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I had high hopes for this tea, but was disappointed. It’s drinkable but there is really nothing to distinguish it from any other commercial, mass produced tea sitting on the shelves of supermarkets across America. The fact that it was grown in the U.S. is interesting but doesn’t make it a better tea. I believe they are a subsidiary of Bigelows, now.

This is a a variation on a breakfast tea and is quite good in that role. However, it could be finicky to zone in on the best cup. A little too long and it went bitter. Too short and it wasn’t bold enough. A little experimentation got me to between 3:15 and 3:30 for my best cup. It does have a touch of nuttiness in the aroma and a hint of caramel. One of Hillybilly Tea’s most popular blends. It takes milk and/or sugar well while also standing quite well on its own. If you like black teas, this one probably won’t get shoved to the back of your tea cabinet and forgotten. Worth trying.

For a bag tea, it is hard to find a commercially produced line of teas better than Twinings. This is a good offering of CTC Assam and Ceylon teas blended to make a flavorful cup. I found it to have a slightly hoppish taste with hints of caramel. I intend to try a few more cups of this in future. Recommended.

Down and dirty, this tastes just like a Red Hots candy. Another comparison would be cinnamon Altoids, but stronger. If you HATE cinnamon this is your personal kryptonite. If you merely like or tolerate the stuff then proceed with caution. This was my first experience with Harney and Sons, and I found this stuff above average for a bag tea, though admittedly it is tough to get an accurate read on the tea base on this because of the strength of the cinnamon. A decent anytime tea, and a pretty good holiday tea, also.

A good darjeeling is one of life’s great small pleasures. This one qualifies. It has a light coloring; almost like a white tea. The taste is similar to a white tea also; tasting lightly of Mediterranean fruits and spices with maybe the slightest hint of nutmeg. It would make a nice after dinner cup in the summer or the tropics.

Final analysis: Very drinkable.

I have to be in the right mood for an Oolong tea, so you might take this with a grain of salt. This makes a nice cup. It has a fresh taste with fruity undertones. It was a pleasant experience but I won’t be knocking over small children and senior citizens to get a cup of it. (Just to be clear, I don’t knock over small children or senior citizens under any circumstances unless it is by accident.) If Oolong is your thing, it’s worth trying. If not, it still might be worth trying.

Final analysis: Good.

Lately, I’ve been making a conscious effort to find teas from Malawi. A friend of mine visited there and brought me back some Chombe in bags that pleasantly surprised me. When this one popped out of the Upton Tea catalog my fingers couldn’t click my bookmarks fast enough. Nor was I disappointed. This is a good cup. It is strong without being overpowering, takes milk or milk and sugar well, and just leaves you with that satisfied feeling that only a good black tea can give you when you’ve made it to your liking.

A very good tea. I want more of it.

While this wasn’t a bad tea, it just didn’t seem to hit the right chords. The title is luscious, but made as iced tea it fell short of expectations. The strawberry was too subtle and the lemon myrtle didn’t offer enough sour to truly complement the Bai Mu Dan tea. A waltz on the tongue was expected, while a leisurely stroll in the park is what appeared. A little experimentation might elevate this one; a bit of lemon or perhaps a dash of Del’s Lemonade mix might make this a really good iced tea.

Final analysis: Drinkable, but could do with a little help.