and it's amazing, upgrade to 5 ⭐
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Strawberry Banana Split
I was really excited about this blend, I love strawberry banana flavor combination. The fragrance out of my sample pouch was fruity with a lean towards strawberry, no banana noted. Definitely smells like it will be sweet. After steeping, I can't pinpoint a particular fruit but the aroma became muddled and confusing. The taste was similar, muddled and confusing with a slight lean towards strawberry. Maybe this is better iced, but I'm not pursuaded to try it again when there are many other delicious fruity options.
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Vanilla Green
Light vanilla fragrance with the dry leaves. 2 min @ 160. Barest vanilla flavor. Second steep was pure green. Enjoyable and smooth. I'd drink it if I had it and be happy with it. Just not necessarily keep it on hand and choose other greens first.
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Green Rooibos Citron
Nice citrus aroma from the packet. Couldn't smell any of the mango or apricot under the citrus. First steep, still a nice citrus fragrance. Smooth lemon/orange peel flavor. Second steep was a much lighter flavor. Definitely appropriately named as there was no indication of mango or apricot. As citrus is my go to tea flavor, I enjoyed this blend.
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Lapsang Souchong
The ash tray smell is just too much. I couldn't even get myself to drink a sip because my reflex was to get away from it. I can't say how it tastes, but sense of smell plays into taste and my nose said no way.
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Chestnut
The dry tea had an aroma slightly nutty but mostly black tea. 2 min @ 160. I've never had chestnut to be able to compare the flavor. I could taste something, but not any nut that I'm familiar with. No bitterness, just a mild black tea flavor.
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Spiced Mate
There was a pleasant roasted and cinnamon smell from the dry tisane. 3 min @ 150. Not a nice flavor to my taste buds. I didn't get any cinnamon or spice, just the mate that I now know I don't like the taste of. I only had a couple sips before pouring it all out. Too much caffeine to drink it when I don't enjoy it.
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Gunpowder
I didn't smell much from the dry tea. 2 min @ 160. I was overwhelmed with my first sip, extremely floral. It was so strongly floral that I powered through to try a second steep, hoping for improvement. 2 min @ 160 again. Still very floral, but a hint of greens this time. I love the floral of jasmine tea, but the gunpowder wasn't enjoyable. I'm disappointed because I typically enjoy green tea. I'll try it again if it's in another CommuniTEA box.
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Decaf Orange
Nice clean orange and black tea aroma from the packet. Beautiful large piece of orange peel. 90 sec @ 212. Still a nice orange smell, just a little less. Delicious and bright orange flavor, smooth , no bitterness or astringency noted. Since I do such a short steep to prevent bitterness, a second cup was just as flavorful as the first. I'm always surprised when I enjoy a black tea and I thought this was great.
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Pina Colada
An explosion of pineapple aroma from the sample pouch. A hint of coconut on further inhalation. Long hot steep 10 min @ 212. Tangy pineapple and hibiscus tart. Coconut is barely there on the aftertaste. I think I'll add more coconut in the future and definitely try this cold. Delicious!
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Fruit Medley
The fruity aroma from the packet was delightful. Reminded me of Berry Creme Compote without the cream. Long hot steep 10 min @ 212. Delicious fruit and tart flavor that. I'd still choose Compote over this, but a wonderful alternative if I run out.
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Cranberry Nut Muffin Green
The dry tea has a nutty sweet aroma and is visually appealing with red cornflower against the green tea. 2 min @ 180. The nuttiness is lighter and some green tea smell has come forward. The taste is definitely nutty, with a hint of sweetness but not getting any cranberry. A smooth green tea, but no cranberry to live up to its name.
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Honeybush Hazelnut
The hazelnut is strong with this one. 5 min @ 212. The hazelnut aroma has spread through the kitchen. The flavor is very nutty, not so sweet. Since I don't sweeten my teas, I give this an okay, but not one I'd drink by itself.
