Sakurambo

Thank you Kat_Maria for this sample! I drank one bag last night and couldn’t stop myself from drinking the other today. It was that good.

It’s a smooth black cherry tea with a little bit of creaminess and lots of bright cherry notes. It’s a really cheerful tea for such a dismal snowy spring day. It almost makes me think of vanilla as well. I’m going to resteep this when I’m done to make sure I enjoy it to the MAX.

Here began my affair with Lupicia, and possibly my obsession with tea. This pretty little tin was brought home as a spontaneous gift of love from my boy (back in the early days of us living together, when he used to do such things frequently, ha!). Till now I drank tea thoughtlessly. I brewed it carelessly, and then blamed it for bitterness. But this sour cherry concoction demanded attention and was guzzled with delight. Our dear friend was also hooked, turning up to a gathering at our place almost too tired to stay upright in her chair, but unable to drag herself from teapot after teapot so that she could head home to bed. The second tin is now also gone, more is the pity.

I love the sweet fruit smell of the Sakurambo. It says it is Japanese cherry. It smells like cherry and peach to me.

This tea truly has the smell and flavor of sour cherries. In the brewed tea, it’s a bit more subtle, but that cherry edge is there, nonetheless. It’s not something I would drink everyday, but I enjoyed the unique tart flavor.
However, I did try it cold once, and that accentuated the bitterness of the black base, so I’d definitely recommend this hot.

It smelled delicious at the store, but when I brought the tea home, it smelled a lot stronger. The taste isn’t quite as pleasing as I imagined either. It has a peculiar taste, and reminds me a bit of children’s cough medicine… Maybe if I give it some time it will mellow down?

A good tea; upon opening the packaging, the fragrant smell of cherries reminds me of the fresh fruit. I like that this particular Lupicia tea doesn’t taste like Japanese gum like so many of the Lupicia blends. I wish it had a sharper taste but I think many will like that it has a smooth aftertaste of fresh cherries rather than a tart flavor.

Very strong vibrant flavor. Great with just a touch of sugar.

This is actually I really good flavored black tea. I wasn’t sure I would like it, but the cherry flavor, in my opinion, is strong enough to complement the tea. I like it iced especially, but it’s good hot too. It’s quite a tangy cherry, almost like candy, but not the same sweetness… a little spicy too. And it smells wonderful. Lupicia’s teas always smell wonderful though. I put 2 minutes, but I usually go 2-3 minutes, as I rarely get an exact time. I don’t get exact temperatures either, but I try to at least get the water to boil, then quickly add the tea. I bought this in bag form from Mitsuwa; it’s the easiest and cheapest way for me to get Lupicia’s tea, although the selection is nowhere near as expansive.

I’ve grown up with unsweetened Asian teas, and this one made me feel as thought I was sitting in my grandmother’s garden, watching her koi fish. Perhaps I’m partial to loose-leaf teas, but Lupicia certainly brought flavor to the table. It is dark and rich, with a definite sweet and sour taste; however, steeping it too long can cause it to become bitter.