I bought this last April (when Bird & Blend was still Bluebird!) but my package was still sealed! I’m not too worried about freshness… it at least smells wonderful upon opening it up to try it! Very chocolately, and I also smell coconut? That actually worried me (given the age), so I double-checked the ingredients. Nope, no coconut. It really smells of it, though! I’m getting strong Mounds candy vibes from the dry leaf aroma… that is only a positive as far as I’m concerned!
I steeped this one slightly longer than I usually steep blacks, just to make sure the marshmallow bits would melt nicely into the brew. The finished tea is a caramelly tan color and still has a Mounds sort of aroma to me, with perhaps a bit of a caramelly sweetness.
The tea definitely is quite sweet; I think this would have more of a cocoa bittersweetness/dark chocolate flavor from the cocoa shells if it weren’t sweetened up so much by the marshmallow. I do still get more of a dark chocolate flavor than milk chocolate, but am curious how it hold up as a latte, and if that would change the chocolate flavor thanks to the addition of milk; I’ll have to experiment and try that sometime. I am still getting a strong coconut note in the flavor, and despite having popped rice in it, it doesn’t present as particularly roasty or nutty in flavor like genmaicha; there are some subtle caramel and nutty notes that pop toward the end of the sip, but cocoa and coconut are the dominant flavors. It does feel quite warm and satisfying and it is quite desserty.
Flavors: Candy, Caramel, Cocoa, Coconut, Dark Bittersweet, Dark Chocolate, Nutty, Smooth, Sweet
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I love this one. Didn’t drink it on Easter, as I had it a week or so ago!
I enjoyed it, though I think next time I try it I’ll brew it stronger (more leaf), or try it as a latte. I was definitely digging the candy bar vibe I got from it.
I’ll admit this tea sent me over the edge as I’d had a gong fu session just before, and I guess that was just enough caffeine too quickly and I was dancing all over the place, hahahaha.
haha. I don’t think caffeine even hits me. I think I should try more leaf with this one too.. at least ONCE.
It doesn’t usually… but it did this time. Usually I’m drinking my tea more spread out (a thermos over several hours during work) and then I switch to herbals in the evening so I think the concentrated sipping of a black tea gong fu style followed by a full cup of this tea (black/green blend) did me in hard, hahaha.
I ordered 50g of this and your review makes me pleased that I did. Haha.
I also picked up some of this; I was kicking myself last year for not trying it even though I really wanted to. Also, you can add me to the group of people who seem to have a pretty high caffeine tolerance.
I love this one. Didn’t drink it on Easter, as I had it a week or so ago!
I enjoyed it, though I think next time I try it I’ll brew it stronger (more leaf), or try it as a latte. I was definitely digging the candy bar vibe I got from it.
I’ll admit this tea sent me over the edge as I’d had a gong fu session just before, and I guess that was just enough caffeine too quickly and I was dancing all over the place, hahahaha.
haha. I don’t think caffeine even hits me. I think I should try more leaf with this one too.. at least ONCE.
It doesn’t usually… but it did this time. Usually I’m drinking my tea more spread out (a thermos over several hours during work) and then I switch to herbals in the evening so I think the concentrated sipping of a black tea gong fu style followed by a full cup of this tea (black/green blend) did me in hard, hahaha.
I ordered 50g of this and your review makes me pleased that I did. Haha.
I also picked up some of this; I was kicking myself last year for not trying it even though I really wanted to. Also, you can add me to the group of people who seem to have a pretty high caffeine tolerance.