My first Nina’s Paris tea! When I opened the packet and took a whiff the dry leaves (broken with several bits of strawberry), I smelled a strong aroma of strawberry-flavored hard candy, with a hint of vanilla. The liquor of the tea is clear and dark brown. I was surprised by the strength of the flavor when I took my first sip. It is bold. I was expecting a black tea from India, but perhaps it came from Africa (DISCLAIMER: I have little experience in tasting teas from either country (that is, unflavored teas), but I have tried some black tea from Kenya, and this tea tasted very much like it). The tea somewhat overpowers the strawberry, but the strawberry’s presence is stronger during the aftertaste. It is a bit creamy, most likely due to the presence of the vanilla. Thankfully, it’s the strawberry that makes this tea bearable, since I’m not too partial to bitter black teas.
Since this tea is very strong, I would drink it in the morning or the late afternoon after coming home from a long day.