Herbi

THIS WEBSITE NEEDS AN AUTO-SAVE ON TASTING NOTES FOR WHEN MY BROWSER DECIDES TO CRASH RIGHT AS I’M SLIDING THE BAR TO PROVIDE MY RATING AFTER I’VE WRITTEN MY NOTES DOWN. GGGGGHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH

My supervisor brought me back this tea from Ecuador when he was there on a field expedition. You’re supposed to make this with steaming milk instead of water, but since 1) I don’t like milk, and 2) I don’t have milk on hand, water will have to do.

The smell of the leaves is…gross. Almost like a mix between soggy tobacco (like a cigarette but that has been rained on) and marijuana. Since I don’t know what coca leaves actually smell like, I don’t know if this is accurate to rehydrated leaves, or if the ingredients list is lying (100% coca leaves). If it’s true then…I guess now I know what it smells like. The brewed taste was…wacky. Couldn’t quite put my finger on the taste; my friend Kayla described it as “cut grass”. I disagree, but whatevs. It’s weird. Not like green tea at all, also not like mate at all. In its own world.

This tea is definitely not recommended for those with heart conditions. For those who don’t know, coca is the plant from which cocaine comes from. When the leaves are dried and processed nearly none of the cocaine alkaloid remains, but there are plenty of other synergistic compounds left in the leaves that provide a synergistic effect. Some people won’t react at all, some will think this tea is the best thing since sliced bread. I think I fall in the middle, Kayla falls in the sliced bread category. By the time I was 1/5 done the cup I was a bit giddy, and at the end we were talking and giggling like little girls and talking and laughing and talking ANDTHENSQUIRREL!!!!!!!!!!! and then talking and giggling and talking and giggling. Neon pink bicycles are the funniest thing ever. AMIRITE?!?!

Verdict: as far as tea goes, this is actually pretty tasty. If I ever found myself down in South America again, I’d track some of this down to buy.

One of our interns brought this for me to try. A friend of hers brought it to her after a mission trip to Central America.

It’s very buttery, with a mild sweetness to it. It’s got a taste that’s similar to green or white tea, but less grassy and more “cooked greens” tasting. Definitely something that I’d pick up if I saw it!