Monk's Blend

If you like vanilla then this is the tea for you. You taste the tea before the flavouring, which is the way tea should be.
I recommend this one over Bourbon Vanilla.

I purchased a sample of this one from Teaopia in Metrotown for $1. Unfortunately my local Teaopia doesn’t carry these little sample packs because it’s perfect to just try things before you buy them!

It tastes a little like cotton candy, which was an unexpected but not unwelcome flavor.

This was a nice example of this type of blend with the grenadine being fairly mild and not to sweet and a more dominant cool vanilla that added creaminess and avoided the tendancies of vanilla flavouring tasting like alcohol, pancake syrup, or like candle scent. Like others have said it definitely has a jasmine element to the taste, that blended nicely with the vanilla. The ceylon base was heavier than I am accustomed with in this type of tea and was kind of biscuity/malty. This was a nice tea when I craved a vanilla flavoured black.

I enjoyed this tea but for some wierd reason the mix of grenadine and malt was bringing back memories of the Monaco beer cocktails (grenadine and lager) I had during a heat wave one spring in Montpellier, France (fabulous city just to hang out in and a gateway into a gorgeous region of France). Not that the tea tasted of beer but the mix of malt and soft sweet fruit echoed each other in both beverages.

Delicate and flavourful. I’m not a fan of the grenadine (it tastes like those chalky valentine’s day heart candies), but I can see how lots of people would enjoy this blend immensely. If I want vanilla in my black tea, I much much prefer DT’s Cream of Earl Grey or Buttered Rum. I’ll leave my grenadine in my Shirley temples, thank you!

This is one of my husband’s favorite teas. The vanilla and grenadine give this a unique flavor. I don’t always taste vanilla in some tea blends, but it definitely comes out in this one. The tea leaves, liquor smell, and the taste all contain a hint of vanilla.

It’s a good flavored black tea that won’t surprise you with any weird flavors. If you want to serve tea to some friends who may or may not like it, this one is a safe bet.

This tea instantly smelled of vanilla and cotton candy when brewed, which made me a little weary at first since I’m not the biggest fan of already sweetened teas. I was, however, surprised! With an almost oolong quality to the flavour, the vanilla was just an undertone, which was nice for a change, since it’s usually overpowering. The grenadine gave it some sweet, candy notes, but not so much where I was cringing. As it progressively cooled, it took on a very floral flavour reminiscent of jasmine. Overall, I really enjoyed this tea, the vanilla was balanced well and the grenadine was a pleasant sweet touch! I would recommend this tea for a coffee date with friends. Not too relaxing, yet fun!

1 down – 499 to go!