Amaretto Sweet

I’m not usually a fan of oolong. It takes a really special one to not taste like steeped cardboard to me. This one is okay, which is good praise in the oolong department. The leaves expanded a lot in the bag and looked like they needed more room to stretch. There is a touch of licorice root in here to add some sweetness that linger in the finish, but not enough to identify it without reading the ingredients or taste like licorice in the cup. The amaretto is there and distinct, but that’s about all that is happening. Nothing that says cupcake, like what is pictured on the package and it leaves me wishing they developed and built on it more.

I was also really excited for this one in this month’s box. I know Amaretto is mighty polarizing, but I love it! Sadly, this was another blend that I thought was missing a little ‘something something’ to help push it over the edge. There was a lot it got right though! The oolong base itself seemed very pleasantly smooth with a medium body and a great balance of floral lushness and nuttiness. I especially liked that it was a bit of a nuttier oolong with an amaretto inspired blend; it seemed like a great way to bridge those flavours. Is this Almost’s first oolong!?

Simply put, the amaretto just wasn’t strong enough though. It was there, but felt secondary to the oolong. That’s maybe a controversial statement because I know a lot of people want to taste the tea base – and I do too – but for a blend named after amaretto (which has such a stong flavour) that also has sweet in the name I expected the taste to punch me, not just give me a peck on the cheek. I think Almost could have found a happier middle ground, but instead this reads as a little weak/watered down.

(Also, I was worried about the licorice root but I couldn’t taste it!)