On a whim, I purchased this tea because I love black tea, and mango, so this seemed like a slam dunk. It is actually very good. In full disclosure, this was my first experience with making tea from loose leaf material. That being said, of course this is a little different than making tea in the regular fashion. You may want to get an infuser, but I used my French press, which I typically use for coffee, and it worked phenomenally.
Let us now please marvel at the absolute beauty of the packaging! This is by far the best presented and packaged tea I have ever bought. I am already dreaming of possible uses for the container once I have prepared all the tea. It is a solid metal tin, with an air-tight cap, and a secure lid under. The tin itself I'd pay at least $2 for, and it pleases me just as much as the tea does. If you do any type of crafting, or sewing, this could easily replace grandma's cookie tin of random odds and ends. I do not know why this fills my soul with such joy, but it does.
Anyways, the flavor of this tea is exactly what you would think good black tea would taste like if you had dropped a few pieces of fresh mango in it. Other than that, the real difference I would like to pass on to you is that it just tastes fresh. I'm not sure how else to explain it, but it tastes like every tea I've made from teabags now has a slightly ancient taste to it. These loose leaves just seem much fresher. Also, being loose leaf, they really pack the tin full of leaves, they were packed so tightly I had to use a spoon to get the first bunch out. They are dried to perfection, and will fully absorb the water once you brew. The packaging suggests that you can brew each batch twice, but I have not tested this.
The tea produces a lovely honey-brown sort of a color and is very aromatic. The mango flavor is present, but not overpowering. The caffeine level of this tea is just above medium.
PROS:
+ Great price for the amount of tea.
+ Packaging is world class!
+ Great flavor and aroma.
+ MEDIUM level of Caffeine.
CONS:
- Lid on tin can be hard to open at times
OVERALL GRADE: A+
Black Tea Leaves, Calendula Flower Petals, and Natural Mango Essence.
