One of the last samples from my first Tealux order. I’d heard good things about this one, and it’s one of the rare fruit blends without hibiscus, so I was interested to give it a try. Visually, it’s an impressive sight. The pieces of fruit in this blend are HUGE! The banana chip in my bag was about three inches long and a centimeter thick, the orange a full half slice, and the mango/papaya pieces an inch square. There were also generous strips of coconut, and a scattering of rooibos. The bag says to use 2.5 tsp, but it was impossible to measure so I just dumped the whole lot in my infuser basket. It got about 6 minutes in boiling water, and came out about right.
The liquor is a bright orangey colour, with a slightly oily scrim on the surface. It smells beautiful, like a fruit smoothie, and it tastes equally strongly of fruit. It’s hard to believe I’m actually drinking tea! The main flavour is banana, followed by pineapple, and rounded off beautifully with the creaminess of coconut. The banana and coconut are quite sweet, but the pineapple provides a slightly tangy note that cuts through some of the “mushier” fruit flavours. Right at the end of the sip, there’s a touch of pepperiness that I typically associate with mango and papaya. All told, it’s a delicious combination.
The main thing that strikes me about this blend is how it’s so incredibly fruity – more so than any other “fruit” blend I’ve ever tried. It’s also by far the best “tropical” flavoured tea I’ve tried. High accolades from me! This is definitely one I’ll look to repurchase in the future. I can imagine it being wonderful cold-brewed in the summer.
