 | "Tastes like peppermint tree bark with a hint of butterscotch thrown in for good measure. One of the most revolting tea experiences I've had in ages..."
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I was shopping at Barnes & Noble the other day, absent-mindedly waiting in line at the cafe for a fresh-brewed iced tea (yes, part of the ongoing QPIT - Quest for the Perfect Iced Tea). What I got was ok, a passion-fruit blend which was definitely refreshing, just a tad heavy on the fruit flavor. It was so overwhelmingly fruity, and the color such a deep red that you practically forgot you were drinking a tea at all. Still, on a hot day it scratched my itch and its something I’d order again if there were no better alternatives. (How’s that for noncommittal?)
Anyway, this review isn’t about B&N’s tea, but rather its about Harney & Sons’s Peppermint Herbal tea - a tin which caught my eye whilst waiting on line at the B&N cafe. I’m a sucker for peppermint tea, and my stocks at home had long ago dwindled to nothing, so I picked it up for $7.95 (loose, 3 oz). Brought it home, opened the can and took the obligatory First Whiff - absolutely delightful. Quite possibly one of the best mint teas I’ve ever smelled. But, as I’ve said before, tea’s for drinkin’, not for sniffin’, and so I got down to business brewing up a batch in my trusty IngenuiTEA.
Alas, much like Adagio’s Earl Grey Bravo, the aroma and the taste were two completely different things.
I was prepared for a crisp, sharp, refreshing brew… the kind that fills your nostrils with that almost medicine-like minty flavor while you drink it. The kind that cools and tingles your throat as you swallow. This just wasn’t it.
Of course, the key word here was Peppermint Herbal. This brew had all the worst qualities of herbal teas, with none of the benefits. Perhaps most galling was the aftertaste… almost like tree bark sprinkled with butterscotch. Most aftertastes last just a brief instant, immediately following the swallow, and then dissipate quickly on the next inhalation. This one didn’t, it persisted… ten minutes after I drank this tea, I still tasted that awful bark/butterscotch combination. Simply awful.
Yet another tin of leaves that smells wonderful but makes appallingly bad tea. I really hope my fiancee takes up craftwork one of these days, because she’ll have no lack of tea-potpourri to work with. I’ll not be drinking this one again anytime soon.
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Stephen Teaviews.com Reviewer » Read more about this reviewer on Stephen's profile page. » Find a list of recent posts by Stephen. |
November 29th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
[…] my last horrible experience with Harney & Sons tea, you might wonder why I’ve bothered to try another of their blends. Good question! That […]