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Earl Grey Bella Luna
Update: 90 sec @ 160 and this is delicious bergamot with a smooth hint of coconut.
***I love Earl Grey and coconut. And I really wanted to love this blend. But I can't get past the bitterness of the black tea. Rooibos Earl Grey remains my staple and it's caffeine free. If you like black tea and Earl Grey, give this a try. Only available during the full moon.
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Scorpio
Strong chocolate aroma out of the packet. No mango pieces noted. 90 sec @ 180. Lighter chocolate aroma, no Rooibos notes. Taste is a light black tea, barely there astringency, no bitterness. Added a teaspoon of creamer that smoothed it out, but no chocolate flavor. Okay, but black tea is still not for me even in this blend.
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Vanilla Oolong
I opened the packet to delicious strong sweet vanilla aroma that instantly brought to mind cookies. 2 min @ 160 changed it to malty and a hint of roasted aroma. This was a very smooth tea, no bitterness, with a lingering vanilla sweetness aftertaste, and no astringency. I steeped twice more and the vanilla and sweetness weren't there. While I would drink it if I had it, I wouldn't buy this for myself, just not a personal favorite.
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Tea Tasting Assortment
This is a great selection for a nice gift for two. A good variety of Tea Forte's blends with double of each flavor. I prefer more herbals myself and there are other samplers for that. Also comes in a "petite" more economical size.
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Tea Over Ice Sampler
I drink a lot of iced tea and make it by the pitcher. This sampler was a great opportunity to try the different flavors and find what I liked. The white pear is my favorite. It's available in a large assortment too, if you decide you like all of the flavors and want to have some of each on hand. The large pyramids are very convenient, but I prefer the large bag of loose tea and use my own infuser.
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Hanami
This is my niece's favorite Tea Forte blend that she's tried. She always requests it and sits with her hands wrapped around the mug, taking in the aroma, while reading a book.
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Herbal Retreat
Excellent gift, think of all the tea drinking teachers in your life! This selection of tisanes is my preferrd assortment to gift as I'm more partial to the fruity flavors.
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African Solstice
I don't like rose petals in my tea. However, this did smell good, floral without smelling like potpourri. The taste just wasn't for me.
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Chery Amour
This is a very pretty red color tea when brewed. It has a slight sweetness of apples to balance the tartness of the hibiscus. Nice quasi cherry flavor without tasting like hot cherry cough syrup.
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Petite Herbal Assortment
This is an economical gift for herbal tea drinkers. The pyramids are fancy and the small variety has fruity, spiced, and herb teas. There is a larger size sampler with double of each of these blends.
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Herbal Assortment
Great gift for herbal tea drinkers new to Tea Forte. It has a good representation from the herbal spectrum of fruity, spiced, and actual herbs. This also comes in a smaller "petite" size.
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Tea Tasting Assortment Petite
This is a good small assortment of tea pyramids. Great for gifting so someone can try several flavors. I appreciate the herbals in this sampler.
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Single Steeps Herbal Retreat
This is a great little sampler of herbal teas. The single steep packets are perfect sized and more economical. Easy to keep in my desk drawer at work.
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Chamomile Citron Tea
This is a very nice chamomile blend. The lemongrass and chamomile go well together and give it more depth than plain chamomile. Good for a second resteep as well.
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White Ginger Pear
This is my favorite Tea Forte blend so far. It smells delicious and the aroma is very strong. The brew has a light sweetness and excellent ginger flavor. I had to purchase the full 16 ounce bag because I enjoy it so much and steep a pitcher full at a time for iced tea.
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Tea Chest Assortment
Tea Forte pyramids are not only convenient, but feel fancy, like they elevate your tea time. This assortment is nice to try a lot of different flavors. It has a good mix, only I would prefer a more low caffeine selection.
