Before I formally begin this review, allow me to offer a warm thanks to S.G. Sanders for providing me with an opportunity to try this tea. I am planning on doing a side-by-side shootout between this and the loose leaf Harney & Sons Paris this weekend. I like both, but there are some subtle and not so subtle differences between the two.
I prepared this tea using a one step Western infusion. I steeped 1 teaspoon of loose material in 8 ounces of 208 F water for around 5 minutes. Obviously, I did not attempt any additional infusions.
Prior to infusion, I noticed that the dry leaf material produced a pleasant aroma of vanilla, bergamot, and lavender. After infusion, the lavender, bergamot, and vanilla aromas intensified. They were also joined by a subtle toasty character and a hint of cocoa. In the mouth, the notes of lavender, vanilla, and bergamot were most definitely dominant. I was able to detect fleeting impressions of toast, cream, and cocoa beneath them.
I like this blend. It is not nearly as fruity as the Paris blend from Harney & Sons and is very smooth in the mouth. There was not a tremendous amount of body, but I did not expect there to be. Flavored teas are usually a little light in terms of body, at least in my perception. Anyway, this is a nice, straight-forward blend. I would have no difficulties recommending it to fans of flavored teas.
Flavors: Bergamot, Cocoa, Cream, Lavender, Toast, Vanilla
They’re two different breeds of blends; however, they’re both nice in their own way. I’m glad you enjoyed this! :)