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“I had this one today in-store as a sample. And then I bought some just because I had a brief burst of the old familiar feeling where I have to try all the new teas. So I got some of each of the...” Read full tasting note
“Oh, hey there, hibiscus, didn’t see you hiding there. I really only got this because David’s had the 50g free with any purchase promotion last week. I have to say – shipping to MA is about three...” Read full tasting note
“If you’re in the mood for a slightly tart thirst quenching tea, this can do the trick in a pinch. Oh, ok, it’s my last “juice” tea, I’m thirsty and water won’t do it. So I finally forced myself to...” Read full tasting note
“Gross gross gross. Why hibiscus in a black tea?! Not a good combo at all. To top it off, this tea is kind of old and I think hibiscus gets really woody-tasting as it ages, which makes it...” Read full tasting note
Get lost in it
Ever hear about the tea utopia hidden deep in the jungle? Word is, it’s a pretty enchanted place. People say the hibiscus is always in full bloom, the oranges and mangoes are perfectly ripe, and the subtle scent of cornflower and safflower petals hangs in the air. How can you find this earthly paradise? It’s as easy as steeping a cup. One sip of this fruity black and green tea blend will take you right there.
Ingredients: Hibiscus, apple, black tea, green tea, orange peel, safflower, cornflower, candied mango, artificial flavouring*.
DavidsTea is a Canadian specialty tea and tea accessory retailer based in Montreal, Quebec. It is the largest Canadian-based specialty tea boutique in the country, with its first store having opened in 2008.
I had this one today in-store as a sample. And then I bought some just because I had a brief burst of the old familiar feeling where I have to try all the new teas. So I got some of each of the four new teas. And drank this one first. And yep, hibiscus!
What is with the employees always trying to sell me on the box of the seasonal collections? The girl in the store practically cut me off when I asked for 20 g of each of the spring teas minus Pink Flamingo, pointed to the shelf, and said that the box had them all. I clarified that I didn’t want Pink Flamingo and added that it is $8 cheaper to buy them individually anyway, and she didn’t seem to believe me! I don’t find that they are very aggressive sales-wise so it always takes me by surprise when they try to insist. Anyway.
This is way too sour. It would probably be good otherwise; I like the fruit flavours I get a glimpse of under there. But, even at 3 minutes, this is way too tart. And alarmingly red! I don’t know if I’ve really had a black blend with hibiscus before, but it’s really odd. The tea is completely overridden by the hibiscus. Would probably be better cold.
Oh, hey there, hibiscus, didn’t see you hiding there.
I really only got this because David’s had the 50g free with any purchase promotion last week. I have to say – shipping to MA is about three days faster than shipping to NY, which is cool. And of course David’s emails me today with a Perfect Mug promotion… I’ve been wanting to get one of those for months… and but I have textbooks et al to buy now. Not cool, David’s, not cool.
Opening the bag, this smells fantastic. I’m reminded of Teavana’s Youthberry / Wild Orange blend, but better. It’s a bit fuller, like it has something that the Teavana blend is lacking. Maybe it’s tea itself, having a more substantial black/green base as opposed to their barely-there white? I don’t know.
The color is beautiful. It’ a rich ruby red. I haven’t drank fruity tea in so long, it’s been awhile since I’ve had any tea that’s not a variant of brown or green!
But, oh, the hibiscus. It’s all I taste. And I like hibiscus. In moderation.
I’m leaving off a rating because I had a few sips of this hot, fell asleep, and I’m not liking it after it’s cooled down, but man, I’m just not feeling this.
If you’re in the mood for a slightly tart thirst quenching tea, this can do the trick in a pinch. Oh, ok, it’s my last “juice” tea, I’m thirsty and water won’t do it. So I finally forced myself to get out of bed and make a pitcher of this iced.
