Black Currant Cardamom Raw Green Bush Tea

I’ve been curious about this tea for a while and I got to try it yesterday at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. I’m glad I didn’t bother to buy any myself. Unfortunately, it just reminded me of cough syrup and I didn’t even finish the cup I was drinking. Sorry to neg you, Republic of Tea but this was barfy.

This tea smells of sweet ripe currants and spicy cardamom. It tastes green, almost like a lighter green tea, but it is green rooibos. There is light currant flavor and overtones of cardamom that tingle the throat after continuous sips. I really enjoy the lightness to this tea/tisane. I really like how well RoT does green rooibos.

I was going to pick up Chocolate Ginger and the Blood Orange Chocolate red teas but I’ve heard disappointing things about RoT’s chocolate teas, so I passed…even though they are limited additions at World Market….well, the chocolate ginger red tea is, I’m not 100% on the Blood Orange Chocolate tea. World Market has so many amazing foods, treats and housewares I love taking a trip there! I just wish more were open near me, most of them have closed :(

This is pretty good, although not as yummy as the “Sun Tea” version (Orange Red Carrot). It’s a nice medley of fruit and spice, although both flavors are muted. Worth a try since it’s herbal/green rooibos (my fave for its sweetness). I wonder what this would taste like with a dash of cinnamon/cinnamon tea…

Thank you to Meghann for sending me some of this to try.
This was my first ever experience with Black Currants so I wasn’t sure what to expect. It was sweet with a little spice to it from the cardamom. I enjoyed the cup and am glad I got to try this one. I am not sure I would order a whole tin for myself but again glad I could try it!

I brewed this a little too thin, but it’s still flavorful. I was worried that it might be too tannic because of the berries and currant, but it’s not at all. The cardamom sets it off very nicely, and gives it a wonderful aroma.

I was really nervous about ordering this tea; one of my all time favorite flavored teas was black currant, but I’ve had a lot of bad experiences with cardamom – namely it has overpowered and ruined a lot of baked goods and coffees.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this tea. The cardamom is light enough to be sweet and a little spicy without being overbearing (phew!). Although the currant flavor is subtle, I think it’s the sweetness behind the cardamom. I do wish that there was a stronger currant taste, but its still good. I enjoyed it hot, but I bet it would be an excellent iced tea in the summer or fall – maybe with a splash of currant-flavored vodka or schnapps??

Overall : an interesting, slightly sweet blend and will definitely buy more in the future.