Wild Sweet Orange

I realized exactly what this tasted like during my recent cold: chewable vitamin C. No, honey (an antimicrobial) does not help it go down easier. With this epiphany, I would adjust the rating for flavor to about a 35, but it actually does have some health merit so I’ve left the current rating of 44 intact.

doesnt taste much better iced. blech (backlog)

I’m honestly rather surprised at how poor the reviews for this are! Yes, it does taste like fake orange flavoring (hot kool-aid, maybe) and yes, using licorice was a poor choice (the aftertaste is unpleasant and doesn’t work with the rest of the flavors), but as far as similar fruity bagged tisanes go, it’s probably the best I’ve had. Love that the flavor is fairly strong, love the tartness, it’s probably the closest I’ve ever gotten to drinking liquid candy without adding anything to sweeten.

Whoa—Tazo wasn’t kidding about the name. Even after only a few minutes of steeping, this tea packs a punch! It’s sweet enough to make my mouth pucker. The zesty orange flavor might be more refreshing if it didn’t hit me in the tongue like a sledgehammer.

Maybe it would be better steeped for a very short time—does anyone have experience with this…?

I bought this tonight at the Publix because I wanted something non-caffienated in the hotel room and Tazo teas were on sale. Opening the tea bag, and smelling the liquor, it smelled like the name – a lovely sweet orange. The taste? Ew.

I think the lemongrass overpowers a lot of the tea, and then the orange essence, is well – not subtle. Like a large hammer to your knee is not subtle.

I did have this cup without sugar, so that may be biasing me. I will be drinking more of this tea, if for no other reason than I don’t have anything else decaf in the hotel room. Maybe a cup with sweetner will help??

(If it says anything, the Flavia “tea” from earlier today was better.)

Tasting this tea while sitting down with a friend before choir. I have to say, it wasn’t as sweet as I expected with the name “Wild Sweet Orange,” but it is the perfect afternoon tea for a warm day like today. It’s light, but still has a distinct flavor that I enjoy. Can’t wait to enjoy it more as it cools.

WOW AND I THOUGHT THE PASSION TAZO TEA WAS STRONG. This had so much promise, as I really do love orange flavors, but WOW it was just an absolute overload of SOUR. It smells great but it’s just waaay too much assaulting flavor. I feel like there has got to be SOME use for this tea, though… perhaps it would be better cold? I don’t know, but I didn’t keep it around long enough to find out. I actually gave it all away to my friends… I wonder how much they hate me now. :’)

I got a sample of Tazo teas at a bridal shower this weekend, and I thought I’d try this one first. Opening the sealed pouch produced a very sweet orange smell, which was promising. I don’t usually bother timing herbal tisanes when they steep, but if I’d known that steeping it for too long would have really brought out the lemongrass, I would have been more attentive. Lemongrass … bleh!

I see this tea elicits very…strong…reactions, which I guess is unsurprising as it is such a strong-tasting tea. I have to agree with other reviewers that calling this a “tea” may be slightly misleading. I’ve almost made it through a whole box of this and I can’t say I’ve ever found it tasted like tea, the sheer strength of the orange flavours vastly overwhelm any tea-notes that may be present.

I personally really like this tea, but then I bludgeon my palate regularly with super-spicy, super-salty, super-everything food and so I often find the subtler notes of many teas are simply not perceptible to my taste buds. I can definitely taste the orange here, it’s a kick-to-the-tongue sort of flavour that almost makes me think more of a commercial ice tea or weak juice then a tea. I find it quite natural tasting, though maybe a bit more of a tart-sour mouth-puckering orange-peel flavour then a sweet orange-flesh one. I just looked at the ingredients and realized there’s a lot more then orange in here, and this is a surprise, because according to my tongue there’s just…a lot of orange. Sorry licorice, I’m just not finding you.

I find this is a good morning tea when I need something bracingly citrus-y and don’t want to worry about the effects of caffeine. I also like that it’s impossible to mess up (assuming you don’t think the actual taste of the tea is a mistake!). I stick a bag in my travel mug, dump boiling water over it, and can leave the bag in the entire time I drink it without worrying about bitterness. A hit of honey tends to smooth and round out the taste nicely.

so…. on a masochistic whim, i decided to give this tea another go. (retroactively thinking i had been unfair in judging this tea so harshly in february of this year)

i even used my porcelain tea cup in an attempt to perhaps appreciate the color of the tea and so i wouldn’t immediately drop the cup.

thankfully for my cup, i exercised some restraint. porcelain cup and saucer remain unbroken.
the tea still looked and smelled like hot tang.
i never add anything to my tea, but this tea is soooooo tart, my tongue curls up in fear just thinking about it.
and it’s not the pleasant sour patch kid tart, or even the lemon after the tequila shot tart. just straight up foul.

even after turning the tang into liquid diabetes, i lacked the willpower to consume it.
it wasn’t even suited for the drain i poured it down. my poor kitchen sink.

for all of those who enjoy this tea, i admire your courage. and your steel tongue.