I have a lot of it and found I only drink it when parched. Add sugar, it’s hibiscus-y, but over lots of ice it is, as I said, quite thirst quenching. It will take a while to finish the 4 oz I probably still have but doable. Steeped in near boiling water for 4 minutes, sweetened and put over lots of ice.
I hrmmm and hawwed over getting this tea when it was on special, but decided against it. Not a fan of what they use to make their “tropical” flavours. Too bad it’s not good hot though.
Yah, it’s kinda terrible as hot drink. I did get 250 grams when it was on special. Don’t regret buying it but it is not getting love often.
Gross gross gross. Why hibiscus in a black tea?! Not a good combo at all. To top it off, this tea is kind of old and I think hibiscus gets really woody-tasting as it ages, which makes it extra-unpleasant. So yes. Woody, tart ickiness. I should probably toss the remainder of this baggie, because it’s just gross.
This afternoon has been about tidying up my apartment, which is why I’m drinking so much tea. And yes, I did get some cleaning done in between all the notes on Steepster. :)
This ancient sample comes from Mercuryhime – thank you!
This tea has the dreaded hibiscus in it, so I wasn’t going in expecting too much. It does smell very nice when you open up the sample pack, however.
I’m drinking this out of a glass mug and it’s a beautiful red color! The flavor is bit like fruit punch but thankfully isn’t too tart (I bet the sugared mango helps with this). Interesting that so many people did not like this one, it isn’t the worst hibiscus tea I have had by far but I don’t know if I will CRAVE this, ever. It would probably be really good as an iced tea.
Thanks for the sample, MH!
I got about 10 grams of this in a swap, thanks for that! I recall trying it hot and cold before and liking it much more cold.
I iced it today and had to add sugar to drink it. With the addition of sugar, it tastes good. But there’s nothing really special about it that makes it stand out from all the other fruity hibiscus-y teas. It actually reminds me a lot of the Passion Iced Tea Lemonade from Starbucks that I used to be obsessed with. I’d definitely drink this if it was offered, but I’m not going to buy it.
I had enough of the sample left to try it cold brewed. I’m hoping that will bring out more of the non-hibiscus flavors
With all my hibiscus hate… I am actually CRAVING it.
What is up with that?!
My last 3 iced teas from DT had hibiscus, and they were so tart and flavourful and sweet and quenching. I made an iced tea of something hibscusless at home and it fell flat! I wanted some tart! I’m just craving it is all.
And guess what? I have ZERO teas with hibiscus in them. Zero. Sigh, so to go teas it is.
This isn’t my favorite iced tea, but it’s pretty tasty. I would never drink this hot, that’s for sure. I’m getting some mango and other fruity flavours, and a bit of flowery taste, but the hibiscus quickly takes over. Which is kind of what I want right now. Go figure!
Hibiscus is very high in vitamin C, so it might be that your body is telling you that you need some vitamin C?
Me too! I actually like the tartness of hibiscus, especially in pink flamingo but it’s nice in this one too. Not sure where the overwhelming hatred comes from…
For me, at least, I think the hatred comes from horrible bagged teas! haha – bagged teas that say they are a fruit flavour, but really are just hibiscus, so it kind of travelled forward with my loose leaf addition – but I’m finally breaking free! Hooray!
So I got this as part of the spring collection and I had an iced cup some time in late March, when it was still quite warm here in south eastern Australia. But the experience was so traumatic its taken me this long to log it.
So I got home one day, filled the steeper with water and tea, grabbed a glass with ice and took it all into the lounge. Unfortunately I placed the steeper half on, half off a coaster, and didn’t notice until too late that all my lovely tea had spilled out of the bottom of the steeper, down onto the coffee table, through the shelf and drawers, and had started to dribble onto the carpet. Major brewing fail. I madly rushed to the kitchen to find paper towel, a cloth and grab the re-boiled kettle and steeper tray to re-do the tea. (why waste the third of the steeper full of tea that was left??).
