I like this tea. The flavor is quite complex and I'm not sure which flavors are the tea itself and which are "other natural flavors." The malt sweetness of the tea is foremost and the raspberry flavor is unmistakable, but subtle. The tea tastes alternately of Ceylon and Assam, coupling the malt with an almost roasted flavor. There's very little bitterness or astringency. There's some vanilla and an earthiness that reminds me of pipe tobacco. This tea is similar to an Earl Grey in the sense that the more subtle flavors of the tea tend to be masked by the flavoring.

As the tea cools, the vanilla becomes stronger, adding a background flavor of eggnog. I can also pick out more of the Assam than before. The finish is long and keeps a similar balance of flavors, so the tea can be savored in sips. I find myself having the same problem that I have with Earl Grey teas and I keep trying to taste more tea underneath the flavoring. Toward the end of the cup, I'm finding myself a little fatigued by a sort of creaminess in the flavoring. The raspberry is still there, but there's an added richness that wasn't there earlier that makes the end of the cup taste a bit heavy.

I'm still impressed by the tea. This is one of the few flavored teas that isn't spiced and it compares favorably to others. I can include it with Earl Grey and jasmine in my rotation.

As an addendum, the ingredients no longer list "artificial flavors". The ingredients now read, "black tea, natural raspberry flavor with other natural flavors."

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