I tend to like lemon ginger teas, and I was excited to try this one, especially when I saw that it contains ginger as the main ingredient, and then lemongrass and lemon verbena, two herbs that I am a big fan of.

Brews up a delightfully-smelling cup, more lemony than gingery but with a strong ginger aroma. But upon drinking, I find it tastes very different from what I expect from the aroma.

The flavor is more candy-like, tangy, and oddly flat. The aroma leads me to expect at least a light astringency, but the flavor is too smooth. It is also much, much too sour.

Checking the full ingredient list, I see this blend contains added citric acid. I really dislike it when companies do this. (This is one reason I hated the old Tazo passion and calm blends before the company reformulated them.) One reason I drink lemony herbal teas including herbs like lemongrass and lemon verbena, rather than adding lemon itself to herbal teas, is that I dislike the sourness and I want to experience the lemony aroma in a more mild-flavored drink.

I also think the sourness cuts the astringency in a way that makes the tea seem flat and thin-bodied. If I wanted something sour, I'd add actual lemon.

I can't see myself liking this or drinking it again unless Celestial Seasonings removes the citric acid from this blend.

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