Here's the first tea I've tried from a Revolution variety pack, and it was a pleasant surprise! The ingredients list looked promising, with a blend of Ceylon, Darjeeling and "Foromosa" (presumably Formosa, misspelled) oolong, French lavender flowers, and bergamot oil.

It was impossible not to compare this to another Earl Grey I recently rated (a wonderful Earl Grey Creme by Teavana), likewise containing big tea leaf pieces and about 12–15 lavender buds in a pyramid sachet. With that freshly in mind, and still in my pantry, I figured this had to be a letdown by comparison. While not quite up to the championship level of Teavana's offering, this one holds its own as more purely floral and fruity, without the vanilla-cream element—less complex, but very nearly as delicious.

The dry-bag scent was solidly lavender-dominant, almost devoid of bergamot, with just a little hint of base tea. This had me concerned. Fortunately, in cup, the scent became tea-dominant, with an evenhanded bergamot-lavender balance standing together, just a little in the background. The flavor was much the same, and that's a good thing. Lavender only pushed back to the forefront (and not too hard) in the aftertaste and wet-bag aroma (well worth breathing through). Curiously, about the only place the bergamot held its own was in the mouth, with taste itself...but that's what matters most.

If lavender (or any other floral, for that matter) overpowers the tea flavor, to me it becomes an exercise akin to finding grandma's flower garden, stooping down, and goat-grazing it. No thanks. Instead: the lavender stopped short of being overbearing and contributed to a pleasant, sweet, smooth beverage with robust taste. Fortunately they use a reasonably strong base-tea blend. Well-done, Revolution Tea!

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