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Spiced Apple Chai
I opened the packet to delicious cinnamon apple aroma, with a hint of other spices. I removed 1 of the 2 cloves, and didn't see any apple pieces. 3 min @ 160 and the brewed tea has a lighter smell, still cinnamon and apple. I tastes cinnamon and apple with a slight sweetness, no bitterness or astringency. I enjoyed a second steep of this black tea, the aroma and flavor were much lighter. I was pleasantly surprised by this black tea.
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Silver Needle
This is the first time I've tried silver needle without jasmine. The leaves were mostly broken in my packet. 3 min @ 160 produced a very light liquor that was clean and pleasant tasting. Second steep 3 min @ 180 had darker color and stronger flavor. No bitterness, grassiness, or astringency to me. I enjoyed the silver needle, however I missed my jasmine aroma and flavor.
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Caramel
There was a nice caramel and tea aroma from the packet. 2 min @ 160 produced the black tea bitterness and astringency I'm not fond of. I didn't get any caramel flavor from it. Black tea just isn't for me, but I'm sure it's better with milk and sugar.
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Matcha Genmaicha
Bright green matcha dust coated the inside of the packet and all the ingredients. I have toasted rice and a few popped grains. I find it to be a pretty contrast to the bright green tea leaves. The smell is very green tea with toasted grain. 2 min @ 160 produced a clear, pale green brew. I could see how it smells like popcorn to some, but I didn't get any burnt aroma. Very smooth and clean green tea flavor. Second steep 3 min @ 160 was similar shade and less of the toasted grain aroma. I enjoy green tea so this is good to me. I'd definitely drink it again.
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Hunan Gold
3 min @ 180 Golden liquor gave me a mild sense of steamed greens. There was medium astringency, no bitterness, and light floral aftertaste. I steeped a second time for 2 min @ 180 and got a darker liquid that was less astringent and no floral aftertaste. This was a smooth green tea to me that I got multiple resteeps out of. I enjoy green teas and found this one to be pleasant and relaxing.
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Blood Orange
This is a tisane for me! The orange aroma is strong with some sweetness. The brew is the darkest blood orange magenta color. The hibiscus comes out after steeping and the flavor is vibrant orange and tart while hot. I'm having a hard time being patient for it to cool. This is a keeper for me, not too tart for my tastes, and I will definitely be trying this cold brewed.
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Rooibos Caramel
I didn't smell any caramel from the packet, just the woodiness of Rooibos. Steeped for 5 min @ 212 and had to double check the packet that it wasn't plain rooibos. There wasn't any caramel aroma after steeping either, nor was there flavor other than the woodiness of rooibos. I like rooibos, so it's fine for me, but not if I'm looking for caramel.
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Strawberry Apple
This is an okay herbal fruit blend. I don't know if I was expecting too much but the flavor was unremarkable. There isn't strong strawberry or apple taste. It smells pleasant and has a generic fruit like vibe going on.
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Winter Chai Tea
This is a fantastic caffeine free chai tea. I love the strong fragrance and that it doesn't have cloves. The cinnamon flavor comes through more than the cardamom. Multiple resteeps are still tasty and smell great.
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Ginger Lemongrass
This is a deliciously gingery tea blend. Very strong ginger flavor with brightness from the lemongrass and a hint of sweetness from the licorice. The aroma is sinus clearing and this tea will be go to for cold and flu season.
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Vanilla Pear
This smells delicious in the pyramid. The flavor is similar to the ginger pear. I don't get much vanilla flavor from it. I prefer the herbal ginger pear blend that's caffeine free.
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Cherry Cosmo Tea
This is a good cherry and tart flavored tea. It smells very fruity and I was able to steep multiple times. It was nice hot but would probably be wonderfully refreshing over ice.
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Rooibos Raja Chai
There are a lot of spices going on in this chai. It's an overwhelming amount in smell and taste. I prefer the Winter Chai hands down.
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Raspberry Nectar
This is a very tart tea. It smells fragrant and floral, not really raspberry. It is probably better as an iced tea and with a hint of sweetener to balance the tartness.
