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I got this in my Lupicia Happy Bag, along with a bag of their Strawberry and Vanilla green tea. Both have a very pleasant creamy strawberry flavor, but of the two I prefer the green tea version. The green base just goes better with these flavors in my opinion…and Carol also has a slight astringency in the aftertaste which I’m not a big fan of. But this is still tasty and I’ll have no trouble finishing my tin!

I tried this one again following the steeping parameters on the package and liked it so much more than last time! A lovely, natural strawberry flavor layered over a smooth, slightly vegetal oolong base…just delicious! I would definitely consider re-purchasing this one.

You know you have too much tea when something has been in your cupboard for 6 weeks and this is the first time you’ve tried it! Finally getting around to the rest of the tea in my Lupicia Happy Bag. This one has a strong, almost syrupy sweet generic berry flavor with a touch of honey in the aftertaste. Others have compared this tea to cough syrup and I do understand the comparison. But personally, I found it quite drinkable. Not something I’ll be running out to re-purchase, but I’ll happily finish my tin.

Tried this one at work today. It was pretty good for a bagged black tea. I steeped it for four minutes and ended up with a strong, bold flavor but a slightly bitter aftertaste that I didn’t care for. I’m sure it would have been much better with milk, but all I have access to at work is powdered creamer, so I drank it straight. I would drink this again, but I’d either try a shorter steep time, or add some milk to temper the bitterness.

Mmm, this smells like some kind of delicious strawberry candy! Lupicia says to steep it at boiling, so I did…and I’m very relieved that I didn’t end up with a cup of bitter, over-steeped green tea. The flavor is mild compared to the scent, but still quite delicious: sweet vanilla, delicate strawberry, and a nice smooth grassy base. This isn’t quite as amazing as some of the other Lupicia teas I’ve tried, but I will definitely have no trouble finishing the 10 servings Lupcia sent me in my Happy Bag!

When I’m working a 12-hour shift, one travel mug of tea just doesn’t cut it! So today I caved and brewed up some bagged tea at the coffee station at work. For a bagged tea, this is actually quite good…there is a nice balance of citrus and cinnamon flavor and a nice smooth base (I’m not detecting any bitterness or astringency, which makes me happy!) It’s similar to Bigelow’s Constant Comment, but I like this one better.

This is one of the few teas that I will not drink without milk…it’s just too spicy for me! With milk, it’s an enjoyable chai with a strong spicy kick from the ginger and clove. The vanilla is present, but definitely takes a backseat to the spices.

Hidden Gems TTB #20

This is a great black tea! Super strong and flavorful with notes of whole-grain bread, honey, and sweet potatoes. It’s reminding me a lot of Whispering Pine’s Golden Snail, but with a slightly smoother texture. There’s a little bit of bitterness in the aftertaste that I’m sure would disappear with a splash of milk, but I’m enjoying it plain in my travel mug this morning. A good way to finish off a fantastic box of samples!

Hidden Gems TTB #19

Wow, such a unique flavor combination for tea! This is something I would never have purchased for myself, but I’m so glad I got a chance to try it out. (Thanks for putting such a great box together, Anlina!) Both the orange and rosemary flavorings are strong and pretty much drown out the base (which is fine by me, because I’m not a big fan of red rooibos). I mostly get a nice smooth orange flavor as I’m sipping, but the rosemary comes in strong at the end of the sip and leaves a lingering savory aftertaste. Surprisingly, the combination works quite well!

Hidden Gems TTB #18

This makes for a nice breakfast tea: Earl Grey, but with a strong berry flavor added. (Apparently, it’s supposed to be black current? I really couldn’t tell from the taste.) The flavoring was nicely balanced with the base and there was no bitterness and only a touch of astringency; I enjoyed it even without milk.This isn’t something I need in my cupboard, but I enjoyed sampling it!