The oversized sachet contains 3g of black tea that is broken, but large pieces. The orange scent is strong and there's a kind of vanilla sweetness that is almost cloying. Even so, the aroma of the tea comes through, smelling perhaps like either a Darjeeling or Chinese tea. Unfortunately, the packaging doesn't indicate the origin of the actual tea.

The flavoring ingredients are listed as hibiscus and "natural flavouring". There's definitely something other than the orange and hibiscus to add sweetness, but it's difficult for me to tell what it is. After adding the water, the smell of both the tea and the extra flavors are quite potent. The combination reminds me of marmalade sweet rolls.

The combination of taste and aroma is reminiscent of fresh mandarin oranges. There's also a hint of a woody flavor that's not unpleasant, but it seems a bit out of place. The finish is entirely hibiscus, masking the flavor of the tea.

I'm of two minds about this tea. On the one hand, it is very tasty. I like both citrus and hibiscus and enjoy a number of herbal teas based on this combination. On the other hand, I know from their other teas that Tradition uses high quality tea, but the tea itself is effectively covered up by the added flavor elements.

In the end, though, it's better than most flavored teas that I've tried and the price is comparable to grocery store brands like Bigelow and Celestial Seasonings. I prefer straight black tea, though.

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