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Harvest Apple Spice
This is a fantastic blend for fall flavors. The spices are balanced and the clove doesn't overpower the cinnamon. This is reminiscent of spiced apple cider without the sweetness. I ordered a tin for when the weather gets cooler.
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Lemon Lavender Tea
This is a nice relaxing chamomile blend. The lemon flavor comes through but it could be stronger. I don't taste any lavender, but the aroma is pleasant and calming.
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Turmeric Tantra Chai
The turmeric was overwhelming in this blend. It really turned me off from trying any other teas with turmeric in them. It's a spice that should be left for cooking and not in my beverage.
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Iced Ginger Pear
This is my favorite of Tea Forte blends. The pear flavor comes through more than other pear teas I've tried. The ginger gives it a little contrast and brightness. I had to order a full 16 ounce bag because I was going through the pyramids daily.
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Apricot Amaretto
This is a deliciously sweet apricot tea. I was hoping for more amaretto flavor. No need to add sweetener. The aroma is strong and lasts for multiple steeps. I would like to try this cold to see if the amaretto flavor comes out more.
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Blueberry Merlot Tea
Delicious berry and tartness brewed hot. A definite sense of wine/Merlot. I prefer it over ice as it's very refreshing and easy to drink cup after cup unsweetened.
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Gaucho Mate Chai
I opened the packet to a strong spice smell. Yup, cloves. I removed all 7 cloves from the mix and steeped 5 min @ 212. There was less spice aroma, but I think I'm not a fan of chai spices, just cinnamon.
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Bonfire
I can't describe the smell of the dry tea and spices, but it wasn't pleasant and I was hesitant to steep it per instructions. This is a busy looking tea, pink peppercorn, apple pieces, and so much aniseed. 5 min @ 212 didn't improve the aroma, but I didn't smell smoke like other reviewers. Surprisingly, there wasn't a lot of flavor, or all the flavors just blended into nothing. It wasn't unpleasant to drink but there also wasn't anything distinguishable about it.
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Rooibos Cinnamon Apple
The smell of apples and cinnamon from the packet is drool worthy. Scooped from my sample size pack for the best representation. Cinnamon and apple is a favorite combination for me and I was excited to taste this tea. 5 min @ 212 After steeping the aroma was muted and the wood smell of rooibos comes through. The flavor was quite a disappointment, nothing close to the vibrant aroma. A hint of cinnamon flavor and light apple aftertaste. After having Fiery Cinnamon Spice, all cinnamon will be compared to that sweetness, and this doesn't hold up. Second steep for 10 min didn't bring out stronger flavors like I hoped. Hoping the chai version is better.
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Pu-erh Hazelberry
A strong hazelnut aroma upon opening the packet. Some cocoa nibs, but I don't see any strawberry pieces. 2 min @ 212 no rinse. This is my first pu-erh tea and after reading about pu-erh fermentation, I was worried about how this would taste. I'm pleasantly surprised I enjoy this tea. Delicious hazelnut flavor with a slight sweetness. Very smooth and mellow, no astringency or bitterness. I don't detect any strawberry, but maybe that's where the sweetness comes from. If it was low/no caffeine I would definitely keep this on hand. I drank this cup easily and I'm off to resteep.
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White Symphony
I got a musty grass smell from the opened packet. I expected the scent to be a lot lighter. 180 for 1 min was a pale golden liquor with floral flavor. The second steep for 2 min had more color and some grassiness and light astringency. Third steep I forgot to set the timer and was probably around 3 minutes was very grassy and astringent, no longer floral. For white tea I prefer jasmine silver needle over this. I still want to try this cold brewed.
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Purple Papayaberry Iced Tea
This smells like candy and Kool Aid. I steeped it hot because I was impatient to try it. Beautiful purple color. I poured it over ice and that must have watered it down too much. The flavor was light, tart, and not sweet. Cold brewed it properly and it has much more flavor, very tart with a hint of berry. I still think Berry Creme Compote is the best for my tastes.
