Wow! This tea sure packed a punch of surprising flavor. I really was not expecting to like this as much as I do. I was less than enthused by the thought of a cinnamon and lemon flavored tea. Especially from 52Teas, especially from Frank, the man who brought us the amazing Tomato, Basil and Black Pepper tea, the outrageous Maple Bacon Tea, and the unbelievably good Buttered Cinnamon Raisin Toast tea. Where’s the wow factor in a Cinnamon Lemon Bai Mu Dan?
The wow factor is in the flavor! This tastes amazing. The lemon is sweet not pucker-y or sour (although there are some tart notes there, especially noticeable in the aftertaste), and it is a complex lemon flavor. Not just like a squeeze-of-lemon-juice-in-my-tea lemon, but also a zesty-zest-from-the-lemon lemon, and a sweet-and-creamy-lemon-curd lemon all in one.
The cinnamon is perfectly balanced with the lemon, and they complement and contrast each other so well. The spice of the cinnamon curbs the sourest lemon-y notes so that I’m not puckering when I sip, and the lemon flavor softens the spiciest tones of the cinnamon so that it doesn’t taste hot or spicy, but warm and gentle.
And the bai mu dan is a perfect base for this too, it is light, creamy and sweet.
So VERY good.
