Ah, one of the delightful teas from my Lupicia Herbal Happy Bag! I was really pleased to get this one as I had been eying it for a bit. Seems I’m becoming addicted to lemongrass, especially as my sinuses have decided to state their displeasure with winter. Stupid cold weather season. Lupicia was also the reason I discovered that not all rooibos are created equal (nasty). Green rooibos is actually my friend. So yay for herbals that include both lemongrass and rooibos!
Previous, I had had a grapefruit flavored teabag from Lupicia and I was a bit disappointed because it wasn’t as obnoxious tasting as the smell and, for once, I wanted an obnoxious flavored tea. Well, this one isn’t obnoxious either, but, coupled with the lemongrass (or perhaps because the base is green rooibos instead of a black tea), the grapefruit seems to really pack more of a punch. It’s very citrus-y. The two flavors pair well to give this not-tea a great whooshy feeling that feels refreshing, makes my sinuses happy but still manages to be mild and smooth.
I couldn’t really pick out the rooibos (which is fine since it is a fairly mild taste anyway) but I think it managed to show up a bit at the end, adding a hint of extra sweetness to the citrus whoosh-iness that kept the tea from having a sharp citrus edge. I could have dealt with the flavors being a bit more intense, but at the same time, if the flavors were stronger this tea might become a one-cup-and-done type tea. As it is, I enjoyed it so much I felt the need for an almost instant resteep.
Which, speaking of resteeping, this one handled it rather handsomely. The first steep had the grapefruit flavor being a tad stronger than the lemongrass. In the second, the lemongrass perked up to stand out a bit more. The grapefruit wasn’t weak and was still noticeable but in this steep the balance was tilted ever so slightly in favor of the lemongrass. In other words – still great whooshy citrus with no unhappy or sharp edges and something I could totally get behind having more of.
Oh dear, a tea named after a rival company. I think I just heard a gauntlet hit something.