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Cocomint Green
I like green tea and I love York peppermint patties so I was looking forward to trying this. The packet smelled of chocolate and mint. 3 min @ 160 and the chocolate was gone, minty green tea aroma. The taste was overwhelming bitter, minty, astringent green tea, no chocolate or sweetness. It was too unpleasant to try a second sip and I poured it out. I may try it again after the shortest amount of time and see how it goes.
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Fiery Cinnamon Spice
I love cinnamon and this has a very strong cinnamon fragrance. Steeped 3 min @ 160 because I don't like the bitterness of black tea. No need to worry, all I taste is sweet cinnamon deliciousness. No astringency noted on the second steep either. Great tea if you love cinnamon.
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Rooibos Lemon Cloud
I love lemon and this tisane lives up to my standards. Fragrant lemon aroma from the pouch. Nice long, hot steep 10 min @ 212 to get the most flavor out of it. The zing from the lemongrass combined with the lemon and vanilla flavors was delicious.
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Green Rooibos Key West
Pleasant tropical fruit aroma from the packet. The roiboss looks more red than green. 5 min @ 212 brought out the smell of rooibos but needs a longer steep for my preferences. After 10 min the fruit aroma sneaks back in. There's some astringency and an aftertaste of apricot/mango but I prefer the stronger aroma and flavor of Honeybush Apricot.
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Vanilla
Black teas straight aren't for me. I don't add milk and sugar to my tea so they're usually too bitter and astringent. This had a nice vanilla scent and I brewed it at 160 for 3 minutes so it wouldn't be bitter. There was a hint of vanilla flavor and enough astringency that I added milk to finish it.
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Jade Oolong
This is a delightful tea. Smooth and clean, not strongly flavored. I was able to resteeps three times. The first steep for three minutes was the lightest. Each following steep for longer had more color and flavor. No grassiness or astringency, just mellow. The leaves expand tenfold so you need a large space for them. I used a bowl.
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Jasmine Silver Needle
This is a high quality special tea. The jasmine aroma is fantastic and relaxing. The delicate flavor and treat of silver needle is such a pleasure. Multiple resteeps are a must to continue the enjoyment throughout the day. A wonderful tea I will always have on hand.
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Hazelnut
This tea smells like hazelnut before steeping. I tried 3 min @ 170 because I don't like the bitterness of black tea. I could taste the hazelnut flavoring and the smell was muted, but the black tea bitterness is in the forefront. There's nothing wrong with the tea. It's probably delicious with milk and sugar, but that's not my style of tea drinking.
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Maple Creme Oolong
The maple candy aroma exploded out of this packet. I had a single clove, perfect amount for me. First cup had a pleasant light maple aftertaste after cooling. The second cup I steeped longer at a lower temp and preferred. The flavor became more complex and enjoyable.
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Honeybush Apricot
The apricot aroma is so strong and fragrant. Even after brewing. This tea has a mild sweetness and delightful apricot flavor that got better as it cooled. I'm going to try this as an iced tea as I suspect it will be delicious.
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Libra
As decadently chocolate as the opened packet smells, the brewed tea has that much bitterness. I followed the instructions for 5 min @ 212. The faint flavor of chocolate was overwhelmed by the bitterness. I drowned it in milk and was able to down the cup.
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Daydream
I don't think I've ever had milk thistle before, and I don't think I will ever again. I've had all the other ingredients in this tea with no issues. First off, something about the smell once this was brewed made me nauseous. I set it aside to cool a bit and see if it would dissipate. It didn't. I still tried it, and thank goodness I was next to the sink because I barely swallowed the sip and dumped the whole thing out. I can't describe the taste other than I think rotten weeds might be similar.
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Autumn Mist Green
I could smell this tea packet all day. Delicious aroma of caramelized sugar goodness. I didn't see many rose petals, so I left them in. The sweet smell faded after brewing. I only tasted a smooth green tea, no sweetness or floral. I even resteeped for a second cup.