So a few minutes later when the steeper contents was nicely pink, I poured it over my ice. Finally! Fruity, tasty and a hint of tart (hibiscus I presumed, and i don’t mind it unlike other reviewers). A nice iced tea, pity about the trouble getting it.
Having it iced today.Lovely!
I’m so sad that it is getting removed from DT’s stock!!!
I’m happy I stocked up and maybe they will bring it up for a revival but I blame you guys that never gave it a shake..Damn brilliant tea..I will miss you….the perfect fruity black tea..full of gorgeous fruit perversion and complexity..bursting with gentleness or a a huge tarty kiss. I Love you Paradise Found. We will meet again across the great void.
I’m ordering this, you better be for real!
Make sure you only do 1 tsp and only 4 minutes!
i hope they keep it for a couple of more days, I saved my cart. If I hate it, you’re getting 100 gr of this. Sorry, I won’t buy more than 100 gr. since I’m doing it blindly. I wish I heard of this tea before… I could have tried it. They have so many though, and I’ve only been drinking loose leaf for just over a month now!
This one would be glorious if the hibiscus weren’t as tart. Sigh. It’s fruity and juicy, but then the hibiscus steps in and crashed the tasty party with its tartness. It’s good, and if you’re a fan of hibiscus, this tea is definitely one I would recommend, but it is not the tea for me. It’s sad because I keep taking sips, loving how good the tea is until the hibiscus takes over, but then it’s so tart it turns my stomach. Sadness.
Not rating because I went into it knowing that I wouldn’t like the hibiscus.
Yeah, they did the same thing to me when we were getting ours, high ups must be telling them to do so. I was only getting 10 g of each, so there was really no point to wasting money on the big box!
Hibiscus is way overpowering. Using it with black tea does not sound too enticing ( though there is this blend called eros I want to try one day).
I don’t understand why so many tea companies put hibiscus in everything, it seems a lot of people don’t like it…
It’s definitely an odd choice. I don’t know why tea companies are so heavy-handed with it, either. I think in smaller amounts it could be alright.
Hibiscus is strong stuff, and something I think not nearly everybody can identify. People can dislike it but not identify it, and it is true that hibiscus gives a lot of body and color to tisanes. I blame celestial seasonings actually for the hibiscus trend, a lot of their “zinger” blends seem to have been ahead of the trend and maybe causing it. A ton of caffeine-free “teas” or “fruit” teas nearly always got hibiscus and they do seem to sell. I hate it and hoping the trend passes. But maybe it is like one of those fresh coriander things – some people seriously hate it and can not figure out why some of us love it.
I got one or two unabashed hibiscus blends where the hibiscus works (a red fruit thing, a spicy apple thing) but those are not subtle. I have only once picked up a hibiscus blend done subtly and where it did not overpower everthing else, and it was btw Yumchaa´s Adventure blend (but then again, I think whoever does their blends is a genius at balancing tastes)
I didn’t find them particularly pushy where I am, but I only picked up the one tea. I sampled two of the summer blends but I didn’t find most of them particularly enticing. I do find that a lot of teas now have hibiscus and I think its an acquired taste, I personally like it in this blend but it wouldn’t be a tea I would have every day. Its definitely one I want to keep in my cupboard though. To each their own though!
Oh my, yes, the push to get us to buy the whole box must come from higher up. I was the only customer in the store with two employees there, and I asked for 15g (so 16g) of each tea, and they tried to sell me on the pre-packaged stuff, but I’ve previously calculated and it’s significantly cheaper to just buy each one individually. It’s not like you even get some nice little tins for the extra price. They kept trying to convince me though, and I was all ‘geez, you’d be done weighing it all out now if you just gave me the tea like I asked….’ (Even if I had wanted 26g of each I wouldn’t have bought the box…)
Gosh, at that point even I, who is somewhat conflict shy, would start wondering if I should ask them if they wanted to sell me the things I was asking for or if I should just find somewhere else to shop…