Tea Information:
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: 52Teas
Tea Description:
I think someone suggested this. Honestly, I can’t remember. I’m getting old and you know they say the memory is the second thing to go. Wish I could remember what the first is. Anyway, of all of our teas, our banana teas and our strawberry teas seem to be extra popular, so why NOT make a strawberry banana tea? Sure, I imagine it’s not the most original combination we’ve ever come up with, but it might just be one of the most delicious!
Learn more about this blend here.
Taster’s Review:
OK … when Frank told me that this would be the tea for the week of May 26th, I was less than thrilled with the news. See, I sent him a quick message and told him that his tea for that week needed to be spectacular, because it was my birthday week. So I had big expectations. Like something fabulously chocolate-y or something like that. Perhaps a new tomato blend.
Note to Frank: I would still love to try a green tea with tomato and basil and black pepper and perhaps some tulsi … maybe a Chinese Sencha and Gunpowder blend for a base. Call it LIberTEAS Summer Salad Tea.
But I wasn’t expecting him to say something like Strawberry Banana. Of the many fruit combinations that are out there, Strawberry Banana is one of the most popular. You can find it in flavored yogurts and in just about every smoothie bar out there. And I’m not a big fan. In fact, I’ve often found myself wondering what it is about this combination that seems to attract so many fans. I mean, I like strawberry. I like banana. But together, they just … kind of lose something. The strawberry is less strawberry-ish, and the banana is less banana-y.
And while I do like strawberry teas and banana teas on their own, I just didn’t see Strawberry Banana Black Tea as one that I would really do flips over, nor is it one that I would have purchased for myself if I didn’t actually subscribe to 52Teas and automatically receive each of the 52Teas that they make every year. I’m just not a fan of the combination of Strawberry and Banana.
But, believe it or not, this is actually pretty good. There is a plentiful strawberry flavor, and I find that I’m tasting strawberry long after the sip is finished. It is a long lasting flavor that keeps on going into the aftertaste. The strawberry tastes sweet and a little bit tart, with that tingly berry sensation that tickles my tongue at the finish. The banana isn’t quite as strong but it is a nice flavor. It’s a sweeter banana note, and it actually has a slight creaminess to it that I like.
The black tea base is a smooth tasting base. It doesn’t taste as rich as I seem to remember some of the black teas from 52Teas tasting, so I don’t know if they changed their black tea base again or if it’s just because of the way this particular blend of flavors work with the black tea base. It’s still a brisk tasting black tea, and it’s got a nice, smooth, round taste to it and I’m enjoying it. I’m not finding it to be overly astringent nor is it a tannic tasting tea, so it’s a good base, just not quite as … rich in flavor as I remember the black tea base from 52Teas tasting.
This is good, and it makes me really glad I’m a subscriber and I had the chance to try this tea, because like I said before, I probably wouldn’t have tried it otherwise. This wouldn’t have been a tea that I added to my cart if I were shopping without the subscription. It tastes good hot, and it’s delightful iced too!. My youngest daughter gave a happy thumbs up to it too! We both enjoyed it!
