Lemon Solstice

Thanks to my good pal potatowedges for this one! Smells very much like toasty lemon meringue pie to me when it’s dry. I got a whiff of licorice, but I thought I was crazy. Guess not! I think it gets less toasty and more creamy/lemony when it’s brewed. It’s very delicious and mild. I bet it would be awesome iced. I’ll try it out!

I read the description and had to add it to my cart. Almond brittle? Yes. Vanilla? Yes. Flowers of some sort? Yes. Licorice? Yes. Lemongrass? Sure! It had so many interesting flavors that I knew it would be, if not delicious, at least memorable.

When I opened this up it smelled like…I couldn’t figure it out for a while, but…like the Tofu Lime Tarts that the deli at my hometown co-op makes sometimes. Vegan pastry crust + tofu lime creamy cheesecake-ness= best ever. I think it must be the lemongrass in this that reminds me of this fantastic dessert. There’s no licorice in tofu lime tarts! Anyway, I couldn’t wait to try this.

Morning came, and I brewed some up. As soon as the water hit the leaves, the aroma changed to a more pungently lemon one, and I got a little concerned, because sometimes my relationship with citrus is less than amicable. But I was still excited to sip it—and I did, far too early, nearly scalding my lips. But it was worth it. This is…fantastic. And unusual. The zing of the licorice plays across your palate, followed by lemongrass that tastes, somehow, creamy…maybe it’s the almond brittle and vanilla. On the back of the sip you can taste the nice Yunnan black tea that’s under it all. There are so many delightful flavors in this that it never stops being interesting…some I don’t notice, like the strawberry pieces, but I really don’t mind. I hope I can get a few steeps out of this.

Wow. This is awesome. It tastes like I added some unsweetened soymilk, it’s so creamy. (But I didn’t.) Maybe this really IS the tea incarnation of tofu lime tarts…with a little licorice.

I love this tea both hot and cold. It is so pleasant both in the mouth and the nose.

This is by far my favorite tea—ever. If you love teas that are rich and sweet, this is a great one for you. Without sugar, it still makes a wonderful dessert tea, sweet enough to compliment a dessert but strong enough to bring you down from any strong sweets. But WITH sugar, it transforms into tasting just like frosted or iced lemon cake. I drink this tea with everything but breakfast (okay, and sometimes breakfast).

If I could find this blend without the licorice in it, I’d be crazy about it; unfortunately, it’s a sour/dirty mid-note that’s really jarring. Still, this is a really impressive balance of so many different flavors, and it is very, very foody.

ETA about three hours later: I am pretty sure this is responsible for my splitting headache. Never have done well with licorice.

I was surprised at how good it is. It doesn’t just taste like a lemon tea…it almost reminds me of a lemon cake. I definitely need to buy this.