My name is Rose and I'm addicted to tea. I love trying new kinds and today I'm going to give you a quick review of the Tazo (the Starbuck's brand) tea sampler I got on a good sale a few weeks ago. This box is the assorted black and green teas/herbal infusions. There are 20 teabags, 10 different flavors: Awake, Calm, China Green Tips, Earl Grey, Chai, Decaf Chai, Passion, Wild Sweet Orange, Lotus, and Zen.
Awake: Black Tea "A breakfast tea of boldness, depth, and character, invigorating any time of day." I didn't find that I was perkier after this, which was kinda the point. Still, a nice flavor, very bold, and sturdy enough to hold milk.
Calm: Herbal Infusion "A comforting blend of chamomile, rose petals & soothing herbs." This description is on the money. It is very calming, and overall gives you a sense of relaxation. It's mild but flavorful and overall a nice blend.
China Green Tips: Green Tea "A light & lingering tea with a fine, fresh flavor." They could not have depicted this more falsely. It is not light, and it is not fresh. It's extremely vegetative in flavor and I find it to be over powering. I enjoy green tea, and while this is extremely authentic, it tastes very similar to what you would drink in China, I think it's too strong for an American palate. Also, the aroma is not pleasing. I'll give them this, the flavor is "lingering".
Earl Grey: Black Tea "A traditional tea scented wtih the essence of bergamot." Spot on classic Earl. It's lovely and one of my favorites.
Organic Chai: Spiced Black Tea "A satisfyingly rich blend of teas & exotic spices." This is a very nice blend that holds up to a distinguished chai drinker's expectations. It's bold enough to withstand a fair amount of milk and sugar and retain it's spiciness. Very nice.
Passion: Herbal Infusion "A magical blend of hibiscus, lemongrass, rose hips, mango and passion fruit flavours." This is a delicious blend with a lovely aftertaste. You don't get the full complexity until after swallowing, which is a nice change. I use just a bit of sugar and it brings out the full sweetness of the fruits. This is wonderful over ice and one of my favorites in the assortment.
Decaf Chai: Spiced Black Tea "A satisfyingly rich blend of teas & exotic spices." Really? You're going to count this as another flavor in the mix? Rip Off. Give me another one to try, not a decaf version of an original flavor.
Wild Sweet Orange: Herbal Infusion "A juicy blend of lemongrass, citrus herbs, licorice root and orange essences." While I enjoy this tea, the name is off. It's far more lemony than orange flavored and I find it to be more tart than sweet. If it was named some sort of citrus blend, I would have been more prepared for the taste. It's a brisk flavor, nice for an afternoon pick me up.
Lotus: Green Tea "A decaffeinated tea with the subtle essence of lotus blossoms." This is a very light green tea. It's not overpowering, but not a great flavor either. This one could go either way, depending on what I'm looking for in that cup.
Zen: Green Tea "A harmonious blend with lemongrass & spearmint." While this sounds like an odd combination, it's a very slight hint of lemongrass and a lovely blend of spearmint. This tea leaves a pleasant aftertaste and is my favorite of the greens in this box.
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