Unlike black, green, herbal or even oolong teas, this one might take a little explaining. While I wouldn’t call myself a tea connoisseur, I always thought I had a decent understanding of what types of tea were out there… until I got this one. For the uninitiated, “cascara” is the dried skin of coffee cherries. Yep, coffee beans aren’t your average bean, they’re actually the seeds of the coffee cherry. I had no clue! Come to find out, it’s actually becoming quite popular as a substitute for those looking for caffeine without the flavor or dehydration that come with traditional coffee.

Ironically, it’s this very quality that kept me from giving this tea a spectacular rating. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good tea, it’s just not for me. As a long-time coffee drinker, I’ve come to expect certain things from beverages that even remotely resemble coffee… and this one is a pretty close match. It has a distinctly coffee aroma and flavor, backed by a touch of fruit. I’m not sure if it’s just the knowledge that this is made from something called a cherry, but to me it had a distinctly cherry flavor.

Irregardless of my issues with the flavor, I will say that this tea has two huge things going for it. First, while it is definitely reminiscent of coffee, there is absolutely no aftertaste. Anyone who has had the average store-bought coffee can tell you that unless it’s actually high-end coffee, there’s always an aftertaste. Second, it does have a noticeable “kick,” though not quite as much as a cup of good coffee. All in all, it’s a good tea, though it won’t be making its way into my daily rotation.

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