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Pumpkin Spice
Upon opening the packet, cloves hit me. Definitely not my happy place smelling only cloves. I picked the three cloves out before brewing. The aroma became a faint spice and the flavor was mild spice, no astringency. Someone who is okay with the potency of cloves would enjoy this, especially with milk and sugar. Alas, not for me.
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Chocolate Chai
There's definite aromas of chocolate and spice coming from the packet. The flavor plain was more of spice with a hint of chocolate. After adding milk and sugar, the chocolate came forward more, but the spice is stronger. Without any cloves, yay, I find this to be a tasty chai. As my preference is away from caffeine and black teas, I like Honeybush Pumpkin Chai better.
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Lavender Lemon
Strong lemon flavor from the packet, which I find pleasant. The flavor was very much lemongrass, no lavender noted. I personally like lemongrass taste and this was much more mellow than the Lemongrass Ginger tisane.
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Jolly Roger
The smell of this blend is amazing! The butterscotch on top of the banana nut is drool worthy. However, I didn't get strong flavor from the brew. Honeybush Banana Nut has a strong banana aftertaste that I really enjoy, but just didn't get from Jolly Roger. Still a fun tea for Talk Like A Pirate Day!
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Honeybush Wild Berry
I wasn't paying attention when I ordered this that it has rose petals in it. I took out all of the rose petals before brewing. The taste was okay, sans rose flavor, but bland both hot and iced. I will stick with Berry Creme Compote instead.
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Honeybush Mango
This has a strong sweet, fruity aroma upon opening the package, but I wouldn't say it was necessarily mango. There was a light fruit flavor and the typical honeybush sweetness. Since I frequently have fresh, ripe mango, I don't think mango flavoring will ever cut it for me.
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Mango Mate
Since I regularly have fresh, ripe mango, I don't think any mango flavoring will taste or smell at all like mango to me. There was a hint of fruit aroma and flavor, but nothing I would consider having again.
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Berry Creme Compote
This tea smells amazing, like sweet-berry-love-rainbows! This is definitely my kind of tea. Brews a pretty pink. Tastes a bit tart, berry fruity, with a hint of creme in the background. I poured it over ice and it was delicious unsweetened. It has a Kool Aid, Jolly Rancher, fruit punch vibe going on.
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Almond Cardamom Cake
This has a sweet almond scent with toasted wood and earth aroma upon opening. After brewing it has more wood aroma. I don't taste any cardamom. As it cools it develops more almond flavor.
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Ginger Peach
This tea has a very fragrant peach aroma upon opening. After brewing, the peach smell has dissipated. The taste is mostly bitter, astringent black tea. Peach comes out as a mild aftertaste. Didn't detect any ginger in smell, taste, or bite.
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Decaf Chocolate Truffle
This tea smells like chocolate, but with a bit of an off scent to me. I can't put my finger on it as something familiar, so it might be the chicory since I've never had it before. The taste also has something off-putting about it, even after adding milk and sugar.
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Chamomile
This is a classic, simple, standard chamomile store bought tea bag. It's relaxing and good for the evening.
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Mandarin Orange Spice
This is a good blend of orange and spice flavors. I'd recommend it for cooler Autumn weather and definitely drinking it hot. I don't sweeten it.
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Lemongrass Ginger
Lemongrass and ginger is one of my favorite herbal combinations. The fragrance is strongly lemongrass. This has a good lemongrass flavor with a kick of ginger. The resteep had much more bite from the ginger. I didn't pick up on the peppermint or licorice.
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Red Zinger
This is another fruity herbal zinger. They tend towards tartness, so I add some sweetener and drink them iced. This isn't as memorable of a flavor as far as the fruity teas go.
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True Blueberry
Celestial Seasonings seems to have the most fruity herbal options. A lot of them have some tartness that's easily balanced with a little sweetener. Since I like them iced, that goes well for me.
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Country Peach Passion
This is a yummy, fruity, peachy caffeine free tea. I tend to drink most of my fruity teas as strictly iced tea. This one is good without any sweetener for me.
