Wow. I wasn't expecting to like this tea as much as I did. Unlike any vanilla-flavored tea I have ever had.

Dry leaf has an intoxicating aroma, suggestive of high-quality vanilla extract, and rum.

The aroma of the cup is just as potent upon brewing, and is quite rum-like. There are tones of spice that come out in the brewed cup that are not evident in the dried leaf.

The base tea has a distinct character, with rich cocoa-like tones. The cocoa-like qualities of the base tea blend with the vanilla to create a character reminiscent of hot chocolate, but with a fresher, brisker character. A moderately bitter up-front flavor blends into a sweet aftertaste.

Moderately full-bodied.

I really liked this one. I love high-quality vanilla extract, but I tire of the fleeting artificial vanilla used to flavor most vanilla-flavored black teas. The high-quality and fully natural nature of the flavoring in this tea really shines through, resulting in a brew that captures what I like about vanilla, and retains great complexity. I also think the base tea is very well chosen.

Also, as a final note, this is quite different from Rishi's vanilla tea, the only other vanilla-flavored tea that I have enjoyed. I like that other tea very much, but I prefer this one. It is also markedly lower in price, and still fair-trade and organic certified.

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