The friend who bought this box doesn’t like tea, and only bought it because she was responsible for snack for a meeting, so she gave me the leftovers. So I’m giving it another try before I give up entirely on it.
I have discovered that it wasn’t rooibos I was tasting with the first cup- it was hibiscus. This makes it even harder to love, but I tried steeping it for longer, and that works a little better. Eventually, the metallic, bitter taste of the hibiscus fades into the background.
The pomegranate is SUPER strong. While it steeps, it gives off an extremely strong, sweet smell reminiscent of bubblegum toothpaste. With a hint of earth. Ughhhhh….
Sipping… the Tulsi is more prevalent in the actual taste than the smell suggests, but the super-sweet pomegranate is definitely the primary note.
I think the elderberry only adds to the sicky-sweetness of the pomegranate, and the green tea gives the mouthfeel a little more richness. Tulsi tends to be pretty thin on its own.
The nasty bubblegum-toothpaste flavor lingers in the aftertaste.
Nope, this is still a pass for me. Blech.
LOL I like the tasting adventure attitude. Even bad teas are a learning experience.
If you don’t try new things/teas you don’t know. :)