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Wild Berry Zinger
The fruitier, the better for me. I double up on the teabags, add sweetener to balance the tart, and drink this iced. It's refreshing for summer.
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Black Cherry Berry
I like fruity teas and there aren't a lot of cherry options that I've come across. This is tart and I double up on the tea bags to get a stronger flavor. I add in some sweetener and drink this iced.
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Cinnamon Apple Spice
I really like this tea. The apple and cinnamon flavor combination is great for Autumn weather. I don't have to sweeten it and can drink cup after cup throughout the cool days before Winter.
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Sleepytime Classic
This is a nice relaxing, before bedtime beverage. It's soothing and pleasantly mild. Good for cooler weather evenings.
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EARL GREY
I love bergamot and Earl Grey. Unfortunately I can't drink more than one cup at a time because of the caffeine. But this has great flavor in the convenience of store bought tea bags
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SPICED CHAI BLACK TEA BAGS
I like a chai that isn't heavy on the cloves. This fits the bill for me and is also good with added creamer. I don't sweeten it.
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Earl Grey Decaf Tea
I love Earl Grey bergamot aroma and flavor. Throw in a decaf option so I can drink more of it and I'm happy. I double up on the tea bags to get a stronger flavor, since decaf seems to be weaker.
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Decaf Green Tea
This is a basic store bought green tea bag, but decaf. Sometimes you need to forgo the caffeine and in this case, it makes a nice iced green tea, unsweetened.
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ORANGE & SPICE HERBAL TEA BAGS
I prefer this to Constant Comment when I don't want to have any caffeine. A pleasant orange and spice flavor, especially when I double up on the tea bags in each cup.
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Green Tea with Pomegranate
I like this over plain green tea when I'm looking for it to be iced. It gets a boost in flavor and tartness. Pleasant in warmer weather.
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SWEET DREAMS TEA BAGS
This is a nice, relaxing chamomile with mint. The mint gives it a little zing over plain chamomile. Enjoyable before bedtime.
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MINT MEDLEY
This is my go to during cold and flu season to try and open up the nasal passages. I'll also add it with other tea bags for the same purpose but to get more flavor.
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GREEN TEA BAGS
This is a typical store bought green tea bag. I recommend it iced and unsweetened. It's okay hot in cooler weather.
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GREEN TEA WITH LEMON GREEN TEA BAGS
I like this green tea with lemon flavor. Try it iced. I actually prefer iced green tea over hot green tea. Doesn't need any sweetener.
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RED RASPBERRY TEA BAG
This is just okay. As seems to be my usual with Bigelow herbals, I have to double the tea bags to get more flavor. It's got some tartness to it.
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CONSTANT COMMENT BLACK TEA BAGS
This is strong and flavorful, smells delicious. I can't drink too much back to back because of the caffeine, but sometimes I just need the comforting smell and taste.
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CRANBERRY APPLE HERBAL TEA BAGS
I like this tea. For more flavor I brew two bags per cup. A little tartness, but nice Autumn flavors.
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POMEGRANATE PIZZAZZ HERBAL TEA BAGS
This is an okay herbal, but I double up the tea bags to get flavor from it. A little tart and I don't add sweetener. Basically a warm, caffeine free beverage when options are slim.
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I LOVE LEMON HERBAL TEA BAGS
This is an okay lemon tea. I steep two bags at a time for more flavor. It's a simple, warm, caffeine free beverage for not so warm mornings in the office.
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Passionfruit Tango
Disclaimer: I dislike rose petals in my tea!
This has a floral, fruity aroma and steeps a pretty violet-pink color. The first taste is tart then floral. The second steep was less floral. This is better cold and I can see others enjoying it as an iced tea.
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Keemun Rhapsody
This has a sweet roasted or toasted black tea fragrance. The flavor is likewise, strong roasted or toasted and maybe a little smoky. I didn't get any astringency. I added a little sugar and was reminded of a sweetened seaweed and barley dessert I enjoy.
