Brand: English Tea Shop
Flavour: Apple Rosehip Raspberry Ripple
Ingredients: Hibiscus, rosehip, apple pieces, licorice, roasted chicory, pomegranate concentrate, raspberry concentrate, blackcurrant concentrate, natural raspberry, blackcurrent and pomegranate flavours
Caffeine Factor: Caffeine-free
Organic Ingredients: Unspecified
Price Range: £2.50
Bags Per Box: 20
Review: What a silly name. It sounds like an ice cream sundae - but it is nowhere near as exciting.
This is a predictably thick-looking deep red infusion that smells strongly of rosehip and hibiscus, when first brewed. It's quite a pleasant aroma. Surprisingly for the English Tea Shop, it doesn't smell artificial, despite 'natural...flavours' listed in the ingredients. And they even claim this drink is organic, although they don't specify whether this refers to some or all the ingredients.
When you take your first sip, you expect your classic 'fruity' tea, clearly designed for women (hibiscus and rosehip). Then you discover that it tastes of...wait...hang on...NOTHING. We tried leaving the bag in for 15 whole minutes, thinking surely it had to infuse in that time. But even then, there was virtually no flavour. Just a strange, fake soapy taste, mixed with mild tartness (likely from the hibiscus...although we couldn't actually taste the flower). Eventually, a hint of apple came through.
Overall, this is a blend of barely-there hibiscus and apple, plus soap. Even at just £2.50 a box, this is a huge rip-off - it is far cheaper to add a drop of washing-up liquid to a cup of boiling water yourself, than to pay for the English Tea Shop to do it for you.
Amazon say that after viewing that tea, other customers...bought something else. We think that says it all. Bizarrely, Amazon also allow you to set up a subscription for this tea, so you will never run out. We can't imagine who might take them up on this offer.
Best time of year to drink this: Autumn / Winter Best time of day to drink this: Mid-morningBe sure to SUBSCRIBE to our blog so you don't miss out on tea reviews, new flavour announcements, recommended tea accessories, and much more!
