This is strange. I could have sworn I had added this tea to my cupboard AND reviewed it in the past. Oh well. Here it is, then.
I’ve had this tea for a very long time (read: 3 years). I first tried it when I got to take home a whole bag of it from Starbucks, since we were tasting the new replacement teas that took away my beloved Tazo. Since no one else wanted the rest, I “volunteered” to take it home with me. It’s been sitting in the back of my cupboard ever since. This tea was supposed to be replacing Tazo’s Zen tea. Now, if you’ve been reading my blog, you’d know how much I just love Zen. Jade Citrus as a replacement was a big, big disappointment. Whereas I found Zen to be perfectly balanced with the green tea, lemongrass, and a hint of mint, in Jade Citrus the mint overpowers all other flavours. It even smells like pure spearmint – it’s more comparable to my toothpaste than to Tazo Zen, in my opinion.
Ok, I was going on a little rant. To be perfectly honest, I am drinking trying it again because when I came home from work today I saw a brand new tin of Jade Citrus sitting on my desk – a lovely and thoughtful gift from my boyfriend. Unfortunately, he didn’t know about my unpleasant history with Jade Citrus, and I was mostly just confused about where this tin had come from than shown him my gratitude at his thoughtfulness. I feel bad. So here I am, giving this tea a second chance. (Note: I did use tea from the original sample back I had from Starbucks. I realize it may be a bit old, but when I opened it to check it’s quality, I was once again blown away by the minty aroma. I think it’s safe to say the tea will still be potent.)
Being very wary of the strength of this tea, I underleafed my cup slightly, and didn’t brew it more than a couple minutes. I have nothing new to report, despite my hope that maybe my tastes/grudge has changed. Honestly, all I can taste in this tea is the mint. It even leaves that tingly mouth-feel you get after brushing your teeth. Now, I am not averse to mint, but I do not enjoy it when it overwhelms where it’s not supposed to. This tea is supposed to be nuanced with layers of flavour, both green tea and citrus – it is not. I’m glad I didn’t open up the new tea, at least now I can give it to someone who will enjoy it.