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Rooibos Almond
This has a pleasant sweet wood smell. Almost a cigar tobacco smell with a hint of almond. After steeping, more almond aroma comes out. It's okay hit, but cold brings out more almond flavor. This is good as unsweetened iced tea.
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Rooibos Vanilla Chai
12/5/23 Nice cinnamon spice aroma from the packet, only one clove! 10 min @ 212. There's a slight sweetness at first, then the spice comes out to play. I think the rooibos, spices, and vanilla are a good blend. Very tasty, no additions. Updated to 4 stars.
9/8/23 There were seven cloves in my single portion packet. The cloves were mostly what I smelled, maybe a hint of cinnamon, but no discernible vanilla. I could only taste cloves and had to add a lot of milk and sugar.
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Rooibos Vanilla
I'm a fan of rooibos. 5 min @ 212. Nice smooth flavor. The vanilla takes the rooibos up a notch. I drank it too fast for it to even cool down. I will definitely be trying it iced.
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Green Rooibos Blueberry
This has a strong blueberry aroma. Has a slight sweetness and blueberry flavor. The green rooibos is nice, I prefer it over the red.
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Honeybush Pumpkin Chai
This has a pleasant spice aroma, without any cloves. It has a slight sweetness and cinnamon flavor. Even when over steeped, it didn't get bitter. I definitely enjoyed this and didn't need to add milk or sugar.
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Decaf Chai
Unfortunately, this was not meant for me. I'm not a fan of overwhelming cloves. The cloves overpowered any other smell or flavor.
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Decaf Apricot
Fragrant peachy/apricot sweetness. Pleasant fruit flavor, again peachy/apricot. Smooth and enjoyable, but not something I'd drink regularly.
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Decaf Hazelnut Cinnamon Creme
Smells amazing! This has a creamy smoothness to it. I didn't pick up on much cinnamon, mostly hazelnut flavor. Improved with added milk and sugar.
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Decaf Cream
Creamy almost caramel scented. Not a creamy flavor so much as a creaminess in texture, along with some astringency. It was better after I added milk and sugar, but it just isn't for me.
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Vanilla Honeybush
Nice sweet smell, not necessarily a strong vanilla aroma. Slightly sweet and mild on the vanilla. Smooth and enjoyable hot.
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Decaf Earl Grey
I love bergamot. While this has the definite bergamot aroma, it has a milder flavor than I expected. It does have a mild astringency.
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Honeybush
Faint, sweet toasted aroma. Amber liquid. Very smooth. Definitely steep it longer to bring out more flavor. I like honeybush. I steeped for 10 min @ 212 then let it cool completely. It's very easy to drink and would be a great caffeine free iced tea.
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Green Rooibos Bonita
This has a pleasant, sweet aroma and amber liquid. I can't detect any taste of fruit. Definitely drinkable.***Update*** Delicious sweet fruity aroma from the packet. I'm a fan of Rooibos iced and steep them for longer to get a stronger flavor. 10 min @ 212 then poured over ice. Very refreshing with the peach flavor beating out the other fruits.
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Rooibos Earl Grey
Strong bergamot smell. Dark, almost brown liquid. It's smooth and resteeps well. I really enjoy this hot. For bergamot lovers and caffeine free.
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Rooibos
This has the aroma of dried wood. It's amber colored liquid has a vague sense of sweetness. It tastes better cold or iced.
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Honeybush Banana Nut
This has the fragrance of a banana muffin. Every sip is like I'm washing down a bite of banana muffin with my cup of tea. The flavor lingers and is better hot.
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Honeybush Blueberry Pancake
This smells strongly of blueberry with a lighter sweet scent. It brews dark brown and the whole blueberries plump up. The flavor is mostly blueberry and tastes better with sweetener.
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Peach Serenity
This is a fragrant peach herbal tea. It brews up pale in color, slightly sweet, with a hint of peach flavor. It's very smooth without any tartness.